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maskofmilves · 2 years ago

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Chapter 2: Intrusive Thoughts

Characters: Chiren, Alita, Joi (Blade Runner 2049)

Fandom(s): Alita Battle Angel x Blade Runner 2049 crossover/Alita sequel (Robert please get on this)

Summary: After the events of Alita: Battle Angel, Chiren wakes up with some memories of what had previously happened to her. A friend from the past helps her become human again. She's greeted with a new companion. Joi. Things happen from there...

Warnings: lots of angst, Joi and Chiren being flirty, Alita being a boss, robot/cyborg stuff, and fluff if you squint. Nova deserves his own warning.

A/n: I don't know how I came up with this concept but I love both Blade runner films and Alita (& the fandom) so much.

About 20 minutes later, Alita came out with a knapsack on her back filled to the brim. Still raining outside but now the weather says signs of thunderstorms on the panel to Chiren’s right on the center console. She had asked for Joi to come back and the program did as asked. Sitting next to her again.

She turned to her in the hope of some conversation in all of it. “How are you doing in all of this?” She asked. Joi gave her a quick smile to break some dismay off of the other’s face.

“I’m managing like you are Doct-”

“Chiren, please. And honestly, I think I'm no doctor anymore.”

“Well just like you, Chiren. Just as confused as you are.” Chiren gave her a look and nodded, leaving it at that.

As soon as Alita opened the door Joi disappeared again. Ready to come back whenever. Alita sat down in the seat next to her. "We don't have much time. Here this is just for caution." She put a pistol in her lap.

"What is this"

"What does it look like?"

"I- alright…I’ve never used one of these things except for one time-”

"You're definitely not wearing a lab coat anymore. You're exposed now. You're at risk just like the rest of us-" A blaster shot hit the window. "Shi-"

Chiren stepped on the gas. Nothing. They must've hacked it. "It's them!"

"Get out and stay covered! Run for the towers!" Fire came upon the windshield again. Alita opened the door and crawled out slowly, same for Chiren. They ran to the alleyways in between the buildings. Still getting shot at. Little did Chiren know their destination was where the adapter was being held.

"Oh I almost forgot to tell you, Nova's still alive."

"What?! Joi, come back please."

Joi appeared right alongside her running with them. "What is going on?"

"We're running from them!" Alita pointed to the gang behind them.

"Oh wonderful, " Joi remarked.

They eventually got there. Running inside everyone looked at them. "Get to the roof! I'll meet you there"

"Where are you g- oh for zalem's sake-" Chiren looked around her. Perfect. The stairwell up. She and Joi opened and shut the stair door behind them and started their climb. She hadn't moved like this in years. Never was that active or had to be. In human years she'd be in her 50s right? Didn't matter anymore really. She noticed how she was moving a bit better than before everything that happened but she was getting tired. 3 floors up she heard them below yelling and shooting upwards. One shot hit the guardrail almost making her lose an ear. They got to the top. The door was locked. Crap. Alright, let's test this body she thought. Standing back and giving it a hard kick before it swung open with ease. This was one of the buildings where they sold several Joi's all over the city for personal and professional use. Alita was getting the adapter now? Not the best time but sure.

“Joi, get the car over here so we can get out of this pile of parts-”

When Chiren stepped through the door and turned her head, one of the gang members was already on the other side waiting for them the whole time. She only froze when there was a blade in her side the moment she stopped talking.

“Gonna kill you just like the old man-”

Chiren quickly drew the blaster Alita had given her earlier and pulled the trigger so it shot straight through his neck, leaving him gasping for air, backing off, he tripped and fell off the roof. Chiren locked it shut, her back against the door ready to hold it in place. Joi looked at her in shock at the wound. Gushing crimson red. Joi went to her, going to hold her hand on it then she remembered she literally couldn’t and all she could do was speak. Chiren started breathing at a rough pace. Looking down she saw the shiv and pulled it out.

“...Why is it red, Joi, it should be blue.”

Joi came up with most likely the correct answer “Maybe- maybe because you’re new? Almost everything inside you is synthetic. So that means your arteries and organs, everything would be red like a human?” Chiren could tell she wasn’t so sure herself but she was going to take her word for it.

Chiren couldn’t hold the door for much longer. The pain was unbearable in her side. The older woman looked down at it. Contemplating what to do with the hunk of metal. Screw it. Her fingers wrapped around it and yanked it out. Like ripping off a bandaid fast. She let out a yelp. Even though she has medical experience and you're supposed to leave it in so you don't bleed out more, she did it anyway. That intrusive thought is really going to ruin her this time if she doesn't make it. She can’t hold it anymore she thought. As soon as she was ready to take pressure off of the door the spinner floated up to the roof with…Alita? Alita driving? Chiren didn’t question it after realizing she could run to her now. The passenger door lifted up. Alita at the wheel.

