Hello everyone! This has been a long time coming. I want to apologize for such long wait but life has gotten a bit difficult in the last few months. Even now I'm still on a chaotic schedule as I try to piece all together again but I have found some time recently so hopefully I'll be able to deliver some updates on all my fanfics. Is there a particular fanfic you guys wanna see updated? Just let me know and I'll try to get to it.
Hope you all enjoy!
Any grammar mistakes is the fault of the author.
"Speaking"
"Thoughts"
Chapter 9: The principle of causality
Grace had been desperately searching for a solution that she had moved her bed to the lab just so would not cut into her work time. Sleeping on an uncomfortable futon she racked her brain for a solution. Days and weeks of theorizing a number of possibilities then experimenting with those possibilities.
Failing.
Wading through old data files created through the process of Project Kr's creation. She looked to outside sources, numerous textbooks, essays, and even a number of controversial medical avenues. All this in the pursuit of a miracle answer.
Yet in that frantic searching, she had overlooked her most powerful available resource.
Magic.
Grace had forgotten it.
Magic held a lot of benefits of almost ultimate potential, especially in regards to the benefit of magical health. From all her time in the care of Madame Pomfrey Grace had picked up a bit in the healing properties and arts of magic. During the war and her subsequent apprenticeship, Grace had learned more in regards to its benefit.
Magic had an almost unfair advantage of overriding the mundane afflictions that plagued the muggle world. The horrors that muggle's experienced health wise was nearly nonexistent in the magical world.
It could, in theory, cure-all.
Barring magical afflictions, of course. There was almost nothing a wizard could not fling their wands at and have it be solved. Included with that was the longevity of life that was possessed by just about everything that was magically inclined.
Grace had even written her final exam based on the possible theory that could attest to that very reason.
A number of sources placed the source to this to one's magical core or some disputed that it came from one's magical bloodline. This line thinking was given power to those who promoted the 'pure' bloodline agenda.
Regardless the same principle applied to Grace. A magical dynasty tracing back centuries. of magical infancy. Even with her new status as a squib the blood of her ancestors still coursed through her delicate veins. Then there was the creature blood, Pheonix tears and Basilisk venom, a powerful combination that only she possessed.
Her current status could not rob her of that, depleted magical core or not.
Grace would never hold a wand in her hands again. Never feel that familiar rush of power from attempting to cast a spell. Never feel the wind rushing through her hair as she raced on her broomstick. So many things denied to her. Her life was now reduced to looking at a world she could not fully step back into.
Yet, she was not wholly exempt from the magical world in its entirety. Grace could still see things the average muggle was unable to catch. Items imbued with magic were still possible for her to wield and the possibility of bonding with a magical creature still existed to her.
That was better than being denied entirely and forced to close her eyes and heart forever.
It was fine. She could accept her new place with as much grace as she possessed. It was a tragedy, in the beginning, but right now it was another tool and was waiting to be used.
There was no time to be wasteful, not now or ever.
-LINE BREAK-
"Doctor?"
Jerking back from her thoughts Grace turned to see Dubbilex staring back at her in concern. "Sorry," she smiled tiredly. "A little lost in thought. Are we ready to continue?" Leaning further into her chair. Tiredly she motioned for Duibbilex to continue.
"Yes," Handing over a sleek black tablet Dubbilex pulled up a stream of data relating to the project. "The formula at its current state should suffice for an 87.33% success rate. All subsequent data show similar results."
"87% huh," Grave murmured as she scanned through the files. There was no way to ensure a 100% success rate, impossible in any scientific study. They needed careful during the final stages of the procedure. There could dire consequences, a chance to create a horrible chain reaction if they just blindly inserted fluids in the delicate DNA structure of the subjects. Their DNA held far too many unknowns and without that knowledge that could easily be dealing with a time bomb.
Much of their tests involved experimenting on her blood just to assure that it was even compatible with the Kryptonian-human hybrid.
First, they started with Project Match, since his DNA structure while just as damaged as Project Kr, it was less of a tangled mess in comparison. From white blood cells to bone marrow and everything else that needed to be looked over. The process was slow but it was worth sense gave them the time to map out the DNA of Project Kr.
It was necessary when it came to such a delicate substance. One mistake, no matter how small could spell disaster.
"Okay then." Grace breathed out her nervous jitters. "Show me."
Without another word, Dubbilex pulled out a metal tray carrying two small glass vials. Both were marked with a letter and a small series of numbers.
G-8676.
"The full result of your work, Doctor," Dubbilex stated.
"Ha," Grace chuckled humorously. "Thanks but don't sell yourself short Dubbilex. You had a hand in this too." Pulling the glass vial closer the fluorescent light bounced off it, highlighting the dark liquid that it contained.
Everything combined to its full fruition.
"Shall I start the insertion process?"
"Yes," Placing the vial back onto the tray. Grace turned to her computer monitor pressing a few buttons. "I want a full monitoring their vitals recorded in a timeline from the beginning of the insertion process. Any changes, no matter how minuscule, need to be documented." Merlin forbid this whole thing blew up in her face.
"Very good, Doctor." Stepping up towards the platform. Grace watched as he carefully inserted the vials into the fluid containment compartment. Her eyes traced the dark liquid as it moved through numerous tubes before reaching its destination of the slumbering subjects.
There would be consequences
There was no denying that reality. After weeks of testing, of stressful days and sleepless nights. Of theorizing, dead ends and sweat, tears and blood-so much blood- she could accept that.
