Title: Till Eternity
Author: FireDemon
Email: Ken_Dai_Love@hotmail.com
Rating: R
Warnings: This fic contains YAOI, meaning two hot guys going down on each other, if that disturbs you; well you've been warned. There's a little shoujo-ai (girl love) that I wasn't expecting to write! It gets a little limey in parts, but that's about as descriptive as it's gonna get. It's also very angsty; unrequited love and all that. There are a few words in Japanese and French; predominantly suffixes for Japanese, and all French will be translated. Oh, and let's not forget the always-popular 'coarse language'. Hopefully that about covers it.
Category: Romance, Angst, and Science Fiction.
Summary: AU. Ken is the prototype for a new generation of robots, designed to love one person, and one person alone. Daisuke is a thief whose curiosity is likely to get him killed. When the bumbling Dai accidentally activates Kens program heartache inevitably follows, because Daisuke, after all, is only human. And Ken isn't. **Kensuke**
iFor Beth, who showed me that love hurts. For Ken, who made me laugh when I wanted to cry. And for Krystle; all my love.i
Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. I do not own Artificial Intelligence (The Movie) from which I have stolen many ideas and quotes. Not quite enough to make it a parody (partly because I haven't watched the movie in ages, and partly because by the time I got halfway through this fic it suddenly developed an original plot out of nowhere. *Glares at Takeru and Yamato who suddenly got a whole lot deeper then I'd intended to write them*.) I do not own any robots. This may also be a little similar to girlstarfish's "Heist" series, which I truly enjoyed reading, but do not own either. Anyone who hasn't read it, I highly recommend it. There is also a line I accidentally stole (I collect quotes from everywhere, and then use them and have to go back and try to source them) from Draco Sinister by Cassandra Claire.
Daisuke couldn't believe it.
"You look... incredible." He managed after a few seconds of staring into the other boys deep blue eyes. The blond gave his trademark smile.
"You're not so bad yourself lover. Where's my kiss?"
"I..." Daisuke started, before Takeru's mouth covering his cut him off.
"I'm so sorry Dai. You were right - I shouldn't have taken the mission. I thought I was going to die, and all I could think about was how much I wanted to be home with you: Playing vid-games and snuggling with my husband."
"Takeru..." Daisuke began, melting into the others arms.
"I love you too." The blond said with a smile, "C'mon Dai-chan. Let's go home."
~~~
"You want to recreate the First Mecha?" The voice sounded amused by the concept.
"What are you, crazy, the council will have you executed for even suggesting-" Came a second voice.
"If they find out." This voice was clearly female, "Besides, I'm not talking about recreating. Simply reanimating. The First Mecha was never destroyed."
"Miyako! You're insane, there was a reason for her current state. The council has very strict rules on this kind of-"
"Hush Shin, after all, the First Mecha isn't dangerous. The council was simply afraid she would usurp their rulership."
"Miyako is correct Shin. Perhaps it was crazy, but she was built for the same reason as Ken. Perhaps she can help us get him back."
"Or perhaps she will merely confirm what we already knew." Came a second female voice, this one colder then the first, "That if Kens program has been activated..."
"Hush Momoe. We reactivate the First Mecha, and that's final."
~~~
Tai pulled Yamato back into his hovercraft, panting hard,
"Shit, Yama, you could of helped me instead of prattling. It'll take us two days to get to Galar'iel..."
"Galar'iel, the Gallery of Hell." Yamato said softly, "Home of the homeless. You really did think ahead."
"Yeah, well..." Tai said grinning proudly.
"Don't be surprised by some of the things you see there. I love you Taichi," Yamato leaned forward and kissed Taichi hard on the lips, "But I'd rather risk the mecha hunters in the wastelands then be delivered into their hands. Perhaps one day we will meet again. Despite the knowledge that it is your fault I can never return to the City, I hope that we do. Goodbye Taichi."
The blond jumped out of the hovercraft leaving Taichi inside staring out in bewildered shock.
Yamato had never said that before.
He'd told Taichi the first time they'd done business that he was programmed to give pleasure, not to say corny words.
And the only one who could have overwritten that programming was Yamato himself.
"I hope so as well..." He told the empty seat where Yamato should have been sitting, "Gods help me, I love you too..."
~~~
Daisuke opened the door, and smiled at Takeru,
"Welcome home T.K."
Takeru stepped into the apartment and looked around,
"When was the last time you cleaned Dai-chan?"
Daisuke blushed, "Erm... well y'see..."
Takeru laughed, pulling Daisuke into his arms and pushing the door closed,
"I know. I missed you so much..." He leant up and kissed Daisuke again, "We have so much to catch up on."
Daisuke moaned in the back of his throat, letting Takeru push him back towards their bedroom... and their bed.
It was only when he saw Ken's shirt where he'd dropped it earlier that evening that he remembered.
"Oh shit! Ken!"
Takeru pulled back pain and confusion etched on his face,
"Ken?" He asked too hurt to be cold, but too angry to cry.
Ken stood next to the couch hugging himself fearfully, staring at Daisuke and Takeru.
"Dai-chan?" The indigo haired mecha bit his lip.
Takeru's eyes widened even further,
"Dai-chan?!? I fuck up on one mission and you replace me?"
"Takeru... it's not what it looks like... Ken, come here..."
Ken obeyed, instinctively edging behind Daisuke so he wouldn't have to face Takeru's wrath alone.
"Ken, I want you to meet my husband Takeru. He's been in a coma for the past 2 years."
Takeru blanched at this piece of information.
"Two years...?" He whispered.
Daisuke continued, oblivious to the blonds whisper, "Takeru, this is Ken. Ken was being held prisoner by an upsider."
Daisuke smirked, inwardly proud of his explanation, Ken hadn't exactly said that he was a prisoner, but Daisuke had decided he was, after all, Ken had treated him as if he were his saviour. And now Takeru would feel sorry for him, and they would become friends, and he wouldn't have to hurt either of them.
He could never hurt Takeru; they'd been together for too long. But hurting Ken felt just as bad.
Ken was so vulnerable, a trait Daisuke had always found irresistible; he'd almost been disappointed when Takeru stopped being vulnerable.
Takeru looked at Ken for a long moment, then offered his hand.
Ken stared at it in confusion.
Takeru took the other boys hand, and nearly dropped it from shock.
If he hadn't lived with mecha's for most of his childhood he'd never have recognised the other boy for what he was, but he had, and he did.
He looked up to meet the other boy's eyes and shuddered.
It was like seeing Yamato after his mother had reprogrammed him to learn.
Takeru always had hated mecha's.
~~~
Yamato crouched, watching as the hovercraft disappeared into the glare of the horizon. He looked around, sand stretched as far as the eyes could see, even the eyes of a mecha. He could see the sun setting beneath the horizon on the west.
It seemed to light up the City of Angels like a halo.
He turned. Galar'iel, the Gallery of Hell lay to the north-east. It would be 2 days journey from the City of Angels, travelling by hovercraft.
To the east was the Sea of Despair.
The sea that had once been called the Pacific Ocean.
And of course, there were the mecha hunters.
Yamato turned and set off, walking south-east across the desert. It was strange, he'd been torn from his purpose in life - more then once - yet as he stood here, alone in the wastelands, he'd never felt better.
There was no Natsuko to challenge his belief system. No Taichi to change the way he saw humans. There was no Takeru to betray him.
There was nothing but him.
"Welcome to Paradise."
~~~
Takeru wrenched his hand out of the other boys' hand, feeling his blood turn to ice in his veins.
Ken looked at him slight surprise registering on his face,
"You're..." He began.
Takeru cut him off, "Say another word and I'll kill you... slowly. I've done it before and I can do it again. Your kind means nothing to me! Nothing!" The boy yelled angrily.
"Who are you trying to convince?" Ken asked, "Yourself or me?"
Takeru felt the words pierce his heart and slowly turned around, "Daisuke, let's go get some dinner. I'm hungry."
Ken stepped closer to Daisuke,
"Please don't leave me Dai... I'm scared."
Takeru stared at the mecha, manipulative bastard. It was like seeing Yama- cha... that mecha all over again.
"Dai-chan I'm hungry," Takeru repeated.
"Dai-chan I'm scared," Ken tried plaintively.
Daisuke looked trapped.
Takeru slipped his arms around Daisuke's waist,
"C'mon, it's been two years since we did anything together. I'll take you to dinner then. My treat."
Ken bit his lip, wide violet eyes filled with a mixture of hope and fear,
"Don't leave me..."
Daisuke took a deep breath,
"I'll take both of you out for dinner. Then we will come back here and you will both stop arguing."
Daisuke smiled inwardly pleased with his solution.
He didn't notice that both boys looked downright disappointed with his decision.
~~~
Tai pressed the handful of crinkled bills into the landlady's outstretched hand looking around cautiously.
The flat appeared to be falling to pieces. Assorted poorly dressed figures lined the street. Tai realised, much to his surprise that there were no mecha's.
After Yamato's parting words he'd expected to see broken 'bots lining the streets.
"Mama, mama!" Tai's head whipped around to find the owner of the voice.
"Takato, keep walking!" A woman's voice rose over the clamour of the crowd chastisingly.
"But mama, when is the festival going to be here?" The boy, Takato, asked.
"Hush Takato. I'm not interested in seeing the hunters destroy other people's toys. Forget about seeing the mecha's destroyed - your obsession with them is unhealthy."
Tai lost sight of the two and turned back to the proprietor, shock and confusion fighting for dominance in his head.
"What the hell have I let myself in for?"
"2 months in my flat," the woman replied flatly. "Here's your key - I'll be back in 2 months. 12pm sharp."
~~~
Takeru glared at the blue haired mecha, ignoring the churning feeling in his stomach that might otherwise have been identified as jealousy.
Ken stared unabashedly at Daisuke, a contemplative smile adorning his perfect features.
Every nerve in his body screamed for him to reveal the boy for what he was but he couldn't bring himself to do it.
It would hurt Daisuke he realised.
The mecha looked over at Takeru and smiled hopefully.
Takeru scowled at the bluenette who quickly looked away.
"...You two sure are quiet tonight," Daisuke pointed out.
"Erm..." Takeru started, realising with glaring at Ken he'd forgotten to hold up his usual conversation with his red-haired love.
"I'm sorry Daisuke," Ken apologised softly.
"Hey, don't worry about it Ken, it's cool."
Ken smiled softly. Takeru could have strangled the boy when he noticed the way the boy's whole face lit up, as if Daisuke were his universe.
He stood up abruptly and muttered, "I have to go to the toilet."
Daisuke didn't seem to notice.
At that moment he hated Daisuke and he hated himself, because he knew, if that smile had been directed at him... he would have ignored Daisuke too.
He sat down on the seat of the toilet after locking the cubicle door and cried until he didn't have any tears left to cry.
~~~
Ruki ran a hand through her messy bangs, scanning the horizon for any sign of mecha habitation.
Her other hand rested on her hoverbike, with a fond familiarity, seeking the reassuring thrum of the bikes motor.
She straightened her leather jacket.
"Movement in section B72. Let's move out people!"
Without waiting for a response the girl sped off into the distance with a loud whoop.
"She has way too much energy," Kazu told his companion, shaking his head.
Kenta pushed his glasses up, wishing he could afford the stupid laser treatment that would make 'hunting' so much easier.
"Tell Ryo that, he's the one who put her in charge of the group."
"Ryo's sleeping with her, he's not going to care how much energy she has, personally I think he likes it."
"We'd better go, Ruki's likely to kill us if she gets in trouble with one of the rogues and we're not there to save her ass." Kenta said regretfully.
"How the hell did you get suckered into being a hunter Kenta-chan? You really don't seem like the type."
"Born to it," Kenta informed him before speeding off after Ruki at top speed.
"Kenta..." Kazu called angrily, "Wait for me!"
~~~
"Hey," Takeru said smiling at the two boys. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything?"
Daisuke laughed, "Of course not Keru-chan."
Takeru smiled warmly and sat down next to the boy wrapping his arms around him.
On the other side of the table Ken squirmed uncomfortably,
"...Are you okay now Takeru?"
Takeru turned to meet the mecha's gaze with an icy glare. 'I don't want your fake sympathy. You'll never be real, don't try to draw me into your fabricated world...'
"I'm fine Ken-san, thank you for asking," The words were stiff and formal. 'I won't be fooled, I won't care, I refuse to care for a mecha.'
"That's great. Do you guys want to head back home now?" Daisuke asked, sensing the cold atmosphere but not understanding the reason for it. Takeru linked an arm through Daisuke's possessively and rested his head on the taller boy's shoulder.
"Sure Dais, whatever you want."
Daisuke grinned and offered his other arm to Ken,
"Hey Ken, you coming or what? It wouldn't be a party without my two favourite boys."
Ken blushed and accepted Daisuke's hand, entwining their fingers and smiling softly at the redhead.
Takeru stiffened, 'Ouch...'
~~~
Sand shifted, squelching beneath his feet, still he walked.
