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lux_mariko
lux_marikoStory: Reasoning
Year: 2986
Word Count: 538
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Mariko and Tsuna Anders
Warnings: References to how Lux hurt Mariko and burns, references to semi-legal-at-best business practices
Notes: Haha is the transliteration of the informal/in-group Japanese word for 'mother'
"But why the Domes, Mariko?"
Mariko sighed. "I told you, Mother. They offered me the most money."
Which was true. It had taken her six years, after leaving the CSP station, to be willing to even start looking. Her unwillingness to use anything but old-fashioned voice-only phones hadn't made it easier, and it had taken her a year to get the offers she had. Her parents had been more than helpful, there for her every time another skin graft failed, every time she got another polite rejection, every time she started to work up the courage to face people, during those first six years, and then panicked and backed down.
But now that she'd found a job, they kept begging her to change her mind and accept a different offer.
"Money isn't everything," her mother tried again.
"I know. But it's nice."
"You know what it's like there."
Mariko buried her head in her hands and counted to thirty, slowly. Yes, she knew, of course she knew. Everyone knew that the "businesses" on Mars--which had, at its foundation, been one of the first, best colonies--were one step up from organized crime. And her mother's grandfather had had difficulty with the yakuza, that's partly why her parents had moved to Australia, so this was a particularly strong objection for her. Really, it was only the Domes corporations' histories--most had been private military R&D tech firms, which slowly devolved into overt mercenary outfits--and the fact that they still got contracts from various governments around the world that kept them from being classified the same way as any other criminal empire.
"I won't be doing anything illegal, haha," she promised. "I'm a translator. That's all."
"You can't be sure of that."
"I've already taken the job. I'm moving at the end of the week," Mariko said, flatly. Whatever other objections or attempted guilt-trips her mother might throw at her, she wasn't going to change her mind.
"You have other offers," she tried, desperately. "I'm sure if you tried, you could negotiate better pay from one of them. Or you could go work for the government again--not off-planet, but--"
"Mother, please." Mariko shivered, and unconsciously traced one of the scars on her arms. "I told you. The money's good, but it's not just that. The Domes...Red Sky doesn't ask questions."
That stopped her, at least. Mariko wished she hadn't said anything. She hadn't wanted to share that private reason, hadn't wanted her mother to know how hard it still was to deal with people face-to-face.
"...if you're not ready, Mariko, you can stay here," her mother said.
"I am. I am, I need to be out there, I just...I need to be out where I don't have to..." She trailed off. "Look, I have to go. I need to finish packing."
"All right," her mother said. "Just...please be careful. And...if things do start getting--"
"I'll be fine, haha," Mariko said. "I promise. I love you."
"I love you, too."
Mariko hung up, then slumped against the wall and let out a long breath. Hopefully, she was right and Mom was wrong. She shook her head. No. I am right. Everything will be fine.
It had to be.
Year: 2986
Word Count: 538
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Mariko and Tsuna Anders
Warnings: References to how Lux hurt Mariko and burns, references to semi-legal-at-best business practices
Notes: Haha is the transliteration of the informal/in-group Japanese word for 'mother'
"But why the Domes, Mariko?"
Mariko sighed. "I told you, Mother. They offered me the most money."
Which was true. It had taken her six years, after leaving the CSP station, to be willing to even start looking. Her unwillingness to use anything but old-fashioned voice-only phones hadn't made it easier, and it had taken her a year to get the offers she had. Her parents had been more than helpful, there for her every time another skin graft failed, every time she got another polite rejection, every time she started to work up the courage to face people, during those first six years, and then panicked and backed down.
But now that she'd found a job, they kept begging her to change her mind and accept a different offer.
"Money isn't everything," her mother tried again.
"I know. But it's nice."
"You know what it's like there."
Mariko buried her head in her hands and counted to thirty, slowly. Yes, she knew, of course she knew. Everyone knew that the "businesses" on Mars--which had, at its foundation, been one of the first, best colonies--were one step up from organized crime. And her mother's grandfather had had difficulty with the yakuza, that's partly why her parents had moved to Australia, so this was a particularly strong objection for her. Really, it was only the Domes corporations' histories--most had been private military R&D tech firms, which slowly devolved into overt mercenary outfits--and the fact that they still got contracts from various governments around the world that kept them from being classified the same way as any other criminal empire.
"I won't be doing anything illegal, haha," she promised. "I'm a translator. That's all."
"You can't be sure of that."
"I've already taken the job. I'm moving at the end of the week," Mariko said, flatly. Whatever other objections or attempted guilt-trips her mother might throw at her, she wasn't going to change her mind.
"You have other offers," she tried, desperately. "I'm sure if you tried, you could negotiate better pay from one of them. Or you could go work for the government again--not off-planet, but--"
"Mother, please." Mariko shivered, and unconsciously traced one of the scars on her arms. "I told you. The money's good, but it's not just that. The Domes...Red Sky doesn't ask questions."
That stopped her, at least. Mariko wished she hadn't said anything. She hadn't wanted to share that private reason, hadn't wanted her mother to know how hard it still was to deal with people face-to-face.
"...if you're not ready, Mariko, you can stay here," her mother said.
"I am. I am, I need to be out there, I just...I need to be out where I don't have to..." She trailed off. "Look, I have to go. I need to finish packing."
"All right," her mother said. "Just...please be careful. And...if things do start getting--"
"I'll be fine, haha," Mariko said. "I promise. I love you."
"I love you, too."
Mariko hung up, then slumped against the wall and let out a long breath. Hopefully, she was right and Mom was wrong. She shook her head. No. I am right. Everything will be fine.
It had to be.
