The Cove

It’s a beautiful spring day when she jumps on to your bed, waking you with a soft touch across your brow. You yawn, rubbing the sleep out of your eyes and turn to see her sitting cross-legged; a curious grin peeking out from her mop of hair. The morning light streaks through the window, highlighting her gentle features. As always, you’re drawn to her eyes. You could stare at them for hours, losing yourself in their beauty and warmth.

“Morning, sleepyhead.” Alita smiles, her eyes dancing with life. You groan softly and pull yourself upright in the cramped bed.

“Hey- what time is it?” Your voice is raspy. She carefully passes you the glass of water which you left precariously balanced on your bedside table last night.

“Like 6:30?” Her voice is bright and cheery. “We need to be up this early though because I have an adventure planned for us!”

You know this look. It’s playful, though you see her steely determination underneath the affection and know that there’s no arguing.  With a clearer mind, you see that she seems to be dressed for a hike; a white tank top matches with loose pants and the boots on the ground beside her. She notices you staring and giggles.

“Go get some breakfast! I know a place outside the city that I’m sure you’ll love.” Suddenly, she hops off the bed and lands; graceful and poised. She grabs her boots and makes her way over to your window, which you just now notice is open. “I’ll see you at the North Gate in an hour. Bring a snack!” With a wink and a blown kiss, she’s gone. You shake your head ruefully as you get dressed. As you head downstairs for breakfast your mind drifts. The market is open today and it is orange season…

-///-

The roads surrounding Iron City are poorly maintained. Really, they’re closer to dirt paths than the highways of old. Still, your old beat-up semi handles them just fine. Alita sits in the cab beside you, enjoying the wind through her hair as she looks out the window. Her hand sits resolutely on your thigh, and you feel the strength of her artificial fingertips. Some distractions are worth the trouble.

“So where are we heading?”

She turns to you before replying.

“It’s a little cove out through the jungle. It’s where I found this-” she curls and uncurls the fingers of the berserker body, highlighting her point. “An old… partner of mine showed it to me.” She grimaces at the memory. You feel a tightening in your chest at the sight. You’ve heard the story, or at least parts of it. You too know what it’s like to lose someone close. You take her hand and intertwine fingers.

“I look forward to seeing it.”

Her brow unfurrows and the steady warmth inside you settles back in place. The rest of the trip is spent in comfortable silence, with the wind rushing past the windows as all that breaks it.

A short walk through the jungle later and you and Alita step out into a beautiful cove. Sparkling clear water trickles into a lush natural pool. In the center of the lake is a dilapidated URM ship. Alita laughs with delight and runs down the craggy rocks. Her head dips below the rock face and as you struggle to keep up, you see a little beach hidden from the view at the entrance. Alita has already dropped her pack and is in the process of shedding her clothes. The purple-black of her cyborg body gleams in the sunlight, and despite yourself you feel like you should look away. She catches your indecision and waves you down.

“If you’re not down here and ready to swim in the next five seconds I’m gonna throw you in!”

You scramble down the rest of the way and rapidly get changed. Alita however seems to have no aversion to staring and you blush despite your best efforts. She grabs your hand and with a sparkle in her eyes, guides you to the water’s edge.

“Let’s dive in!”

“Won’t you just sink?”

She laughs and suddenly you see the blue glow emanating from her body.

“I figured out that the plasma can help me float. I can probably float even better than you.” With that she pulls you in to the water. You join her in laughing despite your attempts are seriousness.

You swim together, spiraling around in a flowing aquatic dance. You jump, from the cliffs nearby and catch each other under the water. And finally, eventually you just float together, hands held in perfect harmony. Your floating takes you back to the beach, and as you stand in the knee-high water, arms wrapped around each other you see her lip quiver in the way that you know means she’s asking for a kiss. It surprised you at first, that she would be shy like this. But now you take her face in your hand and bring your lips together. It’s wet and warm and absolutely perfect. You feel the smallest shudder come from her and your soul is ablaze; a shining beacon in the world around you.

Later, you sit on the shore, basking in the sun. Alita’s head lays in your lap, eyes closed in the face of the glorious sunlight. You softly stroke her hair as she rests, with your other hand running across her stomach. The artificial muscles of her body are warm and lithe; if you closed your eyes you could almost imagine them as human. Of course, they’re more than that. After all, how can one improve on perfection? She coos softly as you run your hands through a spot just behind your ear.

“Mmmm… this feels like a dream.”

You smile as she says it, and look away towards the ship.

“If it is then I never want to wake up.”

She opens her eyes and lazily gets up, stretching as she does. She gives you a quick kiss and then sits down by you, leaning her head on your shoulder.

“Neither do I.”