Retrospection
Why do all the good ideas come to me when I'm supposed to be doing homework? (sigh) oh well. Enjoy!
"I never thought it would end like this."
Yeah, neither did he. Aged before his time, all strength sapped from his body, no future ahead.
"Lightyear, you're leaking propellent!" he gasped, causing his opponent to look down at his jetpack in confusion. He jetted past the finish line, taking advantage of Lightyear's distraction.
"That was cheating!" Lightyear protested as he caught up.
"Hey, I won, didn't I? That's all that counts in this universe!" he replied cockily.
So much for winning. He had lost, and the universe was laughing at him for it. Not for the first time, he wondered what it would have been like if he had never met Zurg. Then he dismissed the thought, recalling that it was because of Zurg that he had wealth, power, and fame (or was it infamy?).
Even if he hadn't betrayed Star Command, he wouldn't have been where he had been without Zurg. It was Zurg's influence that forced him to study hard enough to pass the Academy with flying colors and enter Star Command as one of its finest recruits. It was Zurg's influence that had made him befriend Buzz Lightyear, learning the other ranger's secrets and earning his trust.
So then why was he here, old and feeble, with nothing else left except bleak darkness in his future? It had to be Lightyear's fault, he decided. That stupid space ranger had always made things worse for him, like that one time with the Chlorms and those implanted chips.
Why, then, had he gone back to save Lightyear in the end, when the other man had been stranded? Why had he returned and proven to Lightyear that he was still, in a way, "one of the good guys?"
Maybe he still felt a sort of nostalgia for the Galactic Alliance, because he had spent a good portion of his life protecting it (however false that protection may have been). Maybe he just couldn't take that kind of guilt from his conscience (yes, he did have one, though he would never let Lightyear know that).
It had seemed so easy when he first accepted Zurg's mission: infiltrate Star Command, learn their secrets, and report back to Zurg every now and then. He hadn't expected to make such a wonderful friend in the process.
Yes, Lightyear was still his friend. That was the only explanation as to why he had spared the other man's life almost every single time they had met since the whole Uni-Mind incident. No matter how much he denied it, he still held a sort of respect for Lightyear, one that came from years of working at his side.
He had mocked Lightyear more than once about his pursuit of justice back when they were still partners, but he inwardly wished that he had the same kind of motivation for his own goals. Lightyear was a space ranger because he wanted to help others. He had been a space ranger because he was ordered to be one.
He had thought he was freeing himself by betraying Star Command, breaking away from their strict rules and discipline. In reality, he had traded one prison cell for an even smaller one.
This was where all that had led him. Old, alone, and helpless to do anything about it.
"I never thought it would end like this."
Yeah, neither did he.
You know, I always thought Warp deserved a good introspective fic and I happened to be watching Ancient Evil the other day when I thought of how much he'd been through. And the series didn't even delve into his character that much! So I offer everyone else this slight peek into his mind (albeit not a very good peek, since he's so complex and my simple mind can only understand so little).
...on a more random note, I now want to hug Warp.
Warp: (inches away from me slowly)
Me: (rolls eyes) R&R!