X and Y
Part Two: The Perfect Nemesis
Dr. Crays watched as his experiment unfolded before his eyes. "Daniel", he hissed, "Turn on that damned flourescent light. I can't see too well….and this stupid genetic materials is developing some abnormalities". Daniel nodded his head while suppressing a chuckle. It was time for the unveiling of the genetic product it Dr. Crays had been working on for a week. He was amazed at the doctor's abilities to generate something like a human clone so quickly. 'Then again', he thought to himself, 'this is Dr. Crays. Genetics genius; the best of the best. The top of his graduating class. And with an ego big enough to make this damned laboratory literally implode'. His thoughts were broken by a series of curses uttered by Dr. Crays. Daniel almost burst out laughing, when he beheld the sight before him. There was the old doctor, standing in front of the water-filled capsule, gawking at his "modified" creation. The perfect nemesis of the Gundam pilots, who would have been even more perfect than the Perfect Soldier, if not for one little flaw, induced by Daniel of course. The flaw? Why, the clone was female, instead of male. Daniel couldn't hold it in any longer and promptly burst out laughing when he saw the old genetics engineer snarl in disgust at the female form in front of him. "You!" he shrieked at Daniel. "You did this, didn't you!? You sabotaged my project, damned imbecile!"
Daniel smirked at the old doctor. "Come on, old man. You know this is illegal anyway. You can't really sue me for it, or have me jailed. You'd get your own ass burned, otherwise," he smiled. "Damnit Daniel! I can't believe this. I have some OZ fools coming in today to claim Duo Maxwell's clone. And what am I going to do? Present them with…..this…….this……THIS!!!"
"Girl?" Daniel supplied. Dr. Crays glared at him, with steely gray eyes. "Idiot" he muttered. "The survival of this laboratory depended on the perfect formation of the Perfect Nemesis. Didn't you know that? Didn't I tell you?! If I don't have their Perfect Nemesis, this shit lab gets blown up. There are detonators all over the place! No laboratories are to be in existence. The only reason I was allowed to keep this hell-hole, was because I had something to offer! Damn you, Daniel! Both of us will surely perish in the explosion. And if we don't then…we'll surely be executed in the near future. We are listed in the OZ database a rebels for continuing with the genetics projects!" The doctor trailed off. Daniel's eyes grew wide with horror. He hadn't known any of this beforehand. Now he had to find some way to get the hell out of this place before his head was chopped off. He slapped his forehead. "Why the hell didn't you say this before, old man?!" Dr.Crays looked at him with a weary look on his face. "Everything was supposed to work out perfectly", he muttered, "I didn't think I needed to fill you in on all the small print. Though I should have figured you'd be clever enough to figure out my plans, and stupid enough to make a complete mess of them!"
Daniel looked helplessly from the doctor, to the female form that rested in the capsule. His head was reeling. The timer on the capsule indicated that in 36 seconds, the new creation had to be released or risk drowning. 'Why bother giving it life' he thought weakly, 'we're all going to die anyway…'. His head was reeling. He wanted to escape! He wanted to run………run away! He spoke softly, "Are you sure they won't accept the clone as it is?" The old doctor shook his head. "We had better begin packing," Dr. Crays stated firmly as he unsealed the capsule. He gingerly wrapped a towel around the young girl clone. "We have to leave this place as soon as possible. Before the OZ crew arrives and wreaks havoc on the place."
The young girl inhaled sharply and opened her eyes. She wore a bewildered look on her face. Daniel smiled warmly at her. "Morning, miss". The girl just stared at him blankly before slowly repeating the same words he had spoken to her "…M..or……ing…….Morning….". Daniel smiled at her, and surprisingly enough, she smiled back at him. The doctor, meanwhile, was rummaging through a box full of clothes. He walked over to the girl with several items in hand, and placed them in her hands. "Put these on. You can dress in the back room over there", he spoke sharply. Daniel shook his head and smiled at the old doctor weakly. "Old fool. You can't expect her to act like a complete human. You have to help her out a bit." He smiled at the girl and took her by the hand to the back room. He slowly explained what she was to do with each item, and left her by herself to dress. Three minutes later, the girl emerged clad in black jeans, a white shirt, and a black overcoat. "Uncanny, doctor", Daniel muttered under his breath. "She dresses just like him too". The girl looked over at Dr. Crays. "Old fool", she began, "Who am I?" Daniel laughed as the old man's eyes nearly shot out of his head. The girl grinned at Daniel. Her amethyst eyes were full of mirth. "I suppose you told her to say that, Danny-boy," the doctor said to Daniel. Daniel put on his best innocent look and stared at the ground. "What shall we call her?" he inquired. "Aleia", the doctor spoke softly, a look of tenderness creeping across his face. "A variation of your wife's name?" Daniel asked. "She reminds me of Daleia, with that hair, you know. If her eyes had been green instead of that purplish-colour………but her hair……those bangs…..the soft brown waves. She looks as though she could have been a daughter of Daleia." The doctor smiled at the blank look on the girl's face. "Welcome to the world Aleia Crays", Daniel said to the girl. "No", the doctor spoke, "Not Crays. Maxwell. Aleia Maxwell." Daniel nodded. "My mistake. Welcome to the world Aleia Maxwell". Aleia smiled at both men, completely oblivious to the conversation they were carrying on. All she was aware of was the fact that she felt safe and wanted. And that was all that mattered at present.
Up Next-- Part Three: Life's Acquaintances