"Where are you going?" The voice came out of nowhere, yet the blond did not think to question it.
"I'm going home"
"Why are you here?"
"I'm here..."
"Why are you here?"
"Because I have no home."
"What are you doing?"
"I am..."
"What are you doing?"
Yamato hugged his arms to his body.
"Leave me alone."
"What are you doing, Yamato?"
"I am..."
"Are you afraid?"
"St... stop it..."
"What are you afraid of, Yamato?"
"I'm not afraid! Mecha's don't fear. Mecha's don't feel. I am afraid of nothing!"
"Is that true?"
"Mecha's don't lie!"
"Is that true?"
"*I* don't lie!" Yamato's voice rang in the emptiness, sending the tiny desert creatures scampering for their homes.
"... is that true?"
"..."
"Why are you running?"
"I'm not running..." Yamato denied.
"You fear death."
"Mecha's don't feel."
"What are you?"
"I am a Mecha" The answer was mechanical. There was no thought required.
"What are you?"
"I am a Mecha."
"What are you?"
"..."
"You are not a Mecha."
"...Leave me alone." Fear crept into the blonds shaking voice as surely as it crept into his shaking body.
"You are afraid?"
"...Yes."
"..."
"Who are you?" Yamato demanded.
There was no reply save for the rustling of the tiny mice and bugs that inhabited the sand under his feet.
~~~
"Dais..." Takeru's voice was soft, almost hesitant.
"Hai?" Daisuke asked, "What is it Take-chan?"
"Tell me you love me... Tell me you'll never love anyone or anything the way you love me..." Takeru's deep sapphire blue eyes caught the violet eyes of Ken who was standing hesitantly by the partially open door, "Tell me you love me more than Ken."
Daisuke cradled Takeru's face tenderly, "I love you Takeru Takaishi. From the very first moment you pushed me down the stairs and told me to keep my hands off Taichi's little sister to the day you confessed your love for me. From the day you wore those hideous orange socks and bucket hat, and tried to seduce me, to this moment right now. I've seen you at your worst, and I still love you. No matter what happens, I will always love you. And no one could ever take your place."
Takeru smiled, but inwardly his mind was still churning. Daisuke hadn't said he loved him more then Ken.
His eyes flickered back up to the door where he'd last seen Ken.
The indigo-haired mecha was gone.
And for now, that would have to be enough.
~~~
Ken whimpered, it was late, he knew, but he couldn't sleep, he was afraid.
"Daisuke?" He whispered, "Where are you?"
The endless sea of blackness swallowed his words, as it swallowed all sound in the depth of the night.
Hugging his arms to his chest he crept towards the redhead's room, then slipped inside silently, skirting the hastily discarded clothes.
He could see the light from the street lamps outside shining through the single window and highlighting Takeru's blond hair as the boy slept. Daisuke lay on the other side of the bed, hugging his pillow.
Ken bit his lip, then carefully, without waking either of the boys, slipped under the blanket and snuggled up to Daisuke. It was only for tonight...
Besides, the redhead knew he was afraid of sleeping alone.
~~~
"Is that her?" The voice was respectful... reverent even.
"Hai. She's beautiful isn't she?"
Even as Hikari heard and recognised the voices, she dismissed them.
Her attention turned inwards, she had been 'asleep' for a long time, that much she knew.
All her wires seemed to be in working order, carefully, in order to avoid drawing attention to herself, she rewired those connections, which had been disabled, and began to scan her memory.
Everything seemed to be as it should be, from her networking to her memories. Finally satisfied she opened her eyes.
She was naked, Hikari noted. She was not even wearing a standard hospital gown, something that might have, had she been human and less then perfect, distressed her. As it was, it was no more then a momentary oddity.
Her crimson eyes settled on the girl who stood at the forefront of the group.
"Who are you?" She asked levelly.
Brown eyes widened behind wire rimmed glass.
"... Miyako. Inoue Miyako." She bit her lip, "Do you have a name also?"
Hikari smiled, "My name is Hikari. It is a pleasure to meet you Miyako- san."
The girl smiled. "Yes, it's a pleasure for me also Hikari-sama. I... We thought perhaps you could help us."
Hikari tilted her head thoughtfully, pulling herself free from her bonds, "Aa... How can I be of assistance?"
~~~
The early morning noise, both in Daisuke's apartment block and on the street outside woke Takeru first.
He had always been a light sleeper, having grown up a lot closer to the sky than Daisuke.
He yawned, sitting up and taking in his surroundings, trying to decide what to do first. Should he make his spouse breakfast in bed? Or perhaps simply wake the redhead with some good old-fashioned kissing?
Decisions, decisions.
The blond was so engrossed in his own thoughts that he didn't even realise that his bed had an extra occupant until aforementioned occupant snuffled and curled up closer to the blonds husband.
Takeru opened his mouth but nothing came out.
What the hell was Ken doing in his bed?
Growling angrily he flew out of bed, and somehow managed to rip the slumbering mecha out of the warm comfort of sleep as well.
The bluenette shrank from his rage-contorted face with a fearful squeak.
"What the bloody hell are you doing in my bed?"
Kens eyes widened and he snuck a glance back at the bed, trying to determine if his protector was still asleep.
"Answer me when I talk to you! Or wasn't that programmed into you?"
"I... I don't understand Takeru-sama..." He replied, eyes still unnaturally wide in his fear-filled face.
"What the hell were you doing in my bed, with my lover?"
Daisuke rubbed his eyes, blinking away sleep.
"What? What happened Takeru-chan?"
"That... That, thing, was cuddled up to you when I woke up this morning." He turned to Ken. "What the hell was that about?"
Ken shrunk closer to Daisuke, placing childlike trust in the others ability to protect him. Daisuke was unable to fail such trust, and gave his boyfriend a withering look.
"Takeru!" He admonished, pulling the fragile bluenette protectively close, "Don't yell at Ken. So he didn't think that you might not want him there. He was scared and he's not used to sleeping alone."
Takeru's blue eyes widened as his significant other took someone else's side.
Anger overrode reason, and the blond lunged forward with a furious snarl, yanking the interloper's arm out towards him, expertly splitting the skin with his laser knife.
Kens violet eyes widened with pain and betrayal and he pulled his arm to his chest, hugging it protectively close as if he was afraid that Takeru would cut it again.
Takeru glared at the indigo haired mecha, mentally berating the thing for its stupidity. Didn't it realise he'd accomplished what he set out to do.
It was obvious, just from the look on Daisuke's face that the damage had already been done. Daisuke had seen what had spilled from Ken's open cut... and it hadn't been blood.
Takeru levelly met the eyes of the mecha, secure in the knowledge it was no longer a threat.
Still he knew he was lucky. If Ken had been human, rather then the machine he could not help but be, Daisuke would have picked Ken.
But Ken wasn't human, so Takeru was the only real choice. As heartless as they may have seemed, his actions were justified.
Daisuke took a deep breath, then gave the two boys what was very obviously an artificial smile.
"C'mon Ken, let's get that cut fixed up."
The violet-eyed mecha offered his hand carefully, his eyes filled with an unbearable amount of trust.
Daisuke gave another forced smile, and took the boys hand. The contact felt fake, unnatural... Somehow the knowledge that Ken was nothing more then a piece of equipment tainted everything he had said or done.
Daisuke let the mecha snuggle into him as he always did, but for the first time, he wasn't overwhelmed with love for the boy in his arms.
For the first time in his life... he felt nothing.
~~~
Hikari nodded in agreement. "That is a problem."
"What should we do?"
"What can you do?" The question was not patronising, nor even malevolent, it was simply, asked.
"I... I don't know..." Miyako stared up at the beautiful mecha, even hours later unable to tear her eyes away.
Hikari smiled down at the girl, affection for the fragile creature growing as they spoke, "Perhaps a story would help."
Miyako grinned at her eagerly, throwing her arms around the smaller but sturdier girl, "Oh yes Hikari-sama! I should like that a lot."
Hikari laughed softly at the girl's exuberant enthusiasm accepting the girls well meaning hug.
"Sit with me, Miyako-chan, and I shall tell you about my husband, and the problems his construction of me created..."
Miyako snuggled closer to the dark haired mecha, her soft brown eyes fixed adoringly on the other girl.
Hikari slid an arm around the girl's slender shoulder, surprised by her attraction to the innocently entrancing creature,
"It started when Yagami Hikari, the first wife of Kyver Seto passed away leaving the man broken-hearted, and stubbornly determined to find a way for the spirit of his wife to live forever..."
~~~
The atmosphere in the room was electric, as if there was a storm, which could break at any moment. Even Ken, who did not understand why, knew that something had changed. Some strange infinitely important element had changed, and the occupants of that room could never interact in the same way again.
Ken stared at the red haired boy who was sitting across the room from him. His thoughts whirling in a way he'd never thought they could.
His eyes flickered to the blond, who like himself was staring at the silent redhead. Takeru had yet to break the silence, perhaps because he too felt the awkwardness in the air.
Abruptly the blond stood and left the room.
Ken bit his lip, caught between what he wanted and what he needed.
He stood and ran after the blond.
"Takeru-sama. I need to know... what is wrong with Daisuke?" The blue- haired boy stared at the other beseechingly, violet eyes begging silently.
Takeru laughed self-deprecatingly, "It's my fault. He fell hard for you Ken... but I'm not losing my boyfriend to some... pleasure appliance." His face held no hint of emotion, and he shrugged, "Something you might like to remember, toujours nous faisons mal á ces que nous adorons."
Ken blinked in confusion, "What does that mean?"
"We always hurt those that we love."
Ken felt a strange sense of sadness at these words, as if they were a premonition of events that had yet to take place.
"Why?" He asked.
The blond merely shrugged again, "Why anything Ken? Maybe if you were human you'd understand that sometimes you can't understand."
Ken turned, and for the first time in his short lifetime, he was ashamed of the tears that sprung to his eyes.
~~~
Yamato sighed, sinking to the ground,
"This is hopeless."
He wasn't tired, he did not require sleep. He wasn't hungry, he did not require sustenance.
He felt empty.
"There is nothing here for me."
"Why not?" The voice was soft, almost curious, yet oddly uncaring.
"Who...?"
"I am Jenrya." The boy smiled almost proudly.
Yamato surveyed him with a practised eye. Perfectly trimmed blue-black hair framed a pale visage. Clear grey eyes met his with proud alertness, and the boy's clothes showed that the boy was almost neurotically clean.
"I'm Yamato." Yamato finally said.
The boy circled him, appraising the blond as Yamato had appraised him before.
"You are a beautiful boy..." He finally said with a smile, "Come."
Yamato might perhaps have been suspicious, had he not already concluded that the boy was harmless. Slightly narcissistic, but harmless.
"Where are we going?" He asked, falling into step with the admittedly exquisite boy.
"To my home." He smiled, "It is clean, and beautiful. Worthy of a creature such as yourself... and others who are of our level of beauty."
Had Yamato been human he might have been embarrassed or indignant, but being mecha he had long since accepted that no human could surpass the beauty or perfection of a robot created for that purpose.
He inclined his head, accepting the tribute as his due, "I would be honoured to meet these others."
The boy shrugged, "They are beautiful, and it is good to have beautiful things is it not? I shall introduce you."
They walked in silence for well over an hour yet when the boy next spoke, it was as if it had been mere seconds, time seemingly irrelevant to the immortal machine.
"In here."
Yamato followed the black-haired boy into the cavern, and made a slight cry of surprised when the cavern, which had turned out to be a tunnel, abruptly stopped leaving the two boys standing in an oasis, the like of which the blond had never seen before.
"You are beautiful..." The voice was hesitant, yet at the same time sure. Young, yet old. A tiny pale white hand reached up to caress his face, and the girl, who like the green eyed mecha he had seen in the desert, had been created to resemble a child, held her arms up expectantly. Unlike the boy, however, she was clean and beautifully dressed, a perfect doll-like shell, which did not look a day older then 5.
Yamato picked her up, and she smiled at him. Everything he had noticed about her seemed contradictory, and her smile was no exception. It was both cold and warm.
"Shuichon!" Jenrya admonished the girl, "That is not beautiful behaviour. I should not like to think of you as ugly."
The girl schooled her face into an expression of uncaring concern, "I should not like that."
Her brown eyes met his blue, and she said, quite coldly,
"I should like to be put down now. I need to brush my hair, and you are quite dirty. Would you like a mirror?"
"I... I suppose..." Yamato replied dropping the little girl as gently as possible.
Her brown eyes ran over him again, "Jenrya, he is quite dirty. I should not like to see him again until he is clean."
Without another word the girl turned her back on the two boys, walked two paces and began brushing her hair, their new guest already forgotten.
Jenrya gave the young girl a thoughtful look,
"She has much to learn. But she is beautiful, so we will not damage her. Beauty should not be destroyed."
Yamato was unable to speak, so he merely nodded.
"She was correct however, in saying that you are dirty. I shall bathe you, and dress you as befits your beauty. Come Yamato."
