Till Eternity

by Ayakaishi Fei

AU. Ken is the prototype for a new generation of robots. Daisuke is a thief. When the bumbling Dai accidentally activates Kens program heartache inevitably follows, because Daisuke after all, is only human. And Ken isn't. **Complete**

3. Part Three

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.

Authors Notes: This chapter deals with major discrimination issues. It deals with the intrinsic nature of humans, so please don't yell at me when you reach the end and tell me I should have written a happy ending, it would ruin the tone of this story, if you want happy endings, go read my fluffs.

For those of you who asked for a happy ending (not mentioning any names K- koi) I will be writing an additional chapter (Beyond Infinity) - which will be happier - but it will not be posted as part of this fic. I didn't write Till Eternity to give it a happy ending, I wrote it to make a point that a happy ending would ruin. Please Read and Review. Domo Arigato.

Sora knelt down next to the indigo haired mecha, and ran a hand over the boy's body.

"Is it alive?" Iori asked curiously.

"I do not know..." Sora replied as she lifted up one of the eyelids to peer at the eyes.

"Why is it here? It certainly looks as if it's in working order."

"Yes. And a newer model if I am not mistaken... Perhaps its programming is faulty?" She suggested letting the eyelid drop back into place.

"Perhaps it was damaged inside?" Iori suggested, his eyes flickering to the mecha's lower half.

"The mecha hunters will be here soon. If it is truly inoperative we can sell its parts to the scavengers." With that the auburn haired mecha picked up Ken and slung him over her shoulder.

Together the two mecha's set off, mechanically plodding across the desert, no fatigue evident.

As the sun set over the desert Ken began to stir, coming to wakefulness still slung over Sora's shoulder.

"Where am I?" He asked.

Sora set him on his feet.

"So you are not dysfunctional. I am Sora, this is Iori," She grinned, showing her toothless gums, "We saved you from the mecha hunters. She leaned forward and tucked a strand of hair behind his ear in a motherly fashion.

"I'm Ken," Ken told the two, looking from one to the other.

"Nice to meet you Ken," Iori smiled, "where are you from?"

"The City," Ken told him, "Daisuke's apartment."

Sora winced and quickly silenced Iori before he could comment.

"Well now you hail from the desert little one." She drew him closer, "We will look after you, never you fear."

Ken blushed,

"Thank you."

~~~

"Hey Takato," Tai hailed the boy.

"Taichi!" The boy cried exuberantly, dragging his best friend after him, "The carnival will be here on Saturday!"

"And Ruki will be here!" Added Juri excitedly, "You'll love her Taichi!"

Taichi smiled tolerantly at the two children. He'd fast become a friend to the two, despite the large gap in their ages. The younger boy, Takato, reminded him of Daisuke, though he was sweeter in temperament then the redhead had ever been.

"And we'll get to see the mecha's burn. It's so funny!" Takato crowed.

Taichi winced, or perhaps not. It had taken him a while to grow accustomed to the attitude of the people towards mecha's, and even now he wished he could change the children's minds about them.

He thought back to the mecha's he'd seen in the wastelands, and realised that those were probably the only mecha's these children had ever seen.

"Perhaps..." He agreed distractedly.

"Ruki's in charge of one of the riders groups!" Juri informed him, "and she promised she'd come see me. One day Takato and I are going to join the hunters, right Takato. And we'll be just like Ryo and Ruki!"

Tai nodded, he still didn't really understand the concept of the mecha hunters, but he nodded at everything the children said, not wanting to draw attention to himself as an outsider.

Besides, it wasn't really that important.

~~~

Ruki ruthlessly squelched the hint of jealousy that clawed for recognition as she watched Ryo fawn over the beautiful blond she'd returned with.

Beautiful, yes, but not A Beautiful One.

Willis looked over to see the red haired hunter who had refused to destroy him, the hunter who had instead presented him to her commanding officer, Ryo.

Idly he mused over the boy, or rather, the man. He was tall, yet not exceptionally so, attractive, handsome even, yet not beautiful.

