Disclaimer/note: Characters and setting are property of Team Ninja. This fictional story is based on Dead or Alive Xtreme 2. The story features lesbian relationships: and some days (i.e. chapters) also feature violence or offensive language. Please don't read it if you aren't old enough.
-Morning of Day Six-
Sunrise found me grudgingly getting out of Hitomi's bed and stretching thoroughly. I was only a little cramped from how I'd fallen asleep. I'd woken next to Hitomi, not on top of her, so she was probably not going to be too stiff when she woke.
Since Lisa was my partner, I'd have to hurry with my exercises. Then I remembered my mobile camera. It was waiting on my bedside table.
Why not skip one workout? I was getting quite a bit (and quite a variety) of exercise as it was. I hooked the robot to my computer and looked at what it had recorded.
Its memory was only an hour, so I'd programmed it to record six-minute snippets and then move. I started playing the video at four-times speed. There were people loading frozen food into a restaurant's walk-in freezer. Then there was a girl putting flowers in the accessory shop's refrigerated display case.
There were a few more ordinary scenes. I was feeling like I'd been silly to have any suspicions. But then I saw someone using a torch. It wasn't a welder; this was a cutting torch.
"Good morning," Hitomi said cheerily, putting her arms around my neck and kissing my cheek.
"Hey, good morning. How're you feeling?" I said, turning and kissing her in return.
"Still a little tired, but really happy." She let me go. "Tea?"
"Sounds good."
"What're you looking at? Oh, it's from your robot, I bet."
"You got it in one. This part is a little strange."
She rejoined me, having started boiling the water. "It looks like routine repairs to me," she said.
"That's what I thought at first. But see, the worker's removing part of the machinery; it looks like she's working on a boat or a ship, ne? I'm no expert, but it looks like she's replacing some sort of regulator."
"I guess. I don't know much about boats-or machines in general."
"Looks like a new boat though, right?"
"Yeah. Zack probably bought it brand new a month or two ago."
"So why is this new boat having major parts replaced?"
"Oh." For a long moment, we were both quiet. "I was hoping there wouldn't be anything. Who wants to worry on vacation?"
"It's probably nothing."
"That would be nice." She put a chair next to mine and watched with me.
The scene aboard the boat was the only one I felt was suspicious. I went back to that bit and watched it at normal speed. I was looking for clues. After we saw the entire six minutes, I turned to Hitomi. "What do you think?" I asked.
She sighed. "I don't feel very German; most of us are good with machines. I can't tell much of anything, except that it's probably a large boat, 15 to 24 m long. The part she's removing has no obvious damage, but I can't tell if it's broken or not."
"You're right. It didn't look broken, but that doesn't mean it isn't. If something strange is going on, I can think of two possibilities. It could be smuggling and that mechanic's in on it. Or it could be sabotage—someone trying to keep someone else from leaving the island.
"If either is the case, we have danger. Although it's unlikely to be anything serious, I have to find out what happening." I hooked the robot to a power supply.
"I'll come with you," Hitomi said.
"Thank you, sweetie. Let's get washed and stuff; Tina and Lisa want to meet us at 0900."
At first I felt weird about going out and playing away the day; it seemed reckless. But as Hitomi pointed out to me, conspirator or conspirators unknown would have plenty of time to execute the plan. Everyone knew this was a two-week vacation (after which, Zack was opening the island to wealthy tourists) so a careful operative could take her time. I felt as though I should tell Lisa and Tina, but I couldn't be sure one of them wasn't in on this plot, if there was a plot.
We didn't take long to start having fun. Lisa and I found Christie and Helena and we started a volleyball game. Their teamwork seemed off at first, but they're competitors. They got it together quickly and really made us work. We came within a point of losing twice, but finally won, 9-7.
"That was some match," Lisa said.
"You've got a heck of a partner," Christie told her. "Leifang is the only individual who hasn't lost a match."
"What about Hitomi?" Helena asked.
"She and Tina lost yesterday," I answered. "Still, I didn't think I was the only one."
"You are," Christie said. "That's why I wanted to play you—be the one to hand you your first loss...and since I've said that, when can we have a rematch?"
I looked at Lisa. "This afternoon at the earliest," she said. "Now that we know what you're up to, we need time to regroup and form a plan."
"Not exceptionally sporting of you," Helena chided.
"No, go ahead," Christie said. "We want to beat you at your best."
"I feel like a marked woman," I said.
Christie laughed. "I'd think you'd be used to all eyes on you by now. You fill that new suit as well as the others."
I blushed while Helena and Lisa giggled. "I like this one better than the one you wore yesterday," Helena added, to my surprise. "It's cute, but not syrupy sweet."
"I like it too," I stated, "and thank you for the compliments."
"We may just come for the two of you this afternoon," Christie warned. "Enjoy your reprieve while you can."
"We'll see if your skills can back up your words," Lisa said, sticking out her tongue. "Later, then."
They took off toward the Gemstone Suites and we headed for the grill. "Even Helena is loosening up," I remarked. "I'm glad we're all here; this vacation is good for us."
"I think you're right," my tall partner agreed. "And Christie was right; 'Electra' looks great on you."
"Thank you."
"Of course, you received it yesterday and didn't wear it then. I kept Tina off your back about it because there were others present, but will you explain now?"
I struggled with my urged to blush or avert my eyes from hers. "I want to be honest with you. You're such a great friend! Hitomi and I...made love and got the suits...messy."
"I thought that was it! Thanks for telling me. I don't mind telling you that Tina and I fool around."
"Do you love Tina?"
"When I was younger, I would have said yes like that." She snapped her fingers. "But I don't think so. I love her as a friend, but we don't quite connect that way, you know? To me, it looks like you and Hitomi are in love...and I think the fact that you had to ask about Tina and me-that it wasn't obvious-means we aren't."
"You're probably right. You're certainly right that Hitomi and I are in love. She's what I need," I said. "Have you ever been in love?"