With a feeling of slight discomfort to the thought of clothes, which befitted his beauty, Yamato followed the enticing creature towards the bath he had been promised.
~~~
Ruki ran a hand through her hair, despite the ponytail she somehow managed to pull the gesture off without looking completely moronic. In fact, she seemed to look rather stylish.
"Kazu," She snapped, "Water. Now."
Kazu threw her the canteen he'd been carrying.
Ruki's violet-grey eyes coldly glared at the mecha they had found, while the girl pouted up at them.
"I know you're the mecha hunters, but we are the beautiful ones," The girl informed her obstinately.
Ruki sighed, they'd been going over this ever since they'd managed to find the wretched creature, who did not look wretched at all.
"We're the mecha hunters. We hunt mecha's. That's life."
"No. You hunt the ugly ones, who do not deserve to look upon beauty. We live out our lives undisturbed..." The girl paused mid sentence, "Does anyone have a mirror. I think I've got a hair out of place."
Ruki had heard of the 'beautiful ones' before, but she'd never come across them, nor heard of anyone who had, therefore she felt more then a little out of her league.
Finally, she dismounted, and offered the girl her compact. "I'm Ruki, leader of this rider group."
The girl smiled, accepting the proffered mirror.
"I am Mimi," She inclined her head, "You are beautiful."
Ruki for some indescribable reason felt a sense of pride at these words. She, of course, had no idea this was the highest complement that Mimi could have payed her.
The girl handed back the mirror,
"I hope to see you again, jewel amongst humans..." The girl turned and a few seconds later had vanished, whether because she moved at an inhuman speed or had the ability to produce holograms Ruki didn't know, but she was suddenly glad she'd let the exquisitely beautiful creature go.
The trouble burning her would have brought wasn't worth it.
She was only a mecha after all.
~~~
Yamato stepped out of the lake the black haired boy had led him to, sighing as the pleasantly scented water slid down his body in tiny rivulets.
Beside the lake where he'd been bathing he could see a girl kneeling; her face hidden by a curtain of silky golden hair.
Her body seemed the epitome of womanly perfection, from what he could see, which considering the amount of skin her pure white robe showed, was quite a lot.
She looked up briefly, as if evaluating his appearance, then smiled, gracefully standing to sway over to him.
Her voice was low, with an undertone of seduction, or perhaps it was only conceitedness. Yamato found it hard to tell the difference sometimes.
"'Ello," She said in her softly accented voice, "I saw you across the oasis, and I thought to myself 'That is a beautiful boy, he must be related to me'." She said all this with no trace of humility, a bright smile plastered across her face, "I 'ave brothers who look just like you. 'Oo was your creator?"
"I'm not sure," Yamato replied, slightly overwhelmed by the girl.
"...It matters not." The girl said dismissively. "I am Narcissa."
"I'm Yamato." Yamato replied.
The girl gave no reply. When Yamato followed her gaze to try and work out why, he realised she'd been caught by her reflection in the lake.
Jenrya noticed the two standing together and smiled.
"Narcissa is beautiful is she not?"
"... Yes, beautiful," Yamato agreed after a moment.
"I had to rewrite her programming because she is so beautiful. She tried to destroy herself when she realised she would never find another as attractive as herself. She was made to procreate, but her initial command was to produce children as attractive as she herself is. A task that with a human male would be impossible."
Yamato blinked in surprise, he had always known that humans were not as beautiful as the mecha's they created, yet he had never considered them inferior...
Jenrya smiled, "Here, I have brought clothes."
Mat quickly pulled the clothes on. They clung in places, and billowed in others. Silk he identified, soft, deep blue silk, the exact colour of his eyes.
He caught sight of his reflection and felt his breath catch.
"You look beautiful." Jenrya said almost smugly.
"I do..." Yamato agreed wonderingly, unable to tear his eyes away. Suddenly living out his life in the desert didn't seem like such a bad thing.
All thoughts of Taichi and the promise he'd almost made disappeared from his head as he stared entranced at his own reflection.
Jenrya paused, then picked up his mirror and walked away.
The oasis was even more beautiful than before.
~~~
Takeru looked up and wiped the sweat from his brow, giving Daisuke his most dazzling smile, "Hey good-looking."
"What are you doing?" Daisuke asked curiously, watching as the blond jiggled the doorknob to their bedroom.
"I just put a lock on the door so that we don't get interrupted during our, ehem, private activities," He gave the red head a suggestive wink.
Daisuke's brow crinkled, "But... what about Ken?"
"What about Ken?" Takeru repeated.
"What if he gets... I dunno... scared or something?"
"Daisuke, when was the last time you saw a mecha get scared?" Takeru asked exasperated, "Honestly babe..."
Daisuke mock-glared at the blond, "Are you insulting my intelligence TN?"
"That's TK thickie..." Takeru replied playfully, pulling the redhead in for a kiss.
Ken walked in, spotted the two kissing, and without even realising what he was doing, left the room.
Confused thoughts swirled through his head faster then a speeding hovercraft, Why were Daisuke and Takeru kissing?...
'maybe if you were human'...
'wasn't that programmed into you?'...
'Please Blue Fairy, make me a real boy.'
"...I don't understand," He whispered thickly, "Daisuke loves me, not Takeru... right?"
His violet eyes fluttered closed; the idea that his love was not returned did not fit within the parameters of his programming.
~~~
Momoe pulled a face at the sight of Miyako snuggling up to the First Mecha, child-like adoration blatantly obvious.
She'd had a great deal of respect for the lavender-haired scientist who'd lost her fiancée at such a young age.
Along with the steel-like control the scientific technician had displayed over her emotions, the girl also had a great deal of intelligence, was honest and indisputably reliable.
Momoe sighed, she'd thought of the girl like a younger sister... perhaps she should give some sisterly advice.
Love cannot transcend all barriers, and the barrier that exists between organic and synthetic is the strongest barrier in existence.
Regardless of the mecha's apparent intelligence and sensitivity, she could not operate outside the limitations of her programming.
And when Momoe informed her lilac-haired 'younger sister' of this, the girl would return to behaving like the gifted and dependable scientist she truly was.
~~~
Callused fingers trailed across previously untouched skin, Daisuke's lips softly captured the other boys, and Ken let out a soft sound of enjoyment.
Clothes seemed to melt away like the unwanted obstructions they were, beneath the redhead's skilled fingers.
Lips grinding against lips, bodies grinding against bodies, fingers entwining as the two lovers kissed, gasping at the new sensations the experience brought.
Ken mewed, his body almost protesting against Daisuke's gently administrations, as he spoke his thoughts aloud,
"Is this love?"
Daisuke didn't answer, continuing his exploration of the slender boy's thin chest, his tongue flicking to caress the boy's nipples.
"Daisuke..." Ken moaned, he felt as though he would explode at the sensations the other boy was bringing him, his body thrumming with love, "Say you love me..."
Daisuke smiled, running a hand through Ken's soft blond hair,
"I love you Takeru..."
... Ken sat up with a start, his heart pounding in his chest. The bright green numbers showing the time read 2:38 AM.
He swiped his eyes almost guiltily and gazed towards Daisuke's bedroom door, trying hard to keep the tears at bay.
Takeru had installed the lock a few days ago, and Daisuke had given him a bear in case he got lonely.
Ken hugged the bear closer, still staring mournfully at the locked door.
He had changed, he knew, from whatever he once had been, to a broken creature ashamed of his own tears. Ken lay his head against the couch, never once taking his eyes off the door.
He knew from past experiences that if he waited long enough the redhead would be out to greet him good morning.
~~~
Mimi carefully straightened the pale rose pink gown she was wearing, and ran her fingers through her hair to rid it of tangles and allow every hair to fall into its correct position.
It certainly would not do for Jenrya to see her looking unbeautiful, he might become displeased, and if he did not believe she made the oasis beautiful... the brunette shuddered, dismissing the thought as ridiculous.
She must look beautiful to be a good role model for Shiuchon, her young protégé.
Smiling with vapid intelligence, Mimi entered the oasis, her footsteps hesitant but sure as she gazed around the oasis.
Jenrya sat, commandingly aloof, his beautiful face perfectly lit by the sunlit that filtered into the oasis.
"Ma belle Mimi. You have returned at last," Jenrya's soft voice traversed the distance between them, easily reaching Mimi's ears.
"Jenrya..." Mimi stared at the boy, unable to take her eyes off the silk- clad leader of the beautiful ones.
The dark, almost navy blue silk complemented his hair and eyes perfectly, offset flawlessly by the silver threads woven through the silk.
"Shiuchon will be pleased to see you," Jenrya said smiling beatifically as he broke the spell he had created.
As if cued by his words, Shiuchon appeared from nowhere, holding her arms up towards Mimi.
The brunette picked up the child, marvelling once more at her doll-like beauty. The younger girl's dress was a pink only a few shades darker then her idols, trimmed with a flattering golden yellow, which gave the girls clothing an original flair.
"You have been gone a long time," The girl observed, almost chastisingly, but oddly indifferent, for of course, time held no sway over the lives of these mecha's.
"Yes," Mimi replied distractedly, allowing the younger girl to slip from her arms, "Perhaps later I will help you to become more beautiful."
Her brown eyes sought out the lake and froze.
Placidly braiding Narcissa's hair was a mecha who could easily rival Jenrya in looks. His blond hair danced in the soft breeze in the oasis, and the form fitting deep blue silk he was wearing did everything to flatter his figure.
The oasis was even more beautiful then before.
Mimi padded towards the lake, and let her pale pink dress slip to the ground as she waded into the beautifying water of the oasis.
Her curious brown eyes only left the beautiful newcomer when she caught sight of her reflection in Narcissa's jewel-encrusted mirror, which lay temptingly on the lakebed at her feet.
~~~
Taichi smiled wistfully as he watched the children playing on the street outside of his apartment. Takato's light sandy brown hair seemed to defy gravity, tamed only by the goggles he had taken to wearing on his head after seeing Tai's almost unique fashion statement.
Juri giggled clapping her hands as Takato won his game against the blond haired boy he'd been playing against.
"Ha! Takato beat you again Michael!"
Taichi sighed, the blond reminding him of Yamato.
It wasn't that the boy actually looked like Yamato... not at all. He was repugnant, where Yamato was perfect formed.
Taichi turned away from the window in disgust, in fact that blond was nauseating!
Why he'd even briefly associated him with the beautiful and talented mecha he loved he could not fathom.
Angrily he gathered up his jacket and money, just wait till he gave that Michael a piece of his mind.
"The cheek of him, reminding *me* of Yamato!" Taichi muttered fiercely, stomping angrily down the stairs.
He was almost appeased when he saw Michael flinch away from him as he finished his tirade. And when Takato, whom Taichi had met earlier, congratulated him on 'giving the lousy know-it-all what for' Taichi found himself smiling happily for the first time since he'd left Yamato behind.
~~~
Hirokazu, better known as Kazu, second in command to Ruki, leader of the second company of riders, laughed uproariously at Asuka's recount of events as the red haired girl pantomimed the actions for the half of the company who sat around the fire with her.
The two youngest members of the company, Meiling and Li had already retired to their shared tent and Ruki was, apparently, conveying the details of their scout to Ryo. It was Kazu's personal opinion that the girl was actually making up for lost time by giving the head of the mecha hunters the night of his life.
He leant back against the log and slung an arm around Kenta as the dark haired boy snuggled into his side, sleepily.
He smirked at the only other observer of Asuka's performance, Kaji, who winked in return, and made an encouraging if somewhat impolite suggestion with hand gestures.
Kazu looked at the sleeping boy and gave Kaji a mournful look, "He's asleep, I can't," He mouthed.
Kazu got on quite well with the oldest member of their little troupe, as neither of them could fully control their hormones.
Kaji rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the scantily clad Asuka.
"You know Asuka, you look a little tired... perhaps we should go to bed?"
Kazu hid his smirk as he scooped Kenta up, marvelling at his own strength.
"We'd better get to bed too," He grinned, "Kenta's already falling asleep on me..." He waved cheerfully to the pair who were heading towards their own tent and carried the boy back to the tent they shared, congratulating himself as the other boy pressed closer to his warm body.
~~~
Ken smiled at Daisuke as the boy entered the room dressed and ready to face the day,
"Good morning Daisuke."
"Erm, Hey Ken," The redhead said through a yawn.
Takeru followed him into the room, wrapping his arms around the other boy possessively.
"I was waiting for you to wake up."
Takeru snorted, "I know. You've done the same thing every morning since I put the lock on our door. You really don't have any purpose if there aren't humans around do you?"
Daisuke glared at the blond, "Takeru!" He said sharply, then his voice softened as he turned to look at the bluenette, "Would you like to come to breakfast with us Ken?"
Kens violet eyes filled with warmth, "Yes Daisuke."
Takeru pouted, "Dai-chan..."
Daisuke rolled his eyes, "Jeez TZ, anyone would think you were jealous."
