AN: Okay, okay, I know I promised you the Albedo chapter of Trinity, and it is on the way, I assure you.
But looking back over Angel's Death, I remembered a little something I learned from the Xenosaga cellphone game in Japan (it's called Pied Piper, but we can only dream about it coming over to the US), about our favorite Vector C.E.O. and his minions. I realized that I could do an alternate ending based on that info, and thinking it over...let's just say it really could happen.
If you've already read Angel's Death, then you already know about the spoiler warning for Episode II, and in this fic, watch out for spoiler warnings for Pied Piper (but since we're probably never going to get it, it should be okay).
Chapter One: Grief
The sounds of Wagner drifted softly through the office, the ancient music oddly soothing, yet sparking curiosity at the same time to whomever heard it. But this did not matter to Vector's C.E.O., who was currently in his office, his chair turned to admire the view from the massive windows, his slender body leaning back into the chair, his eyes closed. In that position, he looked as if he were sleeping, almost angelic even. As the song ended, his eyes opened.
This is pleasant; I have not had the time recently to just be to myself. What with having to make sure that the Kukai Foundation and Second Miltia are unhindered by the Federation, and tracking the movements of U-TIC...A frown appeared on Wilhelm's face as his eyes narrowed. They have become an unstable factor in this equation, as well as Dimtri. Their very presence puts everything at risk. Turning back around, he leaned his head against his left hand as his right traced the base of the Compass of Order.
"Computer, restart song." As the opening aria soared through the air from hidden speakers, Wilhelm's fingers continued to move over the priceless relic, and his eyelids started to droop. His breathing became regulated as he fell into sleep's embrace, his head slowly falling to rest on his arm as his fingers stilled.
----
Red-gloved fingers gripped a computer pad firmly as Kevin materialized inside Wilhelm's office.
"Master Wilhelm, I..." He trailed off. "Master?" Wilhelm didn't respond.
He's sleeping. Well, that shouldn't come as a surprise, but...it's just odd to see him like this. The red-cloaked man cleared his throat.
Master Wilhelm? Blinking, Wilhelm's eyes opened. As the orange-red orbs came back into focus he sat up, pausing only to rub a hand over his eyes.
"Oh. I'm sorry, I must have dozed off. Have you been waiting long?"
"I only just came in." Kevin answered. "Pardon my disturbance." Wilhelm straightened.
"It's quite alright. Computer, stop music." He ordered. Pushing back a stray lock of white hair, he looked at the red-cloaked man. "What is it?"
"I have the report onthe Hyams Groupas you requested." Kevin gave the pad to Wilhelm. "You were right, Master. They're becoming involved in the search for the Y-Data as well."
"Another variable..." Vector's C.E.O. mused. "Where are Voyager and Virgil?"
"Virgil is with Albedo and Voyager is currently monitoring Margilus' movements." Wilhelm nodded.
"Contact Virgil. Plans must be made to dispose the U-TIC organization as quickly and quietly as possible. They've become too much of an unstable element."
"And Albedo?"
"Leave him for now. Have KOS-MOS..." Wilhelm trailed off, his eyes darting towards the Compass.
"Master?" Kevin queried. The white-haired man didn't respond, his orange-red eyes staring at the Compass intently. "Master Wilhelm?"
A chill danced up his spinal cord as the dark surrounded him. Ahead of him was a light, glowing brightly, illuminating the blackness. Walking forward the shadows seemed to live, pooling around his legs and feet. Then all of a sudden, it shot forwards towards the light, wrapping dark tentacles around it, smothering it. The light tried to fight back, but the darkness quickly quelled any resistance, crushing it in its coils completely, and he was left once again in total blackness...
"Master Wilhelm!" Inhaling sharply, Wilhelm pulled out of the trance to find Kevin by his side, his hands gripping his shoulders. "Master Wilhelm, are you alright?!" Gently, Kevin forced the Vector C.E.O. to lean back against the chair, noting how suddenly frail his boss's body had just become.
"Wrong..."
"What?"
"Something's wrong..." Wilhelm whispered. Pushing Kevin's hands aside, he sat forward. "Computer, location of the Kukai Foundation."
The Kukai Foundation is currently in orbit around Second Mitlia.
"Location of the Durandal."
The Durandal is currently docked with the Kukai Foundation.
"Master, what did you sense?" Wilhelm didn't say anything but leaned back once again, the strange lethargy that had overcome him earlier threatening to return.
"Go to Voyager and find out the location of Dimitri, quickly." He ordered.
"Of course, but what about you?"
"I will be fine. Hurry." Kevin bowed and disappeared, leaving the slender man alone with his thoughts.
I dare not voice my suspicions in front of him, as even now he still yearns for her. Wilhelm knew that Kevin was still in love with Shion, and considered it as one of Kevin's best qualities, as Shion's very existence was crucial to humanity itself. As long as Kevin lived, if KOS-MOS should fail in her directive to protect Shion, there would be another protector for her. But in recent days the danger around and to the Vector employee had increased...her run-in with Voyager as she flew E.S. Dinah towards Milita, Nephilim's insistence of Shion recovering her memories, U-TIC, and the U.R.T.V.s, especially Albedo... His eyes narrowed.
