Part XI

"C'mon, baby, you know you want me," Maxfield Stanton, a.k.a. Nephrite, hears from an alley he just happens to be walking by in New York City.

"Ugh, yeah right, about as much as a root canal!"

Neph frowns and stops, slipping into the alley just in time to see a punk being shoved away from a small feminine figure.

"You'll pay for that, bitch!"

"Your BREATH is punishment enough! Ever hear of a 'toothbrush and 'toothpaste'? They work wonders, ya know." The punk snarls and dives at her, only to run face first into the alley wall.

"That the BEST you can do? Weak!"

"He ain't the only one here, lil' girl," a new voice sounds from the shadows.

"Yeah, NO body talks to our bro like that!" another voice exclaims.

Neph can practically smell the girl's anger increase as three new figures step from the shadows.

"Figures," she says bitterly, "horney cowards never attack alone, do they?"

"Get 'er!"

With that, they all attack her at once. The young woman fights, to her credit, with skill and ferocity that Neph has seldom ever seen.

She holds them off until they break out the blades.

At hearing her cry of pain, he decides to step in. Once he knocks two goons out with energy drains, the young woman is able to get enough time to knock the other two out with vicious blows to their heads.

Neph goes over to the young woman and helps her pick up her scattered groceries, asking, "Are you all right, miss?"

She smiles at him. "I'm fine, thanks to you, Mister...huh," she trails off.

"Stanton. Maxfield Stanton, and it was no problem, Miss..."

She grins, shaking the offered hand. "Everyone calls me HLM."

"HLM?"

"Yep," her icy blue eyes sparkle, looking out of place with the black and red hair, as she bows with a dramatic flourish, "Happy Little Moron at yer service."

"Ah," is the only thing he could think of in response to that.

As he walks her out of the ally, he notices several things. First, he notes how lovely she is in a delicate sort of way. Secondly, he notices the strength and awareness with which she moves. Third, he notices how familiar she seems to be, almost as if they've known each other for all their lives. Finally, and most startlingly, he finds that he can't get any sort of energy reading off of her.

She feels him looking at her and ahems softly.

"So...ah...do you live here in NYC?" she asks, just to be polite and to break the silence.

"No, actually. I'm here on business, I decided to take a walk, see more of the city then just the business district."

HLM raises a brow. "Well, as you can see, this part of town isn't exactly the prettiest, but hey, it's home."

"You live here?"

"Yep, my building is just another few blocks from here, in fact."

"Have you lived here long?"

"About three years. Mom and I moved here when I was just starting Freshman year in high school."

"So you're a Junior?"

"You got it.

Well, ah...Maxfield, tell me about yourself. Where are you from?"

Neph grins, finding he likes this girl.

"I'm from Tokyo."

"Really? Small world, that's where my mom's from."

"Oh? You don't look Japanese..."

"I'm...adopted," something in the way she says that makes him look at her.

"Ah..."

"Weeeeell...here's my building," she comes to a stop in front of an old  three-story building.

"Thank you for the conversation," he says as he shakes her hand again, attempting to erase her memory of their encounter.

"No problem, and thank you again for the assist, Maxfield. Enjoy your stay in the Big Apple, and be careful, ok?"

He hides his surprise at his failure and tries once more.

"You too, HLM."

She smiles at him and steps inside, unaffected by his efforts.

Puzzled, he continues on his way.

Part X
Part XII
Beginnings and Endings Index