"The Rogue"

An "IRIA: The Soul of Silence" FanFic
Based on "IRIA: Zeriam the Animation"
Written by: --|(ris-Sama!!-- The Illustrious Swordfish!!!


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Introduction

It's hard to write a story set after the events of the IRIA anime OVA based on Iria's 'brother' Gren. He did die after all. So this story is actually set years before the events of both the OVA and my own fic, IRIA: The Soul of Silence. What this basically is, is my own version of the backstory hinted in Zeiram, and also ties into TSoS, starring everyone's favorite green-haired bounty hunter, Gren.

While it will technically be somewhat short in length, maybe like, say, two or three parts only, they will be highly detailed and will contain a few familiar scenes from both the OVA and TSoS...
Enjoy!

--|(ris-Sama!!--

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Part One:
"Deals"



Gren was feeling high and dry as he made his way down a long, highly decorated corridor of the Mycian branch of the Administration Headquarters. His heels clicked against the smooth marble floor as he took his long, proud strides. He was feeling great, chipper even, and light as a feather, despite the fact that he was wearing his dark red and purplish armor and those baggy sandy white pants. None of that really mattered though, because the only thing he was focused on was that little ornately decorated, blue box in his gloved right hand.

A sly grin crossed the apprentice's lips as he lifted the box up a bit and glancing down to it. He let his thumb flick a small latch and the lid of the box automatically opened. Inside, revealed a blue pendant laying atop a satin-like cushion. The pendent was in the shape of a half yin-yang, a few diamond-like jewels studded into the rounded portion. Under it was a patch, sewn into the satin, sewn with a registration number in Mycian script. Gren read over the numbers many times, that cool smirk of his growing each time he did so. He closed the lid of the box and chuckled softly in victory, holding the compact box back down to his side. He had finally won. He was a Hunter...

*****


Off in the distance, the newly appointed Hunter Gren saw a dark skinned man conversing with a few of the Ghomvack sentries posted through the city of Myce. The dark man was shaved bald, albeit the ponytail of black hair that stuck out from the back of his head, tied up with a traditional wrapping with a few hairbeads falling downward from it. He also had three small dots printed on his forehead, almost as if he was a monk. Gren smiled at the sight of the man and head towards his direction.

The two sentries saluted to the dark man and turned on their heels as Gren approached, probably going back to there round Gren thought. The man looked over to Gren and smiled lightly, his thin mustache curving with his lips.

"So, did you get it?" the man asked in his deep voice.

Gren displayed the small box, holding it between two fingers while he flash am arrogant, yet cocky smirk. "Sure did, Bob. Got it right here."

Bob chuckled softly at the young man's enthusiasm, letting a hand pat him on his armored shoulder. "Then I guess that's it, right? I suppose I can't make you call me 'master' or 'sir' anymore, can I?"

Gren laughed at the joke, opening the box up and taking the necklace out. " 'guess not. Sucks for you, eh?" He grinned as he unwrapped the string of the necklace, and pulled of over his pale-green hair, and around his neck proudly. "Don't have to take those petty jobs anymore either."

"Don't worry about that," Bob said. "You know that I match the job with the Hunter's skill level, and trust me, you've got the skills. As long as you can steer clear from bounty jumpers like that Fujikuro character, you'll do fine."

Gren kept his eyes on the deep blue pendent as Bob spoke, mesmerized and proud. He had worked hard to earn this, despite being one of the top students of the trade. There were a few others like him. Many of other apprentices were up for licensing, but he knew he was the best of the bunch. That's why he got his first although he knew better than to let it get to his head. Bob had taught him better than that, and he knew the job was only going to get harder from there on. He was always up for the challenge though....

"So where you off to now?" Bob asked, his arms folding over his white-armored chest, as if he was a father questioning his teenage child before going out on the town.

Gren thought for a minute then spoke in a sarcastic tone. "Hmm...well you know me. Go out and flaunt a little bit, pick up some women, and dance the night away," he began to chuckle a little. "Actually, I was hoping you'd join me for a drink before I head off to Batabitajira to pick up Iria."

"You going to bring her back with you this time?" Bob asked with an arched brow.

"Hopefully, if I can talk her into it..." Gren said, his tone changing slightly. Gren had always looked at young Iria as a little sister, although they weren't really related. He watched out for her...playing his 'big brother' role out the best he could. "It's gonna be kinda hard to tear her away from that place though. She's the last one there too. Urbanization is bringing them all to Myce City. Batabitajira, a small province of the planet Myce, had suffered greatly after the grand capital was built. Many left of jobs, taking their families with them. Iria was the last, aside from Gren's frequent visits. He never stayed long though, since he had so many obligations back here in Myce.

