Disclaimer: This parody is a work of fan-fiction, and is distributed
purely for it's subtle political effect.  A-ko and all related
characters are copyrighted by Soeishinsha/Final-Nishijima and Central
Park Media and are not used with permission.  All original material is
copyright 1996 by Henry J. Cobb.  Permission is granted to browse and
redistribute this material, but not to modify it.

The following material should be considered PG-13 level (for mature
theme) and may not be suitable for younger readers. (Hint: if you're not
bothered by the uncensored version of the tapes, the following material
probably won't hurt you)

Watching Project A-ko's I through IV is recommended before reading this
story as it starts just after A-ko IV, but it gives nothing away to say
that not much has really changed since the end of A-ko I.

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Project A-ko: "Promise" Chapter I: "Monday, Confrontation"
  By Henry J. Cobb

Eiko "A-ko" Magami, brushed her fiery red hair from her copper eyes
and pressed the doorbell of the house with green trim.

The second story window opened and the sleepy face of her short, green
eyed, blond haired, friend Shiko "C-ko" Kotobuki appeared. "What, A-ko,
you've come to pick me up today?"

"Yes, now hurry up and we can get to school early this morning."

"Wait, I haven't fixed lunch yet."

"No time, I've got a plan today, and I've brought enough for both of
us."  A-ko held up her lunch bag.

I've got everything figured out, I won't be late or poisoned by C-ko's
cooking today.

A few minutes later C-ko appeared at her door and latched onto A-ko's
hand for a high-speed dash up the hill to Graviton Girl's high school.

"Why are you up so early today?" C-ko asked, flying along in Ako's wake.

"You made me promise yesterday, not to fight ever again.  I'll avoid
B-ko, and we won't fight."

"Yahoo!  We can all be friends."

Skipping from rooftop to rooftop A-ko soon approached the school.

Rats, B-ko's already waiting at the gate.  Doesn't miss Daitokuji have
anything better to do in the mornings?  She's in the purple
battle-swimsuit too.  The color goes great with her blue eyes and
lavender hair, and it really flaunts her long legs, but the cut is so
last season.  She wouldn't be in the suit, unless she wanted a fight
right away, but I won't give it to her.

As A-ko approached the gate, she executed a sharp left turn at high
speed, throwing up a shower of bricks from the path.  She ran around to
the back of the school and jumped over the wall.

"Weeee!", C-ko shouted, sailing along behind her.

The pair were quickly at their desks in room 2-E.

B-ko arrived at the class shortly before the bell, back in her school
uniform and sat at her desk between the other two. "Coward!"

I won't let her get to me, she wants a fight and I won't let her have
it.

At lunch, A-ko shared generously with C-ko the lunch her mother had
made the previous night.

How did mom say it? "The greatest courage is the wisdom to know when not
to fight." I won't disappoint you mother.  There's no need for these
fights.  I see that now.

"This is great A-ko" C-ko beamed, as she tore through the lunch,
"tomorrow my turn, OK?"

Oh no, I'm doomed, and here comes B-ko.

"You coward.  You won't be so lucky this afternoon."

Back in class, A-ko tried to put her mind on her studies, and ignore the
gloating sounds B-ko made every so often.

B-ko dashed out at the end of the last class.

She's up to no good.

"Come on C-ko, I'll walk you home."

Outside the school, C-ko stopped.  "Remember A-ko, tomorrow's my turn to
bring lunch."

A thunderous footstep sounded down the path.

"B-ko?  Are you in that?  What's this, a giant robot version of yourself
now?  Did you get tired of looking at my silly face?"

"You can't run away forever you coward, prepare to fight."

"You're right.  I can't run forever, but I won't fight you."

"Then you'll die!"

A-ko did not resist as the robot lifted her ten meters up.

"A-ko!"

"It'll be alright C-ko, it's just something B-ko and me need to work
out, please tell my parents that I may be a little late tonight."

"OK."

That evening, A-ko sat in chill darkness.

It's been hours since B-ko chained me up in her garage.  What is she
waiting for?  Surely she doesn't think that these chains can hold me?
She'll come, we'll talk, she'll see.  I just hope she hurries up before
I catch a cold.

Finally the door opened and B-ko stepped into the garage.  She wore a
robe over her nightgown and a pair of fuzzy slippers.  In her hand she
carried a mostly full wine glass that she sipped at, but it obviously
hadn't been her first one this evening.

"You've been celebrating?"

"No, plotting your final destruction."

"B-ko, we don't have to play these games."

"But first, I'll have to humiliate you properly."  B-ko stood right
before A-ko. "Maybe I'll tie you up in front of the school for a week
or..."

This just isn't working out right.  I have to show her.  There's plenty
of slack in these chains.  I can hop up with super speed, hug her and
give her a friendly peck on the check.  Then she'll see that I could
hurt her, but I won't.  I just want to be friends.

"...do something to get your mangled body on the evening news..."

B-ko only had time for a half-step back as A-ko made her lunge, but it
was enough to spoil A-ko's aim.

The peck turned into a full kiss to the lips.  B-ko dropped her glass,
which shattered and splashed them both, but A-ko did not notice.  The
kiss seemed to have fire and lightning.  A-ko felt dizzy, B-ko stiffened
then relaxed in her arms.

They held the kiss for many moments.  Finally, A-ko pulled back.

"B-ko, I..."

"No!  You can't trick me this way!"  B-ko broke free from A-ko's limp
grasp and bolted for the door, in tears.

How did that happen?  What did I do wrong?

Trivially breaking free of the chains, A-ko smashed through the main
garage door and burst out into the night, reflexively stopping the fire
of the estate defense systems with her bracers, her mind awhirl.

When she returned home, she tried to enter as quietly as possible, but
her dad was waiting in the living room, pretending to read the Daily
Planet.  "Did the big date not go so hot?"

It was too much to bear, A-ko burst into tears herself and rushed up to
her room, to bury her face in her pillow.

A few minutes later, her mother was at the door. "Do you need to talk?"

"No mom. Not now, I just can't talk about it now."

Then A-ko rolled over and tried to sleep.

$Id: promise_chp1.txt,v 1.8 1996/09/02 17:45:35 hcobb Exp $