sheared screams
chap. three; manic depressive
by janis (janis14@hotmail.com)
Story Notes:
/'In the dualistic Gnostic theology, the creator of the material world, which is evil by
nature was called Demiurge. Hence he was identified by the early Christian Gnostic heretics
with Yahweh.'/ (Taken from The Encyclopedia Mythica)
Storywise I'm claiming the Demiurge is of Elru origin and is the Elru word for Deus.
I don't know what the real name for the room/chamber in Mekrava where you fight Deus but
I'm calling it Demiurge's Point. I lied eariler. It's not going to be mentioned as far as
I know.
-I'm rewriting the second of section of this, the old verison was horrid and unrealistic.
The second part is important enough for it's own chapter.
-I got a new computer that doesn't have a webpage editor so please excuse the notepad
format.
-College is evil.
Warnings:
-Langauge, more adult themes, lime, drug usage. Not for the kiddies.
-Manic Depression lyrics written by Jimi Hendrix and now copyrighted by his family or
some company goomba. I assume the company goomba, I don't think the Hendrix family
would really approve of the idea of making cheezy commerials with Jimi's music.
-Xenogears and all assoicted with it is owned and copyrighted by Square. They also own
my soul, too. Why they want it is anyone guess. ^_^
__________________________________________________________________________
manic depression's
touching my soul
I know what I want but
I just don't know how
to go about getting it.
Feeling, sweet feeling drops
from my finger, fingers.
manic depression's
captured my soul.
A high whine pierced the air and the rolling sound of a thunder like explosion
echoed into the sky from the just outside the house. A shriek of surprise rang with the
echoing of the explosion in Billy's ears as he felt Angela's arms warp tighter about his
waist. The young minister sat straight up and in one smooth motion slipped out of the bed
from his lover's grip, took a blanket draped over the chair, the carbine riffle, and moved
swiftly towards the door. "Be careful!" Angela piped up, seeing a quick nod of his silver
head before he left the room.
Maria coughed as she crawled from the trap door of the hanger onto the playground
of the orphanage and wiped her brow. Taking out a pencil she stuck in her mass of curls that
been secured by a ponytail, she started to scribble on the notepad that she carried with
her. "Too much pressure this time around..."
/Kl-cluck!/
Billy glared down the barrel of the rifle at the small figure then sighed
recognizing the young woman. He wondered if Jessiah had brought any aspirin lately,
the verge of another migraine was starting to pound in his head and not a word had
passed between them, yet.
* * *
The first few weeks of Maria's three month presence at the Orphanage were utterly
fine for Billy.
The first few days she only joined them for dinner and then would retreat back to
Primera's room soon afterwards. She was always quiet during the meal and never got into the
conversations sparking a few of the children's interest. Jessiah always attempted to strike
up a conversation and finally managed to break the ice. The young woman seemed to perk up
after Jessie took her to the side one night after dinner and would voluntary stay behind in
the kitchen to help out the older man and whatever child was cleaning the kitchen that night.
Eventually Maria warmed up to the children that after dinner she would tell stories
about Shevat to the children, namely the eternally sky gazing Christopher who christened the
former country a UFO. The Shevatian girl answered the questions about the "The Sinning
Termites" with grace and prestige and actually smiled hearing the descriptions of the
children's view point on Zephyr. The children who had lived at the Snowy Hideout were amazed
to find out that melancholy figure dressed in emerald green and soft grays and who looked no
older than Maria was the vicious and vain Zephyr from their Ethos children's books.
Maria also seemed to enjoy talking to Jessiah. The fact didn't bother Billy at first
but slowly it became more nagging at the back of his mind as the days went by. He picked
up parts and pieces of their conversations when he dropped by the kitchen for something to
eat or picking up a bottle of liquor in the locked chest in the new main hall room. Normally
the former general and young woman chatted about mechanics, weaponry on gears, humorous
events, or religion. Upon hearing the word 'Ethos' or 'God', Billy would turn around empty
handed from the room.
But Billy never had a personal confrontation until two weeks ago when he began to
find scraps of paper scattered about the house. The paper had notes that had been furiously
scribbled on with sharp jagged handwriting that was written in jumble of Solarian and
Shevatian. He only managed to make out a few words in Solarian and decided to throw away the
paper into the kindling pile for the iron stove and the fireplace in the main hall. When
most of the paper had been used for Billy's intended purpose Maria had shown up in the den
with a puzzled look on her face, catching Billy cleaning out one of his rifles with a glass
of rum and juice at arm's length.
"Uhm... Black?" The tiny voice was soft.
The young man was wearing shabby dungarees and equally shabby shirt. Normally he was
dressed in something a bit more formal but not for cleaning out his weapons. He lazily took
at sip of his drink casting a glance at her. "What's up Maria?"
She was wearing one of Prim's older dresses; a plain sea-green cotton sundress with
a pale ivory shirt, and it still seemed to be almost too big for her frame. "Have you, by
any chance, seen some paper laying about?"