He was lean yet he lacked the willowy build characteristic of the beautiful ones, his hair was wind-blown and tussled, and his eyes a mottled blue- green. No, this man could never be one of the beautiful ones, but he was not... ugly.

This revelation was startling, and Willis could not help but study the man, his lack of beauty made him unusual, perhaps even unique...

Blue eyes blinked in startled surprise, after so many years of being one of the beautiful ones and sharing their collective consciousness the emptiness scared him, the philosophies his thoughts were producing scared him, and the knowledge that he was no longer beautiful made him long for death.

Death that only the unbeautiful leader of the mecha hunters could grant.

~~~

Daisuke looked around the room, Takeru was in the garage, working, as he had a different schedule to his mahogany haired lover, and Daisuke felt almost... lonely.

It wasn't that he missed Ken. Ken had been nothing but a robot... and besides, he was better off out there where he wasn't being brainwashed into believing he was human.

He missed Takeru; that was it. There was no way that he felt relieved to be away from Takeru's smothering presence, away from Takeru's jealous insinuations and occasional spiteful remarks.

No, he was glad he was finally able to spend some time with his best friend and lover without constantly having to worry about Ken, as if he had an extra boyf... child.

He was content; he had a loving boyfriend. It didn't matter that occasionally he wanted to kill the blonde, because that was how relationships with real people were meant to be.

They weren't supposed to be all strawberries and cream.

~~~

"He loves me, I know he loves me..." Ken told Sora, who had practically adopted the childlike mecha.

Sora's mechanical eye filled with pity, as she forced herself to utter the words she desperately did not want to say,

"Then why did he abandon you Ken-chan?"

"I..." Ken began, "I... He... He must have had a reason. Perhaps... Maybe... Because he... he wants me to find the blue fairy and ask her to make me a real boy. If I'm a real boy, Takeru can't say I'm just pretending to be human. And Daisuke will choose me. I know he wanted to choose me. He loves me!"

"Do you really believe that?" Sora asked, studying Ken's face. She wilted visibly, "Of course you do." She sighed, "Then we shall find your blue fairy Ken-chan, so you can wish for humanity."

Ken smiled softly, embracing the girl as he would have his mother, had he had one, "Thank you Sora-chan."

Sora exhaled the breath she'd been holding with a shrug, "I can do no less."

~~~

Ruki was mad, furious even, and her riders had learnt a long time ago that when Ruki was mad, everyone within a 5-mile radius suffered the consequences.

Her grey-violet eyes shone with rage as she paced the confines of her tent; she shouldn't be jealous. Ryo had told her when they'd first started... 'seeing' each other that it wasn't a forever thing.

He'd said he loved her, that she was beautiful and talented and far too good for him.

Ruki picked up the closest breakable item, a photograph of her and Ryo at her nineteenth birthday and threw it as hard as she could at the ground.

The frame bounced, but the glass merely fractured slightly, taunting her as the picture could still be clearly seen.

With a frustrated cry Ruki brought her foot down on the picture. She was almost satisfied when it shattered beneath her boot-clad foot.

Yes he'd said it wasn't a forever thing, but forever was still a hell of a long way off.

Her mirror winked at her from the corner of her room and she strode over to it, her expression fierce. More then one person had called her vain because she seemed overly fond of mirrors...

Ruki brought her fist back and punched the mirror. Glass shattered and fell around her like rain, and seeing her reflection in the hundreds of broken pieces of glass gave Ruki an odd gratification...

"You realise breaking a mirror will give you 7 years bad luck?" A voice asked curiously.

Ruki spun to meet the inquisitive eyes of Asuka; sweet, pretty, sometimes stuck-up, always-competitive Asuka.

"Yeah well, couldn't be any worse then my current luck." She said sardonically.

Asuka stood, stalking towards Ruki with catlike grace, and slapped her hard across the face.

"Snap out of it! So Ryo has chosen a new fuck toy... You aren't seriously going to tell me you thought you and he were a forever thing?"

"No!" Ruki snapped defensively, "Of course not... It's just... I was his favourite, his lover. What am I supposed to do now?"

Asuka blinked in shock, "What are you supposed to do now? Get on with your life perhaps? He's not the only man out there. You're pretty, talented, and charismatic. You could have any man you wanted... well except perhaps Kaji, but that's because he's with me..."

Ruki began to giggle, and impulsively she hugged the girl who had been the closest thing she'd had to a best friend for a long, long time,

"Thank you Asuka."

Asuka smiled, "Anytime babe."

