Revelations
Disclaimer: Don't own the SaGa Frontier characters or anything else from the game.
The next morning found him walking down the hospital corridor to the room at the end, nurses and doctors occasionally passing him, occasionally greeting him in their usual respectful manner. He didn't bother to respond. Their greetings were monotonous in his ears, as he receives this kind of greeting everyday. Such was the life of a highly-respected Professor. He reached the intended room and entered, not bothering to knock. He had called her earlier, making an appointment to see her. She was expecting him.
When he entered, he saw a young woman in bed cradling a bundle of white clothbeing cradled gently in her arms. Her silver-ish hair was tied in a tight braid, and she was wearing the usual hospital garb for women: a knee-length white gown, buttoned at the top, and long white pants. She was talking quietly to itthe bundle, and didn't notice when he closed the door. He did so quietly, of course. He did have more consideration than that, you know. When she didn't look up, Hhe cleared his throat loudly, and said, "O-hayo gozaimasu, Good afternoon,Liang-san."
Startled by the sudden greeting, Liang looked up from the bundle and greeted her visitor, "H-Hai… Good afternoonmorning, Ares-sama. I didn't notice you earlier… Gomen nasai."
Waving away her apologies with one hand, he said, "It is nothing. Forget about it." He stood by her bed, arms folded, and glanced at the bundle in her arms. Inside it was her baby, sucking his thumb, his eyes wide open and staring at the new visitor. Tiny strands of white hair covered his forehead, and his eyes were silver in color, the colors of all the babies born in the Magic Kingdom. The hair and eye colors would eventually change as he grew older.
Then heThe baby grinned, giggled and waved a tiny hand in his direction. Ares didn't take it, though. Just stared at it with a slightly confused expression., He never did understand kids, or babies. Why do they do that anyway? WhichIt eventually cleared., It was followed by a small smirkThe baby, like all the others, had white hair accompanied by silver eyes. The hair and eye color would eventually appear as he grows older.
He commented, "Very… cute, Liang-san. Congratulations."
Liang smiled happily, "Thank you, Ares-sama. Have a seat."
Sitting himself on the seatchair beside her bed, he said, "I do not want to take up your time, Liang-san, so I'll make this as short as possible. According to your doctor -Dr. Reis was it?- the magic level of your son is approximately ninety five percent on a scale of one to one hundred. Am I right?"
Liang nodded. The tests, which every newborn had to go through, had been conducted yesterday, the day after her child was born. The doctors had been as surprised as she was when they had received the results. Ninety five percent?! That was the second highest level to be recorded! The only one who had surpassed it was Master Magician Rayern, whose level had been taken more than tenthirty years ago!
Although other parents would have been overjoyed, Liang wasn't that thrilled. She knew what it meant. It meant that every Professor in the Magic Kingdom would be hounding her to enroll her son in their academy. And she didn't even want him to become a magician. Too many risks. But she kept that opinion to herself as she listened to Ares.
"As you undoubtedly know, this is the highest level ever recorded in more than a decade. When they presented us with the news, we were ecstatic to have someone as powerful as your son as a resident here. He would make an excellent magician, yes?" He didn't wait for her to answer, "And that is why, I have a proposition to make."
"I know what you want to say," Liang blurted out, not caring that she was interrupting him. Dammit, she was sick as Hell of every bloody professor in town who told her to enroll her son into their academy. Time to let off some steam. Poor Ares. "You want me to enroll my son into your academy, don't you? You think just because his magic level's high, it means that he automatically wants to become a magician. Well, what if he doesn't want to? What if he has other goals in mind? What then? Do you expect me to force him into becoming a magician? Well lLet me tell you right now Ares-sama, before you let me in on your proposition, that I don't want him to become a magician. He'd probably end up like his father, stiff and buried six feet under. No way am I going to let him become a magician. Not in this lifetime, that's for sure!"
While she was busy letting off the steam, her son had begun to cry, frightened by hermommy's loud voice. After comforting the crying boy, she said wearily, "…Forgive me for being so rude, Ares-sama. But throughout the whole morning, and yesterday evening, countless other professors have asked me to enroll my son into their academy and… I'm just tired, I guess."