Takeru pouted, then laughingly kissed his boyfriend, taking sadistic pleasure in the hurt that Ken displayed.
Ha. That would teach the stupid mecha to try to steal his boyfriend.
Daisuke wrapped an arm around Takeru's waist.
"C'mon then Ken. Lets get going."
Despondently the bluenette followed the couple out the door, it had been three days since Daisuke touched him in any way shape or form, and having a photographic memory Ken couldn't help but remember the look on his face the last time they'd touched.
Daisuke had recoiled from his fingers as if the other boy was repulsive. Ken trailed after the two, Daisuke was still being nice, but it seemed forced... As if he didn't love Ken at all.
Ken looked up at the other two.
"Come on Ken, you're being slow again," Daisuke teased.
Ken increased his pace; that was ridiculous, of course Daisuke still loved him.
~~~
The sun was high in the sky, nearing midday although it was hard to tell through the trees that covered the sky of the oasis.
Yamato pulled his eyes away from the mirror with considerable difficulty, he truly was a beautiful creature.
Narcissa sat near the lake in her customary spot. While she was quite possibly the most egotistical of the beautiful one's, she had had her moments and of course she was beautiful. It had been enjoyable to form a mutual admiration society.
Her hair was still braided thanks to his earlier efforts, and she had changed her gown to an even scantier shift of the same pure white.
Shiuchon was brushing the hair of an older female mecha who was wearing a pale pink gown of the same design as Narcissa's.
Her doe brown eyes landed on his, and for a moment he could feel himself drowning. Her lips twitched into a warm smile, and she beckoned to him.
Carefully Yamato walked over to the brunette, and seated himself in front of her.
"Shiuchon, enough." She commanded imperiously, "I am Mimi."
"I'm Yamato."
She nodded, "I thought you might be. You are as beautiful as Jenrya claims."
"...Thank you." Yamato said after a moment of silence.
She shrugged, "It is merely a truth."
Yamato nodded unsurely.
"Come, walk with me. I would talk with you if you would."
"Of course Mimi..." He replied.
Mimi laughed, "You are altogether too agreeable fair one."
Yamato did not have a chance to reply before the girl continued talking quite fluently about the beauty of the oasis and its inhabitants. Lee Jenrya and Shiuchon, the lovely Narcissa, Willis - who had been missing for nearly a month, and the two mecha's who came and went as they pleased, Ootoshi Takehito and Tomikaji Hiroko.
~~~
Miyako gazed up at the girl who cradled her so protectively,
"But... Doesn't it hurt?"
"I do not... understand," Hikari replied, confusion evident.
"To know that no matter how much you loved him, he would die, and you would live on for another thousand years."
"Perhaps it might..." Hikari shrugged, a little uncomfortably, "But I do not know what it is to hurt."
Miyako blinked, "If I was to die, right here in your arms, what would you do? How would you feel?"
Hikari's face clouded, and for the first time Miyako saw her as something that wasn't perfect, "I do not know. The scenario has not been programmed..."
Miyako dropped her head, feeling pain knife through her like a lance. This was stupid, she knew Hikari was a mecha.
Hikari tilted the girl's face up, and brushed away a tear, then, for the first time did something she had not been programmed to do, and kissed the lavender-haired girl on her upturned lips.
"Don't cry Miyako... Miya-chan. If you were to die right now, I would... rewrite my programming so that I could destroy your murderer. Then I would recreate you as my companion, so that I would never lose you..."
Miyako blushed, "I have known you for less then a day..." She replied timidly.
"I love you Innoue Miyako. You will be mine and I yours for all eternity."
Momoe opened her mouth to butt in, but before she could, Miyako said the only words that could stop her.
"Gods help me Hikari-chan, I love you too. I want you to make me your companion, so that I will never die and leave you."
Momoe blinked, the real Yagami Hikari had died over a thousand years ago, yet somehow the universe had provided a way for the two soulmates to be together.
Perhaps sometimes love could surpass all boundaries, destroy all obstacles, perhaps sometimes, love was all you needed.
~~~
Ken sighed as he watched Takeru hand-feed Daisuke, brushing his fingers against the redhead's lips in a seductively innocent manner.
Violet eyes closed in dismay, Ken would dream of feeding Daisuke tonight, and Daisuke would call him Takeru.
Daisuke kissed Takeru's fingertips then pulled away to look at Ken,
"Ken, are you feeling okay?" He asked, then laughed, "I'm sorry, I mean, there isn't anything wrong with your... systems or whatever. You look kinda sad."
"I am simply... thinking." Ken replied, more hurt then he would have thought by Daisuke's comment.
Takeru snorted, and turned Daisuke's face back to his, kissing the redhead thoroughly while the bluenette watched on in tortured obligation.
~~~
Willis stepped into the oasis, his arrival timed to take perfect advantage of the sun, which would filter through the trees to glint off his perfect golden hair and draw all eyes to him.
His arrival had been well planned, and would have drawn all eyes to him, had his position not been usurped by the blond mecha who sat in the middle of the huddle of girls, allowing them to brush his perfect gold hair.
Jenrya looked down at him from his dais, and for a moment a hint of a frown crossed his face,
"Willis, you are not *as* beautiful as we have remembered."
Willis felt the ground beneath him sway, who here was more beautiful then he?
Yamato stepped towards him, offering a hand in greeting,
"You must be Willis. Hi, I'm Yamato."
His speech was not... beautiful.
Willis spun on his heel, refusing to take the blonds hand.
"He is not beautiful, he does not think as a beautiful one," Willis told them sulkily.
Narcissa stood, and swept towards him, for a moment he thought she was planning to caress his hair as per her usual gesture and therefore it came as a shock when the silver-haired mecha slapped him hard across the face.
"If you again insult my cousin I will dismember you, for there is none here as beautiful as he, save for myself."
Willis blinked in shock.
Mimi nodded, "He has replaced you in every way."
"You no longer make the oasis beautiful. Leave." Jenrya's word was as law, and Willis knew a command when he heard one.
Bitterness rose in him and Willis spun on his heel,
"You have been fooled, and I call you fools. He will never be as beautiful as I."
Shuichon laughed coldly, "You are ugly Willis. Ugly."
~~~
Ken tossed uneasily as the details of his dream cruelly taunted him as he stirred from his slumber. Slipping out from under the blanket Daisuke had given him Ken carefully made his way to Daisuke's bedroom.
The door opened noiselessly and Ken's eyes widened as he took in the sight before him.
Daisuke lay on the bed, back arched as Takeru spread his legs, his nails raking Daisuke's perfect golden hued skin, leaving ugly red marks.
The red head whimpered, biting back louder cries of passion as the blond lowered his mouth to worship Daisuke's growing erection.
Unable to hold back the cry as he came Daisuke let out a loud yelp, half of pain, half of pleasure as Takeru sadistically nipped as he swallowed.
Ken was galvanised to action by Daisuke's yelp of pain, angry that anyone would touch his love with the intent to harm.
"Takeru!" He yelled angrily, pulling the blond away from the boy he loved.
Takeru turned to see Ken, and growled low in his throat as the hatred in the pit of his stomach flared to life.
"What the hell are you doing in here mecha? Don't you understand orders! This is my bedroom!"
Ken answered with a furious wail of his own,
"How dare you hurt Daisuke!"
Takeru's fist connected with Ken's eye,
"Shut the fuck up mecha."
Ken looked over at Daisuke who'd pulled the blankets around him.
"Ken, I want you to leave. Takeru and I need to talk, and I don't think it's your place to be in here."
Ken's eyes met his, that unbearably naïve trust all too evident,
"Yes Daisuke."
Daisuke watched the boy leave the room. Three years later he finally understood the saying Tai had once used. He supposed this was a prime example of being trapped between a rock and a hard place.
Perhaps Ken did love him, but he was, after all, only a machine. A machine who had just tried to damage Takeru after walking in on them making love.
Perhaps Takeru was right. Perhaps the three of them couldn't coexist in peaceful harmony.
~~~
Willis knew the desert, knew the hills and plains like the back of his exquisitely crafted hand. He had frequented the wastelands for close to 20 years now, unchanging, as even the landscape could not be.
He could see the glint of the moon on the sea of despair to the far east, soon the sun would rise above that glittering sea.
To the west, a further distance than that to the sea, was the City of Angels, a city almost as dangerous as Galar'iel, in its own way.
One foot fell in front of the other mechanically. Willis sighed, if he kept walking, he'd end up walking straight into the encampment of the mecha hunters.
Perhaps they would be merciful and end his life quickly, for if he was now ugly, it was his duty to uphold the beauty of the wastelands.
It was his duty to find the hunters and ask them to utterly destroy all traces of his imperfect being.
~~~
"...Well Daisuke?" Takeru's simple question had not asked anything, yet conveyed everything, as Takeru's questions always did.
"Perhaps you're right..." Daisuke conceded.
"Of course I am. I love you Daisuke, and I'm willing to put up with a lot to be with you, but I'm not going to be treated like I'm second to a machine Dai, because that isn't fair, not to me, not to you, and not even to it."
"What!?" Daisuke asked anxiously, "What do you mean?"
"I'm not going to live here with you and that machine, while you pretend it's a 'friend', catering to it's whims and ignoring the worshipful looks it bestows upon you. It's not healthy, not for you to be put under the pressure of pretending. Not for me to come second to a machine. And not for it to be treated as if it really is human. My mother tried this experiment, and if you continue it, your pet mecha is going to go insane."
"But Take-chan..." Daisuke objected shakily.
Takeru rested a hand lightly on his lovers shoulder, "I know that you like the machine Dais, but in the end, that's all he is. He only cares about you because he was programmed to do so. I'm telling you this because I love you Dai-chan, anyone can rewrite programming, I don't want you to get hurt when that inevitably happens... Ken is only a mecha Daisuke. He doesn't love anyone, least of all you. I'm your boyfriend of nearly 5 years, and I've been your friend for even longer. I know you'll make the right decision."
Daisuke let his eyes close as his head fell forward to rest lightly against his blond haired lovers.
"...You're right Takeru. So what do we do now?"
~~~
"Why me?" Ruki growled, her question directed at nobody in particular.
"Hunter?" The blond repeated softly, still on his knees.
Ruki glared down at the mecha, destroying the wretched creatures, which littered the wastelands was one thing. Purposefully obliterating a thing of beauty pointlessly was quite another.
"Get up. Ryo will decide what will be done with you."
Gracefully the blond stood his head lowered in submission, "As you wish... beautiful one."
Ruki shifted uncomfortably at the title, she had never considered herself beautiful, although she knew many others did. With her fiery hair and violet grey eyes she'd always been able to use her looks to her own advantage... but to be recognised for them? By one of the beautiful ones, a creature of legend: Definitely awkward.
Kazu prodded the mecha forward, "Care to do the honours Captain?"
Ruki nodded, the hint of a smile tugging at her mouth, "Hunters, Let's move out!"
~~~
"Ken... you have to stay here," Daisuke's voice broke slightly on the last word.
"When will you come back for me?" Ken asked, with the childlike innocence of one who cannot comprehend abandonment. Despite everything else that had happened, Ken honestly believed that Daisuke could never left him for good.
"Never you stupid robot. He's never coming back for you," Takeru spat angrily.
Ken blinked up at Daisuke in confusion,
"What did I do wrong?"
"I... Nothing Ken. You didn't do anything wrong. It's just; well..." Daisuke tried to explain.
"You're not real Ken. You'll never be real and we're sick of you pretending you are." Takeru finished for Daisuke.
"Takeru!" Daisuke cried horrified, "Don't say that. It's just, well, now that Takeru's awake, well, I think you should go find someone else to stay with."
Kens eyes crinkled in confusion,
"No Daisuke, I have to stay with you. I love you."
"You're a mecha. You don't love anybody," Takeru used the same argument he'd used on Daisuke earlier, "Go and find somebody who isn't already taken to love."
Ken looked from one to the other fear creeping into his eyes,
"Daisuke I'm scared. Can we go home now?"
"I..." Daisuke stepped backwards, "I..."
"Sure," Takeru said sweetly, "We can go home, but first you have to get a flower for Daisuke, okay Ken?"
Ken smiled,
"If I get Dai a flower we can go home?" He affirmed.
Takeru nodded, trying not to smirk.
Ken stared down at the ground. Nothing but sand as far as the eye could see, no sign of any flowers.
He was so engrossed in his search that he didn't hear the soft hum of Daisuke and Takeru's hover craft starting up.
It was only after he'd found the tiny purple desert weed that Takeru had instructed him to give to Daisuke that he realised the other two had already gone.
And that they had left him behind.
-~O~-
To Be Continued...
Authors Notes: Perhaps sometimes love can surpass all boundaries, destroy all obstacles, perhaps sometimes, love is all you need. But not very often. Sometimes even all the love in the world isn't enough to make a relationship work.
In real life happy endings don't always follow tragedy, and sometimes there are no villains, or no happy endings, only victims.
Please Read & Review: I worked very hard on this chapter, and I'd appreciate hearing what you have to say.
