Mardock Scramble

pool; she could barely see the opposite shore, and the water seemed very deep.

There were no people in the vicinity of the pool, but rather lots of animals—monkeys, and a type of rodent that Balot couldn’t quite identify—that were swimming or splashing about.

Balot knelt down to put her hand to the water. She noticed some ripples coming toward her. She realized that they were generated to keep the water circulating. Without warning the ripples changed to waves. The next moment a smooth blue object flew up into the air, scattering light all around. It landed back into the water with a huge splash, spraying water all around.

Balot was soaked through. She saw the thing that had just jumped stick its snout forward.

–Who’s this, Tweedledee? Never seen it before. You brought it, did you?

The snouty-thing’s voice echoed in Balot’s earphones, much to her surprise.

–That’s right. She’s called Rune-Balot.

Tweedledee jumped into the pool. He had taken his clothes off without Balot noticing and was now naked. There was a splash when he hit the water, spraying Balot again as she stood there.

Tweedledee swam up to the snouty-thing, gave it a big hug, and planted a kiss on its head.

–She’s Oeufcoque’s lover. I brought her here because I wanted to introduce you.

Balot hadn’t quite expected Tweedledee to introduce her in this way.

–Hey, baby. I’m Tweedledum, the thing said to her. It seemed to have nothing to hide, anyway.

–I know my name’s similar to his, but mine’s the original. After all, some of my brain cells were transplanted into his brain.

It thrust its body out of the water and prodded her face with its pointy snout.

–So, little lady, how about a ride on my back? I’ll take you to heaven and back, baby.

Balot was a little bewildered. It was the first time she’d ever been propositioned by a dolphin.

–Hey, I’m the original! Part of my brain is transplanted in you too, don’t forget. And let’s not forget that your linguistic consciousness is based on my language skills… Tweedledee tried to interject, but Tweedledum hadn’t finished yet.

–Shut it, you slag! There’s no contest. You’re the one who toddles around based on my mobility consciousness. You wouldn’t be walking without me.

–And you wouldn’t be talking without me.

Then the two turned to Balot. What do you think? Talk about being put on the spot.

Balot felt a little funny in the head, but it wasn’t the worst feeling in the world.

Above all, Tweedledee was probably the only person in the world who would introduce Oeufcoque as her lover.

–Tweedledum, are you a girl?

Balot spoke to change the subject. Tweedledum snorted spume from his nostrils.

–Hey, you’re a human, right? Don’t be so narrow-minded—you’ll end up a slave to convention. I’m male, and this guy’s brother, and lover, and homosexual partner. We even do it all the time.

He spoke rather triumphantly, and it was hard to tell how much was true and how much was Tweedledum’s fevered imagination.

–What are those eyes?

Not particularly wanting to pursue her line of inquiry any further, Balot changed the subject to the metal objects that covered the space between Tweedledum’s brow and cheeks. They looked like giant dolphin sunglasses.

–They’re neat, huh? Wanna try on a pair yourself, babe? Tweedledum answered, rather unhelpfully, but Tweedledee shrugged his shoulders and answered Balot’s question properly.

–They’re for access—an auxiliary function. They can act as visual organs too, but we don’t really need to rely on our sense of sight in the first place.

–Access?

–This pool is a giant computer terminal.

–What do you mean?

–Why don’t you come for a swim too? Then you’ll see for yourself. Balot seemed to have fallen into a pattern of doing whatever the two wanted. She thought about it for a second, then sat down at the edge of the pool. She lowered her legs into the water and immediately felt convinced that she wouldn’t drown.

Balot plunged into the water, as invited. It was wonderfully clean water—transparent and soft. It was a little bit on the chilly side, but even this felt like a good thing, appeasing the inflamed bruises that covered her body.

She immersed her whole body in water, then bobbed around, sticking her head above the surface. Tweedledee looked at the emerging face of Balot with an odd expression.

–The doctors get a bit fussy when we get our clothes wet, so best you take them off, you know.

–I’m fine as I am. If I want to take them off, I’ll take them off.

Suddenly Tweedledum was underneath her, lifting her up. It was the first time she had ever been on a dolphin’s back. Her body floated up and slid along the surface as if she were running.

Her shoulders relaxed unconsciously. If her voice had worked, she’d be laughing loudly by now.

–Hold on tight, baby. I’ll show you this pool’s true colors.

Tweedledum was on a natural high.

–Welcome to the other ocean!

At this moment in time, Balot had no idea that before long this would lead directly on to the next stage of her case. All she was concerned about for the time being was closing her mouth. For Tweedledum had just plunged underwater. Tweedledee was by their side, swimming like a fish.

Balot opened her eyes, but they could see only a small part of her surroundings, so she sensed them instead. They were indeed in some sort of computer terminal. Wireless communication equipment was growing out of one of the walls and the floor. And spread out before her was a vast, deep ocean. She realized that she was confronted with the gateway to a giant sea of electronic data.

–Take me back up!

She wasn’t sure how much longer her breath would last, and started to panic.

–Right away, missy, brought to you in style! Tweedledum said with a flourish, starting the ascent in his own inimitable style. It wasn’t a sudden ascent, but rather a careful and steady climb that took Balot’s body into account. It could indeed have been described as a stylish ascent.

They reached the surface, and Balot drew a deep breath, pushing her wet hair out of her face.

–Scary, dark, and big. She voiced her first impressions of the pool.

Tweedledum gave another great snort from his nostrils.

–It’s like Spaceship Earth herself; mostly water, there to be experienced and lived in. This is the key to transmitting data to almost anywhere in the world. You can swim almost anywhere, as long as you have permission.

Then Tweedledee emerged, floating face-up on the surface of the water.

–Not that anyone’s been given permission over the last ten years, right, Tweedledum?

–Still, we’re free to splash about in Paradise’s database as much as we like. Shall we head back down, babe?

–I’m okay for now, thanks. I’m not sure my breath will hold up.

Balot gently pushed away from Tweedledum, heading backward in the water.