“Come on!”

Chiren struggled to run because of her wound. The pain rushed throughout that side of her body. Gravel crunching under her boots, she fell right into the seat. Working to get the lower half of her body in the vehicle. Joi watched worried, she looked back to see the door cracking about to get them. Alita pulled her up and closed the door. Joi disappeared but her voice came on in the car.

“She’s been stabbed. She needs immediate medical attention.”

Alita pushes her back into the seat. “How far is her penthouse?”

Chiren spoke up. “15 minutes right?”

“19”

“Whatever, close enough…”

Alita lightly hit her face. “Stay awake!”

Chiren let out a groan. Keeping her hand on her side, the pressure on it lifted, she started drifting off into the darkness once again.

***

She was back in the box again. Alone. In the jar. In the box. No one with her. Nothing to feel. Alita would come back? No, she had other things to do. Motorball, damn sport. But it was one of the only things that would get her to Zalem. Let her go Chiren, let it all go. Accept your fate. Daughter dead. What’s next? There’s nothing left to lose. Nothing. Ido. Back in the clinic. She was there with him. Smiling. The other man came in, looking for drugs, medicine. Turn him away. Kick him out. Turn him away. He can’t hear or see you screaming to save her. Running into the room to get her away. Time wouldn’t let you move huh? Her wheelchair going across the room as he runs out. Holding her in your arms. Her body growing cold. Don’t let the warmth escape. Please no. Wake up.

Wake up.

***

Morning light hit her face. A stride of it hitting her eye just right so she’d wake up. Joi was observing her from the side of the bed kneeling down to the woman's eye level. Chiren's eyes flickered open. Her body was wrapped in the familiar blankets she knew, cover in warmness from her silk sheets. Joi was almost grinning at her for some reason. Just looking at her.

"Stay still," Joi said moving her hand to put a strand of Chiren's hair behind her ear for her.

"You have the adapter?" Chiren asked. Trying to not get flustered over the hair behind her ear. She sat up the feeling of the air hitting her bare stomach caught her attention. Her sweater was gone. Thank goodness for bras. "Where's my-"

"Yes, I have the adapter now. It's inside Alita actually. You have soft skin. I have never felt anyone before and yours was nice. Oh, and yeah while you were passed out we had to disinfect your wound and sew it up." Joi grabbed the folded sweater from Chiren's dresser and handed it to her. "Here let me look at it." She said.

"Thanks. Oh yeah, that’s right, she can plug in a few digital components into her. How long was I out?"

Joi moved the blankets away and lifted the medical tape and gauze. Her slender fingers lingered on Chiren's olive-patterned skin. "Such nice skin" She then ran her fingers over where the scar would be. "It- you were out for only 8 or 9 hours- it healed?- how is it gone already?"

Chiren looked down at it. Touching it herself lots of thoughts ran through her mind. "It's this synthetic stuff. Guess I heal very fast now. Almost inhuman. Not sure if I'm getting better…where's Alita?"

"Kitchen. Can I touch your clothes and things? I know that's a weird question but I have to know what things feel like-"

Chiren didn’t even have to think about it. "Knock yourself out." She got up and put on a slender black shirt from her closet. "And thank you." Walking out of her room she grabbed the sweater and headed to the balcony overlooking Iron City. The breeze was warm and the weather was perfect. Then looking above there was Zalem. She knew Nova was probably watching her every move so she had to be careful. Walking back inside to the kitchen Alita was at the stovetop looking like she was serving something into two bowls.

"What'd you make?"

"Tomato soup. Oh if you were wondering how you're going to pay for this place before Vector died he set up a will in case anything happened to his business the credits would go to you."

"How much?"

"A lot to make you last a very long time." Alita picked up the bowls, walked over, and set them down on the solid table that had a nice view of the city.

Alita sat down. "Eat."

"Pushy" Chiren chuckled to herself. Eagerly eating her soup, she savored the flavors on her taste buds. Her smile soon faded away as she watched Alita look back at her. "What happened to Ido? What really happened to him?"

Alita sighed and took a deep breath. "He was jumped by some low-level guys who were controlled by Nova. He wanted information from him and Ido wouldn't give it to him…when I finally got there it was too late. I tried everything-”

“Where is he now?”

“Zalem. With Nova. Who knows what he’s doing with his body.”

Chiren thought about the whole thing for a second. “That flying car outside, can’t we just fly it up there?”

“No. You’d need a special clearance to get through. Unless there’s some other way in we don’t know about we’re kinda in a hole.”

“Does anyone in Iron City have these special passes?”

“Only delivery people who- no no we’re not doing that.”