"You just let her stay there alone while you're here in Myce?!" Bob asked.

Gren waved his hand nonchalantly. "She can take care of herself, Bob. She reckless, but she a good eye on things. Dead set on being a Hunter, too."

"Well, whatever the case, send her my greetings, and I'll hold you to that drink. However, I have some work to attend at the moment. I'll meet up with you a little later, alright" Bob nodded as he glanced over to a clock hanging above a receptionist's desk. It read 3:35 PM, Standard Time.

Gren followed Bob's gaze over to the clock, also noting the time. He thought for a split second and grinned softly. "There's a bar across town in the Toulai Sector. It's cleaner than the Outrigger atleast. Meet you thereat 5'...?" he asked Bob, then glancing over to him from the corner of his eye.

"Fine by me," Bob agreed, nodding with his approval. "See you then." With that, the aging man turned and headed towards a close-by elevator, then stopped suddenly to look back over his shoulder. "By the way...."

Bob caught Gren attention, the young Hunter turned to face him again. His brow furrowed slightly, as if you ask him 'what's up'. Bob simply smiled, full of pride as he looked him over. "Congratulations..."

Gren smiled as he lifted his left hand to the left side of his face, giving his hairbeads a little flick, sending the blue and gold colored beads clicking softly against each other. "Thanks Bob..."

*****


Gren was walking down yet another long corridor. However, the lengthy walls were a bit plainer than the one he was previously in, slate-gray in color yet much more smooth and seemliness. The hall was brightly lit and a few other Hunters an Administration lackeys where scattered about. This was one of the basement floors. This was where many of the young apprentices came to arm themselves and be briefed on special missions...

"3:40..." Gren read off a digital clock above one of the doors. "Plenty of time. Wonder who else may be around down here...?" Gren wasn't ever much of a gloater. Sure, he had just been officially licensed, but he wasn't there to really tell the word. He was just excited, and maybe a few of his colleagues might care to hear the bright news?

Gren stopped at a door large set of glass double-doors and it opened for him automatically as he passed through the sensor array. Once inside he came to another door, a much smaller door that only had a small viewing window placed in the center of it. On the wall next to it was a small keypad with the words 'Locker Room 2-B' engraved above it in bold letters. Gren's gloved hand reached up to the pad, nimbly pressing a few keys here and there, his passcode. The computer to a few seconds to respond, flashing a small green light and the locking mechanism released itself. You couldn't be to cautious when it came to weaponry and a Hunter's privacy....

Gren let to door swing open and he stepped through with scanning eyes. He saw only one person in-between the hall of lockers, a rather dark figure. His hair was a dark shade of brown with an unorthodox styling with his bangs at the front of his hair, some hanging in front of his eyes. He was decked out in full armor, the metallic alloy covering his body over a black, formfitting body suit. He was sliding, what seemed to be, the last piece of his get-up over his hand and forearm, and he did nothing but his stare at a fixed point ahead of him as he adjusted the fitting of it. Gren recognized him almost immediately and smiled coyly. This was Kazon Locke, the only apprentice that could stand up to the bar Gren had raised in their profession.

"Hey man, ya heard the news...?" Gren asked Kazon, gaining his attention. Kaz had glanced over to him, only revealing those deep and piercing green orbs before looking away again. He just shrugged a bit as he continued to fiddle around with his armor. Gren didn't expect much more than that small gesture from the young man, he knew him better than that. Or atleast he thought he did. Gren could only laugh softly as he watched him. "Never were much for talkin', are ya Kaz? Well, the news is that you're looking at a full-fledged Hunter!"

"...congratulations Gren," Kazon finally said in a quiet voice.

"Thanks man..." Gren said as he leaned back against a wall of lockers, letting out a relieved sigh. Normally, people were uncomfortable around this dark young man. He had heard stories of how Kazon was somewhat defiant, questioning the orders given to him and opting to approach the task in his own ways. Gren could remember Kazon almost getting them both in deep when they worked together a few times before. But still, he was always unusually quiet, like he was dead to the world, and usually gave off this eerie vibe to other people...

"I was gonna go out for a drink a bit later to celebrate," Gren added. "My friend Bob might be joining me, I don't think you've met him yet. So anyways, you wanna come, Kaz? My treat?"

"Can't..." Kazon answered rather abruptly. "Ouspi and I are heading out." Gren watched on as Kaz began to load a few ammo clips onto his belt.