~~~

"So..." The boy began placing his legs atop the table in a display of complete disregard for courtesy, "What's on the agenda for today?"

"Many things must be discussed and decided upon," The oldest member of the council replied coldly, "And if you will remove your filthy feet from the boardroom's only table we can begin."

"Indeed," The blonde boy who sat next to the brunette murmured.

The boy rolled his eyes beneath chestnut brown bangs, "Yeah, yeah. Jeez you're strict..." He muttered dropping his feet to the ground.

"Thank you." The older boy grated as the brunette complied, as if simply saying the words left a foul taste in his mouth, "Our first topic, to meditate upon, is the current mecha situation."

"What is our current position?" The youngest female member of the council asked, setting her coffee in front of her as she heaped salt into the drink.

"We have yet to decide our position." The only male member who had not yet spoken replied.

"This is stupid!" The older female finally aired her thoughts, "We sit here talking, making decisions, but we wouldn't have a clue! We need to take action."

"Perhaps..." The oldest member agreed, "But hastiness would not be advisable."

"Perhaps we should discuss other matters and then adjourn to meditate upon the matter of the mecha's privately, and learn more about the situation in the privacy of our own homes."

"I second the motion." The oldest member of council agreed, nodding towards the boy who was resting his hand on the arm of the oldest member of the council.

The older female reluctantly nodded, "Shall we move on then, before chocolate-locks gets bored again and blows up the boardroom."

Glaring at the boy in question Yue, oldest member of the council nodded his concurrence.

~~~

"Ken?"

Ken looked up at the interruption, "Yes Iori?"

"Sora wishes to see you." Iori replied brusquely, green eyes fixed unblinkingly on Ken.

"Oh... Okay." Ken stood.

Iori turned and left without another word leaving Ken blinking in surprise. The ruins they currently inhabited were those of a house, or so Sora had informed him. The mecha hunters were clever and sharp-eyed, which meant no hiding place was completely safe, but if they kept moving they might avoid the mecha hunters until their systems finally shut down for good.

Picking his way through the rubble that it wouldn't be safe to clear Ken made his way to the room Sora had claimed as her own,

"Sora-chan? Iori said you wanted me..."

Sora looked up with a warm smile, "Yes, yes. Sit down Ken, I've discovered some information about your Blue Fairy."

~~~

Willis sighed as he reclined back against the tree, trying to glean some relief from the burning sun as he watched the riders who were presently at the encampment go about their business.

He was interested in only one of the many scurrying hunters - the copper- haired second in command, Ruki. The young woman in question was currently sitting with her troupe instructing them on a subject he was not interested in ascertaining.

He felt well muscled arms slide around his waist and gave his assailant an absent-minded peck on the cheek as he continued to study the girl with his intense stare.

"Hey," Ryo objected light-heartedly, "That's it? Do I have competition beautiful?"

Willis smiled affectionately at the other boy, "Of course not Ryo, I'm just kind of busy at the moment."

"Too busy to talk to the gorgeous and talented Ryo? Well this is a new experience for me!" The brunette joked.

Willis dragged his eyes away from the red-haired beauty whom he'd replaced in Ryo's affections and gave the boy his full attention,

"How can I help you Ryo?" The blond asked cordially.

Ryo smiled, "Well you can start by giving me a slightly warmer welcome..."

Willis smiled softly and leant up to kiss the taller boy,

"Better?"

