Apple

On The Missing Twins

Apple stared out the window, looking at the stars. She knew that soon he would be here. She had only seen a blurry photo of him that she had acquired long ago when she stormed the lab years ago.

"He looks so innocent…" she thought. "Like a child with insatiable curiosity." She brought the photo up to her lips and kissed it. Babaru approached her.

"Hey Apple! What are you staring at?" she said in a chipper mood. Apple placed her hand on the cold glass of the window.

"Do you think he is cold to the touch? Like me?" Apple asked. Babaru quirked a brow.

"Who?" Babaru asked.

"Adam. He is like me, in a way…"

"I don't know. Don't all of you have a different hum?" she answered. Apple turned to her.

"I suppose… Did you see what he looks like?" Apple said, handing Babaru the photo. Babaru looked at it, squinting a bit.

"His eyes have thick lashes. He kind of looks like a girl," Babaru commented.

"He's delicate looking… like a doll…" Apple said with a smile. Babaru looked up at her to meet her eyes again.

"I thought you hated that word…" she said, handing the photo back.

"Oh, I do, but sometimes there is no other word for it," Apple said, looking at the photo again. Babaru fell silent and looked out the window. She then gasped.

"Apple! They're coming back now!" Apple stuffed the photo under her dress between her breasts and leaned towards the window with her hands on the glass. Two of her goons were carrying her precious things, running through the wheat field. Her dark eyes were lit up.

"Have them put in the observation cages, Babaru," Apple commanded. Babaru smiled.

"Like the butterflies you keep? That's funny, Apple!" Babaru said, giggling. Apple turned to her and smiled.

On What Are You?

"I hate Eve!" Apple cried. Nicholas poured her some tea.

"The woman, correct?" Pansa-Pansa asked. Apple growled a "yes" back. "She looks like a doll, just like Babaru said, but it seems she has a strong will."

"I'll break her once we're done with her," Apple said.

"No, no! I want to keep her!" Babaru said, setting down her teacup. Nicholas sat down.

"I just wish he and I could be alone…" Apple said, letting out a sigh. Babaru gently elbowed her.

"Oh! I see! So you like him like that, right?" Babaru said teasingly. Apple actually blushed. She said nothing and took a sip of her tea. Babaru then giggled. "Well, who knows what'll happen when we release them from the cages."

"It's a shame. I would really like to see all of him up against the glass…" Apple said, looking down into her tea. Nicholas immediately got up from his seat and went to fill the teapot. Babaru flushed.

"Apple! You can't say such things like that so casually! Look! Pansa-Pansa is blushing! I bet Igako and Kogako are too—of course, we don't know that, but I bet you they are!"

"I am just expressing myself, Babaru. Is there a problem?" she said, her voice suddenly becoming firm. Nicholas looked over his shoulder at them, silent. Babaru swallowed hard.

"No, no! Not at all, Apple!" she said nervously. Apple's serious expression turned into a smile again.

"I really just want to see that white skin of his. Every pore…" Apple said. Babaru smiled and let out a nervous giggle.

On The Other Forbidden Fruit

Apple was playing her harpsichord.

"White like the moon…" she said softly as she played Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. "I hope he can hear it…" She rolled her head on her shoulders.

*BREAK*

"So, what did all of you think?" Apple asked.

"Eve is even cuter closer up! I really want to go shopping with her!" Babaru said, excited. "Hey, Pansa-Pansa! Maybe we can even dress her up in one of our dresses!" she said. Pansa-Pansa sighed. Babaru pouted—she knew she wasn't going to let her. Nicholas, whose cheek was red, dare not say anything about Lark.

"I wonder what Lark will look like when he eats. I want to watch his lips. I want to hear him crunch things…" she said, biting her own lip.

*BREAK*

"Igako. Kogako. Did you see Nicholas' cheek? It was very red." Apple said. "What do you think happened?"

"It looked like the mark of a hand…" Igako said quietly.

"Alright. But whose hand?"

"Most likely one of the goods. It looked like a small hand, but with great force," Kogako answered.

"It would be either one of them. I suppose he gave them some tea. I bet it was Eve. Eve is so disobedient… but it is her nature, you know?" Apple replied.

"What do you mean?" Igako asked.

"That's right. You believe in the gods of the black hole?" Apple asked, looking back at them. They nodded. "This is a different god. The real God. He may have created your 'God.'" Igako and Kogako were silent for a moment. Just then, Kogako wandered over towards a shop. She looked into the window. It was some kind of cosmetics shop, advertising a popular shade of red lipstick. Kogako sighed.

"I wish I could wear this…" Kogako said. Igako and Apple walked over to her.

"It would be nice…" Igako commented. Kogako then turned to Apple.

"You should buy it. I think it might appeal to Adam. In our culture, painted lips are a symbol of sex." Apple blushed.

"Do you really think I could… well… pull it off?" Apple asked, turning to them. Igako and Kogako both nodded.

"Wear it to the dinner tonight," Kogako replied. Apple then giggled. Igako and Kogako looked at each other, eyes wide.

"Are you okay, Apple?" Igako asked. Apple turned to them, smiling wide.

"Let's go inside!" Apple said, sounding excited.

On Lost in a Bronze City

"I don't even want to see his face! I don't think he noticed me at all… Babaru, Pansa-Pansa, what am I doing wrong?" Apple said, head hanging. Babaru frowned.

