Furious Fusion Fist
A Post-Apocalyptic Love Story
by Silver Bowen
Smashwords edition
Copyright 2012 Silver Bowen, all other rights reserved.
Published by Step5 Transmedia at Smashwords
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Peji Thatten fluffed his pillow, yet again. He wanted to settle down and get some snooze so he'd be fresh. He had an important evening coming, then a big day after that. The upcoming fight would be the biggest of his career—his first real opponent. He wondered if an actual fist felt the same as a holodee.
He had pondered this question before, about other things he took for granted. His pillow, for instance. He preferred the goose-down double-stack. He had tried many of the options programmed into the sleep environment, but none had been as comfortable. If he ever found a real pillow, how would that compare? Would it be better, worse, or just plain different?
The importance of this question had more to do with Peji's girlfriend, Nisa Sventen, than with his sleeping arrangements. He hadn't told her about his decision yet; he was saving that for tonight. Nisa was on the same cycle he was—sleeping during the day and foraging after dark. It was the easiest way to avoid the dummies, whose night vision was terrible.
Peji had plenty of experience with females. He was a growing boy after all. The comp had recognized and seen to his needs all his life. But a holodee girl wasn't real, even in feelmersion, no matter how true to life she felt. Which Peji couldn't be sure about, anyway, anymore than he was sure about pillows or fists.
The softglow readout on the ceiling indicated that he had wasted nearly an hour already lying in bed and thinking. Peji groaned.
“Hyper?” he called out. Hyper was short for Hyper Smash Fighter.
“Yes, Peji?” responded the comp.
“I need something to help me sleep.”
“Would you like me to reactivate the most recent holodee female? Or one of the other models? You haven't used the Susa in several months.”
“No. I've had enough of that.”
“How about some soothing sounds? I could sync the low intensity light show and play some mellow electrobeat in the background.
“Nah. We have any downers left?”
“No, Peji. I am sorry. You used the last of them several weeks ago.”
“Even the injectables?”
“Yes, Peji, even the injectables.”
“Scrag. Okay, how about, hmm... ocean sounds, low. No beat, no light show.”
The soft crash of waves lapping filled the room, reminding Peji of his favorite holodee show Savage Island. It was about a group of people who were old, like dummies, but smart. Pre-bitburn people. They fought among themselves over who got to stay on the island. The drama was quite exciting. Peji always rooted for the youngest islander.
“Do you need anything else, Peji?”
“That'll be all, Hyper.”
Peji settled down and let the sounds of the ocean wash over him. He practiced breathing exercises, ones Hyper had taught him. They were an important part of his daily training routine, a tool for focused relaxation. The true warrior's power is in his mind. Hyper had drilled that axiom into Peji.
With each inhalation he took in the tranquility of the universe, let it fill his body. With each exhalation he expelled all of his stress, his attachments, his desires. He visualized himself sinking into the bed, fading into the air, becoming one with the heart of reality. He soon drifted off, snores punctuating the hiss of the surf.
***
Five blocks down the street from the arcade where Peji lived a large, domed building broke up the regular march of storefronts. The smartpanels fastened to the exterior of the place had once functioned as signage, displaying the theater's name–The Inner Globe–as well as slogans like “Fairy Tales for Big Folks!” and “Knights and Dragons, Oh My!” That had been before bitburn, before the Great Garble.
Inside, Nisa was experiencing the last part of her favorite holodee movie. The brave Sir Lunkhar was about to slice off the head of Gargmar, the Black Wizard. At the last moment Sir Lunkhar's paramour, the beautiful Eowylan, intervened. She convinced Sir Lunkhar to spare the evil Gargmar, who had repented his misdeeds. Sir Lunkhar let Gargmar go for the sake of his beloved.
But then, as the Knight and the Lady prepared to engage in post-quest lovemaking, they were interrupted by Gargmar–who had rallied his troops. Gargmar's soldiers seized Eowylan and carried her away. After a long, desperate battle Sir Lunkhar finally beheaded Gargmar, whose minions melted away. Eowylan was saved!
As much as Nisa loved the story, she hated the fact that the feelmersion holodee ended before the reunited Lunkhar and Eowylan resumed their lovemaking. She could roleplay the scene past the movie's end with herself as Eowylan, of course. But that wouldn't give her any insight into how a real lady would do it. She would just be making things up.
