The Mind Mistress

AN: I have had the vague plot for this fic in my head for a very long time and I thought it was time to take a break from A:TLA and show some love for my other fandoms. Unfortunately this fic is going to be short, just like all my others. Though in my defence it started out as a oneshot and grew in my head, so at least it somewhat grew in size.

Now the warnings for this little ficlet. It won't be updated that soon because school hates me (even now I'm supposed to be writing English essays and not Cyborg 009 fanfictions). Its plot, despite being almost two years old, is still a little wishy-washy. But what else would you expect from me? There are bound to be some scenes of OOC-ness, because I haven't watched the show in donkey's ages. It also features no real pairing, a lot of hurting Joe scenes and a pretty important original character. (BOO HISS for me bringing in an OC!)

If all that doesn't bother you, and you want to read anyway… You are amazing and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. And without further ado I give you the first chapter, in which nothing really happens except the starting point for the rest of the plot. All reviews, whether good, bad or flames, are welcome.

Disclaimer: I do not own Cyborg 009 or anything associated with it. And, if anybody really questions me, I'll say I don't own my OC either just to avoid the confrontation.

HUGE THANKS to BiggestFanGirl for all her help on this already, even when it hasn't even started yet.

Chapter 1: The Decision

There was scarcely a cloud in the sky, nor did a breeze or a sound shatter the stillness of the brilliant night. The stars and moon bathed him in a soft light where he sat on the windowsill, one leg hanging down and scraping against the outside wall of the house. His dark eyes were trained on the heavens, as though he wanted to absorb the light of the stars and hold it within him forever. Ever since they had fallen, burning and so sure they would die, his companion Jet had refused to look at the stars. He said he'd seen enough of them already on that day. But Joe couldn't get enough of them; they reminded him how lucky he really was to be alive. And there, on the outskirts of Tokyo in Koizumi's mansion, they seemed especially bright and peaceful.

A roar of laughter and an exclamation of anger tore through the silence and Joe smiled, reflexively looking down to the windows beneath him that opened to the sitting room, where the rest of his team-mates were still busy playing 30 Seconds. From the sound of it, big-mouthed Jet wasn't winning as he had loudly predicted. The thought of it made Joe chuckle, although he kept it as quiet as he could so that nobody would hear him. According to them he was supposed to be asleep. He needed rest, they said. He didn't argue outright with them, but he rarely heeded them either. Black Ghost was gone so he had time to stop and actually see the world around him, for once. G. Junior was right: it truly was amazing.

Another roar and commotion of voices talking over each other reached his ears, arguing playfully and teasing each other with snide comments.

"So, the rumour is true. The fabled rebel cyborg team acts as a family."

The voice was low, feminine and unfamiliar. Although it was calm and matter-of-fact it caused his body to become immediately tense. With his heart pounding and his every nerve suddenly on edge, he forced himself to answer before looking around to the tree behind him.

"I didn't know there was a rumour."

He heard whoever it was snort and he turned as slowly as he could manage to look. She was seated on one limb of the tree, looking at the same window he was, her legs swinging gently beneath her. She couldn't have been a day over fourteen when they turned her into a cyborg, and her youth surprised him. Her braided hair hung to the middle of her back and was a purple so dark it was almost black. Bits of it hung in her eyes, which looked to be the same colour as her hair in the dark. She was wearing a knee-length skirt, plain T-Shirt and knee-high socks with ballet pumps. If it weren't for her darker skin she would have looked like an average Japanese schoolgirl. But what disturbed him the most was her expression. It was entirely calm and undisturbed, instead of twisted into a sneer or burning with hate like the faces of his enemies from before.

She saw him looking and turned to face him, her expression still mild.

"So. You are 009 of the rebel cyborgs." One blink. "You're better looking than they said you were."

This threw him completely. He'd never been complimented prior to an attack before.

"Uh… Thanks… But… who are you?"

"I am Mayura of Black Ghost," she answered calmly.