Her life was littered with them.
-LINE BREAK-
Lionel sat comfortably in his armchair his eyes scanning out into the distance of the night sky. In his sleek penthouse apartment, he watched it silently through his large windows. The scenery was breathtaking but the beauty did little to soothe his bitterness. It was made all the worse with the quiet footsteps of his 'caretakers' just outside his bedroom door.
"Well played Alexander." He murmured into his drink.
In just a short time he went from one of America's most powerful businessmen reduced now to the status of a feeble old man in need of looking after.
Where had it all gone wrong?He thought.
Smallville. Definitely Smallville.
"Sorry to interrupt this thing you're doing but I don't know how long I can keep watching an old man brood." Stepping out of the shadows a grinning Cheshire mask approached him. The dark green kimono did little to hide her gender or maybe that was the point. "I know you rich types have your delicate egos but come on."
"Now now Cheshire no point in kicking a horse when its down." Two steps behind her was a man in a black and purple skinned tight suit. The suit was decorated with interactive webbing design and a large spider at the center. "That's just cruel."
"Augh." Instead of answering her companion Cheshire just crossed her arms in a huff clearly not in the mood to play.
Chuckling at her display the young man turned to Lionel almost sheepishly. "Sorry about that. First big mission and you know how nervous kids can be."
"I am not!"
"Aww Cheshire, no need to hide your feeling from me."
"I swear to god Black Spider. When we get out of her I'm gonna shove my-"
"I assume," Lionel interrupted, "you were sent here for a reason. I hope it wasn't to bore me with this display of yours." It was a testament to the strangeness of his life that he barely batted an eye at his strangely dressed assassins. "If you're here to kill me just get it over with before my drink gets warm."
The two masked figures turned to him in unison. A lesser man would have been unnerved by the blank masks but Lionel had seen far stranger.
"Well well," Black Spider spoke in a viciously teasing tone, "look at that. The old man got some fire in him."
"That's adorable," Cheshire giggled. "Don't worry old man we're not here to kill you. If we were you'd be dead already." She practically purred.
"What my associate means to say," Black Spider took a step towards him. "Is that we're just the messengers."
Lionel did raise his eyebrows as Black Spider tossed a small circular device towards the center of the room. After a short few seconds, it gave a metallic hum before lighting up with a bright flash of light. Taking a step back the two assassins bowed before the indistinguishable white holographic figure.
"Hello Lionel," the figure spoke his voice like gravel against the skin, "I do hope I'm not catching you at a bad time but I was, shall we say, eager to speak with you. You've made it quite difficult to pencil into your schedule. I must say I'm a bit hurt."
"Well I didn't have much choice in that matter," Lionel sneered. "As you can see I've been a bit busy."
"Of course," the figure intoned. "News of your family's recent success is everywhere. You must be so proud."
"Not the word I would use," Lionel took another swing of his whiskey,
it burned down his throat. "So then what do I owe the pleasure." There was no point to try to get away from this conversation, not with those two lackeys in the room. Besides, this was an inevitable consequence.
"Always down to business," the mysterious figure chuckled, "that's what I like most about you. Very well then,"the room tensed as the figure turned his serious. His voice on the edge of violence, "you were trusted with a great deal of valuable material. Rare resources and money all at your disposal for the promise you would deliver. But here you are," a small thread of disgust colored his tone. "With nothing. Your son sits on the throne of your precious kingdom with almost no effort. And the worse of that is now those resources are in his hands. Which could have been prevented you had given us fair warning. Adding insult to injury not one of our men can plant themselves into his network. It would be impressive if not annoying."
"Well, a Luthor must always be vigilant." Lionel had to keep the cruel chuckle from escaping his lips. It would be a lie if he could not admit his vindictive glee. "He is my son after all."
"Then tell me, Lionel," the very air stilled as dark intent seemed to fill the room, " what purpose do you serve if nothing but a liability? I'm beginning to contemplate upgrading to a newer model." Behind the hologram Lionel saw the two companions tensed, ready to pounce on the words of their master.
"Hmph, do you take me for a fool?" Lionel grumbled. It was bad enough he was forced to live as some misbehaving child by his worthless spawn but to be treated with such disrespect. It was only due to him that those fools could obtain such acclaim. But Luthor's are nothing else but resourceful. "While it is true my son has left me in this sorry and compromised state you see before you. It will take more than this to stop me. I have not gotten where I am without having a measure of safety for myself."
"Oh, pray tell then Lionel what do you have planned."
"Those resources belonged to me. I paid to have them built. I know it inside and out and what makes them tick," he replied smugly. "I knew there would be a chance someone would come sniffing especially the sensitivity of the program. So as a precaution I had a backdoor implemented."
"Well that is impressive," the figure replied. "I assume you're telling me this only because it's something only you can access in some overly complicated manner."
"Of course," Lionel did not say that it was mainly built as a precaution against his associated when they inevitably turned against him. It was his winning ticket. "And I'm sure you are just as eager to see the fruits of my labor first hand."
"Well played Lionel. Well played indeed." A chuckle pierced the quiet of the room. "Cheshire. Black Spider. Escort Luthor to headquarters The Light has much to discuss."
"Yes, Master."
"The Light has much to discuss with you."
"I look forward to it," Lionel replied.
The hologram gave a few flickers of light before dissipating entirely. Once again plunging the room in darkness.
Duhn dun duuhhhnnn!
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