"I thought you looked pretty…" Babaru said somberly.

"It matched your hair. You'd think he would have had some kind of response…" Pansa-Pansa said.

"A least I got to see him eat… I'm sure he was starving, but he takes small bites… It's so cute… You think he'll leave small marks on me?" Apple said, smiling. Babaru suddenly looked uncomfortable. What was she talking about? Pansa-Pansa looked just as unsettled. Apple noticed this and glared. "What? Do you not think he will do this?"

"He seems a bit… well… He doesn't know you, Apple," Pansa-Pansa said. Apple suddenly turned to her, looking bewildered. "Such affectionate things might come along later…"

"Don't tell me if something will or won't happen. He is aching for me—he just doesn't know it yet. He is far too innocent to indulge in such things yet. But I will teach him. He will sin," Apple said, smiling now.

*BREAK*

"Nicholas is such a good boy," Apple said with a crazy grin. Babaru was wondering why she had such an expression. Was it a glitch?

"Apple, are you okay?" Babaru asked. Apple slowly turned her head to Babaru, still grinning.

"I'm just very happy Nicholas is happy," Apple replied. Babaru quirked a brow. Pansa-Pansa turned in her sleep. "Babaru… Have you noticed that Nicholas has been getting awfully close to Adam? They actually talk to each other."

"Well, they're both 'boys,' so I guess they have that in common," Babaru replied.

"No matter. Everything is going just as planned," Apple said.

"What do you mean?" Babaru asked.

"No need to worry your pretty little head about, Babaru," Apple said, lying down. Babaru paused and then layed down as well.

*BREAK*

"Igako! Kogako! It's time to leave!" Apple cried.

"But Apple, Pansa-Pansa hasn't boarded yet!" Nicholas said, sitting down.

"I don't care! We must leave NOW!" Apple shouted back. Igako and Kogako looked at each other and then nodded.

The ship took off, Babaru looking out the window as they launched. She was frowning.

On Devour Me

"Indirect kiss…" Apple whispered. Apple sucked on her finger, the blood running down her hand. When she pulled away, her pale lips were red. "He wanted me…" Apple said to herself, letting out a giggle. "To devour me…" Apple spun around in a circle, giggling again. "I knew I would like him biting me like that! It is the destiny of The Apple!" She cried with lust.

On The Twin Blades of the Night

"Babaru, they're strong. They'll kill Igako and Kogako. We should leave NOW," Apple cried.

"But so are Igako and Kogako! If we leave now, they won't know where we're going!" Babaru said, frowning.

"We are NOT about to lose Lark and Melfina! Nicholas! Get the ship ready! And Babaru—do NOT question my decisions from now on," Apple snapped back, glaring at her. Babaru looked scared.

"Y-yes, ma'am!" she cried, helping Nicholas.

On Liu

"What am I going to do?! They're all here! I don't know what kind of Tao magic they have! I don't know what to do!" Apple said, pacing back and forth.

"I'll do it," Babaru said in an emotionless tone.

"Do what, Babaru?" Apple said, turning to her.

"Just… Let me go," Babaru said, walking past her. Apple suddenly seized her by the arm. Babaru was expecting Apple to say something, but there was nothing but silence. Nicholas' eyes darted between the both of them. "Just wait for me, okay? I can take care of them!" Babaru turned to her, smiling and winking. Apple was still silent. Apple let go of her arm and Babaru left.

On Dreams

"Lark, I'm going to get you!" Apple cried. In the digital world, she was no more than a ray of red light, chasing Lark. Melfina was running with him. She closed her eyes and suddenly, out of her back sprouted red, fairy-like wings. She tightened her hand around Lark's and began to fly, Lark coming with her. Apple gasped and the red ray of light began to race like a lightning bolt towards the two of them. Suddenly, the ray reached them and wrapped around Lark's ankle. Lark let out a sharp cry, as if he was stung, and let go of Melfina's hand. Melfina cried to him as Lark fell. The ray wrapped around Lark like it was rope and bound him tight. He hit the floor on his side, pain slamming through his body. Apple continued to bind him tighter, numbers appearing and circling around him. Melfina gasped. She raced towards them, but the ray that bound Lark shot an additional ray at Melfina's wings, destroying them. She fell to the ground in pain. Lark rolled, trying to get free. Suddenly, the ray released Lark and the numbers disappeared. Lark got to his feet and began to run towards Melfina when the ray suddenly pierced him through the back. Lark kept on running until the pain set in seconds later. He fell and looked over at Melfina, who was trying to push herself off of the ground, but kept on falling down. Lark panted and then closed his eyes, everything turning black…

*BREAK*

Apple was sitting on her knees, bawling into her hands. Suddenly, Babaru appeared, standing in front of her. Apple jumped and looked up at her. Babaru was smiling.

"Babaru!" Apple cried. "Babaru, I'm—"

"It's okay. I know why you did it," Babaru said. "I forgive you."

"I just wanted him so bad… I wanted to save him…" Apple said, her eyes falling.

"I know…" Babaru bent down and offered her hand. "Let's go." Apple looked up at her again, her eyes meeting hers. Apple took her hand and Babaru helped her get to her feet.

"We'll live in Eden together and learn all kinds of things," Babaru said. Apple nodded. Babaru began to walk with Apple, who smiled as they faded away.