Avelle Memory Disk v. 3.02.  Juni got it from Bremare Yamoto, a scientist who just didn't know he was giving out information he wasn't supposed to give out.

A Springtime Lullaby music box.  Juli got it from Folken Saragorn, a fellow assassin who simply figured that Juli needed it more at the time.

Juni learned a lot when she read the disk that day.  Juli already knew it.  As Juli waited for her partner to arrive, she decided to start up the music box.  The music began to play its lullaby tune, invoking the memories which made an event so long ago seem like only yesterday.
 

Now it starts a lullaby, a season where it lies.

But which season is that?

Why, it's Springtime, of course!
 

Staring at the music box and the photo next to it on the bar counter, the young red-haired girl slowly and quietly sighed.
 

Springtime in January?  Springtime in February?

Springtime in March?  Or Springtime in May?

It is now Springtime, forever ever Springtime,

So I hope you enjoy it, it's Springtime in April.
 

They probably say at home that I'm a traitor.  Or a coward.  Or something like that.  I don't care.  I was the one that was betrayed, after all.  I will tell you right now that I thought I could depend on M. Bison.  Maybe I just listened to too many of Folken's monogamic rants.  It's ironic, considering how much I disagreed with him.  But when Cammy came to me that day and told me what was going on, I didn't know what to think.  This was our Lord Bison?  Something changed.  Something was up.  I didn't know what, but it scared me.  So I ran.
 

The music continued to play on, as a young man sat down next to her.

"Hey there."

He seemed rather cheery for a good looking fairy boy.  Had the jeans, the jacket, smooth combed dark hair... why was he bothering her?  Avelle was not in the mood for this.  She probably looked really out of place in the bar with her spandex agent uniform and her lullaby music box playing.  Not that she cared, anymore.

"Hey, you know... my good friend Jettaron there.  Yea, that guy over there.  Don't tell him I told you this, but he asked me to greet you for him.  I think he likes you.  I can't blame him since already at a glance, I can tell that you must be a very strong-willed and smart wonderful lady."

"Oh please."  Avelle frowned.  "You're all probably just thinking the dirtiest most freudian thoughts you can come up with.  You see what I'm wearing, right?  Heck, I've just learned that that's all he ever thought about us, anyway."

"Who?"  Cheerful handsome young not-acting-so-fairy boy glanced at the signed photo Avelle had laid down onto the bar counter.  A photo of a handsome young James-Bondish man.  A man who was now a fat... demonic... evil... monster.  "Him?  Is he your boyfriend?  Michael?  He didn't... try anything, did he?"

"Yea... I guess that'd be the best way of explaining it."

"Hey listen, I'm sor..."

"Huh?  Oh, don't worry about it.  I didn't let him get that far.  Hahaha... I... I wouldn't let him do that!"  The short red-haired girl put the photo away and gave a fake laugh, but the music box continued to play on.  She was depressed.  Dissappointed.  Shattered.  But this guy and his friends didn't have to know that.  "Well, okay, a friend of mine helped me a little to escape.  I... don't know what happened to her afterwards, though.  I'm just worried that he'll come after me again, I guess."

"I'll protect you!  Terrance Wilheilm, at your service!"  Terrance saluted.  "And if my nonexistant fighting ability isn't enough, I'll just ask my friends for help."

Avelle grinned at Terrance's silly antics.  "Oh?  What if I told you that Michael was a powerful man, to say the least?"

"Hey, no problem!"  He quickly turned around and motioned to two large men at another table, whom were arm wrestling with each other as the third skinnier semi-rat faced one, who was probably Jettaron, watched.  "Hey Borrah!  Rob!  If some big powerful guy came over to try to harm this beautiful lady, you wouldn't let him, right?"

"Heh, depends."  Rob replied with a smile.  "Would we get rewarded for it?  Like... with food or something?"

Borrah agreed.  "Food is good!"

Avelle had to laugh at that.  "Gee, Terrance, you sure have great friends, huh?"

