Twisted Destiny

Disclaimer: I'm saying this now, and I'll be saying it for every chapter done. Guilty Gear and its characters don't belong to me. It actually belongs to Sammy Co., Arc System Works, Team Neo Blood, and Atlus. Hit me if I missed someone.

Type: Um, one of those 'what-if-but-not-really-alternate-universe' multi-chaptered fics that I don't see here…

Genre: I really don't have a clue, but I'm thinking lots and lots of pre-GG to around pre-GGX angst/action.

Warning: Spoilers galore and twists (including OOC-ness and original characters) in the pre-game.

Rating: PG-13 for reasons inexplicably explainable. (May be subject to change.)

Author's Ramblings™ (spoiler-y): Have you ever wondered why Ky and Sol are the only characters that can unlock Baiken in GG? After hours of searching for info on Sei-san, I found out that she wants to get rid of the Gears because they destroyed her village. Now I can understand why Sol can unlock her, seeing as we all know he's a damn Gear, but what about the other guy, Ky? Why in holy hell would Sei-san come out to fight a guy who just so happens to be one of the main characters without a reason other than him being one of the main characters?

Author's Notes: Okay, this is different from Ramblings™. I'd just like to say that Athena Asamiya-san is the best writer of GG fanfiction, and that she's partly the inspiration for what you are reading right now. And you all just hope the oukami no baka finishes it.

Information Sources: GameFAQs [http://www.gamefaqs.com] and Heaven.Coming.Down [http://heaven.morethanart.org]

Prologue:

August 15, 2016

"You should relax, you know," Thierry Kiske said to his young colleague amusedly, flicking the embers of his cigarette in the nearby ashtray. "That piece of paper is not going to stand up and walk away if you let go of it for a few minutes."

The dark-haired American wheeled his chair around to face the older scientist, one hand clutching a clipboard and brown eyes showing his exasperation to his senior's humor. "Thierry, if I could, I would. But he's coming tomorrow to check on our research and I want everything to be perfect."

The blonde shook his head with a smile. "Frederick, Frederick, Frederick. I often have this feeling that you are older than myself, with all your distressing. Do not worry. We have already checked everything many times, and it is, what do you say again? OK?"

"I guess you're right." Frederick sighed in defeat, his free hand raking unruly brown bangs. "But if we're to finish the project this year, we have to find a human experiment. A volunteer to be the prototype gear, you might say."

"We will worry about that later." Thierry waved his hand indifferently. He leaned back on his chair and closed his eyes, inhaling his tobacco, when he suddenly opened them again and looked up the ceiling. "Ky is to be sixteen this year. Marie expects me to return to Marseilles on November to celebrate. But if our work is not yet done by that time…" he turned cerulean eyes to his companion. "…I will have to disappoint him once again."

"We'll have to hurry then, won't we?" Frederick stood and patted his friend's shoulder.

 "…Oui." Thierry crushed his finished cigarette in the tray.

November 20, 2016

            Frederick put down his pencil and held up the last blueprint to the light, a smile gracing his face, when the door suddenly opened to admit a delighted Thierry. Rolling up the plans quickly, Frederick stood up and raised an eyebrow. "Alright, what happened?"

            Thierry didn't answer, but smiled even bigger as he walked in the small office, a blonde teenager who shyly met Frederick's gaze coming in behind him. The American blinked, and smiled as he recognized the boy.

            "It's been a while, hasn't it, Ky?"

The young Kiske smiled back, happy to be remembered. "Bonjour, Monsieur Frederick."

Thierry laughed. "He had missed his father and came all the way from France just to see him," he explained to his friend. "On his birthday, even."

"Really?" Frederick pushed back his glasses and gave Ky an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry. If I had known, I'd have given you something."

            The young Frenchman shook his head. "It is alright, sir. I do not expect anything." Blue-green eyes traveled about the room and rested on the rolled up blueprints on Frederick's desk. "Excuse me, but what are those?"

            "I've just finished them. Do you want to see?"

            Ky looked up to his father for permission. Thierry just grinned and tousled his son's hair. "Go on. Frederick does not offer to show his work very often."

            Frederick was already at his desk, unrolling the papers. Ky walked to beside him and picked one of the papers up, holding it to the window for light. "What is this?" he gasped, turning to look at the scientist. "It is most impressive, sir!"

            Frederick looked at the blueprint of the long sword, smiled at the curious lad, and ran a hand through his hair as he turned to glance at the older Kiske, who was laughing again. "That's Furaiken, the Thunder Seal Sword. One of the weapons of the set I call Outrage. It's one of my favorites. But I like…" he broke off and showed the print he was holding. "…Fuenken, the Fire Seal Sword, the most."

December 5, 2016

            "Leave him alone, you bastard!! Ky has nothing to do with this!" Thierry snarled at the man as he struggled to release himself from the hold of the guards. "You have already taken Frederick, I will not allow you to take my son!!"

            The man responsible for the Gear project sneered at the French scientist's attempts of escape. "Frederick volunteered himself, Thierry. We did not force him to do it. And if he had not escaped, we then would have no need for your son. So blame your dear friend, and not us."

            "Liar!"

            The man ignored Thierry's outburst as he pushed back his dark glasses. "And of course, seeing as young Ky has always wanted to help you, he shall be our next volunteer. Shame though…" he gingerly stroked the unconscious boy's cheek. "…He is too beautiful to be turned into a lab rat. But what science wills, science will receive…Thank you for all you've done, my friend, and good-bye…"

            The older Kiske watched helplessly as the head scientist proceeded to bring Ky to the laboratory. But his eyes widened even more when the man looked back at him and, with a devilish smirk, said to one of the guards, "Kill him."