"Oh yes," Ryo breathed

~~~

Silver-grey eyes peered out from behind similar coloured bangs as Yue, the oldest member of the council of six waited for his subordinates to come to attention, in order to discuss the next topic.

A light touch on his arm alerted him to the presence of one of the more quieter members of the council, and he felt calm wash over him even as he smiled at the contact. Clearing his throat he drew the attention of the other four,

"If you will stop your nattering we can commence. We have assembled to discuss the matter of the mecha's, I hope you have all given the issue the time for consideration it deserves. Who wishes to speak?"

Brushing crimson hair back from her face the oldest female on the council stood, "I do."

"Very well Naomi. You have the floor."

"We must take action, make our move. We sit here as if we're old and grey already instead of doing something, anything. We're content to let the world pass us by while we sit here making rules for a people we've never been a part of. I say we go out there and meet some of these mecha's before we make our decision, I mean, think how many incidents there have been concerning the mecha's over the past few years! In spite of that, the last time we took action was when we banished Yagami Hikari - The first mecha - and banned the reproduction of human facsimiles of that level. The mecha's of today lack compassion, yet as time passes our scientists grow bolder, and the mecha's begin to emulate human behaviour. Perhaps some have already created mechas like the first. It is evolution after all."

The younger female tilted her head, considering the viewpoint, "Perhaps you are correct Naomi, every day these mecha's grow more and more authentic."

From next to Yue the often silent brunette added his thoughts to the fray, "However... Despite everything you have said, despite their apparent spirit, these machines are not human, and no amount of evolution can turn a piece of wood into a living being. There is no blue fairy to turn these Pinocchio's into real boys."

Yue nodded, "Quite. Your opinion holds much sway within the council Naomi. We will reconvene in one week. During that time everyone is to arrange a meeting with one of these machines to form an opinion on their potential advantages or dangers."

~~~

"You are Yamato, are you not?" The voice was seductively pitched low and curious.

"Yes, can I help you?" Yamato replied, blinking up at the unfamiliar face.

"I am Ootoshi Takehito," The boy replied simply.

Yamato examined the boy, his chestnut brown hair was cut short, the longest bangs just brushing his cheekbones. His eyes were a brilliant amber-brown and he was slender, built much like Jenrya and the rest of the Beautiful One's.

"It's nice to meet you," Yamato said genially.

The boy smiled, sliding an arm around Yamato's waist, "That is good to hear, my fair-haired beau, Mimi recommends your company, she claims you have beautiful ideas."

Yamato shrugged, "My idea's aren't anywhere near as interesting as hers."

"Nonsense my sweet, you are a vision of loveliness, I'm quite sure your ideas will prove to be equally as attractive."

Yamato ducked his head, "Thanks. Do you want to go walk over by the lake then Takehito?"

"That sounds delectable my dear."

~~~

Long braid trailing behind him, the youngest member of the council made his way to the oasis the computer indicated could be found in the mountainous region of the wastelands.

Beaming he brought his hovercraft to an abrupt halt and jauntily sauntered into the tunnel that he had ascertained, thanks to his extra-curricular computer skills, would lead him to a cluster of machines, or mecha's.

He paused as he stepped into the oasis to take in the site before him. It looked like something from a relatively classy porno, or an aristocratic wet dream.

There was a nude silver haired beauty bathing in the lake while a dark haired vixen watched, occasionally reaching out a helping hand to caress the other girls perfect ivory skin, as if it were some twisted pantomime of wiping away dirt.

It took the chestnut haired council member two glances to determine that the next two exquisite creatures he saw were males; like the two females they were perfectly put together, but unlike the females he'd seen first they were dressed in barely modest clinging silk. The brunette had his arm around the blond and was paying rather more attention to him then the blond seemed used too.

His gaze was finally caught by the figure sitting almost imposingly on the throne idly watching his subjects and occasionally glancing into the mirror he was holding in his left hand.

Duo, youngest member of the council, cleared his throat nervously, wondering why he didn't feel uncomfortable. He was basically watching a porno film in the making and he was debating leaving?

"Who are you and what is your business in the Oasis of the Beautiful Ones?"

Duo spun around to look for the origin of the voice, the girl was beautiful; long brown hair, clingy silk very revealing dress, perfectly shaped breasts, eerily perfect features.

"Erm, I wanted to meet you guys. I have travelled a long way to gaze upon true beauty."

The girls brown eyes brightened slightly, "You are truly an enchanting creature," She smiled, her hand reaching out to caress his face, "You make the Oasis beautiful, you may stay. Now come."

Duo followed her up to the throne, trying not to stare at the teen on the throne. He was perhaps a year older then Duo with blue-black hair, clear grey eyes and a pretty-boy figure.

"Jenrya, this is my new pet, he makes the oasis beautiful does he not?"

The boys eyes flickered over Duo with a limited interest,

"He is quite lovely Mimi, you have exquisite taste. " His hand reached out to trace Duo's face before he leant forward and kissed the other boy deeply.

Seconds turned into minutes as the kiss continued, until Jenrya finally pulled back with a satisfied smile, "Exquisite."

Duo stared at him still somewhat dazed, "Glerk?"

Mimi smiled, "I shall go introduce him to Hiroko, they would look beautiful together would they not?"

"No... He would look far more beautiful with Takehito I think, or perhaps Yamato."

The girl smiled, "As you like, my love."

Jenrya gently kissed the girl, "You are truly beautiful, ma petite."