"Hmm....?" For a moment Billy paused in thought but at the moment nothing struck his
mind for being important. "I have, but nothing special."
She frowned. "It has writing on it you know. Some of it Solarian. Your father
said you where born in Solaris and left when you were about five so I figured you know
some basics of Solarian."
"Oh." The young man nonchalantly shrugged, looking back down to his gun. "I saw
them. I mistook them for trash-"
"So they're in the trash can?" Maria's tone was hopeful.
His gaze flickered up again to meet her haunted green eyes. "No, I used them for
kindling. I had no clue what they were and I'm very sorry but-" He was cut off as blazing
green eyes bored into his soul just inches away from his face.
"You BURNED my plans!?"
Billy sighed quietly and spoke evenly. "I thought they were scrap, Maria. I'm
sorry-"
"How COULD you!?" Maria snapped, pointing her finger at the silvery haired young
man. "I worked for DAYS on them Black! Days!"
His face darkened angrily. "How dare you snap at me... Who owns this house?"
"Your father."
"According to Aquvy law it also belongs to me. I'm also the one who brought you
here." He said in calm tones with an edge of anger. "Don't you dare yell at me for your
mistakes, Maria. If you don't want people to destroy your stuff, take care of it."
She scowled bitterly at him before opening her mouth, paused and then closed it,
turning around and leaving the room like a whirlwind. Billy resumed cleaning, proud for
handling the situation so well, and assumed that was the end of it.
While it was the end of that battle, it was the declaration of war between them.
The following two weeks every time Billy spoke to Maria or vise versa it abruptly ended with
a squabbling match or cruelly thrown potshots at one another. The last week had been easier
because of Maria's mysterious disappearances during the day and even sometimes at night.
Billy never questioned what had happened.
* * *
Maria looked up mildly to see a gun aimed at her head and stared up the rifle
blankly to cold aqua eyes that glared at her with malice. She frowned; brushing a stray of
lock of pale ashen hair from her eyes then proceeded to speak, "Good morning Black, the
steam engine is giving me problems this morning." A soft hint of a smile tugged the girl's
lips. "Did I interrupt you and Miss Heirns this morning?"
Billy scowled down at her and slowly bargained with himself on the merits of letting
her live. /Sleep. Being charged for murder. Sleep. Being charged for murd-/
"What the fuck's going on out here!?" A harsh voice snapped behind the young man in
the darkness causing Maria to jump as Billy merely glared over his shoulder.
"She's going to end up blowing us up." Billy simply growled to his father.
"It's a steam engine I was working on, Jessie." Maria answered softly.
"You're calling him Jessie now!?"
"I have been for a month! Haven't you been paying attention or has the liquor drowned
that fact from your memory?"
Jessiah sighed and spoke in his cool harsh tone, "William. Maria. Shut up." Billy
turned his shoulder to shoot his father an accusing glare and was matched by Jessiah's stern
eyes. "Billy, you're not going to shoot her today so put down the carbine." The muscles of
Billy's shoulders' tensed as he lowered his gun. "Good boy," Jessie muttered stepping to
where his son stood patting his back, the younger man flinched throwing up another glare and
stepping away. "Maria, get over here."
The young woman gave a sigh, standing up with a frown. "I'm, I'm sorry. I thought
the gauge said 50 instead of 75-" She looked up quietly to rugged older man before shyly
looking away. "It was dark and I haven't slept since yesterday night-"
"You haven't slept since yesterday?" Jessiah asked, crossing his arms over his
chest. Maria hung her head and glanced at him again then to Billy, almost daring him to say
something, then she nodded. "That's dangerous for your health, if you're not worried about
your health then worry about the kids."
"That's why I work at night, so the kids won't get hurt-"
"You scared half of them to death." Billy snapped.
"I know." Maria said meekly, chewing her lower lip. Billy was mildly surpised she
didn't ask if he personally checked.
"Maria," The older Black shook his head, dragging a hand down his face, "I told you
it was fine to work in the gear hanger in the mornings during the week when the kids were at
school and in the evenings."
"I know, I know, but I was getting so close to perfecting it-"
Billy's jaw dropped before shaking his head and narrowing his eyes. "You're
using /my/ hanger? I was the one who put it in and it's for my gear-"
"I cleaned it up and El-Renmazuo is stored at Fort Jasper. Your hanger is
empty-"
"Who told you could mess with my stuff?" Billy asked in an icy tone.
"You haven't been down there is since you put Renmazuo in the Yggdrasil four years
ago when you joined with Fei and Bart!" Maria took a step closer to Billy with her fists
clenched in rage. "After all, isn't it you who said, 'If you don't want people to destroy
your stuff, take care of it'?"
"Both of you, shut up!" Jessie flared and both silenced, the young man casting
another fuming glare at his father and the young girl looked away with a face of shame. "Okay, Maria?"
"Yes Jessie?"