Gren smirked, probably thinking that Kaz would have turned him down even if he wasn't 'heading out'. Locke was just like that, but Gren continued on. "Really? Where to?"

"Some new planet they discovered outside of the Taowajan sector, on contract with Tedan Tippedai. We're supposed to survey it or something..." Kaz answered.

Gren's brow arched slightly as a confused look took over his expression. "Shouldn't that be left for a science team to deal with?"

"Yeah..." Kazon responded, taking his pistol from his locker, "...that's what I told Ouspi. It's supposed to be some big deal 'that only professionals of our standing can handle properly'."

"Hmm...direct quote...." Gren thought to himself. "Sounds like something those assholes would say..." Gren paused before he began to speak aloud. "If you ask me, it sounds kinda fishy. I wonder why someone like Ouspi would take a job like that...?" he laughed a bit. "But hey, look on the bright side, at least you'll get your license one of these days and you won't have to lis--"

"Next week..." Kaz cut him off. This caught Gren off guard.

"'Next week'...?" Gren said, repeating him. Kazon? Licensing? This early?

"Yeah..." Kaz said as he started to load his pistol. "I'm getting my license next week on my 18th birthday..."

Gren just cracked a smile. Kazon was two years younger than him, but he was already up for Hunter-ship. This just furthered the fact that Gren thought of Kaz as his 'rival'. Someone to surely rise up for the challenge. And knowing Kazon, the somber kid might even view this little conversation as a 'challenge'. However, Gren, as always, was ready for a challenge.

"You're a rare find, Kaz. You're still one of the newer apprentices and you're already getting you're up for early licensing!? Unreal man..." he chuckled. "I was lucky enough to get one now."

Kazon didn't say anything else, like always. Gren knew he didn't like complements, or maybe he just didn't know how to take them? However, the silence was broken shortly after by the sounds of the door swinging open again. Gren looked over his shoulder upon hearing the sound, as did Kazon, to see who it was. It was Kazon's instructor, Ouspi, and he made his way inside, wearing that long black trench coat with the two Katana's strapped to his back. He had a cigarette hanging from his mouth. to the aging Hunter who ran his hand through his short, scruffy, black and gray hair.

"You almost ready kid...?" Ouspi said in his raspy voice, removing the cigarette from his mouth. "We've only got one Transit time booked, yanno...hmm...?" Ouspi's brow furrowed slightly as he glanced over to Gren for a moment. Then the scruffy Hunters lip curled into a huge smile. "Weeeeeell.....look who got his license!!" Ouspi walked over to Gren and patted him on the shoulder. "Heard all about from the guys. Congrats kid!"

"Thank you, sir..." Gren said thankfully. Bob had told him about Ouspi. He was one of the best in the business back in his day, take job after job and not even breaking a sweat. But age had worn him down unfortunately. Nowadays, he spend his time calling the shots while his ever capable trainee, Kazon, executed the orders.

"Where ya headed now? Not gonna go out and have a drink to celebrate without me and Kaz, are ya?!" Ouspi added, tossing his cigarette on the hard floor and stamping it out.

Gren chuckled softly, almost nervously. "I'm sorry for that sir, like you said, you only have one time booked right?" Drinking with Ouspi was a bad idea. Bob had also said that the old man didn't really know when to call it quits when it came to booze. He also told him a story about one time when Ouspi was drunk. It was...colorful...

Ouspi simply laughed. "Ah well, maybe when I get back then, you have some time to waste with an old fart like me?"

"I'm sorry for that too, sir. Tomorrow I'm heading out for Batabitajira to see a friend of mine."

Unseen by Gren nor Ouspi, Kazon quickly glanced over to them from the corner of his eye...as if he suddenly took an interest in the conversation. That, or he was wondering when the two would can the chitchat so they could get to work...

"A friend, eh?" Ouspi repeated him, flashing a sly grin. "Well, I suppose gallivanting with girls is a bit more pleasin' for a yung'un like you," he added, nudging him a little. "And on an empty place like Batabitajira...lots of room for bunch of little 'green-heads' to be runnin' around."

Gren began to blush a little. Iria?! Like that?! "No, no, it's not like that! ...her parents are gone and with everyone leaving the place for Myce City, I started to kinda look after her. She acts like I'm her brother, so I try to fill-in for the role I guess. I'm going to visit her and try to bring her back here with me."

