C-Project
by Crystal Tiara17

Disclaimer: I do not own Ayashi no Ceres or any of its characters. They belong to Yuu Watase.

Summary: The C-Project staff's POVs on the C-project itself, how they came to take part in it, and their many thoughts.

Author's Notes #1: This one's for Ironmouse. See, Gladys got more votes than Lulik, but I know how Iron Mouse really wants me to write about Lulik...and it's Christmas...so it's sort of a little gift for her. And besides...I like the idea of writing about Lulik. It's sort of like a challenge, because he doesn't appear in the anime, and we don't know much about him. But I promise that I'll write about Gladys in the next chapter. ATTENTION! PLEASE READ!: Could someone please translate Chapter 10 and Chapter 4 of Episode of Miku 1 and Episode of Shuro for me? I'm just interested in those particular chapters. Don't know why. I'd really like to know more about these chapters than the summaries on Tetris no Miko's wonderful site. Oh, yeah, would it be too much to ask if someone could translate for free? I'm just a student with no money to pay you. If you're interested, just drop me a line at crystal_tiara17@yahoo.com. Thank you! And so, Iron Mouse, this chapter's for you! (Hope you like it)

Chapter Three: Cry

cry (v.) - to shed tears

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
I'll always remember
It was late afternoon
It lasted forever
And ended so soon...
---Mandy Moore, "Cry"
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Why is it that the people we love most leave us early?

In case you didn't know, I had a wife, who just passed away recently. She was the reason I joined the C-project. She had a terminal illness, and before she died, her last wish was for me to find a cure for most diseases so that more lives would be spared.

Let me take you back, a few years ago, where it all began.

She was a famous soprano. I was just a nobody, another face in the crowd. I was aspiring to become a doctor or a scientist. She had her mind set on singing. Despite our differences, we met, and we fell in love with each other. Three days later, we were married.

It may seem rushed, but we didn't want to miss the opportunity. We were so much in love with each other that we just wanted to be together right away.

Then it happened.

We were so happy together, when one day she confessed to me all of a sudden that she had a terminal illness and that she didn't have long to live. She told me that she didn't tell it to me at first because she was afraid that I wouldn't love her if I found out. And at that time I felt so angry at the world. Cursing fate and the heavens above, I wished I could tell the heavens, Why? Why did you have to take her away from me? All we wanted was to have a happy future together... and you had to take that away from us, hadn't you? Do you not know what love is? Have you not known what it is like to love and to be loved? Why did fate have to be so cruel? Why did fate have to take away my wife from me?

Despite the fact that she didn't have very long to live, she decided that she wanted to spend the last few days of her life with me by her side. So we did the things that people typically did on dates: watch the sunset, go for a stroll on the local "lovers' lane", have a relaxing dinner by candlelight, and taking pictures to capture the moment.

But as the weeks passed, she grew weaker and weaker, and her trips to the hospital became more and more frequent. However, she insisted that she refused to be confined at the hospital because she didn't like the gloomy nature of the hospital, and also because she wanted to die at home, with me by her side. The doctors decided to grant her request, since there wasn't much they could do for her.

She also began to develop a more optimistic attitude towards dying. She wasn't afraid to die any longer, because she knew I'd be with her on her dying day. On the other hand, I was the one who was afraid that she would leave me. Would I be able to accept it and move on?

Before she died, I asked her, "Do you have any regrets about your life?"
"Well, I can say that I've lived a wonderful life. Especially since the day that I found you, Lulik. I love you."
Choking back tears, I hugged her. "I love you too."
"We'll meet again someday..." she said. "But before I go, will you please promise me this?"
"Anything...anything for you."
"After I die, will you please find a cure for the deadly disease that affected me...so that other lives won't have to suffer the same fate as I?" I nodded. She kissed me, held my hand tightly, and died.

I couldn't get her last words out of my head, so I decided to find a way to be able to fulfill her dying wish. Then a friend told me about Mikage International, that it was a worldwide organization that specialized in scientific and technological researches. I thought to myself, Maybe, just maybe this could be the answer. They might be able to find a drug that could benefit mankind.

I met Kagami, and I was impressed and amazed by his intelligence. He was a well-educated, no-nonsense young man who was planning to launch "C-project". He said that the C-project could create the perfect race of human beings using Tennyo, or celestial maidens who were a part of nearly every culture in the world.

And so here I am now.

I have been assigned to doing bio-science researches and aiding Alec. Speaking of Alec, we get along quite well. We're not really friends, just acquaintances, though.

I'm not doing this all for the glory or fame. I will, and always be, devoted to my wife. I'm doing this all for her.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
And when the stars fall
I will lie awake
'Cause you're my shooting star...
----Michelle Branch, "Goodbye to You"
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Author's Notes # 2: Aaaargh, I think I made this chapter into a melodramatic sapfest. Sorry if that's what you think. I try my best to stick to canon and add in the details. But I think that I'm just a pathetic 13-year-old wannabe writer.
Anyway, to all the people who were kind enough to review my works:
1) Hana no Ceres --- Like I said, I'll be doing Gladys next chapter. Gomen, gomen! ;_;

2) Iron Mouse --- Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Also, you're free to post C-project and all its chapters on your site if you wish. I love your site. And just a random bit of pointless trivia: my sister simply loves "Like I Love You".

3) Rhapsody --- Thanks a million for reviewing my fic! If I remember right, you also reviewed my previous work last time.

4) Sakata Ri Houjun-Howell --- Thanks for the advice you gave me! I hope it can help me to write better next time.

So far, Gladys is leading with four votes, while Wei and Assamu have one. And by the way, people, I think you've noticed that I regularly use Michelle Branch's lyrics in this fic. Aside from being my favorite artist, Michelle Branch's lyrics mostly fit the setting and mood of this fic. But I'll also be using some Vanessa Carlton and Avril Lavigne songs (like in Chapter One), and I'll be using "Points of Authority" for Wei. Damn, I'm starting to feel that my notes are even longer than the fics. This is crystal_tiara17 signing off!