Author: FireDemon
Email: Ken_Dai_Love@hotmail.com
Rating: R
Warnings: This fic contains YAOI, meaning two hot guys going down on each other, if that disturbs you; well you've been warned. There's a little shoujo-ai (girl love) that I wasn't expecting to write! It gets a little limey in parts, but that's about as descriptive as it's gonna get. It's also very angsty; unrequited love and all that. There are a few words in Japanese and French; predominantly suffixes for Japanese, and all French will be translated. Oh, and let's not forget the always-popular 'coarse language'. Hopefully that about covers it.
Category: Romance, Angst, and Science Fiction.
Summary: AU. Ken is the prototype for a new generation of robots, designed to love one person, and one person alone. Daisuke is a thief whose curiosity is likely to get him killed. When the bumbling Dai accidentally activates Kens program heartache inevitably follows, because Daisuke, after all, is only human. And Ken isn't. **Kensuke**
iFor Beth, who showed me that love hurts. For Ken, who made me laugh when I wanted to cry. And for Krystle; all my love.i
Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. I do not own Artificial Intelligence (The Movie) from which I have stolen many ideas and quotes. Not quite enough to make it a parody (partly because I haven't watched the movie in ages, and partly because by the time I got halfway through this fic it suddenly developed an original plot out of nowhere. *Glares at Takeru and Yamato who suddenly got a whole lot deeper then I'd intended to write them*.) I do not own any robots. This may also be a little similar to girlstarfish's "Heist" series, which I truly enjoyed reading, but do not own either. Anyone who hasn't read it, I highly recommend it. There is also a line I accidentally stole (I collect quotes from everywhere, and then use them and have to go back and try to source them) from Draco Sinister by Cassandra Claire.
Daisuke couldn't believe it.
"You look... incredible." He managed after a few seconds of staring into the other boys deep blue eyes. The blond gave his trademark smile.
"You're not so bad yourself lover. Where's my kiss?"
"I..." Daisuke started, before Takeru's mouth covering his cut him off.
"I'm so sorry Dai. You were right - I shouldn't have taken the mission. I thought I was going to die, and all I could think about was how much I wanted to be home with you: Playing vid-games and snuggling with my husband."
"Takeru..." Daisuke began, melting into the others arms.
"I love you too." The blond said with a smile, "C'mon Dai-chan. Let's go home."
~~~
"You want to recreate the First Mecha?" The voice sounded amused by the concept.
"What are you, crazy, the council will have you executed for even suggesting-" Came a second voice.
"If they find out." This voice was clearly female, "Besides, I'm not talking about recreating. Simply reanimating. The First Mecha was never destroyed."
"Miyako! You're insane, there was a reason for her current state. The council has very strict rules on this kind of-"
"Hush Shin, after all, the First Mecha isn't dangerous. The council was simply afraid she would usurp their rulership."
"Miyako is correct Shin. Perhaps it was crazy, but she was built for the same reason as Ken. Perhaps she can help us get him back."
"Or perhaps she will merely confirm what we already knew." Came a second female voice, this one colder then the first, "That if Kens program has been activated..."
"Hush Momoe. We reactivate the First Mecha, and that's final."
~~~
Tai pulled Yamato back into his hovercraft, panting hard,
"Shit, Yama, you could of helped me instead of prattling. It'll take us two days to get to Galar'iel..."
"Galar'iel, the Gallery of Hell." Yamato said softly, "Home of the homeless. You really did think ahead."
"Yeah, well..." Tai said grinning proudly.
"Don't be surprised by some of the things you see there. I love you Taichi," Yamato leaned forward and kissed Taichi hard on the lips, "But I'd rather risk the mecha hunters in the wastelands then be delivered into their hands. Perhaps one day we will meet again. Despite the knowledge that it is your fault I can never return to the City, I hope that we do. Goodbye Taichi."
The blond jumped out of the hovercraft leaving Taichi inside staring out in bewildered shock.
Yamato had never said that before.
He'd told Taichi the first time they'd done business that he was programmed to give pleasure, not to say corny words.
And the only one who could have overwritten that programming was Yamato himself.
"I hope so as well..." He told the empty seat where Yamato should have been sitting, "Gods help me, I love you too..."
~~~
Daisuke opened the door, and smiled at Takeru,
"Welcome home T.K."
Takeru stepped into the apartment and looked around,
"When was the last time you cleaned Dai-chan?"
Daisuke blushed, "Erm... well y'see..."
Takeru laughed, pulling Daisuke into his arms and pushing the door closed,
"I know. I missed you so much..." He leant up and kissed Daisuke again, "We have so much to catch up on."
Daisuke moaned in the back of his throat, letting Takeru push him back towards their bedroom... and their bed.
It was only when he saw Ken's shirt where he'd dropped it earlier that evening that he remembered.
"Oh shit! Ken!"
Takeru pulled back pain and confusion etched on his face,
"Ken?" He asked too hurt to be cold, but too angry to cry.
Ken stood next to the couch hugging himself fearfully, staring at Daisuke and Takeru.
"Dai-chan?" The indigo haired mecha bit his lip.
Takeru's eyes widened even further,
"Dai-chan?!? I fuck up on one mission and you replace me?"
"Takeru... it's not what it looks like... Ken, come here..."
Ken obeyed, instinctively edging behind Daisuke so he wouldn't have to face Takeru's wrath alone.
"Ken, I want you to meet my husband Takeru. He's been in a coma for the past 2 years."
Takeru blanched at this piece of information.
"Two years...?" He whispered.
Daisuke continued, oblivious to the blonds whisper, "Takeru, this is Ken. Ken was being held prisoner by an upsider."
Daisuke smirked, inwardly proud of his explanation, Ken hadn't exactly said that he was a prisoner, but Daisuke had decided he was, after all, Ken had treated him as if he were his saviour. And now Takeru would feel sorry for him, and they would become friends, and he wouldn't have to hurt either of them.
He could never hurt Takeru; they'd been together for too long. But hurting Ken felt just as bad.
Ken was so vulnerable, a trait Daisuke had always found irresistible; he'd almost been disappointed when Takeru stopped being vulnerable.
Takeru looked at Ken for a long moment, then offered his hand.
Ken stared at it in confusion.
Takeru took the other boys hand, and nearly dropped it from shock.
If he hadn't lived with mecha's for most of his childhood he'd never have recognised the other boy for what he was, but he had, and he did.
He looked up to meet the other boy's eyes and shuddered.
It was like seeing Yamato after his mother had reprogrammed him to learn.
Takeru always had hated mecha's.
~~~
Yamato crouched, watching as the hovercraft disappeared into the glare of the horizon. He looked around, sand stretched as far as the eyes could see, even the eyes of a mecha. He could see the sun setting beneath the horizon on the west.
It seemed to light up the City of Angels like a halo.
He turned. Galar'iel, the Gallery of Hell lay to the north-east. It would be 2 days journey from the City of Angels, travelling by hovercraft.
To the east was the Sea of Despair.
The sea that had once been called the Pacific Ocean.
And of course, there were the mecha hunters.
Yamato turned and set off, walking south-east across the desert. It was strange, he'd been torn from his purpose in life - more then once - yet as he stood here, alone in the wastelands, he'd never felt better.
There was no Natsuko to challenge his belief system. No Taichi to change the way he saw humans. There was no Takeru to betray him.
There was nothing but him.
"Welcome to Paradise."
~~~
Takeru wrenched his hand out of the other boys' hand, feeling his blood turn to ice in his veins.
Ken looked at him slight surprise registering on his face,
"You're..." He began.
Takeru cut him off, "Say another word and I'll kill you... slowly. I've done it before and I can do it again. Your kind means nothing to me! Nothing!" The boy yelled angrily.
"Who are you trying to convince?" Ken asked, "Yourself or me?"
Takeru felt the words pierce his heart and slowly turned around, "Daisuke, let's go get some dinner. I'm hungry."
Ken stepped closer to Daisuke,
"Please don't leave me Dai... I'm scared."
Takeru stared at the mecha, manipulative bastard. It was like seeing Yama- cha... that mecha all over again.
"Dai-chan I'm hungry," Takeru repeated.
"Dai-chan I'm scared," Ken tried plaintively.
Daisuke looked trapped.
Takeru slipped his arms around Daisuke's waist,
"C'mon, it's been two years since we did anything together. I'll take you to dinner then. My treat."
Ken bit his lip, wide violet eyes filled with a mixture of hope and fear,
"Don't leave me..."
Daisuke took a deep breath,
"I'll take both of you out for dinner. Then we will come back here and you will both stop arguing."
Daisuke smiled inwardly pleased with his solution.
He didn't notice that both boys looked downright disappointed with his decision.
~~~
Tai pressed the handful of crinkled bills into the landlady's outstretched hand looking around cautiously.
The flat appeared to be falling to pieces. Assorted poorly dressed figures lined the street. Tai realised, much to his surprise that there were no mecha's.
After Yamato's parting words he'd expected to see broken 'bots lining the streets.
"Mama, mama!" Tai's head whipped around to find the owner of the voice.
"Takato, keep walking!" A woman's voice rose over the clamour of the crowd chastisingly.
"But mama, when is the festival going to be here?" The boy, Takato, asked.
"Hush Takato. I'm not interested in seeing the hunters destroy other people's toys. Forget about seeing the mecha's destroyed - your obsession with them is unhealthy."
Tai lost sight of the two and turned back to the proprietor, shock and confusion fighting for dominance in his head.
"What the hell have I let myself in for?"
"2 months in my flat," the woman replied flatly. "Here's your key - I'll be back in 2 months. 12pm sharp."
~~~
Takeru glared at the blue haired mecha, ignoring the churning feeling in his stomach that might otherwise have been identified as jealousy.
Ken stared unabashedly at Daisuke, a contemplative smile adorning his perfect features.
Every nerve in his body screamed for him to reveal the boy for what he was but he couldn't bring himself to do it.
It would hurt Daisuke he realised.
The mecha looked over at Takeru and smiled hopefully.
Takeru scowled at the bluenette who quickly looked away.
"...You two sure are quiet tonight," Daisuke pointed out.
"Erm..." Takeru started, realising with glaring at Ken he'd forgotten to hold up his usual conversation with his red-haired love.
"I'm sorry Daisuke," Ken apologised softly.
"Hey, don't worry about it Ken, it's cool."
Ken smiled softly. Takeru could have strangled the boy when he noticed the way the boy's whole face lit up, as if Daisuke were his universe.
He stood up abruptly and muttered, "I have to go to the toilet."
Daisuke didn't seem to notice.
At that moment he hated Daisuke and he hated himself, because he knew, if that smile had been directed at him... he would have ignored Daisuke too.
He sat down on the seat of the toilet after locking the cubicle door and cried until he didn't have any tears left to cry.
~~~
Ruki ran a hand through her messy bangs, scanning the horizon for any sign of mecha habitation.
Her other hand rested on her hoverbike, with a fond familiarity, seeking the reassuring thrum of the bikes motor.
She straightened her leather jacket.
"Movement in section B72. Let's move out people!"
Without waiting for a response the girl sped off into the distance with a loud whoop.
"She has way too much energy," Kazu told his companion, shaking his head.
Kenta pushed his glasses up, wishing he could afford the stupid laser treatment that would make 'hunting' so much easier.
"Tell Ryo that, he's the one who put her in charge of the group."
"Ryo's sleeping with her, he's not going to care how much energy she has, personally I think he likes it."
"We'd better go, Ruki's likely to kill us if she gets in trouble with one of the rogues and we're not there to save her ass." Kenta said regretfully.
"How the hell did you get suckered into being a hunter Kenta-chan? You really don't seem like the type."
"Born to it," Kenta informed him before speeding off after Ruki at top speed.
"Kenta..." Kazu called angrily, "Wait for me!"
~~~
"Hey," Takeru said smiling at the two boys. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything?"
Daisuke laughed, "Of course not Keru-chan."
Takeru smiled warmly and sat down next to the boy wrapping his arms around him.
On the other side of the table Ken squirmed uncomfortably,
"...Are you okay now Takeru?"
Takeru turned to meet the mecha's gaze with an icy glare. 'I don't want your fake sympathy. You'll never be real, don't try to draw me into your fabricated world...'
"I'm fine Ken-san, thank you for asking," The words were stiff and formal. 'I won't be fooled, I won't care, I refuse to care for a mecha.'
"That's great. Do you guys want to head back home now?" Daisuke asked, sensing the cold atmosphere but not understanding the reason for it. Takeru linked an arm through Daisuke's possessively and rested his head on the taller boy's shoulder.
"Sure Dais, whatever you want."
Daisuke grinned and offered his other arm to Ken,
"Hey Ken, you coming or what? It wouldn't be a party without my two favourite boys."
Ken blushed and accepted Daisuke's hand, entwining their fingers and smiling softly at the redhead.
Takeru stiffened, 'Ouch...'
~~~
Sand shifted, squelching beneath his feet, still he walked.