"You don't have to defend me by not saying that I was the one who gave you the okay
for you to go use the hanger. He's my son and I fight with him on a regular basis so it's
nothing new. Don't provoke him for my sake. Now get cleaned up, it's about five o'clock and
it's a school day so the kids are gonna have to be up by six thirty. Your punishment for not
being responsible is to make breakfast for the brats and also you can't go to sleep until
normal bed time." He smiled at her confused look. "I know, it's harsh but there's a good
reason for it, I'm going to nail you on a regular sleeping pattern like it or not. If you
feel faint then I'll let you take a nap but that's the only acceptation."
"I understand... I'm tried but not that tried." Maria murmured then gave him
assuring smile.
"You will be later tonight Darlin', just go and make breakfast. Nothing fancy but
it's to keep you busy." Jessie said softly.
"Yeah, see you later Jessie." The young girl sighed, yawning before heading in. Before
entering the house she threw a glance over her shoulder to see the older Black lecturing his
son and she frowned slightly noting he wore fleece pants that were used for pajamas and
boots. /He must be freezing… he's got more scars on his back?/ She wondered in amazment
before reaching for the door handle. The door open on it's own.
"Maria?"
The girl swung her head to look at Angela.
"What's going on?"
"No one's hurt, Billy will let you know his side when he gets in," She said quickly,
moving past the taller figure to the kitchen.
* * *
Jessiah waited until the young girl was out of hearing distances and saw the brief
words spoken between the girl and Angela. When the pale willowy former Solarian looked up to
the two and the older gun's men shook his head and gestured for the woman to head in. He
then turned to his son and began his low rough voice, "You're attacking her son.. You are
not giving her a chance to-"
"Well excuse me for not trusting her after seeing her wave a gun in my face and trying to
blow her brains out!" Billy snapped. "I don't like her hanging around in MY hanger nor I do like
her spending all that time working on God knows what!"
"She's got it in her head she can make a steamed based engine for an airplane."
Jessie shrugged. "She's been telling me about the design about it about a month ago. In fact
I sent a copy of it to Hyu just to review the design but knowing the kid, she might very
well do it. She's smarter than she looks."
"And you're not BOTHERED by the fact she's Manic Depressive?" Billy snorted,
hitching the blanket even tighter about his lithe frame.
"Manic Depression is more of a biological disorder Billy. She's Clinically Depressed;
it's more of a menta-" The marksmen began in a soft tone.
"She depressed and a maniac! I don't care what the official way of calling it is;
she's got problems! That's not enough for me to trust her with the kids or the hanger!"
"Hobbies help people out in depression, she's hates herself, not the kids." The
older man ran a hand through his ragged white hair. "I trust her with the kids, don't trust
her with herself."
"I won't even go how fucking nuts that sounds Jessiah, I'm going back to bed." The
young man snarled, marching towards the house then towards the attic bedroom that he and
Angela shared. The young man glanced out of the blinds of their only window and scowled
lightly seeing his father finally walk in. He let out a heavy sigh and walked to the bed and
slumped down in the sheets.
"What's wrong?" A whispering voice asked.
"Everything…" Billy muttered, sprawling on his back. "I hate her Angie…"
"You don't hate her, Billy." Angela whispered again, starting to undress and crawled
next to Billy to tug the blanket about his waist. The blanket slipped from his waist and
exposed his nudity to her as she began to stroke his length. "At the very least, you don't
hate her just because..."
"Angela… Not when we're talking…" Billy moaned at the soft administrations.
"It kinky." She giggled straddling his the curve of his leg near his waist started
to grind against him.
"Says you." He gritted through his teeth. "I hate her because she's a nut case and
might hurt the kids."
"That's not it." Angela sang, leaning over him, and his hands began to caress her
breasts.
"What is it then?"
"You're jealous of her."
"What the hell am I jealous about?" He brushed away a lock of pale blonde hair to
tuck it behind her ear.
"You're jealous she's getting along so well with your father, you see her as a rival
for your father's affections."
"Christ, all you Solarians have a minor in psychology?"
"It's a required course."
"Figures, but I don't like my father at all."
"You missed your father, you're angry that he spent time away from you, and you told
me it's justified-"
"It was justified."
"It still hurts. Did you ever had a father figure besides Jessie?"
Billy shuddered, feeling her hot breath on his neck and a brief memory. "The
relationship was platonic... you could say yes." Angela giggled softly at his response as he
raised his head to look at her. He shook his head as she kissed his check. "No, I never
touched him. I wanted to."
"Say no more... but technically that's not a father figure."
"I thought it was, you're not the only one who read a book or two."
"That my personal opinion Billy-boy." She murmured in his ear. "A father figure is
someone who takes care of you and loves you and doesn't expect anything more than you to
achieve. It's not someone you want to fuck."
"Tell that to half the psychology society," He sighed, "But I'm not jealous of her,
I'm not jealous of Prim, am I?"
"According to Prim, you were mad that she spoke to Jessiah first."
"I was the one who was raising her, of course I was mad! He came out of nowhere and
suddenly she's a Daddy's girl!" He growled, feeling her soft lips on his neck. "I was the
one who gave up everything... my pride, my body, my virginity… so she could eat... She has
never said my name. Even now..."