"Nah, they just can't appreciate a beautiful gal like yourself."  Terrance coolly replied as he handed Avelle a drink.  "Don't worry about it, though.  You can stay at my place as long as you like."

She probably should have gotten suspicious at that statement, but Avelle found herself trusting the silly guy, even though her question still had a somewhat serious tone.  She once trusted Lord Bison, too, after all.  "No jailbait harems or anything of the sort, right?  I didn't mention yet that I'm trained in the art of killing people."

"Heh, of course not.  Don't worry about it."  The music box continued to play on.  "I've lost several slap fights to ladies already.  Couldn't bring myself to strike back.  Just ask Borrah and Rob."

"He's harmless."  Rob grinned.

The red-haired doll beamed.  "Why, thanks, Terrance.  I think I'll enjoy it here."
 

Springtime, a light now, Springtime a day, now.

Springtime away, until the bell.

It is now Springtime, lovely lovely Springtime,

So I hope you enjoy your Springtime, oh Miss Junivelle.
 

I don't completely understand why Avelle or Bremare had to do that to me.  I suppose this is where our beliefs started to differ.  They could believe anything.  That they were betrayed, that the world was doomed, that Shadowlaw was their deathbed... in the end, they chose to abandon their old life and everyone involved in it for what they believed in.  I won't hate them for it, even though they did it knowing fully well how much it hurt me.  But no matter what, I'm never going to do the same thing to Juni, myself...
 

"Welcome back."

Juni was rather surprised when her partner greeted her with a hug when she arrived back at their room in Mrigranka.

"Oh, um... hi, Juli!"  The young blonde confusedly smiled.  "Um... what's this for?"

Still holding her, Juli smiled back.  "I'm just glad to see you again, that's all."

"Oh.  Um... okay!"  Still slightly confused, Juni beamed and returned the hug.  "I'm glad to see you too.  Though I was only gone for a few days."

"That's okay."  The brunette slowly let go then looked her partner in the eyes.  "But that doesn't mean I can't be happy when you come back, does it?  So, what were you up to while you were gone?  You were gone for a bit longer than expected, so I was starting to get a little worried."

"You... were worried about me?"

Juni looked surprised.  Maybe almost even a little guilty.  Well, whatever it was, Juli would forgive her for it.  It wasn't Juni's job to worry about her, after all.  That was something Juli decided she'd take up for her own partner, herself.

"Of course I was."  Smiling back, Juli jokingly put her hands on her hip.  "You really shouldn't run off like that so often."

Juni nervously but playfully beamed in reply.  "Oh, I'm sorry, Juli.  I had some things I needed to check up on.  But next time, I won't do that.  I'll tell you about it first... Wait, maybe you can even come along!"

"Ha, don't worry about it so much."  Everything was okay, now.  "But we should spend more time together, I think."

More confident, Juni agreed.  "Oh, sure thing, Juli!  Thanks."

It was a time to finally catch up on things.  For Juli to stop taking things for granted.  For Juni to do the same.  Bremare and Avelle were gone.  It was too late for them.  But she was going to make sure it would never be too late for her partner.

"Upper left!  A mine's over there!"

It might have seemed wierd how much a simple day of playing minesweeper with her partner meant to Juli, too.  But that was what life boiled down to.  Not to grand global ideals, or ideas of honor and what was right and wrong.  It was the little things that counted, and they were all that mattered.

"Haha, Juli, I'm going to try this square!"

"That's a gamble, isn't it?"

"It worked!  We'll set a new record!!!"

"Ha, yea, Juni.  I know we will."
 

Springtime brings flowers, lovely lovely flowers,

A lovely lovely Spring, so take it to heart.

It is now Springtime, lovely lovely Springtime,

But now I think it's time for it to stop.
 