"Where are you going?" The voice came out of nowhere, yet the blond did not think to question it.
"I'm going home"
"Why are you here?"
"I'm here..."
"Why are you here?"
"Because I have no home."
"What are you doing?"
"I am..."
"What are you doing?"
Yamato hugged his arms to his body.
"Leave me alone."
"What are you doing, Yamato?"
"I am..."
"Are you afraid?"
"St... stop it..."
"What are you afraid of, Yamato?"
"I'm not afraid! Mecha's don't fear. Mecha's don't feel. I am afraid of nothing!"
"Is that true?"
"Mecha's don't lie!"
"Is that true?"
"*I* don't lie!" Yamato's voice rang in the emptiness, sending the tiny desert creatures scampering for their homes.
"... is that true?"
"..."
"Why are you running?"
"I'm not running..." Yamato denied.
"You fear death."
"Mecha's don't feel."
"What are you?"
"I am a Mecha" The answer was mechanical. There was no thought required.
"What are you?"
"I am a Mecha."
"What are you?"
"..."
"You are not a Mecha."
"...Leave me alone." Fear crept into the blonds shaking voice as surely as it crept into his shaking body.
"You are afraid?"
"...Yes."
"..."
"Who are you?" Yamato demanded.
There was no reply save for the rustling of the tiny mice and bugs that inhabited the sand under his feet.
~~~
"Dais..." Takeru's voice was soft, almost hesitant.
"Hai?" Daisuke asked, "What is it Take-chan?"
"Tell me you love me... Tell me you'll never love anyone or anything the way you love me..." Takeru's deep sapphire blue eyes caught the violet eyes of Ken who was standing hesitantly by the partially open door, "Tell me you love me more than Ken."
Daisuke cradled Takeru's face tenderly, "I love you Takeru Takaishi. From the very first moment you pushed me down the stairs and told me to keep my hands off Taichi's little sister to the day you confessed your love for me. From the day you wore those hideous orange socks and bucket hat, and tried to seduce me, to this moment right now. I've seen you at your worst, and I still love you. No matter what happens, I will always love you. And no one could ever take your place."
Takeru smiled, but inwardly his mind was still churning. Daisuke hadn't said he loved him more then Ken.
His eyes flickered back up to the door where he'd last seen Ken.
The indigo-haired mecha was gone.
And for now, that would have to be enough.
~~~
Ken whimpered, it was late, he knew, but he couldn't sleep, he was afraid.
"Daisuke?" He whispered, "Where are you?"
The endless sea of blackness swallowed his words, as it swallowed all sound in the depth of the night.
Hugging his arms to his chest he crept towards the redhead's room, then slipped inside silently, skirting the hastily discarded clothes.
He could see the light from the street lamps outside shining through the single window and highlighting Takeru's blond hair as the boy slept. Daisuke lay on the other side of the bed, hugging his pillow.
Ken bit his lip, then carefully, without waking either of the boys, slipped under the blanket and snuggled up to Daisuke. It was only for tonight...
Besides, the redhead knew he was afraid of sleeping alone.
~~~
"Is that her?" The voice was respectful... reverent even.
"Hai. She's beautiful isn't she?"
Even as Hikari heard and recognised the voices, she dismissed them.
Her attention turned inwards, she had been 'asleep' for a long time, that much she knew.
All her wires seemed to be in working order, carefully, in order to avoid drawing attention to herself, she rewired those connections, which had been disabled, and began to scan her memory.
Everything seemed to be as it should be, from her networking to her memories. Finally satisfied she opened her eyes.
She was naked, Hikari noted. She was not even wearing a standard hospital gown, something that might have, had she been human and less then perfect, distressed her. As it was, it was no more then a momentary oddity.
Her crimson eyes settled on the girl who stood at the forefront of the group.
"Who are you?" She asked levelly.
Brown eyes widened behind wire rimmed glass.
"... Miyako. Inoue Miyako." She bit her lip, "Do you have a name also?"
Hikari smiled, "My name is Hikari. It is a pleasure to meet you Miyako- san."
The girl smiled. "Yes, it's a pleasure for me also Hikari-sama. I... We thought perhaps you could help us."
Hikari tilted her head thoughtfully, pulling herself free from her bonds, "Aa... How can I be of assistance?"
~~~
The early morning noise, both in Daisuke's apartment block and on the street outside woke Takeru first.
He had always been a light sleeper, having grown up a lot closer to the sky than Daisuke.
He yawned, sitting up and taking in his surroundings, trying to decide what to do first. Should he make his spouse breakfast in bed? Or perhaps simply wake the redhead with some good old-fashioned kissing?
Decisions, decisions.
The blond was so engrossed in his own thoughts that he didn't even realise that his bed had an extra occupant until aforementioned occupant snuffled and curled up closer to the blonds husband.
Takeru opened his mouth but nothing came out.
What the hell was Ken doing in his bed?
Growling angrily he flew out of bed, and somehow managed to rip the slumbering mecha out of the warm comfort of sleep as well.
The bluenette shrank from his rage-contorted face with a fearful squeak.
"What the bloody hell are you doing in my bed?"
Kens eyes widened and he snuck a glance back at the bed, trying to determine if his protector was still asleep.
"Answer me when I talk to you! Or wasn't that programmed into you?"
"I... I don't understand Takeru-sama..." He replied, eyes still unnaturally wide in his fear-filled face.
"What the hell were you doing in my bed, with my lover?"
Daisuke rubbed his eyes, blinking away sleep.
"What? What happened Takeru-chan?"
"That... That, thing, was cuddled up to you when I woke up this morning." He turned to Ken. "What the hell was that about?"
Ken shrunk closer to Daisuke, placing childlike trust in the others ability to protect him. Daisuke was unable to fail such trust, and gave his boyfriend a withering look.
"Takeru!" He admonished, pulling the fragile bluenette protectively close, "Don't yell at Ken. So he didn't think that you might not want him there. He was scared and he's not used to sleeping alone."
Takeru's blue eyes widened as his significant other took someone else's side.
Anger overrode reason, and the blond lunged forward with a furious snarl, yanking the interloper's arm out towards him, expertly splitting the skin with his laser knife.
Kens violet eyes widened with pain and betrayal and he pulled his arm to his chest, hugging it protectively close as if he was afraid that Takeru would cut it again.
Takeru glared at the indigo haired mecha, mentally berating the thing for its stupidity. Didn't it realise he'd accomplished what he set out to do.
It was obvious, just from the look on Daisuke's face that the damage had already been done. Daisuke had seen what had spilled from Ken's open cut... and it hadn't been blood.
Takeru levelly met the eyes of the mecha, secure in the knowledge it was no longer a threat.
Still he knew he was lucky. If Ken had been human, rather then the machine he could not help but be, Daisuke would have picked Ken.
But Ken wasn't human, so Takeru was the only real choice. As heartless as they may have seemed, his actions were justified.
Daisuke took a deep breath, then gave the two boys what was very obviously an artificial smile.
"C'mon Ken, let's get that cut fixed up."
The violet-eyed mecha offered his hand carefully, his eyes filled with an unbearable amount of trust.
Daisuke gave another forced smile, and took the boys hand. The contact felt fake, unnatural... Somehow the knowledge that Ken was nothing more then a piece of equipment tainted everything he had said or done.
Daisuke let the mecha snuggle into him as he always did, but for the first time, he wasn't overwhelmed with love for the boy in his arms.
For the first time in his life... he felt nothing.
~~~
Hikari nodded in agreement. "That is a problem."
"What should we do?"
"What can you do?" The question was not patronising, nor even malevolent, it was simply, asked.
"I... I don't know..." Miyako stared up at the beautiful mecha, even hours later unable to tear her eyes away.
Hikari smiled down at the girl, affection for the fragile creature growing as they spoke, "Perhaps a story would help."
Miyako grinned at her eagerly, throwing her arms around the smaller but sturdier girl, "Oh yes Hikari-sama! I should like that a lot."
Hikari laughed softly at the girl's exuberant enthusiasm accepting the girls well meaning hug.
"Sit with me, Miyako-chan, and I shall tell you about my husband, and the problems his construction of me created..."
Miyako snuggled closer to the dark haired mecha, her soft brown eyes fixed adoringly on the other girl.
Hikari slid an arm around the girl's slender shoulder, surprised by her attraction to the innocently entrancing creature,
"It started when Yagami Hikari, the first wife of Kyver Seto passed away leaving the man broken-hearted, and stubbornly determined to find a way for the spirit of his wife to live forever..."
~~~
The atmosphere in the room was electric, as if there was a storm, which could break at any moment. Even Ken, who did not understand why, knew that something had changed. Some strange infinitely important element had changed, and the occupants of that room could never interact in the same way again.
Ken stared at the red haired boy who was sitting across the room from him. His thoughts whirling in a way he'd never thought they could.
His eyes flickered to the blond, who like himself was staring at the silent redhead. Takeru had yet to break the silence, perhaps because he too felt the awkwardness in the air.
Abruptly the blond stood and left the room.
Ken bit his lip, caught between what he wanted and what he needed.
He stood and ran after the blond.
"Takeru-sama. I need to know... what is wrong with Daisuke?" The blue- haired boy stared at the other beseechingly, violet eyes begging silently.
Takeru laughed self-deprecatingly, "It's my fault. He fell hard for you Ken... but I'm not losing my boyfriend to some... pleasure appliance." His face held no hint of emotion, and he shrugged, "Something you might like to remember, toujours nous faisons mal á ces que nous adorons."
Ken blinked in confusion, "What does that mean?"
"We always hurt those that we love."
Ken felt a strange sense of sadness at these words, as if they were a premonition of events that had yet to take place.
"Why?" He asked.
The blond merely shrugged again, "Why anything Ken? Maybe if you were human you'd understand that sometimes you can't understand."
Ken turned, and for the first time in his short lifetime, he was ashamed of the tears that sprung to his eyes.
~~~
Yamato sighed, sinking to the ground,
"This is hopeless."
He wasn't tired, he did not require sleep. He wasn't hungry, he did not require sustenance.
He felt empty.
"There is nothing here for me."
"Why not?" The voice was soft, almost curious, yet oddly uncaring.
"Who...?"
"I am Jenrya." The boy smiled almost proudly.
Yamato surveyed him with a practised eye. Perfectly trimmed blue-black hair framed a pale visage. Clear grey eyes met his with proud alertness, and the boy's clothes showed that the boy was almost neurotically clean.
"I'm Yamato." Yamato finally said.
The boy circled him, appraising the blond as Yamato had appraised him before.
"You are a beautiful boy..." He finally said with a smile, "Come."
Yamato might perhaps have been suspicious, had he not already concluded that the boy was harmless. Slightly narcissistic, but harmless.
"Where are we going?" He asked, falling into step with the admittedly exquisite boy.
"To my home." He smiled, "It is clean, and beautiful. Worthy of a creature such as yourself... and others who are of our level of beauty."
Had Yamato been human he might have been embarrassed or indignant, but being mecha he had long since accepted that no human could surpass the beauty or perfection of a robot created for that purpose.
He inclined his head, accepting the tribute as his due, "I would be honoured to meet these others."
The boy shrugged, "They are beautiful, and it is good to have beautiful things is it not? I shall introduce you."
They walked in silence for well over an hour yet when the boy next spoke, it was as if it had been mere seconds, time seemingly irrelevant to the immortal machine.
"In here."
Yamato followed the black-haired boy into the cavern, and made a slight cry of surprised when the cavern, which had turned out to be a tunnel, abruptly stopped leaving the two boys standing in an oasis, the like of which the blond had never seen before.
"You are beautiful..." The voice was hesitant, yet at the same time sure. Young, yet old. A tiny pale white hand reached up to caress his face, and the girl, who like the green eyed mecha he had seen in the desert, had been created to resemble a child, held her arms up expectantly. Unlike the boy, however, she was clean and beautifully dressed, a perfect doll-like shell, which did not look a day older then 5.
Yamato picked her up, and she smiled at him. Everything he had noticed about her seemed contradictory, and her smile was no exception. It was both cold and warm.
"Shuichon!" Jenrya admonished the girl, "That is not beautiful behaviour. I should not like to think of you as ugly."
The girl schooled her face into an expression of uncaring concern, "I should not like that."
Her brown eyes met his blue, and she said, quite coldly,
"I should like to be put down now. I need to brush my hair, and you are quite dirty. Would you like a mirror?"
"I... I suppose..." Yamato replied dropping the little girl as gently as possible.
Her brown eyes ran over him again, "Jenrya, he is quite dirty. I should not like to see him again until he is clean."
Without another word the girl turned her back on the two boys, walked two paces and began brushing her hair, their new guest already forgotten.
Jenrya gave the young girl a thoughtful look,
"She has much to learn. But she is beautiful, so we will not damage her. Beauty should not be destroyed."
Yamato was unable to speak, so he merely nodded.
"She was correct however, in saying that you are dirty. I shall bathe you, and dress you as befits your beauty. Come Yamato."