Chiren had a grin on her face. “Why?” She said playfully.

“Listen. The tubes are basically useless if Nova sees everything and controls the spikes and stuff.”

“Where’s the nearest distribution center?”

“By the walls. Why are we doing this again?”

“To find out what Nova wants and to see what’s up with the Ido situation.”

“Oh have you noticed?”

Chiren was puzzled. “Noticed what?”

“Joi. I’m pretty sure she’s interested in you.”

“Why do you say that?” Chiren took interest and set down her spoon.

“She was being quite touchy with you while we were sewing you up. When I took your shirt off she instantly ran her hands over you.” Alita laughed. “And she totally volunteered to watch you overnight. She also suggested sewing your sweater which I thought was very kind of her-”

Chiren contemplated this for a bit, with a confused, surprised face. “Alright then. I don’t know what to think right now. I’ll think about it later. Let’s get moving. I’ll go get her.”

She got up and walked in on Joi smelling one of her blouses. Chiren stood there surprised at what she saw in the interesting view in front of her, she blinked in contradiction. “Hey, we’re going. Coming with?”

***

The Zalem shipping center outside the market:

The afternoon sun made it so Chiren just held on to her coat instead of wearing it knowing it would get cold later in the evening. Alita looked at Joi in a weird way as she took a bite of flan at the small shop stand in the downtown market that Chiren bought for her. Right now she was trading a small antique for some everyday things since before she was dismantled everything was provided to and for her. She knew people couldn’t care if her face was placed everywhere with a poster saying she was either dead or alive, or maybe they would if there was a bounty on her head. The person who was running the market agreed to give Chiren a nicely made dagger that extended to a strong sword for one of her expensive bracelets that were probably worth a good lot. People looked at her as if she were out of place. Like she was supposed to be up in Zalem, like she was too much of a pretty face to be there, when she dressed like she was a Zalem resident she would get looks everywhere from the locals but now she was one with the locals in fitting in. “Thank you have a nice day,” The trader said. Chiren smiled and nodded, turning around to see Alita and Joi making conversation. She already told them what she and Alita’s plan was and now Chiren is wondering if they’ll even make it a day without getting killed. Though they almost did last night. ‘Such fun’ She thought. She put her coat back on, starting to get chilly.

“Didn’t know you could eat, since you’re, you know…”

“Oh I didn’t know either till just now”

“Do you like it? What does it taste like to you?”

“I wouldn’t know really, pudding right?”

Chiren walked over and sat down by the fountain they were at, holding a sample of gazpacho from a vendor. “Well, is it good?”

“Very good thank you.” Joi smiled up at her. “I think I really like you, you know?”

“Oh? I like you too Joi,” Chiren paused. “What do you mean by that?”

“Yes, I think you’re very, what’s the word, sweet” Chiren choked on the part of flan she was eating from Alita not knowing what to think. Alita’s big eyes widened and looked away also in the same state of confusion as Chiren.

“Oh? You mean like that?”

“I truly believe so, I’m not supposed to say that am I?”

Chiren let out a chuckle looking down. “You’re more than welcome to say that. And you know what? It’s even okay to love someone.”

Joi looked at her awestricken with love and admiration coming from this woman that she’s only known for 24 hours or so. Chiren looked back to Alita noticing the person who checked his surroundings acting very suspiciously around the warehouse door. Nodding in that general direction, Alita looked over there too. Joi had no clue what was going on, she was in her own world finishing up the flan as happy as she could be looking off into the distance. Chiren stood up and walked to the man looking around making sure to not draw attention. One of the trains she could see from where she was, coming from the badlands, they’re going to have to be careful about this to not get caught. These trains were made so various materials could be transferred from Zalem to Iron City, then back to the farms.

Alita watched her. Motioning for Joi to follow, tugging on her translucent yellow jacket. Chiren walked quietly as possible behind him, there was a crunch under her shoe of a wrapper. A darn chocolate bar wrapper. He turned around seeing her face, making a stunned expression he opened the door he was trying to get into before running inside.

“No, wait!” Chiren shouted, but it was already too late. He made a run for it into the building. Chiren followed him, running after him. She needed this key. Her and Alita have been waiting forever to end Nova, but so many inconveniences have popped up since she and Alita met, it made it basically impossible to even consider, but now that they had this chance, Chiren could get her revenge. She didn't want to be selfish doing it, but Alita deserves to get hers too. Alita and Joi ran after them, running up the metal stairs the train's doors began closing. The man barely made it through the door as it closed. Chiren put her fingers in it, pushing it open with both hands she held it for Alita. She got in looking around for him. Several workers looked at her. All of a sudden their eyes turned a bright blue. One of them stared hard at her.

"Dr Chiren. You're not supposed to be here."

She knew that voice.

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