It is a safe assumption to say that he has discovered Shion's part in the Y-Data and has probably made the logical conclusion. His "father" though, may come to a different answer, and that is what concerns me. Ever since his encounter with U-DO years ago, Yuriev Dimitri had become a changed man, becoming obsessed with the entity's defeat, to the point where Wilhelm strongly suspected that he was no longer sane. That same insanity could be turned upon Shion if Dimitri ever found out her true abilities... The slender man sighed heavily, his eyes closing.
"Computer, restart song."
----
She pulled herself out of her slumber, something deep within her consciousness pulling at her, saying that something wasn't right. As she left her coffin, the pull got even worse, so much so that she stopped for a moment, running a check on all her systems. Everything was normal...so then why did she feel this way? Turning to the side, she noted that Allen was fast asleep, stretched out on the couch. Calculating that Allen was not the best one suited to handle her problem, she strode towards the exit. Shion would be upset but she would assist...KOS-MOS stopped cold. This feeling...it was concerning Shion!
Illogical. Shion is safe and sound in her room, fast asleep as how humans are at this hour. She thought. But something within her was screaming that she use her thermal scanner to check on Shion's location. KOS-MOS pushed the feeling to the side and continued to walk, passing through the door and heading for the train. The something increased in intensity though, growing more powerful with every step...KOS-MOS stopped once again. Perhaps if she obliged this feeling, it would go away. Her pupils narrowing, she tracked the heat signals of each of her friends. Ziggy was in the Infirmary, resting after his tune up done by both Shion and MOMO, chaos and Jr. were currently sleeping in the room they shared...a frown flitted across the android's face. It looked like MOMO was in there as well...sleeping on one bed while Jr. was on the couch. Jin was in the room next to them, and in the adjoining room...
Error. No heat signature found. Frowning, KOS-MOS scanned the adjoining room again.
Error. No heat signature found. The blue-haired android ran a full systems check on herself before scanning a third time.
Error. No heat signature found. The sensation growing stronger, KOS-MOS swiftly got on the train, programming it to head to the Residential Area. Something obviously must be wrong with the climate control in that room, perhaps that was the reason why she couldn't track Shion's heat signature, KOS-MOS told herself. But still, the feeling just wouldn't go away...now it had escalated into a desperate need to hear a pulse, a heartbeat...
She lay there, paralyzed. All she could do was look up helplessly at the face that loomed over her. The hands that framed her face were warm and gentle, and something within her awoke, telling her that he didn't want to do this. Her lips moved; a plea for him to fight what was controlling him, to think of what he held dear. But it fell on deaf ears, and one hand slid down to hold her left one while the other moved to the back of her neck, his fingers pressing into her nape as her head was lifted slightly. The pressure on her left hand increased as his lips pressed against hers, and a wave of pain blasted through her mind...
"Shion!" KOS-MOS cried, snapping out of the trance. The emotion she knew as fear but had never experienced was coursing through her body, a colorless enemy that she had no defense against. Knees week, she sagged against the door, her eyes rapidly changing from red to blue. As the train came to a stop, she ran out blindly, her brain having come up with another logical reason for why she could not sense Shion, and it frightened her to the very core of her being.
nonononoNoNoNoNONONO!!! Keening sounds were coming from her throat as she tore through the door and into the darkened bedroom...and then they stopped, as Time itself seemed to freeze....she stood there, but it seemed she was split in two, the organic and the inorganic...the inorganic was calculating, analyzing data, computing variables, times...and arriving at one conclusion. The organic simply stood there, realizing it was too late...realization sinking in, its claws tearing deeply into the soul...
"NO!!!"
The scream tore chaos out of a sound sleep, his body already up and running, tearing towards the door. Behind him Jr. fell off the couch, cursing violently while MOMO came awake with a shriek of her own.
"What's going on?!" Jr. yelled. Ignoring all this, chaos ran into Shion's room, where the terrible scream had come from.
"Shion! What's...?" His voice trailed off as he saw KOS-MOS on the bed, her fingers clutching her creator's shoulders. Sobs racked the android's frame, and blue sparks came from her hands as she repeatedly cast revival Ether spells on the body lying so still...
"nononomothernonoMotherpleasenoohGodnonoMOTHER!" chaos came from behind, trying to pull her away.
"KOS-MOS, what...what's..." His face paled as he saw Shion, and the powers he had hidden from for so long surfaced, telling him the worst...she was dead. Nothing any of them could do could help her now...her spirit had already left, leaving behind only a shell...
"KOS-MOS...she's gone. You can't do...anything..." At these words, the android sank to her knees, hot tears spilling over her cheeks. The sparks faded, and KOS-MOS's hands fisted in the snow-white sheets before throwing back her head and screaming, the sound torn from her very soul.
"MOTHER!!!!!"
Next chapter: An offer is made that cannot be refused...