He was instantly tense again, positioning himself so he was ready to leap up at any moment for a fight.

"Relax. My mission here tonight is just to give you a choice and hear your decision."

"I thought we'd destroyed all of Black Ghost's cyborgs," he said, ignoring her last sentence.

"The group I belong to was originally designed to be immortal ambassadors and consultants for Black Ghost. The idea is that in 200 years or so there will still be Black Ghost operatives. But when you and your…family… became increasingly disruptive to their war efforts The Black Ghost decided to use my team to create a new, perfect weapon with which to annihilate you. You know the story: more scientists, bigger risks, et cetera. They were going to catch you lot off guard with this new weapon but before they could begin their little game of cat-and-mouse you defeated them. But my team feels the plan still needs to be carried out. We've been waiting patiently for almost a year and we will not let all of that disruption go to waste."

Joe remained silent. He'd been afraid something like this would happen. The peace had just been too good to be true. But would they we able to defeat this new 'perfect' weapon?

"You said we had a choice?" he hedged, looking for any sort of advantage.

"No. You have a choice, Cyborg 009. Black Ghost hated you the most out of all of them. They wanted you dead most. Without you, the team would never have been as strong. So, you get the choice. Either you face our weapon alone or your entire team faces it together."

So he could choose whether it was just him getting hurt or whether it was his entire family. There wasn't even a choice at all.

"Just me." he said.

I want them safe.

She inclined her head, still expressionless.

"Then be ready at 4PM tomorrow. As soon as the clock strikes the hour you will be taken to face the Mind Mistress."

She got up in one fluid movement, balancing perfectly on the branch.

"They knew I'd choose that option, didn't they?" Joe's voice was quiet.

"They did not know for sure, but they hoped. They hoped very, very much."

And then she was gone, swallowed up by the night, faster than he could blink. Joe slumped against the sill again and looked up to the stars. For the first time since he'd been turned into a cyborg he prayed.

-x-x-x-

"Can't I just eat some now? Please, 006."

"Don't be so impatient! I know you love the dish, but supper is only a few hours away. Or aren't you planning on eating tonight, hmm?"

"I… don't think I'll be here," the younger cyborg mumbled.

Chang looked at him closely.

"Are you alright? You've been quiet all day. Do you want me to fix you up one of my instant flu remedies?"

"No! Er… Thanks… I'm not feeling sick. I just… I might have some errands to run tonight…"

He then made his escape, quickly slipping out of the kitchen and heading back upstairs. He paused outside the first room in the hall, looking in to see its occupant standing and staring out of the window. He went in and stood behind her, trying to see what she was staring at so intently.

"What's going on, Joe?" She asked, her voice muted with fear. "You've been subtly saying goodbye to everybody all day. I've heard you. Where are you going?"

Her wide blue eyes met his and he opened his mouth to reassure her, even though he did not know what he would say. Obviously he couldn't tell her the truth; she would tell the rest and they'd try to stop him. He refused to put them in any danger when he had the chance to be the only one getting hurt.

"You'd better start talking," Jet's voice said from the doorway. He was leaning against the door-frame, with Albert visible behind him, arms crossed. "Until you spill the beans you aren't leaving this room. And even if you get past us somehow, the rest are waiting in the hall."

"Even 008 and 005 are in on this one," GB's voice called.

Joe sighed. They could be difficult when they tried.

"Look, guys I want to…"

He stopped abruptly as his eyes caught sight of the clock on the wall. Somehow it had drawn his eyes as the second hand was entering the homestretch towards 4 o' clock. Is it that late already? I wanted to be out by now so they wouldn't have any chance to follow! Even as the thoughts flickered through his head the clock struck the hour.

It's time, Cyborg 009 a voice whispered in his ear.

Everything started to fade away to blackness so rapidly he could have been closing his eyes. He felt a hand on his arm, a voice calling his name anxiously, but he could not answer; the darkness swallowed him too quickly.