Gren finally caught a glance of Kazon's icy eyes from the corner of his own; they were boring through both he and his instructor. Gren always felt a chill when Kaz looked at him like that. It was just naturally haunting. Kazon placed his pistol in its holster and had turned to the face the both of them.

Gren glanced over to Kaz for a moment, then looked up to a clock on the wall, and thought that he had better take his leave now. The drive to the Toulai Sector bar would take a while, since it was halfway across town, especially at rush hour times like this. "Well...I better go catch up with Bob before he leaves without me."

"A'ight," Ouspi said, giving his shoulder another pat. "We need to be heading out too, eh Kaz?" Kazon just nodded in response. "Well, take care, kid and congrats again!"

"Thank you sir," Gren said with a smile and a nod. "See ya, Kaz." he began to make his way to the door before he stopped himself, remembering something suddenly. "Oh! Kaz, one more thing..."

"...yeah...?" Kazon asked in a soft voice.

"Remember..." Gren said with a smile as he flicked his hairbeads once. He laughed softly as he turned back to the door. "Don't forget, Kazon..." The infamous hairbeads flick. Gren had stared doing it, as a subtle trademark, around the same time Kazon started. Between them, it started out as a type go-sign, nothing but a way of communicating with each other a few covert jobs they had done together in the past. However, it stuck between them. One of the few things Kazon would actually do because of someone else, Gren thought, as minute as it was.

Gren flashed a small salute to the aging Hunter and his apprentice before turning on a heel and exiting the locker room....

*****


Gren sat on a stool in the Toulai bar, his elbows propped up on the bar counter. He held a glass in one hand and swirl a bluish liquid around in side of it. Next to him was Bob, standing up and taking a short sip of his own drink. Bob set the glass down on the counter, signaling for the barkeep to attend him again.

"So..." Bob said to Gren, motioning for the approaching barkeeper for a refill, "...tell me about this Iria girl."

Gren smiled warmly at the thought, chuckling even as he lifted his own glass to his lips and taking a quick swig. "She's very headstrong...too much if you ask me. Not very reliable either, but she willing to do anything it takes to get a job done."

"So you're saying she's as crazy and as nuts as you are?" Bob asked, nodding his thanks to the tender as the short man refilled his glass.

"Hey, she takes after her 'big brother', right?" Gren responded, almost mockingly.

"Right..." Bob said softly. Gren could tell that Bob was thinking that bringing Iria to Myce will cause some problems.

"Don't worry about it, Bob," Gren said, reassuringly. "Nothing will go wrong with it. I'll keep a close eye on her. One thing though..." Gren paused for a moment, gaining Bob's complete attention as his dark eyes lock onto Gren's. "....you gotta help me keep this whole brother-sister thing up. She'd be crushed if she found out the truth, yanno?"

"What is the truth anyway...?" Bob asked with a furrowed brow. "You've never really made the whole point of it exactly clear to me."

Gren slowly looked away, as if he was a little ashamed, letting his gaze drop down to the blue liquid in his glass. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I never really have explained it, so I might as well. Well...her parents left, without warning. The province leaders just announced that they were missing one day."

"Odd..."

"Tell, me about it..." Gren went on. "Well, Iria was still too young to remember all of this, not even a standard year old. So, my parents took it upon themselves to watch out for her, and she grew up looking at me as a brother. I guess I just got used to it somewhere along the way."

"So now she wants to follow in big-brother's footsteps and become a Hunter..." Bob said, reminding Gren of what he told him earlier at headquarters.

"Yeah..." Gren took a long sip of his drink, exhaling a small sigh as he moved the glass back away from his lips. "I know it's a little earlier for me to do this now, since I just licensed and all, but I'd like to ask for permission to train her...."

"You're right, it is too early for that," Bob said, sighing a little himself. "You know I can't push for something like that, no matter how capable you may be for the task."

"Think of it as a favor to an old friend then," Gren said, giving Bob a pleading look, a look Bob knew all to well. Gren was serious about this, and he probably wouldn't give up on this.

Bob studied Gren for a short moment, before sighing once again. "I'll try to sign her for apprenticeship under my wing until we can figure something out. I know you don't want Iria to fall into the hand of someone else. Give me some time to pull a few strings, alright...?"

Gren downed the rest of his drink, and set the glass back down on the counter. His other gloved hand whip his lips quickly before he spoke...

"....deal."

***************


Author's Notes:
Kind of short, but I kind like it better that way. Throw something familiar at you to hold you over. Fun times. Stay tuned for Part Two!

Things
To look for next time...
Apperances by a young Iria and a familiar scene from the OVA....