"Primera adores you and she knows all what you've sacrificed for her, her silence
is something that no one can truly understand expect for you. After all, when she has a
problem, she turns to you first. Oh, there is lot anger in you Billy about what happened
with your father; you just showed me that. But you and Prim share a bond that reaches the
past the point of siblings and falls just short of parent and child."
"And because Maria is almost like a stranger and a total nutcase I'm pissed at her
that's she's so close to my father, right?"
"Roughly."
"Shit…" He traced her back. "Why the hell do you do Renzor when you've got such a
great mind?"
"Remember our rule? You promised me never to nag about my drug habits while I
promised not to bitch about your drinking habits. Fuck, I even join you with the booze."
"That was before I found out you're brilliant when you're not snorting or smoking
something."
"My mind isn't meant for this world." Her voice became dry yet sad as she grasped
his manhood and pressed it against her.
"Like I am?" Billy smirked, bucking his hips.
Angela moaned at his entry. "Shut up, and kiss me."
* * *
An hour or so later Billy sipped the bourbon he bought last week after his sermon
from the town. He listened to the birds singing to greet the new day and listened to the
soft rustling coming from the floor beneath him of the children waking up and eating
breakfast. The young man sighed and glanced at the figure curled on the bed. Angela bragged
about being a sex siren at times but in most cases she tried out easily but she satisfied
his sex drive. Before she had taken Renzor she must have been a playful bedmate and Billy
was slightly disappointed that he didn't get a chance to meet her then. But then he wouldn't
have been interested; he wouldn't have agonized about the empty feelings in his stomach that
no amount of sex or booze could fill. When he was younger he would have snorted at the idea
that sex wasn't enough to satisfy in a relationship but then he had Bart. He could laugh
then.
Somewhat.
Billy bitterly swallowed the equally bitter red liquid.
The silver haired youth had pulled on another pair of pants and just leaned back in
the comfortable chair and frowned as he recalled the bittersweet times and sighed icily.
Back then he would have balked at the idea of sleeping with a woman. He wondered briefly
that if he had been more willing to make love to a woman earlier would it have changed
things with Bart, with Margie. Closing his eyes he could conjure the illusion of the poor
young woman who had done this to him.
It started really started four years ago, only a month after destroying Deus when
the young girl had found them in an awkward position for the young king. A faint smile
crossed Billy's features as raised the glass to his lips. A common belief was that he had
been the submissive partner or more crudely, the woman. The young minister was reasonably
sure Margie was more upset seeing her cousin under his weight moaning for him to fuck
him harder than the sex it's self.
The young girl had gasped catching both of their attentions and left the room. Billy
wasn't surprised when the priestess didn't show up for dinner and it didn't seem like Bart
wasn't too upset at that. He supposed it was cruel looking back on it but Billy assumed that
Margie was merely embarrassed and Bart said nothing to make the former Etone believe
otherwise. Two days later he heard the young King arguing with the Great Mother in the
hallway.
"Why didn't you tell me!" Margie's soft voice was pleading yet her youth made her
sound almost shrill.
"Because it was none of your god damned business!" Bart's voice had cut into the air
harsh and angry. "You should have knocked!"
"I did!"
"There's a reason why I didn't answer Margie..."
"Barty-"
"Don't call me that!" Billy could feel the air grow cold.
"Margie, what's gotten into you?" She said nothing as Bart went on. "You've gotten
moody, irritable, whiney, and it hasn't been your little act. What's wrong?"
"I thought... that we could be more-"
"More? MORE? Margie, we're COUSINS! We CAN'T be more don't you understand? It's
just… sick."
"What you're…" Her voice had faltered and Billy's heart ached realizing what
position the young girl, one of his dearest friends, had been in.
"What Margie, what? Just end it. Okay? It'll be better for both of us." The usual
cheerful tone had been cold, deadly almost.
"What /you/ were doing was /sick/!" She suddenly snapped. "I don't want to be
subjected to seeing that or you again!" The door suddenly opened and she nearly stumbled
into Billy, her face dark with pain and anger. Margie's dark blue eyes flicked up to the
beautiful young man's pale face as the anger faded away seeing whom she nearly knocked over.
A look of apology and shame washed over her eyes and face.
'I know, I know' he mouthed to her as she gathered herself up and stormed down the
hall. The words were not aimed towards homosexuality in general or towards him. Billy knew
her too well to think that, she was too open minded, too accepting and too loving to ever
believe that. Those words were spoken to sting Bart. And she managed to do that but the
effects wouldn't be felt until years later.
Billy shook his head from the old memory. He wished he could hate Margie. It would have
been so easy and yet she didn't make it easy. The young woman made good on her promise, she
didn't speak to Bart or him face to face in three years. Then she came back... with hope for
him and Bart. Just a year ago.
He frowned, it hardly seemed like a year ago or more ago. More like forever.
