A Wish, Saki and Pixy Sticks do NOT Mix

Blues was feeling an odd sensation. He'd never really felt it before... he finally managed to name it, after a bit of effort.

Mental fatigue. Quick had bought a huge box of pixy sticks, and was working at making all of them disappear. At first, he'd been practically vibrating, peppering Blues with questions about his history and himself. He'd answered some, and ignored the ones he felt were none of Quick's business as he was dragged to various places. The art museum, the planetarium, the park... Quick just hadn't been able to stop moving.

Now, though, they'd washed up at a very quiet bar. It was the sort of place you could sit in the back and talk, as you drowned your sorrows. And Quick was hitting the saki bottle hard, although he was more euphoric than sorrowful. At least it seemed to be dampening the vibrating...

"I'm out of Dellhell! It's so wonderful! I don't have to go back!" He was chattering drunkenly, eyes bright and shining. "Thank you Blues... thank you! I'm so happy! And now I have a new sibling and everything!" Blues almost choked. He'd never have thought of it THAT way...

But then, being taken back in time, and eventually witnessing his own creation tended to change the perspective...

"Blues... I know what I want for my last wish." Quick suddenly said, looking at him with luminous eyes. Blues hesitated, a bit wary.

"Good... what is it?" It suddenly struck him that a drunken wish might not be the best thing... but then it was too late.

"I'm so lonely... I wish I had a guy like you with me forever." Blues went rigid at that sweet, innocent wish.

IDoes he have the faintest idea of the implications...?/I

Blues raised a hand, and time froze. Well, in actual fact, he stepped outside of time. Time was always variable for cosmic beings...

Then he stepped out of reality altogether.

hr

The domain of chaos was different than last he'd seen it. Not that that was any big surprise. Dynamic power wouldn't tolerate static.

Blues ignored all the wonders around him to find one particular person.

Seated at a modern computer terminal, was a young Japanese man. He was from an ancient era in Japanese history, although it was impossible now to say exactly when... he had lost track of the dates.

But that made him young, like Blues. Only a millenium, perhaps two, older, a difference that was nothing. And for some unknown, bizarre reason, he went by the name of Fred.

"Finished then? That took a fair amount of time, for three wishes!" He said with a smile, eyes bright. He enjoyed his job... almost everyone did. Duties in this place were according to nature, so not liking them showed something was very seriously wrong. Blues shook his head slightly.

"No. I'm having a problem with the last wish. I don't see how I can grant it." His fellow immortal frowned, tapping on his computer.

"That's odd... the wishes usually aren't problems... let's see the first two." He quickly pulled them up, and blinked. "Wow! You got a live one here. Mistiya is going to be so jealous she missed this."

"These wishes are unusual?" Blues asked with a sinking feeling. He'd thought that something was going wrong even before Quick had made his final wish...

"Yeah. I mean, people usually ask for the same old crap... wealth, fame, yadda yadda. Well... his first wish is sorta typical, although he framed it in an interesting way. Could have unpleasant applications, couldn't it?" Blues nodded. Fred had put his finger on something he'd noticed immediately.

Being 'the best at everything he did' didn't necessarily mean just GOOD things. No, all his gifts would be polarized... he'd be the best at computer analysis... the best fighter... the best at getting lost... the best at being clumsy...

"Still, he should be alright. He's only got a few things he'll really stink at. Let's see... ohhh, I like the second. That's cute. A wandering foot, has he? Now the third..." Fred called up the information, and stared at the screen for a long moment. "Holy shit."

"Yes." That was certainly a good way to put his feelings.

"That'll create a new GODLING! We can't do that... can we?" Fred queried his computer, and went pale at the answer. "It, unh... doesn't break the rules, so we, um, have to. But... the luck magic isn't powerful enough to handle it. I'll have to take this up the chain of command. Hold on Blues, I'll be right back." Fred quickly made a print out appear, then disappeared with it. Blues waited patiently, but with a knawing uncertainty. The implications...

It only took a few moments of subjective time for Fred to come back. But this time, he was holding a new piece of paper and wearing a stunned expression. In his other hand, he had a multi-faceted star crystal Blues recognized as a Wilding cluster, a crystallized form of chaotic power.

They were going to make him do this.

"I got referred all the way up to the Incarna." Fred said weakly, and Blues almost winced. "Your Incarna and mine. This is straight from them." That meant it had to be obeyed to the letter. The Incarna were one step below the Celestine, the forces that simply existed and were drawn on by all below them.

Blues carefully read through all the specifications, his lips tightening at several points.

"So, essentially, this must be a perfect mental copy of me. I'm free to change minor details of the body, and the clothing, armor and weapon can be whatever I please." That was some relief at least. He didn't want a perfect double of himself running around. "And I can name him. And these restrictions on his power and behavior..." Fascinating restrictions. Some could be considered good, others were the most brutal of chains.

But then, no Godling was free...

"'Fraid so. Need any help?" Blues shook his head, putting the paper away.

"No. I already have an idea." And he stepped back...

hr

No time had passed in the bar. Or rather, Blues had just returned to the time at which he'd left. Still in the frozen moment outside time, he set to work.

He crushed the Wildling cluster, jerking slightly as pure energy flowed through him into the mold he had waiting for it. Blue and black energy billowed, then solidified.

Before him stood a perfect mirror of himself. Blank red eyes stared ahead, and Blues frowned.

He could change minor physical features...

He quickly ran through several eye colors, and finally settled on an icy purple. That would be a nice, interesting color, especially since he didn't intend to give the copy a visor.

The clothing was quick. Black jeans, black leather jacket. The armor associated with the flash case took longer, but he finally had it. Blue and black armor, with a bit of white... a blue scarf... and a white shuriken on the helmet. He'd decided on his double's primary weapon.

Now for the last thing... the name. A small smile curled his lips as he thought of one that was imminently suitable, and nicely ironic.

"You are Shadow." His shadow, and soon to be Quick's shadow... bound to be with him forever. Shadow could not hear, but the command went out, and it was so. Blues raised a hand, and blinked Shadow out of frozen time.

But as he turned to leave, he felt a slight pang. Was it pity, for his copy...

...Or envy?