Author's Note/Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Wild ARMs 3, other than the game of course. Everything but my copy of the game belongs to Media Vision/Sony/Not Me. ^_^
This is the first WA 3 fic I've actually finished, and I should note that it does not come first in my series. This will probably be second or third, depending on how I decide to do the second story I have in mind. ^_^ Also, I will be adding extra rooms and more space to certain places on Filgaia. I mean, take Clive's house for example: When you first go there, Catherine will ask Kaitlyn to help her in the kitchen. But when you walk around the house, *there is no kitchen*. So, yeah. I'm adding room/s. ^_^
And out of all the WA 3 fics I've been able to find, I'm the only one who seems to be making any real use of Lombardia. I've grown quite fond of my dragon, and I find her rather interesting. ^_^ Oh, and I got much help from Nick Contra for writing for her. I'll have to admit that I can't write Middle English to save my life, seeing as my only real experience with it before her came mostly from Shakespeare (which I mostly don't remember), Frog and Cyan. ^_^
And also thanks to Nick Contra for the title! ^_^
"Beyond One's Design"
Written by Skylark Starflower
Started February 20, 2003
Finished February 20, 2003
Catherine looked up from what she had been doing when she heard Lombardia soar over the open skyways of Humphrey's Peak. Her smile was somewhat sad. Clive's friends were back to pick him up already, which meant she'd have to say good-bye to him yet again.
Standing, she left the kitchen. She paused in the doorway, her smile warming at the sight that greeted her. Clive was half sprawled across the couch, one arm draped across Kaitlyn's back. The other was hanging to the floor, still clutching the book he had been reading. Clive, however, was too busy snoring to do any reading. Kaitlyn had her head tucked up into her father's neck, her arms wrapped around his midsection. She too, was asleep.
Catherine carefully removed Clive's glasses and set them on the coffee table so they wouldn't get broken before stepping outside to greet her husband's friends before they could wake him and Kaitlyn. She waved to them as she saw them enter town, and motioned for them to keep silent. Virginia was the first to reach her.
"Is Kaitlyn taking a nap or something?" she inquired in a whisper. Catherine just smiled and let the three Drifters in. Virginia had to fight to stifle her giggles when she saw Clive and his daughter.
"That's so sweet!" She somehow managed to keep her voice down while squealing.
Gallows chuckled. "You need to get a picture of that or something, Catherine. It's beautiful."
Meanwhile, Jet watched the proceedings from his usual spot against the wall. He kept out of the whispered conversation, feeling he had nothing to contribute anyway. He took a quick glance at his fellow Drifter and the cause of all the fuss and surprised himself when he couldn't stop the smile from crossing his face. He shook his head in disgust with himself and turned to watch the floor again.
What is it about this place that makes me feel so…so...I don't know? He didn't know what it was, but something about Clive's home made him feel strange; all he really knew for certain was that he always felt it.
…Can artificial life forms even have families?
Jet scowled. He stayed where he was for only a few moments longer before making up his mind and slipping out the door, confident no one would miss him. He made his way out of town and meandered grumpily back to where Lombardia was waiting. The dragon was listening to the grasshoppers; she looked rather puzzled.
She looked up when she heard Jet approach. "Thou hast returned early, and without the others. Is there something thou must do on thy own?"
"Naw. Just felt like I didn't belong."
The dragon said nothing, allowing Jet to lean against her leg in the shade. Neither spoke for a long time, listening instead to the sounds of the wasteland around them.
"You and me are a lot alike, you know."
"How dost thou figure, human?" Lombardia's voice held no malice; she had grown quiet fond of the four Drifters who had bested her in combat.
"That's just it. I'm not human. I'm a living machine just like you; some crackpot scientist built me. 'The Filgaia Sample'." Jet snorted. "Jet Enduro's not even my real name. Apparently it was supposed to be Adam Kadmon."
"…I prefer Jet."
"So do I."
Once again, the silence settled in, neither knowing just what to say next. It was some time before Lombardia posed her next question.
"What wast thou before discovering the truth?"
"I…well…huh…" Jet had never really given it much thought before. "Well…I…I was Jet…"
The dragon hunched over to look him in the eye. "Wast thou human or an artificial life form?"
"You know the answer to that, dragon," snorted Jet.
Lombardia straightened up again. "Yes, but dost thou?" That gave Jet pause. "We can be more than what we are," she continued philosophically.
"…" Jet had never thought about his life much before he had discovered his true origin. Now Lombardia was giving him a whole new way to view it. But still…
"My life is a sham. I was built in a lab, given false memories of a Filgaia I never knew. If it hadn't been for the Yggdrasil incident, I never would have known real freedom, either. Sure, they would probably have treated me like a normal human so as to gain my trust, but would they have let me out of the lab? Would they have let me do whatever I wanted?"
Lombardia gave a huge, heaving sigh. "Probably not, but it does not do to dwell on the past, for it is just that: in the past. What matters now is what thou hast done with thy life. Thou wouldst never have met thy friends if Yggdrasil had gone according to plan."
"Hmph. Friends."
The dragon hummed thoughtfully, and fell silent. Jet leaned once again against her leg and allowed his body to relax. His mind, however, was racing with new thoughts.
"Jet?"
He snapped his head up at the sudden voice. It was Virginia.
Oh, Lord. Why her?
She skipped over to his side and slapped a hand onto his shoulder. "We were wondering where you'd gotten to. Come on back, now. Catherine's put lunch on, and Clive's wondering where you are!"
Jet brushed her hand off and turned his back moodily. "Not interested."
Virginia was not easily dissuaded. "Come on, you must be hungry! Get up, everyone's waiting for you!"
"Just…go away, Virginia. I'm not in the mood."
"Oh, would you stop that, Jet!? I'm so sick of you acting like a Grumpy Gus all the time! We're your friends, and we can help you if you'd just let us."
"You really think so? Do you have any idea what it's like to one day find out you aren't even human!? And Clive?! Hah! I'm sure he cares! I'll bet the only reason he even tolerates me anymore is because he views me as something to study!"
Virginia was taken aback by Jet's outburst. She knew, though she hated to admit it, that what he said could very well be true. "I'm sure…I'm sure that's not…"
"Oh, don't try to deny it, Ginny. We all know it. I only wish he'd have the balls to just admit it. I don't give a damn about what he thinks of me, I just wish he'd get over himself and tell me to my face."
Virginia didn't know what to say. She thought she was beginning to understand why Jet had been so irritable lately. She walked over to him and put her hand on his shoulder again. "Talk to Clive. Tell him how you feel and sort this mess out. I'm sure that…if what we suspect is true, the only reason he hasn't admitted it is because he doesn't want to hurt your feelings."
Jet shook her hand off again. "Why would he care about my feeling if he views me as a machine? Machines don't have feelings."
"But thou dost."
The dragon lowered her head level with Jet and Virginia's. "Thou dost fret over how thy friends view thee, despite what thou dost say to the contrary. I can sense these things, thou dost realize. Jet, thou mayst have started as some scientists' creation, but thou hast evolved far beyond these early restraints. Thou mayst not be fully human, but thou art so close even I can barely sense the difference. Thou art no mere machine."
Jet said nothing for a long time, mulling over what Lombardia had said. It was a good several minutes before he turned to Virginia. "Let's go see what Catherine has for lunch, then." He didn't wait for her before turning and heading back to Humphrey's Peak.
Virginia smiled up at the dragon and patted her leg. "Thank you." With that, she ran off after Jet, laughing at something he said once she had caught up and fell into step beside him.
Lombardia watched the two and sighed.
"After all, love is an emotion no mere machine can truly emulate."
The End