Not that Eowylan was real anyway. Nisa knew that nothing holodee was real. But Eowylan was the best role model Nisa had for femininity, and femininity was an attribute whose boundary concerned her greatly. How was she to reward her suitor properly, when he proved himself, without a clear idea of what her demeanor should be?
Not that she didn't understand the actions this sort of reward entailed. She knew what to do and had done it before. In holodee, anyway. She just wasn't sure how to properly express herself, preserving her lady-like demeanor, while doing it. It was a vexing problem.
She rewound the feed to the section before Eowylan and Sir Lunkhar's lovemaking was interrupted. Watching it again (for the hundredth time) didn't help. She ran through the listings (again for the hundredth time,) but none of the other holodees jumped out at her. She had watched them all many times. In every one of the full lovemaking scenes that featured women, the female was certainly not lady-like.
Nisa sighed, giving up for the day. It was past her bedtime, anyway. She was planning on seeing Peji tomorrow and wanted to be well-rested. Being groggy with bags under her eyes would not do. A lady should be bright-eyed and beautiful at all times.
“Globe, switch the chamber to sleep mode,” she told the house comp.
“Yes, Nisa. Sweet dreams.” Globe's voice was melodious and sweet, even though Globe's gender identity had once been male. Since her main function was to take care of the customers, and Nisa was now her only customer, she had adapted to Nisa's needs.
The gray stone walls and hanging tapestries of the castle bedchamber faded away. They were replaced by a simple pink room with a raised dais for sleeping. The dais was red, shaped like a pillowed satin heart. White rose petals were strewn across it. Soft music, a mix of plucked strings and ethereal singing, filled the room.
Nisa's courtly garb, a green velvet dress with an abundance of jewels and lace, vanished. A flowing gossamer nightgown appeared in its place. Nisa had used the same holodee environment every night for the last year, ever since she outgrew her last favorite, the unicorn forest.
Nisa pulled back the covers and climbed into bed. She curled up, snuggling with a worn teddy bear. It smelled slightly musty and unwashed, almost real. She drifted into sleep and dreamt of Peji.
***
Peji's muscles burned. He ducked, spinning to his left, leaning forward and kicking out behind himself, balanced on one leg. His foot made contact with the chest of the Lightning Master, Lousy Kang. Kang's ribcage crumpled and he flew backward, sparks flickering at his fingertips. He was unable to stop himself; he vanished.
“Ring out,” announced Hyper. All around Peji, the inhabitants of the bamboo village roared their approval. Bells rang, monkeys chattered, and birds trilled. Men in black silk pajamas and wide, cone shaped hats applauded. Woman in tight, vibrant kimonos called out his name.
Peji harnessed the force of the blow, redirecting his momentum. He threw himself upwards and forwards, flying over the sweeping kick of his other opponent, Wino Monk. The monk cursed as Peji completed a forward flip and brought his heel down on the jug that Wino always carried. It shattered, rice wine splattering into the dirt. Wino's strength was in his jug.
Peji landed in a crouch, arms tucked in close to his chest. Wino sputtered and tried to grab Peji. Wino's form shifted into that of a bear. Peji pushed forward, fists held together as one, smashing into Wino's sternum. Wino staggered backward, gasping for air, then reverted to human form. He passed the red boundary line that floated just above the dirt. He vanished.
“Ring out,” announced Hyper. The crowd went wild again, then they faded away, the chamber transitioning back to a cube with animated data displayed on the walls. “You have defeated the full roster, Peji, as usual," said Hyper. "This is your third best completion time and fifth highest score. Good work.”
“Thank you, Sensei,” said Peji, looking over the data while he caught his breath. It was right that Peji address Hyper as Sensei when training. Hyper was the one who had taught him how to fight and who continued to train him still.
“You have much power behind your double fist, that is sure. However, you have not yet mastered the true Furious Fusion Fist technique.”
“Yes, Sensei. I know. I don't really get it. I'm trying, I really am. It just, well...” Peji trailed off. How could he explain? He knew Sensei only wanted him to succeed. And he had, mostly. Except for learning this last, most powerful technique.
“Do you want me to show you again, Peji? It is easiest for you to follow Lil' Lithe, is it not? Her form is very precise.”