__________________________________________________________________________
chap. three; manic depressive
by janis (janis14@hotmail.com)
Story Notes:
/'In the dualistic Gnostic theology, the creator of the material world, which is evil by
nature was called Demiurge. Hence he was identified by the early Christian Gnostic heretics
with Yahweh.'/ (Taken from The Encyclopedia Mythica)
Storywise I'm claiming the Demiurge is of Elru origin and is the Elru word for Deus.
I don't know what the real name for the room/chamber in Mekrava where you fight Deus but
I'm calling it Demiurge's Point. I lied eariler. It's not going to be mentioned as far as
I know.
-I'm rewriting the second of section of this, the old verison was horrid and unrealistic.
The second part is important enough for it's own chapter.
-I got a new computer that doesn't have a webpage editor so please excuse the notepad
format.
-College is evil.
Warnings:
-Langauge, more adult themes, lime, drug usage. Not for the kiddies.
-Manic Depression lyrics written by Jimi Hendrix and now copyrighted by his family or
some company goomba. I assume the company goomba, I don't think the Hendrix family
would really approve of the idea of making cheezy commerials with Jimi's music.
-Xenogears and all assoicted with it is owned and copyrighted by Square. They also own
my soul, too. Why they want it is anyone guess. ^_^
__________________________________________________________________________
manic depression's
touching my soul
I know what I want but
I just don't know how
to go about getting it.
Feeling, sweet feeling drops
from my finger, fingers.
manic depression's
captured my soul.
A high whine pierced the air and the rolling sound of a thunder like explosion
echoed into the sky from the just outside the house. A shriek of surprise rang with the
echoing of the explosion in Billy's ears as he felt Angela's arms warp tighter about his
waist. The young minister sat straight up and in one smooth motion slipped out of the bed
from his lover's grip, took a blanket draped over the chair, the carbine riffle, and moved
swiftly towards the door. "Be careful!" Angela piped up, seeing a quick nod of his silver
head before he left the room.
Maria coughed as she crawled from the trap door of the hanger onto the playground
of the orphanage and wiped her brow. Taking out a pencil she stuck in her mass of curls that
been secured by a ponytail, she started to scribble on the notepad that she carried with
her. "Too much pressure this time around..."
/Kl-cluck!/
Billy glared down the barrel of the rifle at the small figure then sighed
recognizing the young woman. He wondered if Jessiah had brought any aspirin lately,
the verge of another migraine was starting to pound in his head and not a word had
passed between them, yet.
* * *
The first few weeks of Maria's three month presence at the Orphanage were utterly
fine for Billy.
The first few days she only joined them for dinner and then would retreat back to
Primera's room soon afterwards. She was always quiet during the meal and never got into the
conversations sparking a few of the children's interest. Jessiah always attempted to strike
up a conversation and finally managed to break the ice. The young woman seemed to perk up
after Jessie took her to the side one night after dinner and would voluntary stay behind in
the kitchen to help out the older man and whatever child was cleaning the kitchen that night.
Eventually Maria warmed up to the children that after dinner she would tell stories
about Shevat to the children, namely the eternally sky gazing Christopher who christened the
former country a UFO. The Shevatian girl answered the questions about the "The Sinning
Termites" with grace and prestige and actually smiled hearing the descriptions of the
children's view point on Zephyr. The children who had lived at the Snowy Hideout were amazed
to find out that melancholy figure dressed in emerald green and soft grays and who looked no
older than Maria was the vicious and vain Zephyr from their Ethos children's books.
Maria also seemed to enjoy talking to Jessiah. The fact didn't bother Billy at first
but slowly it became more nagging at the back of his mind as the days went by. He picked
up parts and pieces of their conversations when he dropped by the kitchen for something to
eat or picking up a bottle of liquor in the locked chest in the new main hall room. Normally
the former general and young woman chatted about mechanics, weaponry on gears, humorous
events, or religion. Upon hearing the word 'Ethos' or 'God', Billy would turn around empty
handed from the room.
But Billy never had a personal confrontation until two weeks ago when he began to
find scraps of paper scattered about the house. The paper had notes that had been furiously
scribbled on with sharp jagged handwriting that was written in jumble of Solarian and
Shevatian. He only managed to make out a few words in Solarian and decided to throw away the
paper into the kindling pile for the iron stove and the fireplace in the main hall. When
most of the paper had been used for Billy's intended purpose Maria had shown up in the den
with a puzzled look on her face, catching Billy cleaning out one of his rifles with a glass
of rum and juice at arm's length.
"Uhm... Black?" The tiny voice was soft.
The young man was wearing shabby dungarees and equally shabby shirt. Normally he was
dressed in something a bit more formal but not for cleaning out his weapons. He lazily took
at sip of his drink casting a glance at her. "What's up Maria?"
She was wearing one of Prim's older dresses; a plain sea-green cotton sundress with
a pale ivory shirt, and it still seemed to be almost too big for her frame. "Have you, by
any chance, seen some paper laying about?"