With a feeling of slight discomfort to the thought of clothes, which befitted his beauty, Yamato followed the enticing creature towards the bath he had been promised.
~~~
Ruki ran a hand through her hair, despite the ponytail she somehow managed to pull the gesture off without looking completely moronic. In fact, she seemed to look rather stylish.
"Kazu," She snapped, "Water. Now."
Kazu threw her the canteen he'd been carrying.
Ruki's violet-grey eyes coldly glared at the mecha they had found, while the girl pouted up at them.
"I know you're the mecha hunters, but we are the beautiful ones," The girl informed her obstinately.
Ruki sighed, they'd been going over this ever since they'd managed to find the wretched creature, who did not look wretched at all.
"We're the mecha hunters. We hunt mecha's. That's life."
"No. You hunt the ugly ones, who do not deserve to look upon beauty. We live out our lives undisturbed..." The girl paused mid sentence, "Does anyone have a mirror. I think I've got a hair out of place."
Ruki had heard of the 'beautiful ones' before, but she'd never come across them, nor heard of anyone who had, therefore she felt more then a little out of her league.
Finally, she dismounted, and offered the girl her compact. "I'm Ruki, leader of this rider group."
The girl smiled, accepting the proffered mirror.
"I am Mimi," She inclined her head, "You are beautiful."
Ruki for some indescribable reason felt a sense of pride at these words. She, of course, had no idea this was the highest complement that Mimi could have payed her.
The girl handed back the mirror,
"I hope to see you again, jewel amongst humans..." The girl turned and a few seconds later had vanished, whether because she moved at an inhuman speed or had the ability to produce holograms Ruki didn't know, but she was suddenly glad she'd let the exquisitely beautiful creature go.
The trouble burning her would have brought wasn't worth it.
She was only a mecha after all.
~~~
Yamato stepped out of the lake the black haired boy had led him to, sighing as the pleasantly scented water slid down his body in tiny rivulets.
Beside the lake where he'd been bathing he could see a girl kneeling; her face hidden by a curtain of silky golden hair.
Her body seemed the epitome of womanly perfection, from what he could see, which considering the amount of skin her pure white robe showed, was quite a lot.
She looked up briefly, as if evaluating his appearance, then smiled, gracefully standing to sway over to him.
Her voice was low, with an undertone of seduction, or perhaps it was only conceitedness. Yamato found it hard to tell the difference sometimes.
"'Ello," She said in her softly accented voice, "I saw you across the oasis, and I thought to myself 'That is a beautiful boy, he must be related to me'." She said all this with no trace of humility, a bright smile plastered across her face, "I 'ave brothers who look just like you. 'Oo was your creator?"
"I'm not sure," Yamato replied, slightly overwhelmed by the girl.
"...It matters not." The girl said dismissively. "I am Narcissa."
"I'm Yamato." Yamato replied.
The girl gave no reply. When Yamato followed her gaze to try and work out why, he realised she'd been caught by her reflection in the lake.
Jenrya noticed the two standing together and smiled.
"Narcissa is beautiful is she not?"
"... Yes, beautiful," Yamato agreed after a moment.
"I had to rewrite her programming because she is so beautiful. She tried to destroy herself when she realised she would never find another as attractive as herself. She was made to procreate, but her initial command was to produce children as attractive as she herself is. A task that with a human male would be impossible."
Yamato blinked in surprise, he had always known that humans were not as beautiful as the mecha's they created, yet he had never considered them inferior...
Jenrya smiled, "Here, I have brought clothes."
Mat quickly pulled the clothes on. They clung in places, and billowed in others. Silk he identified, soft, deep blue silk, the exact colour of his eyes.
He caught sight of his reflection and felt his breath catch.
"You look beautiful." Jenrya said almost smugly.
"I do..." Yamato agreed wonderingly, unable to tear his eyes away. Suddenly living out his life in the desert didn't seem like such a bad thing.
All thoughts of Taichi and the promise he'd almost made disappeared from his head as he stared entranced at his own reflection.
Jenrya paused, then picked up his mirror and walked away.
The oasis was even more beautiful than before.
~~~
Takeru looked up and wiped the sweat from his brow, giving Daisuke his most dazzling smile, "Hey good-looking."
"What are you doing?" Daisuke asked curiously, watching as the blond jiggled the doorknob to their bedroom.
"I just put a lock on the door so that we don't get interrupted during our, ehem, private activities," He gave the red head a suggestive wink.
Daisuke's brow crinkled, "But... what about Ken?"
"What about Ken?" Takeru repeated.
"What if he gets... I dunno... scared or something?"
"Daisuke, when was the last time you saw a mecha get scared?" Takeru asked exasperated, "Honestly babe..."
Daisuke mock-glared at the blond, "Are you insulting my intelligence TN?"
"That's TK thickie..." Takeru replied playfully, pulling the redhead in for a kiss.
Ken walked in, spotted the two kissing, and without even realising what he was doing, left the room.
Confused thoughts swirled through his head faster then a speeding hovercraft, Why were Daisuke and Takeru kissing?...
'maybe if you were human'...
'wasn't that programmed into you?'...
'Please Blue Fairy, make me a real boy.'
"...I don't understand," He whispered thickly, "Daisuke loves me, not Takeru... right?"
His violet eyes fluttered closed; the idea that his love was not returned did not fit within the parameters of his programming.
~~~
Momoe pulled a face at the sight of Miyako snuggling up to the First Mecha, child-like adoration blatantly obvious.
She'd had a great deal of respect for the lavender-haired scientist who'd lost her fiancée at such a young age.
Along with the steel-like control the scientific technician had displayed over her emotions, the girl also had a great deal of intelligence, was honest and indisputably reliable.
Momoe sighed, she'd thought of the girl like a younger sister... perhaps she should give some sisterly advice.
Love cannot transcend all barriers, and the barrier that exists between organic and synthetic is the strongest barrier in existence.
Regardless of the mecha's apparent intelligence and sensitivity, she could not operate outside the limitations of her programming.
And when Momoe informed her lilac-haired 'younger sister' of this, the girl would return to behaving like the gifted and dependable scientist she truly was.
~~~
Callused fingers trailed across previously untouched skin, Daisuke's lips softly captured the other boys, and Ken let out a soft sound of enjoyment.
Clothes seemed to melt away like the unwanted obstructions they were, beneath the redhead's skilled fingers.
Lips grinding against lips, bodies grinding against bodies, fingers entwining as the two lovers kissed, gasping at the new sensations the experience brought.
Ken mewed, his body almost protesting against Daisuke's gently administrations, as he spoke his thoughts aloud,
"Is this love?"
Daisuke didn't answer, continuing his exploration of the slender boy's thin chest, his tongue flicking to caress the boy's nipples.
"Daisuke..." Ken moaned, he felt as though he would explode at the sensations the other boy was bringing him, his body thrumming with love, "Say you love me..."
Daisuke smiled, running a hand through Ken's soft blond hair,
"I love you Takeru..."
... Ken sat up with a start, his heart pounding in his chest. The bright green numbers showing the time read 2:38 AM.
He swiped his eyes almost guiltily and gazed towards Daisuke's bedroom door, trying hard to keep the tears at bay.
Takeru had installed the lock a few days ago, and Daisuke had given him a bear in case he got lonely.
Ken hugged the bear closer, still staring mournfully at the locked door.
He had changed, he knew, from whatever he once had been, to a broken creature ashamed of his own tears. Ken lay his head against the couch, never once taking his eyes off the door.
He knew from past experiences that if he waited long enough the redhead would be out to greet him good morning.
~~~
Mimi carefully straightened the pale rose pink gown she was wearing, and ran her fingers through her hair to rid it of tangles and allow every hair to fall into its correct position.
It certainly would not do for Jenrya to see her looking unbeautiful, he might become displeased, and if he did not believe she made the oasis beautiful... the brunette shuddered, dismissing the thought as ridiculous.
She must look beautiful to be a good role model for Shiuchon, her young protégé.
Smiling with vapid intelligence, Mimi entered the oasis, her footsteps hesitant but sure as she gazed around the oasis.
Jenrya sat, commandingly aloof, his beautiful face perfectly lit by the sunlit that filtered into the oasis.
"Ma belle Mimi. You have returned at last," Jenrya's soft voice traversed the distance between them, easily reaching Mimi's ears.
"Jenrya..." Mimi stared at the boy, unable to take her eyes off the silk- clad leader of the beautiful ones.
The dark, almost navy blue silk complemented his hair and eyes perfectly, offset flawlessly by the silver threads woven through the silk.
"Shiuchon will be pleased to see you," Jenrya said smiling beatifically as he broke the spell he had created.
As if cued by his words, Shiuchon appeared from nowhere, holding her arms up towards Mimi.
The brunette picked up the child, marvelling once more at her doll-like beauty. The younger girl's dress was a pink only a few shades darker then her idols, trimmed with a flattering golden yellow, which gave the girls clothing an original flair.
"You have been gone a long time," The girl observed, almost chastisingly, but oddly indifferent, for of course, time held no sway over the lives of these mecha's.
"Yes," Mimi replied distractedly, allowing the younger girl to slip from her arms, "Perhaps later I will help you to become more beautiful."
Her brown eyes sought out the lake and froze.
Placidly braiding Narcissa's hair was a mecha who could easily rival Jenrya in looks. His blond hair danced in the soft breeze in the oasis, and the form fitting deep blue silk he was wearing did everything to flatter his figure.
The oasis was even more beautiful then before.
Mimi padded towards the lake, and let her pale pink dress slip to the ground as she waded into the beautifying water of the oasis.
Her curious brown eyes only left the beautiful newcomer when she caught sight of her reflection in Narcissa's jewel-encrusted mirror, which lay temptingly on the lakebed at her feet.
~~~
Taichi smiled wistfully as he watched the children playing on the street outside of his apartment. Takato's light sandy brown hair seemed to defy gravity, tamed only by the goggles he had taken to wearing on his head after seeing Tai's almost unique fashion statement.
Juri giggled clapping her hands as Takato won his game against the blond haired boy he'd been playing against.
"Ha! Takato beat you again Michael!"
Taichi sighed, the blond reminding him of Yamato.
It wasn't that the boy actually looked like Yamato... not at all. He was repugnant, where Yamato was perfect formed.
Taichi turned away from the window in disgust, in fact that blond was nauseating!
Why he'd even briefly associated him with the beautiful and talented mecha he loved he could not fathom.
Angrily he gathered up his jacket and money, just wait till he gave that Michael a piece of his mind.
"The cheek of him, reminding *me* of Yamato!" Taichi muttered fiercely, stomping angrily down the stairs.
He was almost appeased when he saw Michael flinch away from him as he finished his tirade. And when Takato, whom Taichi had met earlier, congratulated him on 'giving the lousy know-it-all what for' Taichi found himself smiling happily for the first time since he'd left Yamato behind.
~~~
Hirokazu, better known as Kazu, second in command to Ruki, leader of the second company of riders, laughed uproariously at Asuka's recount of events as the red haired girl pantomimed the actions for the half of the company who sat around the fire with her.
The two youngest members of the company, Meiling and Li had already retired to their shared tent and Ruki was, apparently, conveying the details of their scout to Ryo. It was Kazu's personal opinion that the girl was actually making up for lost time by giving the head of the mecha hunters the night of his life.
He leant back against the log and slung an arm around Kenta as the dark haired boy snuggled into his side, sleepily.
He smirked at the only other observer of Asuka's performance, Kaji, who winked in return, and made an encouraging if somewhat impolite suggestion with hand gestures.
Kazu looked at the sleeping boy and gave Kaji a mournful look, "He's asleep, I can't," He mouthed.
Kazu got on quite well with the oldest member of their little troupe, as neither of them could fully control their hormones.
Kaji rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the scantily clad Asuka.
"You know Asuka, you look a little tired... perhaps we should go to bed?"
Kazu hid his smirk as he scooped Kenta up, marvelling at his own strength.
"We'd better get to bed too," He grinned, "Kenta's already falling asleep on me..." He waved cheerfully to the pair who were heading towards their own tent and carried the boy back to the tent they shared, congratulating himself as the other boy pressed closer to his warm body.
~~~
Ken smiled at Daisuke as the boy entered the room dressed and ready to face the day,
"Good morning Daisuke."
"Erm, Hey Ken," The redhead said through a yawn.
Takeru followed him into the room, wrapping his arms around the other boy possessively.
"I was waiting for you to wake up."
Takeru snorted, "I know. You've done the same thing every morning since I put the lock on our door. You really don't have any purpose if there aren't humans around do you?"
Daisuke glared at the blond, "Takeru!" He said sharply, then his voice softened as he turned to look at the bluenette, "Would you like to come to breakfast with us Ken?"
Kens violet eyes filled with warmth, "Yes Daisuke."
Takeru pouted, "Dai-chan..."
Daisuke rolled his eyes, "Jeez TZ, anyone would think you were jealous."
Takeru pouted, then laughingly kissed his boyfriend, taking sadistic pleasure in the hurt that Ken displayed.