Juli didn't understand anything.  She never did know what was going on.  I thought I could at least depend on her, like I could depend on Cammy.  But even that had doubts.  The rumours that Cammy accepted the promotion to be Bison's personal bodyguard, Folken wouldn't even support me on my decision, Bison showing how much he truly cares about us all, and now Juli doing this.  If there was one thing I learned, it was that I couldn't rely on anyone anymore.
 

"Juli?!  What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to get drunk in a bar filled with men while wearing my spandex agent uniform."  The young brunette sarcastically replied with her hand on her hip, before snapping, "WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE I'M DOING?!?  Avelle, come back to Mrigranka, NOW.  I'm starting to think that was what YOU wanted to do."

All of the men in the bar stared rather confusedly, until Terrance finally spoke up for all of them.  "Avelle?"

"Oh, Avelle's my real name."  The short red-haired girl beamed.  "Aela's just the one on my fake ID.  Though... Juli, how did you get in without one?"

At that question, Juli suddenly seemed rather nervous.  She put her hands together in front of her, kneeled her head down, then whispered just loudly enough for only Avelle to hear her.

"They... didn't even bother checking if I was old enough... because... they thought... 'they' were too big for me to possibly be too young."

She was really red with embarassment.  Avelle never understood why.  She would have loved to have Juli's measurements.  Maybe then she'd finally be able to get some attention around here.

"Aw, Juli, it's okay!"  Avelle happily jokingly put her arm around the embarassed girl.  "You should take things like that in stride.  At least you can honestly say it's all natural, right?"

A bit over it after being poked by Avelle's remark, Juli frowned.  "How could they think that!?  They're too big for me to possibly be that young?!?  How dare he!  Can you believe that?"

"Well, you have to admit, they are overly large."  Avelle shrugged in reply.  "Really, it's a wonder that they aren't cancerous."

"It's not cancer! I had them checked!"

Leaning back with her eyes closed, Avelle smiled as she joked again.  "Hmm hmm... right, and I'm sure you made one very happy doctor by doing so.  Now why are you here?"

"Um, why is everyone now staring at me like that?"

"They really like you, Juli!"  Beaming, Avelle decided to use this opportunity.  "You're really popular here."

"I don't want to be popular here!!!!  Especially if it's due to... you know!"

Crazy Juli always was one to look a gift horse in the mouth.  Maybe she wouldn't, this time.  Even Juli couldn't be that dense, could she?

"Juli, come with me."  Avelle grabbed the brunette by the arm.  "I don't know what we'll do exactly, but I think I have an idea.  We could run off and be like, secretaries for some really rich guy or something.  Look how popular we are, already!"

In the background, lots of the men were grinning.

"I can't betray Lord Bison!"  Protesting, Juli backed up nervously.  "What about Cammy?  If you're so intent on getting a partner, why not her?  I heard rumours that she rejected the personal guard promotion."

Cammy did a lot more than reject it.  But what could Avelle tell her?  She didn't want Juli to discover the truth that she and Cammy did.  That to Lord Bison, they were nothing more than playtoys, with all dirty connotations being on purpose.  Juli didn't have to face the hardships of a truth like that.  That the only way she could reach the top would be to to throw yourself into Michael's perverted grasp...

"Cammy couldn't come because......"  Avelle had to think of an answer.  "Well, because Bison only cares about her.  That's why you should come instead, Juli!  We could have the whole wide world to ourselves!"

If Juli realized the truth of that lie, it would probably hurt too, but considering how nervous Juli always was about her own endowment, most likely the actual truth would have hurt her more.  That would have been a good enough reason, right?  Juli might have been in love with Bison like Avelle was, but even she had to see that it was Cammy that got the promotion offer and not her, didn't she?

Apparently not.

"Why are you doing this to me?!?!?"  Surprisingly, Juli became on the verge of a breakdown.  "Avelle!!!  Come back to Mrigranka!  I'm not the one abandoning you, here!"

What was that?!?  Avelle wasn't doing anything to her.  Argh!  Why was Juli being so stubborn?