"Hmm....?" For a moment Billy paused in thought but at the moment nothing struck his
mind for being important. "I have, but nothing special."
She frowned. "It has writing on it you know. Some of it Solarian. Your father
said you where born in Solaris and left when you were about five so I figured you know
some basics of Solarian."
"Oh." The young man nonchalantly shrugged, looking back down to his gun. "I saw
them. I mistook them for trash-"
"So they're in the trash can?" Maria's tone was hopeful.
His gaze flickered up again to meet her haunted green eyes. "No, I used them for
kindling. I had no clue what they were and I'm very sorry but-" He was cut off as blazing
green eyes bored into his soul just inches away from his face.
"You BURNED my plans!?"
Billy sighed quietly and spoke evenly. "I thought they were scrap, Maria. I'm
sorry-"
"How COULD you!?" Maria snapped, pointing her finger at the silvery haired young
man. "I worked for DAYS on them Black! Days!"
His face darkened angrily. "How dare you snap at me... Who owns this house?"
"Your father."
"According to Aquvy law it also belongs to me. I'm also the one who brought you
here." He said in calm tones with an edge of anger. "Don't you dare yell at me for your
mistakes, Maria. If you don't want people to destroy your stuff, take care of it."
She scowled bitterly at him before opening her mouth, paused and then closed it,
turning around and leaving the room like a whirlwind. Billy resumed cleaning, proud for
handling the situation so well, and assumed that was the end of it.
While it was the end of that battle, it was the declaration of war between them.
The following two weeks every time Billy spoke to Maria or vise versa it abruptly ended with
a squabbling match or cruelly thrown potshots at one another. The last week had been easier
because of Maria's mysterious disappearances during the day and even sometimes at night.
Billy never questioned what had happened.
* * *
Maria looked up mildly to see a gun aimed at her head and stared up the rifle
blankly to cold aqua eyes that glared at her with malice. She frowned; brushing a stray of
lock of pale ashen hair from her eyes then proceeded to speak, "Good morning Black, the
steam engine is giving me problems this morning." A soft hint of a smile tugged the girl's
lips. "Did I interrupt you and Miss Heirns this morning?"
Billy scowled down at her and slowly bargained with himself on the merits of letting
her live. /Sleep. Being charged for murder. Sleep. Being charged for murd-/
"What the fuck's going on out here!?" A harsh voice snapped behind the young man in
the darkness causing Maria to jump as Billy merely glared over his shoulder.
"She's going to end up blowing us up." Billy simply growled to his father.
"It's a steam engine I was working on, Jessie." Maria answered softly.
"You're calling him Jessie now!?"
"I have been for a month! Haven't you been paying attention or has the liquor drowned
that fact from your memory?"
Jessiah sighed and spoke in his cool harsh tone, "William. Maria. Shut up." Billy
turned his shoulder to shoot his father an accusing glare and was matched by Jessiah's stern
eyes. "Billy, you're not going to shoot her today so put down the carbine." The muscles of
Billy's shoulders' tensed as he lowered his gun. "Good boy," Jessie muttered stepping to
where his son stood patting his back, the younger man flinched throwing up another glare and
stepping away. "Maria, get over here."
The young woman gave a sigh, standing up with a frown. "I'm, I'm sorry. I thought
the gauge said 50 instead of 75-" She looked up quietly to rugged older man before shyly
looking away. "It was dark and I haven't slept since yesterday night-"
"You haven't slept since yesterday?" Jessiah asked, crossing his arms over his
chest. Maria hung her head and glanced at him again then to Billy, almost daring him to say
something, then she nodded. "That's dangerous for your health, if you're not worried about
your health then worry about the kids."
"That's why I work at night, so the kids won't get hurt-"
"You scared half of them to death." Billy snapped.
"I know." Maria said meekly, chewing her lower lip. Billy was mildly surpised she
didn't ask if he personally checked.
"Maria," The older Black shook his head, dragging a hand down his face, "I told you
it was fine to work in the gear hanger in the mornings during the week when the kids were at
school and in the evenings."
"I know, I know, but I was getting so close to perfecting it-"
Billy's jaw dropped before shaking his head and narrowing his eyes. "You're
using /my/ hanger? I was the one who put it in and it's for my gear-"
"I cleaned it up and El-Renmazuo is stored at Fort Jasper. Your hanger is
empty-"
"Who told you could mess with my stuff?" Billy asked in an icy tone.
"You haven't been down there is since you put Renmazuo in the Yggdrasil four years
ago when you joined with Fei and Bart!" Maria took a step closer to Billy with her fists
clenched in rage. "After all, isn't it you who said, 'If you don't want people to destroy
your stuff, take care of it'?"
"Both of you, shut up!" Jessie flared and both silenced, the young man casting
another fuming glare at his father and the young girl looked away with a face of shame. "Okay, Maria?"
"Yes Jessie?"