            A shot echoed through the dark hallways.

January 4, 2017

            "Sir, what do you mean by that?! We have already most of the data needed, and what we only nee is more funds!" The scientist slammed his hand on the president's table, the expression on his face of disbelief. The president just stared the exasperated scientist and heaved a sigh of his own.

            "You do not understand. I DO want this project to be a success, but we already lack the money you are asking us for. We will have to wait until the economy is once more stable, then we will continue. And I suggest you perfect your theories more; that Angel of Death of yours seems a bit out of line. It looks frail and weak, actually visits the Church and helps around here!"

            Another sigh. "It cannot be helped, sir. He did not evolve as much as Frederick did, but his strength is almost a match. I have already deleted his memories, and he still acts like that. Not that I am complaining, sir. He does what I tell him without question and that, in itself, is quite enough."

            "Hmph. In any case, we will have to put the Gear Project on hiatus for who knows how long. You are now dismissed." The president nodded. The scientist, although frowning, nodded back and left. As he opened the door, he reeled back when he saw the young blonde looking at him with innocent aquamarine eyes, the crest on his forehead hidden behind a blue bandanna.

            "Ky! What are you doing here? I told you to stay in the laboratory, did I not?"

            The Gear bowed apologetically. "I am sorry, sir. I was looking for you, to show you something. They told me you were talking with the President, so I waited here." He looked up. "I am very sorry, sir."

            "*sigh* It is alright, Ky. Just go back and stay there a while longer. I still have things to do…"

            "May I help?" Ky asked enthusiastically.

            "No… I doubt you can… I'll just see you, and what you wanted to show me, later." The professor smiled slightly and mussed up Ky's hair.

            The blonde beamed before running off, waving. "Yes, sir!"

File Archives: Year 2073+

Searching… Found.

Downloading… 10%……43%……68%……99%…Done.

Displaying Files…

In 2073, the country that originally instigated the Gear Project - as well as the mysterious man in charge - revived it by successfully crafting the first true Gear, a supposedly obedient war machine codenamed "Justice". This creation became the blueprint for the new, mass-produced Gears, barely humanoid creatures with strength and vitality that greatly surpassed a normal human's -- as well as the fact that they were completely mindless and had no free will of their own, other than to blindly follow the orders of their owners. In the following year, the country that created the Gears began to monopolize the other countries of the world with their Gear production and distribution, quickly seizing control of various smaller nations. And when it looked like another war would break out - this time pitting Gear against Gear in a battle for profit and supremacy - the Gear Project laboratory and the man leading the Project released Justice, readying the armored monster for battle. However, what they failed to foresee was Justice breaking free of their control, proclaiming himself to be the first self-aware Gear, and possessing his own will...

What followed was nothing short of chaos. Using his powers as the original Gear model, Justice took control of all functioning Gears all around the world, aiming to combine all Gears together in a massive army that would wipe out the oppressive human race. The Gear Project scientists, and their leader, could do nothing to stop Justice...the first blow struck was the complete annihilation of Japan and its people at the hands of Justice and his rebelling Gear forces. And so began the Crusades in 2074, the ultimate war between mankind and the Gears...

However, the human race still had hope for victory against the rampaging monsters. In 2099, the United Nations organized a team of courageous soldiers from all over the world, who would be mankind's last stand against the Gears -- the Seikishidan [Order of Holy Knights]. The UN also had one more thing that could help the human race survive -- Outrage, a set of six weapons that had anti-Gear properties, and the ability to seal and contain Gears. These weapons ("shinki" or "holy artifacts") were in fact designed by Frederick back in the early 21st century, and the blueprints for them were found after his disappearance. Apparently, he had been planning to craft the weapons to use against his superior's dark creations, should they ever be completed. Even though he hadn't had the chance to rebel against his boss, the designs still came in handy -- Outrage was perfectly replicated by the UN, right down to their elemental magic properties. These weapons - including Fuenken [the Fire Seal Sword] and Furaiken [the Thunder Seal Sword] were placed in the possession of the Seikishidan and its leader, Kliff Undersn, and were only to be used in times of great need...

Ky Kiske swallowed when he finished reading the contents of the file. He could not believe that the kindly scientist who had taken care of him had actually used him to create those monsters. Walking towards the mirror, he stared at the five-tongued crest on his forehead. His hand clenched.

Even if he wasn't the one who killed those innocent people, he felt guilty. He was the source of information for the scientists. He was an indirect cause of all that was happening in the world. Grabbing his bandanna and tying it quickly to hide the insignia, he crept out of the office and quietly made his way to the door. He would join this Seikishidan and destroy the gears. That way, he felt, he could atone for his sin.

However, somewhere, a bounty hunter named Sol Badguy, the true prototype Gear, howled his hate to the man responsible for it all.

To be continued…

Author's Ramblings™: Yeah, it's short. I'm not feeling up to typing this really huge chapter that's sitting deep in my head right now. Wait for the prologue's edit and Chapter 1… It'd be better and I'd be more generous, I promise.

"Twisted Destiny" was written to satisfy the author's crazed imagination. Started on January 4, 2002, completion date is still unknown.

If you want to post any this story on your website, I suggest you ask the author [whitewolf_823@hotmail.com] first.

Theories other than this story's plot basis, comments, suggestions, and criticism are also welcome at the same address. Or just click that little button down there…