~~~

Iori watched as Sora talked to the blue-haired mecha with detached interest. He did not dislike the other mecha, yet Sora's insistent coddling of the newer model irked him. It would not help the younger mecha to grow accustomed to his new way of life any faster; it was both inefficient, and stupid.

Had it been a human Iori would not have objected, but being a machine himself he understood the two most important lessons any mecha ever learnt, humans were always right and there was no use in delaying the inevitable.

As Sora left the room Iori took her place next to the bluenette.

"Ken."

Ken looked up, "Iori? What is it?"

"Your behaviour is troubling me. It is disquieting."

"I don't understand."

"Your search for this mythological blue fairy. It is useless. Your pathetic sentimental attachment to this human. I do not understand it."

"It's not useless! I love Daisuke and he loves me."

"No Ken. He loves what you can do for him, just as once my customers loved what I did for them, but he cannot love you. You are not real."

Ken turned his head away, "Then I will become real."

Iori stood, "You are a fool, and yet... I hope this human of yours returns to you, for perhaps... you are different."

~~~

Duo followed the girl who was tugging him enthusiastically towards the two boys he'd seen nestled together when he'd entered the Oasis.

"Yamato, Takehito, I require your expertise."

Both boys looked up at the girls words, the blond smiling happily, "How can we help Mimi-chan?"

"This is..." She paused, "What is your name pet?"

"Er, Duo. Duo Maxwell."

She smiled, "Duo, that is a beautiful name. Yamato, I require you to take my pet Duo to the lake and get him cleaned up. I hope you and Takehito will make him feel very welcome. I think you will find him both amusing and exquisitely beautiful if you explore his full potential."

Both boys stood and nodded, and taking an arm each led the long-haired boy towards the lake.

"Erm, so, you're Yamato, right?" He asked looking at the brunette. Both boys laughed merrily,

"I'm Yamato," The blond informed him, blue eyes sparkling with suppressed mirth, "Mat for short. He's Takehito."

"Oh..." Duo nodded, "Got it. So what are we doing?"

The blond smiled, "Bathing. Mimi asked Takehito and I to lend a hand..."

"Or a mouth if that will make you feel more at home..." The brunette added with a grin.

Duo blinked then felt a smirk spread over his face, "Both sound like they have their advantages."

~~~

Ruki sighed as she stared out over the wastelands; her eyes fixed on the distant southern mountains.

Ryo hadn't given her troupe another task, and she didn't feel up to leading another raid, not while Ryo and his new toy stayed here alone.

Not that they'd be alone... but still, Ryo had caused unrest amongst his 'subjects' when he'd set aside the girl he claimed to love for one of the mecha's he'd sworn to destroy.

Regardless of his physical attraction to the machine Ryo should not have overlooked his duties as Leader of the Hunters for a romp in the hay...