"You don't have to defend me by not saying that I was the one who gave you the okay
for you to go use the hanger. He's my son and I fight with him on a regular basis so it's
nothing new. Don't provoke him for my sake. Now get cleaned up, it's about five o'clock and
it's a school day so the kids are gonna have to be up by six thirty. Your punishment for not
being responsible is to make breakfast for the brats and also you can't go to sleep until
normal bed time." He smiled at her confused look. "I know, it's harsh but there's a good
reason for it, I'm going to nail you on a regular sleeping pattern like it or not. If you
feel faint then I'll let you take a nap but that's the only acceptation."
"I understand... I'm tried but not that tried." Maria murmured then gave him
assuring smile.
"You will be later tonight Darlin', just go and make breakfast. Nothing fancy but
it's to keep you busy." Jessie said softly.
"Yeah, see you later Jessie." The young girl sighed, yawning before heading in. Before
entering the house she threw a glance over her shoulder to see the older Black lecturing his
son and she frowned slightly noting he wore fleece pants that were used for pajamas and
boots. /He must be freezing… he's got more scars on his back?/ She wondered in amazment
before reaching for the door handle. The door open on it's own.
"Maria?"
The girl swung her head to look at Angela.
"What's going on?"
"No one's hurt, Billy will let you know his side when he gets in," She said quickly,
moving past the taller figure to the kitchen.
* * *
Jessiah waited until the young girl was out of hearing distances and saw the brief
words spoken between the girl and Angela. When the pale willowy former Solarian looked up to
the two and the older gun's men shook his head and gestured for the woman to head in. He
then turned to his son and began his low rough voice, "You're attacking her son.. You are
not giving her a chance to-"
"Well excuse me for not trusting her after seeing her wave a gun in my face and trying to
blow her brains out!" Billy snapped. "I don't like her hanging around in MY hanger nor I do like
her spending all that time working on God knows what!"
"She's got it in her head she can make a steamed based engine for an airplane."
Jessie shrugged. "She's been telling me about the design about it about a month ago. In fact
I sent a copy of it to Hyu just to review the design but knowing the kid, she might very
well do it. She's smarter than she looks."
"And you're not BOTHERED by the fact she's Manic Depressive?" Billy snorted,
hitching the blanket even tighter about his lithe frame.
"Manic Depression is more of a biological disorder Billy. She's Clinically Depressed;
it's more of a menta-" The marksmen began in a soft tone.
"She depressed and a maniac! I don't care what the official way of calling it is;
she's got problems! That's not enough for me to trust her with the kids or the hanger!"
"Hobbies help people out in depression, she's hates herself, not the kids." The
older man ran a hand through his ragged white hair. "I trust her with the kids, don't trust
her with herself."
"I won't even go how fucking nuts that sounds Jessiah, I'm going back to bed." The
young man snarled, marching towards the house then towards the attic bedroom that he and
Angela shared. The young man glanced out of the blinds of their only window and scowled
lightly seeing his father finally walk in. He let out a heavy sigh and walked to the bed and
slumped down in the sheets.
"What's wrong?" A whispering voice asked.
"Everything…" Billy muttered, sprawling on his back. "I hate her Angie…"
"You don't hate her, Billy." Angela whispered again, starting to undress and crawled
next to Billy to tug the blanket about his waist. The blanket slipped from his waist and
exposed his nudity to her as she began to stroke his length. "At the very least, you don't
hate her just because..."
"Angela… Not when we're talking…" Billy moaned at the soft administrations.
"It kinky." She giggled straddling his the curve of his leg near his waist started
to grind against him.
"Says you." He gritted through his teeth. "I hate her because she's a nut case and
might hurt the kids."
"That's not it." Angela sang, leaning over him, and his hands began to caress her
breasts.
"What is it then?"
"You're jealous of her."
"What the hell am I jealous about?" He brushed away a lock of pale blonde hair to
tuck it behind her ear.
"You're jealous she's getting along so well with your father, you see her as a rival
for your father's affections."
"Christ, all you Solarians have a minor in psychology?"
"It's a required course."
"Figures, but I don't like my father at all."
"You missed your father, you're angry that he spent time away from you, and you told
me it's justified-"
"It was justified."
"It still hurts. Did you ever had a father figure besides Jessie?"
Billy shuddered, feeling her hot breath on his neck and a brief memory. "The
relationship was platonic... you could say yes." Angela giggled softly at his response as he
raised his head to look at her. He shook his head as she kissed his check. "No, I never
touched him. I wanted to."
"Say no more... but technically that's not a father figure."
"I thought it was, you're not the only one who read a book or two."
"That my personal opinion Billy-boy." She murmured in his ear. "A father figure is
someone who takes care of you and loves you and doesn't expect anything more than you to
achieve. It's not someone you want to fuck."
"Tell that to half the psychology society," He sighed, "But I'm not jealous of her,
I'm not jealous of Prim, am I?"
"According to Prim, you were mad that she spoke to Jessiah first."