Ha. That would teach the stupid mecha to try to steal his boyfriend.
Daisuke wrapped an arm around Takeru's waist.
"C'mon then Ken. Lets get going."
Despondently the bluenette followed the couple out the door, it had been three days since Daisuke touched him in any way shape or form, and having a photographic memory Ken couldn't help but remember the look on his face the last time they'd touched.
Daisuke had recoiled from his fingers as if the other boy was repulsive. Ken trailed after the two, Daisuke was still being nice, but it seemed forced... As if he didn't love Ken at all.
Ken looked up at the other two.
"Come on Ken, you're being slow again," Daisuke teased.
Ken increased his pace; that was ridiculous, of course Daisuke still loved him.
~~~
The sun was high in the sky, nearing midday although it was hard to tell through the trees that covered the sky of the oasis.
Yamato pulled his eyes away from the mirror with considerable difficulty, he truly was a beautiful creature.
Narcissa sat near the lake in her customary spot. While she was quite possibly the most egotistical of the beautiful one's, she had had her moments and of course she was beautiful. It had been enjoyable to form a mutual admiration society.
Her hair was still braided thanks to his earlier efforts, and she had changed her gown to an even scantier shift of the same pure white.
Shiuchon was brushing the hair of an older female mecha who was wearing a pale pink gown of the same design as Narcissa's.
Her doe brown eyes landed on his, and for a moment he could feel himself drowning. Her lips twitched into a warm smile, and she beckoned to him.
Carefully Yamato walked over to the brunette, and seated himself in front of her.
"Shiuchon, enough." She commanded imperiously, "I am Mimi."
"I'm Yamato."
She nodded, "I thought you might be. You are as beautiful as Jenrya claims."
"...Thank you." Yamato said after a moment of silence.
She shrugged, "It is merely a truth."
Yamato nodded unsurely.
"Come, walk with me. I would talk with you if you would."
"Of course Mimi..." He replied.
Mimi laughed, "You are altogether too agreeable fair one."
Yamato did not have a chance to reply before the girl continued talking quite fluently about the beauty of the oasis and its inhabitants. Lee Jenrya and Shiuchon, the lovely Narcissa, Willis - who had been missing for nearly a month, and the two mecha's who came and went as they pleased, Ootoshi Takehito and Tomikaji Hiroko.
~~~
Miyako gazed up at the girl who cradled her so protectively,
"But... Doesn't it hurt?"
"I do not... understand," Hikari replied, confusion evident.
"To know that no matter how much you loved him, he would die, and you would live on for another thousand years."
"Perhaps it might..." Hikari shrugged, a little uncomfortably, "But I do not know what it is to hurt."
Miyako blinked, "If I was to die, right here in your arms, what would you do? How would you feel?"
Hikari's face clouded, and for the first time Miyako saw her as something that wasn't perfect, "I do not know. The scenario has not been programmed..."
Miyako dropped her head, feeling pain knife through her like a lance. This was stupid, she knew Hikari was a mecha.
Hikari tilted the girl's face up, and brushed away a tear, then, for the first time did something she had not been programmed to do, and kissed the lavender-haired girl on her upturned lips.
"Don't cry Miyako... Miya-chan. If you were to die right now, I would... rewrite my programming so that I could destroy your murderer. Then I would recreate you as my companion, so that I would never lose you..."
Miyako blushed, "I have known you for less then a day..." She replied timidly.
"I love you Innoue Miyako. You will be mine and I yours for all eternity."
Momoe opened her mouth to butt in, but before she could, Miyako said the only words that could stop her.
"Gods help me Hikari-chan, I love you too. I want you to make me your companion, so that I will never die and leave you."
Momoe blinked, the real Yagami Hikari had died over a thousand years ago, yet somehow the universe had provided a way for the two soulmates to be together.
Perhaps sometimes love could surpass all boundaries, destroy all obstacles, perhaps sometimes, love was all you needed.
~~~
Ken sighed as he watched Takeru hand-feed Daisuke, brushing his fingers against the redhead's lips in a seductively innocent manner.
Violet eyes closed in dismay, Ken would dream of feeding Daisuke tonight, and Daisuke would call him Takeru.
Daisuke kissed Takeru's fingertips then pulled away to look at Ken,
"Ken, are you feeling okay?" He asked, then laughed, "I'm sorry, I mean, there isn't anything wrong with your... systems or whatever. You look kinda sad."
"I am simply... thinking." Ken replied, more hurt then he would have thought by Daisuke's comment.
Takeru snorted, and turned Daisuke's face back to his, kissing the redhead thoroughly while the bluenette watched on in tortured obligation.
~~~
Willis stepped into the oasis, his arrival timed to take perfect advantage of the sun, which would filter through the trees to glint off his perfect golden hair and draw all eyes to him.
His arrival had been well planned, and would have drawn all eyes to him, had his position not been usurped by the blond mecha who sat in the middle of the huddle of girls, allowing them to brush his perfect gold hair.
Jenrya looked down at him from his dais, and for a moment a hint of a frown crossed his face,
"Willis, you are not *as* beautiful as we have remembered."
Willis felt the ground beneath him sway, who here was more beautiful then he?
Yamato stepped towards him, offering a hand in greeting,
"You must be Willis. Hi, I'm Yamato."
His speech was not... beautiful.
Willis spun on his heel, refusing to take the blonds hand.
"He is not beautiful, he does not think as a beautiful one," Willis told them sulkily.
Narcissa stood, and swept towards him, for a moment he thought she was planning to caress his hair as per her usual gesture and therefore it came as a shock when the silver-haired mecha slapped him hard across the face.
"If you again insult my cousin I will dismember you, for there is none here as beautiful as he, save for myself."
Willis blinked in shock.
Mimi nodded, "He has replaced you in every way."
"You no longer make the oasis beautiful. Leave." Jenrya's word was as law, and Willis knew a command when he heard one.
Bitterness rose in him and Willis spun on his heel,
"You have been fooled, and I call you fools. He will never be as beautiful as I."
Shuichon laughed coldly, "You are ugly Willis. Ugly."
~~~
Ken tossed uneasily as the details of his dream cruelly taunted him as he stirred from his slumber. Slipping out from under the blanket Daisuke had given him Ken carefully made his way to Daisuke's bedroom.
The door opened noiselessly and Ken's eyes widened as he took in the sight before him.
Daisuke lay on the bed, back arched as Takeru spread his legs, his nails raking Daisuke's perfect golden hued skin, leaving ugly red marks.
The red head whimpered, biting back louder cries of passion as the blond lowered his mouth to worship Daisuke's growing erection.
Unable to hold back the cry as he came Daisuke let out a loud yelp, half of pain, half of pleasure as Takeru sadistically nipped as he swallowed.
Ken was galvanised to action by Daisuke's yelp of pain, angry that anyone would touch his love with the intent to harm.
"Takeru!" He yelled angrily, pulling the blond away from the boy he loved.
Takeru turned to see Ken, and growled low in his throat as the hatred in the pit of his stomach flared to life.
"What the hell are you doing in here mecha? Don't you understand orders! This is my bedroom!"
Ken answered with a furious wail of his own,
"How dare you hurt Daisuke!"
Takeru's fist connected with Ken's eye,
"Shut the fuck up mecha."
Ken looked over at Daisuke who'd pulled the blankets around him.
"Ken, I want you to leave. Takeru and I need to talk, and I don't think it's your place to be in here."
Ken's eyes met his, that unbearably naïve trust all too evident,
"Yes Daisuke."
Daisuke watched the boy leave the room. Three years later he finally understood the saying Tai had once used. He supposed this was a prime example of being trapped between a rock and a hard place.
Perhaps Ken did love him, but he was, after all, only a machine. A machine who had just tried to damage Takeru after walking in on them making love.
Perhaps Takeru was right. Perhaps the three of them couldn't coexist in peaceful harmony.
~~~
Willis knew the desert, knew the hills and plains like the back of his exquisitely crafted hand. He had frequented the wastelands for close to 20 years now, unchanging, as even the landscape could not be.
He could see the glint of the moon on the sea of despair to the far east, soon the sun would rise above that glittering sea.
To the west, a further distance than that to the sea, was the City of Angels, a city almost as dangerous as Galar'iel, in its own way.
One foot fell in front of the other mechanically. Willis sighed, if he kept walking, he'd end up walking straight into the encampment of the mecha hunters.
Perhaps they would be merciful and end his life quickly, for if he was now ugly, it was his duty to uphold the beauty of the wastelands.
It was his duty to find the hunters and ask them to utterly destroy all traces of his imperfect being.
~~~
"...Well Daisuke?" Takeru's simple question had not asked anything, yet conveyed everything, as Takeru's questions always did.
"Perhaps you're right..." Daisuke conceded.
"Of course I am. I love you Daisuke, and I'm willing to put up with a lot to be with you, but I'm not going to be treated like I'm second to a machine Dai, because that isn't fair, not to me, not to you, and not even to it."
"What!?" Daisuke asked anxiously, "What do you mean?"
"I'm not going to live here with you and that machine, while you pretend it's a 'friend', catering to it's whims and ignoring the worshipful looks it bestows upon you. It's not healthy, not for you to be put under the pressure of pretending. Not for me to come second to a machine. And not for it to be treated as if it really is human. My mother tried this experiment, and if you continue it, your pet mecha is going to go insane."
"But Take-chan..." Daisuke objected shakily.
Takeru rested a hand lightly on his lovers shoulder, "I know that you like the machine Dais, but in the end, that's all he is. He only cares about you because he was programmed to do so. I'm telling you this because I love you Dai-chan, anyone can rewrite programming, I don't want you to get hurt when that inevitably happens... Ken is only a mecha Daisuke. He doesn't love anyone, least of all you. I'm your boyfriend of nearly 5 years, and I've been your friend for even longer. I know you'll make the right decision."
Daisuke let his eyes close as his head fell forward to rest lightly against his blond haired lovers.
"...You're right Takeru. So what do we do now?"
~~~
"Why me?" Ruki growled, her question directed at nobody in particular.
"Hunter?" The blond repeated softly, still on his knees.
Ruki glared down at the mecha, destroying the wretched creatures, which littered the wastelands was one thing. Purposefully obliterating a thing of beauty pointlessly was quite another.
"Get up. Ryo will decide what will be done with you."
Gracefully the blond stood his head lowered in submission, "As you wish... beautiful one."
Ruki shifted uncomfortably at the title, she had never considered herself beautiful, although she knew many others did. With her fiery hair and violet grey eyes she'd always been able to use her looks to her own advantage... but to be recognised for them? By one of the beautiful ones, a creature of legend: Definitely awkward.
Kazu prodded the mecha forward, "Care to do the honours Captain?"
Ruki nodded, the hint of a smile tugging at her mouth, "Hunters, Let's move out!"
~~~
"Ken... you have to stay here," Daisuke's voice broke slightly on the last word.
"When will you come back for me?" Ken asked, with the childlike innocence of one who cannot comprehend abandonment. Despite everything else that had happened, Ken honestly believed that Daisuke could never left him for good.
"Never you stupid robot. He's never coming back for you," Takeru spat angrily.
Ken blinked up at Daisuke in confusion,
"What did I do wrong?"
"I... Nothing Ken. You didn't do anything wrong. It's just; well..." Daisuke tried to explain.
"You're not real Ken. You'll never be real and we're sick of you pretending you are." Takeru finished for Daisuke.
"Takeru!" Daisuke cried horrified, "Don't say that. It's just, well, now that Takeru's awake, well, I think you should go find someone else to stay with."
Kens eyes crinkled in confusion,
"No Daisuke, I have to stay with you. I love you."
"You're a mecha. You don't love anybody," Takeru used the same argument he'd used on Daisuke earlier, "Go and find somebody who isn't already taken to love."
Ken looked from one to the other fear creeping into his eyes,
"Daisuke I'm scared. Can we go home now?"
"I..." Daisuke stepped backwards, "I..."
"Sure," Takeru said sweetly, "We can go home, but first you have to get a flower for Daisuke, okay Ken?"
Ken smiled,
"If I get Dai a flower we can go home?" He affirmed.
Takeru nodded, trying not to smirk.
Ken stared down at the ground. Nothing but sand as far as the eye could see, no sign of any flowers.
He was so engrossed in his search that he didn't hear the soft hum of Daisuke and Takeru's hover craft starting up.
It was only after he'd found the tiny purple desert weed that Takeru had instructed him to give to Daisuke that he realised the other two had already gone.
And that they had left him behind.
-~O~-
To Be Continued...
Authors Notes: Perhaps sometimes love can surpass all boundaries, destroy all obstacles, perhaps sometimes, love is all you need. But not very often. Sometimes even all the love in the world isn't enough to make a relationship work.
In real life happy endings don't always follow tragedy, and sometimes there are no villains, or no happy endings, only victims.
Please Read & Review: I worked very hard on this chapter, and I'd appreciate hearing what you have to say.