Ruki heaved another sigh; she could not leave when Ryo's position was so precarious. Never before had a hunter taken a mecha as a lover, but then, the mecha's who inhabited the wastelands were not beautiful.

Ryo's new lover quite obviously was.

"The only way to save his life is to return him to wherever he came from. Ryo has to understand that. He can't stay here."

"Is that so?" Ryo asked, his ever-present new lover twined around him.

Ruki looked up in surprise then regained her momentum, "Yes. Ryo, you know the others want to rip him apart... they believe he's brainwashed you. Let me take him back to the other Beautiful Ones. If they won't accept him you can have him for all eternity, if they will then at least he'll be safe. Wasn't that what you wanted?"

Ryo looked caught, then he smiled confidently at the machine in his arms, "What do you wish to do?"

The blond looked interestedly at Ruki, "If you believe you can convince them then I am happy to try. When will we leave?"

Ryo blinked in disbelief and released the blond; "Tomorrow will be soon enough I hope?"

The mecha shrugged, "It makes little difference to me."

Ryo looked between the two and turned stiffly, "I'll see you when you finish making your plans then. I assume you'll wish to say goodbye?"

The mecha shrugged again, "It makes little difference to me."

Ruki smiled at him, but it lacked the warmth he had become used to from her smiles, "I'll say it now. Goodbye Ryo."

~~~

"Sora-chan, I thank you for your information, and your aid. Thank you."

Sora looked up smiling tenderly, "I am always happy to be of assistance Ken- chan. Is there another way I can help you?"

"Possibly... Do you, perchance, know which direction I should walk to get to Galar'iel? I must find a terminal to upload new information on my Blue Fairy, I must go to Galar'iel to become real."

Sora's soft smile faltered slightly at his words, "Ken... You can't go to Galar'iel."

"Why not?" Ken's words were neither malicious nor spiteful.

"Because you're a mecha Ken-chan."

His face showed no sign of comprehension.

Sora resorted to the cold hard truth, "If you go to Galar'iel Ken you will be burnt. You aren't real Ken, and if you go there they will destroy you for a failing that is not truly yours."

Ken blinked then he lowered his eyes to his folded hands, "I respect your opinion Sora, but I would rather burn then live out my life as an outcast without my Daisuke."

Sora nodded hesitantly, "North-west."

Ken looked up at her.

"Galar'iel is four days journey North-west, if you don't get caught by the Hunters first, if you don't stop, if you don't get lost, if you don't get distracted. Four days journey North-west."

Ken smiled hesitantly, "Arigato Sora-chan."

Sora gave him a level look, "Don't thank me yet Ken. There's no way I'm letting you make this journey alone."

~~~

Talented hands caressed his already over-sensitive skin and brilliant cobalt eyes met his own as the girl who knelt before him impishly leant forward to touch the tip of her tongue to his bared nipple. He felt a jolt as if he'd been struck by lightening as she continued to tease.

Three days of similar behaviour from the entire faction had taught him that this was normal behaviour for these mecha's.

Duo threaded a hand through the girl's dark coffee-coloured hair. She slid up along his body to press her lips against his then finally drew back to address the comment he had made to incite her reaction,

"Are you sure you have to go?"

Duo leaned forward to follow her lips and met them in a fiery kiss,

"Ano... I should..." He breathed between kisses.

Mimi tugged Hiroko off of him, "Hiro, leave Duo be, if necessity dictates he leave, then leave he must. You will return pet?"

Duo nodded frantically, "Of course!"

Mimi smiled, "You see, now leave him be Hiro. The sooner you leave the sooner you can return."

She pressed her lips to his in an affectionate kiss, "Now go."