Ares pursed his lips into a thin line angrily when Liang interrupted him, but refrained from snapping at her. He did, after all, need her child, and she surely wasn't going to cooperate if he snapped at her as harshly as he usually did to anyone who interrupted him. After she finished her 'childish ranting', as he put it, he forced a sympathetic smile onto his face. Looks like he would have to play the goody-two-shoes part if he was going to succeed. He nodded apologetically, saying,
"Gomen, Liang-san, for upsetting you. I shouldn't have troubled you so soon, when you are still worn from the delivery process. I am very, very sorry. Please forgive me. I am truly sorry."
His words hit the right spot. She already looked regretful for shouting at him. He faked anothern sickeningly-sweet apologetic look, one even worse than before, and said, "I am truly sorry for upsetting you, but please allow me to clarify that training your son into becoming a magician that is only part of my proposition. I do not intend to force you to enroll him in my academy. …Liang-san, have you heard of the cloning process?"
Liang stared at him in surprise, "Cloning?… No."
Ares folded his arms, and in his most professional voice, explained, "You do know that your son's magic level is considered a blessing to us. If he became a magician, he would undoubtedly become an immensely powerful one, second only to Rayern. But you do not want your son to become a magician, which is a shame really. But I cannot force you to do something you do not want to do."
On the contrary, he could if he wanted to. He was really good at forcing people to do his every bidding. But his methods of doing so were mostly quite… disturbing.
"Which is why I was thinking of cloning your son."
Liang's eyes opened as wide as dinner plates, and her jaw dropped, but nothing was heard from her. Quickly closing her jaw, so that the non-existent flies would not fly in, she waited for him to continue, and he did,
"The cloning process guarantees the safety of your child, I assure you of that. Have you seen some of the families whose children were actually clones? They are living happily, are they not? There are no side effects from cloning, on your child or on the clone. Unlike in the movies, the clone contrary to popular opiniowill have a mind and attitude of its own, and will not behave like a deranged zombie."
"W-Why would you want a clone of my sonW-What? …You want to clone my son?" Liang asked shakily. What was this professor thinking? Why would he want to clone her son? She was happy with the way he is. Why would she need another? Let's hope that she doesn't go into denial. Now that would be a sight to see. Why would he want to clone her son? And for what?
This time, he wasn't irritated by her interruption. In fact, he was rather glad that she had asked the question. He smiled reassuringly, "Relax, Liang-san. It's nothing dangerous. I have discussed this with the Resident Professor, and even he has given me the permission to clone your son. With your consent, of course. You see, the clone would be the exact double of your son, and that means that he would have the same magic level. We will train that clone to be the most powerful magician in the Magic Kingdom, while you and your son can have a normal life. That way, we are all happy. You have your son, and the Magic Kingdom has a powerful magician to protect it. "
Liang calmed down visibly at the smile. slightlWhen his explanation registered in her head a few seconds later, a thoughtful look appeared on her face. After a few minutes of pondering the issue in her mind, she asked, "If you clone my son, then that clone would have his DNA, wouldn't it?"
"That is correct," Ares answered. Why did she ask such an obvious question? She couldn't be that blur, could she?
"Yes..." Ares' eyes narrowed slightly at the question. If he was correct, and he always was, she would be asking what he hoped she wouldn't ask.
"He would have my son's exact DNA in him?" she asked again.
"Yes..." Ares' eyes narrowed slightly. He didn't like that thoughtful look on her face… If he was correct, and he always was, she would be asking what he hoped she wouldn't ask.
"If the clone has my son's DNA, then he should have part of my DNA in him as well, right?"
"Yes," he sighed softly to himself. Damn you, woman. You're going to ask it, aren't you?
"And… Doesn't that make them twins?"
Bloody Sshit, she's going to ask it, he thought as he nodded.
"Then doesn't that mean that he could be considered my son as well?" she asked, looking at him for the answer, her face the very essence of innocence. The small smile on her face gave the act away, though. If Ares could be crafty, well then so could she.
Ares didn't respond to her question for quite some time. He just let it hang in the air while he sat in silence, knowing right away what her next question, or demand, would be. Finally, looking vaguely grim, he nodded.
She grinned triumphantly, oblivious to his grim expression, "Okay, Ares-sama. I am ready to make a deal. I will let you clone my son, since it is fairly obvious that you will hound me about it nonstop if I refuse, under one condition."