"Are you saying *I'm* the one abandoning you?!"  She angrily glared in response.  "Juli, you don't get it, do you?!  Bison's just playing us all like puppets!  Using us, abusing us, sending us on missions to our death, and all the while the only one he cared about was Cammy!"

Cared about Cammy for lust, that is.

"Think about it, Juli!  What if you were to die on a mission?  Would anyone care?  NO!  You'll be dead, you'll be gone, no one will shed a tear for you.  But after I become famous, I'll have men all over the world cry for me!  I'll be great, and you're giving up the opportunity to be so, too!"

"What are you talking about!?"  Juli yelled back.  "Famous?!?  You're just trying to follow some stupid insane pipe dream and you aren't caring about me or what I feel, at all!!"

That was when Avelle slapped her.

The two stared at each other, surprised.  Avelle herself couldn't figure out why she did that.  But what right did Juli have to say that about her?  She was trying to make this look like HER fault?

"Leave, Juli."

The young brunette stared back at her in shock, before backing off then running away.
 

If I were to die here, forever ever lie here.

Would anybody care and shed a tear?

Now it is Springtime, how can you tell?

I hope you enjoy it, it's Springtime for Junivelle.
 

I'm not sure if I can do this.  I felt guilty.  Juli was worried about me all that time?  I didn't think of her at all!  But... it really was just a short time.  Then again... aaaaah, I didn't know.  I didn't even consider what the results of my actions would be on her.  But Juli herself said she thought Shadowlaw was evil, didn't she?  I didn't know why she kept thinking that way, but I didn't think this had to involve her.  She didn't have to be hurt by something she didn't have to know.
 

"Juli, why did you join Shadowlaw?"

"Circumstance, I suppose."

Lying down with their backs against the grass, the two girls continued to stare at the clear blue sky with their hands behind their heads.  It was a beautiful sunny Spring day, and the two were enjoying it.

"What about Lord Bison?  I thought that you loved... um... nevermind."

"Huh?"  Juli paused for a bit, then chuckled a little.  "Nah, that was just... a small crush I had, I believe.  Shadowlaw is my life now.  It's not because of just Lord Bison."

"Whew, that's a relief."  The blonde happily closed her eyes as she smiled.  She didn't notice Juli glance at her questioningly upon hearing her reaction.

"A relief?  How so?"

"Huh?"  Realizing what she just said, Juni opened her eyes in surprise then looked over at her partner.  "Oh, um, well, just one person shouldn't be the only reason why you're living the way you live, I think."

Was her answer good enough?  Juli wasn't responding.  She looked rather lost in thought.  Juni decided she'd better clarify with something.  She didn't want Juli to know the real reason she said that.

"Shadowlaw, for me... it's my way of working towards my dream for a perfect world."

"I wonder if it'll ever reach its goals.  They are rather lofty, to say the least.  But at least our lives are perfect enough, aren't they?  That's what counts, I feel."   The brunette probably didn't get the point of what Juni said.  Ah well, Juli would support her, wouldn't she?  Junivelle had to be wrong when she told Juni that Juli wouldn't.

"Haha, yea, true enough."  Juni lied.

Juli didn't have to be hurt by something she didn't know.  A secret Juni discovered while Junivelle took her on that last hunter job.  A virus of the soul which corrupted every single thought, due to one giving in to an evil of the worst magnitude.  Perhaps that's why Juli saw Shadowlaw as evil all along.

"I suppose I never was one to care for ideals too much."  Looking back to the sky, Juli smiled again as several butterflies flew by.  "It's just my life.  I'm doing this for myself.  No wait... I'm doing this for us."

For both of them?  That clinched it.  That was great, then, that there would be no regrets.  There was no turning back, then.  Avelle was wrong.  Juli would be there for her.  Juni could rely on her.  Not like Bremare, who ran away.  Not like Jenni, who hated her just because she was jealous of such a small thing.  Or even not like Makoto or Bonnie, because they didn't have enough time to think about the choice.  Finally, perhaps, everything really WAS perfect.