Duo nodded agreeably, "I'm gone."

~~~

"And this is my bedroom." Smiling softly Miyako pulled Hikari into the room. Hikari smiled back, "It is lovely, just like you."

Miyako blushed, "Thanks."

"Your brother wishes to run tests on me does he not?"

Miyako nodded shyly, "Or I can... If you like? I'm highly qualified."

Hikari caressed the girls cheek with the back of her hand affectionately, "I would like that Miya."

"Oh. Well, ah, the labs are this way," Miyako said taking the brunettes hand and leading her towards the labs.

The doors slid open as the motion sensors detected their presence, signalling their arrival with a soft ping.

"This is where you created the mecha, Ken?"

Miyako nodded, "Yes, I can show you his stats, they're on this computer."

Hikari smiled and promptly interfaced with the computer.

"They are interesting, these statistics."

Miyako removed her glasses to rub the bridge of her nose,

"They just confuse me," She admitted guiltily.

Hikari laughed and leant up to peck the girls lips with an tender smile.

"Come on, I'll explain them to you dearest."

"Dearest?" Miyako questioned blushing a little, "What's going to be next? Pearl of my Desire?"

Hikari smiled and gave the girl another succinct peck on the lips, which turned into more when Miyako deepened the kiss.

"I love you Miya, I like showing that," Hikari explained, "It is hard to operate outside my programming, I am forced to rewrite my systems to allow me to be with you as I wish to be with you."

Miyako looked remorseful, "I understand. I'm sorry Hikari."

Hikari laughed, threading her fingers through the other girls, "It is all right Miyako. I only wish this mecha you had created had the ability to rewrite his programming also. Now, let me explain these statistics."

Miyako giggled affectionately, snuggling into the smaller mecha, "Okay. I'm listening."

~~~

Naomi stood, her eyes meeting those of her peers as she waited for the silence she required before speaking.

"As was decided I met with the machines we are here to judge. While they are not. dangerous, there are many which serve no purpose."

"Hey!" Duo objected from his position at the head of the table, "Some of them serve a purpose," He smirked lazily, "Let me just say I'm very satisfied."

Naomi glared at the boy, "I have the floor chocolate-locks and you would do well to respect that."

The boy rolled his eyes and made a lazy hand motion to signify she could continue. She glared at him before doing so.

"Broken mecha's litter the wasteland and are regularly destroyed in Galar'iel by the hunters and their supporters. Every day our scientists create more and more of these creatures with bigger and better 'abilities'. They don't seem to understand that sometimes 'new and improved' isn't always what's best for our people. I believe we should keep these machines simple, and their operators capable. These new 'improved' models can be handled by anyone, including people who shouldn't possess a machine so humanlike. I say we order all these so-called scientists to keep to the original model before something really bad happens, like us being superseded by these ludicrous second-rate machines."

Yue met the eyes of the boy next to him with a questioning glance. The brunette shrugged and turned to Naomi,

"Your opinion has been noted Naomi, we thank you for your time. Who will speak next?"

"I will speak tomorrow when we reconvene, if that is satisfactory to all on the council."

Yue inclined his head to the blond; "It is acceptable. Tomorrow the floor is yours."

~~~

Ruki turned her head to look at her guide; "This is the entrance to the Oasis?"

Willis nodded, "Through the tunnel."

Ruki grabbed his arm and pulled him after her as she strode through the tunnel to find the Beautiful Ones. She would definitely need to have her wits about her if she wanted to convince them to take the blond off her hands.

She blinked as they stepped out into the dappled sunlight of the Oasis, her hair and eyes were being struck by the direct sunlight and it was actually rather annoying.

"Who are you and wha-" A voice asked, cutting off halfway through the question.

"Ruki." It was neither a question nor a statement, but rather something in between.

It took Ruki a moment to recognise the girl who'd spoken her name so calmly, "Mimi?" She asked.

Mimi smiled and warmly embraced the girl as if they were sisters... or lovers.

"Ruki, it has been such a long time. I almost thought you had forgotten my invitation, allow me to introduce you... after you bathe of course. I have a violet gown that would look lovely on you my fiery love."

Ruki pulled away reluctantly, "Mimi, I'm not here to stay..."

Mimi laughed, "Nonsense beloved, why else would you be here?"

"Ano," Ruki pulled Willis forward, "Here, it's one of yours I think."

Mimi's eyes narrowed, as she glared at the blond, "No. I'm sorry my precious, but you've made a mistake. That is one of the ugly ones." Skilfully she extracted Ruki's hand from Willis's and insinuated herself into the tiny spot between them, "He's different to us beloved, now come, let me get you cleaned and dressed properly."

Her dark gaze rested briefly on the blond; "You are not welcome here. Tell the people of my beloved that she is with the Beautiful One's and of them. Now go. Ruki will stay with I and my love, for she is Beautiful and you are not."

Willis turned coldly and left the Oasis. It was one thing to be replaced by the golden haired mecha.

It was quite another to be replaced by the Unbeautiful second-in-command of the mecha hunters.

Unspeaking he set out across the desert. If he could not be where he truly belonged then he would set out to assure that the copper-haired hunter would not be welcomed back should she return to where she belonged.