Uh-oh…
"That is, you will let me take care of both of them. Both my child and the clone. Even though he isn't exactly my biological child, I want him to have a normal childhood, and he surely wouldn't get that if I leave him in your care. So the thing is, you will not bother us until the time comes when he is of age to be enrolled into the academy. When that time comes, I promise that I will enroll him into your academy to be trained into a magician. However, my son will not be enrolled into any academies. That is what you said earlier. Do you agree with that?"
She knew first hand what it was like to grow up without any parents by your side. Being abandoned at the age of seven, she had to work hard to fend for herself in the crime-ridden streets of Koorong. Being female didn't really help, either. It was only when she had finally found a job as a waitress in the restaurant, and saved up enough money, did she move to Kyo where she single-handedly grew a beautiful garden. The exotic flowers in the garden were sold at reasonable prices. They sold like hotcakes. She also helped out at the souvenir store, and her life was relatively happy from then on.
But, no matter how hard she tried, she still couldn't shake off the lonely, miserable feeling of being abandoned, knowing that you were unwanted by your own parents. And although this wasn't considered as 'abandoning', she still believed that even a clone would need a mother's love, and she was ready to give it.
Another long pause while Ares sat contemplating of a way to refuse her condition, yet still be given her permission to clone the child. He would have done it without her permission, thus saving him all this wasted time, but that old fart Renk had insisted that he get her permission, and as proof, he wanted her signature.
It was a very long pause. He used up all his brainpower trying to find a way out, but to no avail. Though he hated to admit it, it looked like he had come to a brick wall this time.
He sighed a long sigh, before finally giving in. "Very well," he said quietly, "I agree. I will not… 'hound' you, as you put it, and I will leave the clone in your care. But when it is time, I will come and take him to the academy." Then he took out a folded piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to her, "As written proof that you agree to allow me to clone your child, please sign the consent letter."
Pausing briefly, he snapped his fingers, "Oh yes! And Liang-san, I would like you to keep this cloning process a secret from anyone and everyone, including your children. You see, no one is supposed to know about the cloning process except the Professors and Resident Professor. Of course, the parents involved in it also know about the process, but have sworn to secrecy regarding it. Will you keep this a secret from your friends and family?"
Liang nodded, "Sure. What's there to lose by keeping it a secret?"
Placing the baby beside her, she took the pen from the desk by her bed and signed the letter, not bothering to read through it. Her head bent towards the paper on her lap, and she did not see the wicked smile on Ares' face. It was fortunate for him that she didn't read the letter. Doing so only made it easier for him to proceed with the plan.
Oh, you have plenty to lose by keeping it a secret, Liang-san… Plenty.
He had to admit this was probably the first time things didn't go his way. His quick-witted mind and sweet words usually won anyone's approval. Granted, he had the gift of the gap, but just this once he had lost to someone else. And to a woman, of all people. A small bit of respect, as well as irritation, appeared in his heart for this woman, but never would you catch him in a million years admitting that. He would rather die than do so.
Things hadn't gone the way he had originally planned. The way he had planned it, Liang was supposed to have given up her child willingly, since he would make the cloning sound like the most super-awesome idea ever conceived. Whoever thought that she didn't want her son to be a magician? Every parent wanted their son to be a magician, except her. Of all the 3000 residents in the Magic Kingdom, she just had to be the one who didn't want her son to be a magician! Life has its downsides, but this was utterly ridiculous.
It didn't really matter, though. The important thing was that he had gotten her approval to clone her son. In his mind, he was already forming a plan to enroll her son into one of the magic academies as well, preferably his. After all, her needed two magicians, and he didn't go to all this trouble only to have to choose some other child who would undoubtedly be inferior to the clone. This small little setback didn't matter. Having her mothering both the clone and the child was risky, since it would give them a chance to bond, but he was sure that it wouldn't jeopardize the plan. After all, he lived with his brother for god knows how long, and they sure as Hell didn't bond.
Somehow, Ares doubted that skewering your own brother on the church tower after drugging him with a one hundred percent morphine overdose and leaving his carved, bloody body with a gaping hole in it in the town square for the whole world to see would be called 'bonding'.