"Juli,"  It was Juni's turn to hug her partner for no reason.  "Thanks!"

"Huh?"  Juli gave the expected confused reaction, before coming up with a reply.  "Oh, um, you're welcome."
 

Springtime forever, forever now together,

Springtime now never, now end the lie.

Bring forth the Summer!  End now the Springtime,

Forever now embark now to the sky...
 

I didn't realize how much I cared for her until it was too late.  I didn't realize how much I needed someone to be there for me.  I got desperate.  Maybe I acted irrationally due to it, or maybe there was no hope in the first place.  But I wouldn't go back to Mrigranka for her.  Not after what I've seen.  Not after what I knew.  I couldn't.  She had to understand...
 

Everything was quiet as Juli stepped out of the bar and began to walk away, a strange combination of sadness, anger, determination, and confusion in her face.

"Juli, wait."

Spring... time... forever...

Everything was quiet... until Avelle stepped out of the door, and accidentally dropped the music box, which started playing again, albeit rather quietly and slowly due to not being rewinded, yet.

Juli's back still to her, Avelle quickly ran up to the paused girl then closed her eyes and hugged her tightly.

For... ever... now togeth... er...

"Please Juli... please come with me.  I don't want to be alone..."

We'll be together... forever...

Avelle slowly began to realize that she was crying, even though all Juli was doing was looking at her with a surprised stumped expression.  She frantically held Juli tighter.

"They... they all left me...  Myrna, Rose, Cammy, Ferishi, Folken... you're all I have left!!!"

Until... we die...

Everyone was gone.  They were either dead or they abandoned her.  She wasn't going to lose the last person who remained in her life.

"Well, besides the fact that I absolutely don't recognize more than half of those names whatsoever, I think it's pretty obvious that Cammy and Folken are still around."  But Juli still didn't realize what was going on, as she began to walk away.

It's the... end... to...  Springtime...

"J... Juli, wait!!"  Avelle tightening her grip even more to get her to stop.  "Please don't!  Y...you can have everything!  I'll let you have all the money... all the fame... you could probably easily win all the men over me even and I'll let you!  Everything!!  I don't want to be alone!!!"

How... can... you tell?

A pause.  What was Juli thinking?  Why was she doing this?  Why was she abandoning her?

So... I...

Juli stared at Avelle, trying to think of the answer, herself.  When she realized it, the look of concern turned into one of anger.

"You... you're the one abandoning me!"  With a forceful shove, Juli sent Avelle slamming back to the ground away from her.  Her eyes gradually narrowed towards the other agent.  "You made your choice, Miss Avelle.  I hope you enjoy it."

hope...  you...

With that, she turned away.

en... joy...

"So... that's it, then?"  Teary eyed, Avelle watched as Juli walked off into the distance, before slowly trying to salvage her composure.  "O... okay, fine!  I'll go out on my own then.  I'll achieve greatness and become famous!  And when I die, it won't be as an unknown expendable agent who will be forgotten!  It'll be as the great famous Avelle, a girl who was able to think for herself, and didn't have to take any of this crap from anyone!"

your Springtime oh wonderful Miss Avelle.

The other agent, however, simply ignored her, and continued walking away.
 

I... h...
 

There will be no more tragedies.  No more abandonment.  I'm not going to lose anymore.  I'm finally going to appreciate what I have and protect it with all my worth.  I'll be there for you, Juni.  Forever.  All the ideals in the world will never make me betray Shadaloo.  All the ideals in the world will never make me betray you.
 

hope... you...
 

"So that's it, then?  You're willing to make this committment?

Yes.  Yes I am.  For the greater good.  For Shadowlaw.

It's about time.  Whatever is left of Lord Bison will die.  Juni, together we will bring about a new age.

Of course we will!!  Oh yea... Thanks, Junivelle..."

Enjoy your Springtime for you, oh wonderful Miss Junivelle...