"I was the one who was raising her, of course I was mad! He came out of nowhere and
suddenly she's a Daddy's girl!" He growled, feeling her soft lips on his neck. "I was the
one who gave up everything... my pride, my body, my virginity… so she could eat... She has
never said my name. Even now..."
"Primera adores you and she knows all what you've sacrificed for her, her silence
is something that no one can truly understand expect for you. After all, when she has a
problem, she turns to you first. Oh, there is lot anger in you Billy about what happened
with your father; you just showed me that. But you and Prim share a bond that reaches the
past the point of siblings and falls just short of parent and child."
"And because Maria is almost like a stranger and a total nutcase I'm pissed at her
that's she's so close to my father, right?"
"Roughly."
"Shit…" He traced her back. "Why the hell do you do Renzor when you've got such a
great mind?"
"Remember our rule? You promised me never to nag about my drug habits while I
promised not to bitch about your drinking habits. Fuck, I even join you with the booze."
"That was before I found out you're brilliant when you're not snorting or smoking
something."
"My mind isn't meant for this world." Her voice became dry yet sad as she grasped
his manhood and pressed it against her.
"Like I am?" Billy smirked, bucking his hips.
Angela moaned at his entry. "Shut up, and kiss me."
* * *
An hour or so later Billy sipped the bourbon he bought last week after his sermon
from the town. He listened to the birds singing to greet the new day and listened to the
soft rustling coming from the floor beneath him of the children waking up and eating
breakfast. The young man sighed and glanced at the figure curled on the bed. Angela bragged
about being a sex siren at times but in most cases she tried out easily but she satisfied
his sex drive. Before she had taken Renzor she must have been a playful bedmate and Billy
was slightly disappointed that he didn't get a chance to meet her then. But then he wouldn't
have been interested; he wouldn't have agonized about the empty feelings in his stomach that
no amount of sex or booze could fill. When he was younger he would have snorted at the idea
that sex wasn't enough to satisfy in a relationship but then he had Bart. He could laugh
then.
Somewhat.
Billy bitterly swallowed the equally bitter red liquid.
The silver haired youth had pulled on another pair of pants and just leaned back in
the comfortable chair and frowned as he recalled the bittersweet times and sighed icily.
Back then he would have balked at the idea of sleeping with a woman. He wondered briefly
that if he had been more willing to make love to a woman earlier would it have changed
things with Bart, with Margie. Closing his eyes he could conjure the illusion of the poor
young woman who had done this to him.
It started really started four years ago, only a month after destroying Deus when
the young girl had found them in an awkward position for the young king. A faint smile
crossed Billy's features as raised the glass to his lips. A common belief was that he had
been the submissive partner or more crudely, the woman. The young minister was reasonably
sure Margie was more upset seeing her cousin under his weight moaning for him to fuck
him harder than the sex it's self.
The young girl had gasped catching both of their attentions and left the room. Billy
wasn't surprised when the priestess didn't show up for dinner and it didn't seem like Bart
wasn't too upset at that. He supposed it was cruel looking back on it but Billy assumed that
Margie was merely embarrassed and Bart said nothing to make the former Etone believe
otherwise. Two days later he heard the young King arguing with the Great Mother in the
hallway.
"Why didn't you tell me!" Margie's soft voice was pleading yet her youth made her
sound almost shrill.
"Because it was none of your god damned business!" Bart's voice had cut into the air
harsh and angry. "You should have knocked!"
"I did!"
"There's a reason why I didn't answer Margie..."
"Barty-"
"Don't call me that!" Billy could feel the air grow cold.
"Margie, what's gotten into you?" She said nothing as Bart went on. "You've gotten
moody, irritable, whiney, and it hasn't been your little act. What's wrong?"
"I thought... that we could be more-"
"More? MORE? Margie, we're COUSINS! We CAN'T be more don't you understand? It's
just… sick."
"What you're…" Her voice had faltered and Billy's heart ached realizing what
position the young girl, one of his dearest friends, had been in.
"What Margie, what? Just end it. Okay? It'll be better for both of us." The usual
cheerful tone had been cold, deadly almost.
"What /you/ were doing was /sick/!" She suddenly snapped. "I don't want to be
subjected to seeing that or you again!" The door suddenly opened and she nearly stumbled
into Billy, her face dark with pain and anger. Margie's dark blue eyes flicked up to the
beautiful young man's pale face as the anger faded away seeing whom she nearly knocked over.
A look of apology and shame washed over her eyes and face.
'I know, I know' he mouthed to her as she gathered herself up and stormed down the
hall. The words were not aimed towards homosexuality in general or towards him. Billy knew
her too well to think that, she was too open minded, too accepting and too loving to ever
believe that. Those words were spoken to sting Bart. And she managed to do that but the
effects wouldn't be felt until years later.
Billy shook his head from the old memory. He wished he could hate Margie. It would have
been so easy and yet she didn't make it easy. The young woman made good on her promise, she
didn't speak to Bart or him face to face in three years. Then she came back... with hope for
him and Bart. Just a year ago.
He frowned, it hardly seemed like a year ago or more ago. More like forever.
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