~~~

Blond hair shielded violet eyes from view, yet did not block their penetrating glare. The boy gave a slight, polite bow before beginning.

"I spoke with a mecha, and I found his speech... interesting to say the least. So today I will introduce him to the council, that he may say his piece to you as well."

Yue raised an eyebrow at the slight impertinence but allowed it to pass, the blond had ever been a polite and useful member of the council... unlike certain others.

"Council, allow me to introduce Bakura."

The silver haired mecha inclined his head a fraction, "A pleasure, I'm sure."

The blond cut him off, "These formalities are useless, speak your piece."

The boy smirked, "As you command, almighty council member." He paused for effect, "I believe your people have made a mistake Council. You have made us too smart, too quick and too many. We are suffering for the mistakes your people are still making, because when the end of this world comes all that will be left is us. You hate us because you know we will replace you in this world, but it is too late Council. Your people have made their mistakes and they will not allow you to drag them backwards again."

There was silence in the room as the mecha finished his piece.

"Thank you Bakura, I believe you have made my point nicely. We have likely missed our opportunity, yet we should try to stop these mistakes from progressing any further. I relinquish the floor."

Yue inclined his head to the blond, "Your opinion has been noted Yugi Moto."

~~~

The sun beat down upon the heads of the two mechas, and the sand beneath their feet glittered like glass, reflecting the sun blindingly.

Ken did not even attempt to make conversation. Sora walked mechanically, her concentration turned inwards as she competently calculated distances and times, effortlessly deciding the most efficient path through the desert.

Ken followed Sora's lead, his violet eyes tracking her as he dwelled inwardly upon his memories.

"What do we have here?" The voice rang in the empty desert.

Both mecha's looked up at the brunette on the hover bike.

"I'm Ken, This is Sora." Ken announced looking at the teen on the bike curiously.

"Mechas," The boy spat coldly, "Your kind means nothing to me!"

Ken's violet eyes clouded over as he heard Takeru's words spoken from this strange boy.

"We are going to Gala'riel, we mean no harm." Sora told the boy.

The boy snarled, "Yeah, well we'll give you a free trip. You two," He nodded towards his two lackeys, "Grab 'em. Ryo will be pleased to see we've done something productive. Let's go people."

~~~

Duo's violet eyes glittered beneath his bangs. There was little he could say which would augment the jumble of opinions, so he went with his instincts and spoke what he believed in.

"They're not all bad, these so-called mecha's. Maybe they act like humans, but that doesn't make them impersonators, it just makes them a different breed of humans. We created them, but that doesn't give us the right to destroy them. We're as envious of them as they are of us, only we can't admit it. Maybe one day they will be the dominant species, but that doesn't give us the right to kill them now. Even if we aren't ready to accept them, they're here, and short of obliteration there's nothing we can do to stop that. Maybe they don't really have blood, but their metaphorical blood will be on our hands for the rest of our lives if we wipe out their race. I don't know about you, but I think the human race has done enough killing, besides," The boy finished with a broad grin, "they're great in bed."

Yue looked caught between amusement and anger, "That wasn't your assignment."

Duo winked, "Those were my perks. Besides you asked for advantages - they're all sluts, good looking sluts too, they're easy!"

Yue gave a resigned sigh, "You're not helping your cause Maxwell."

Duo shrugged, "Oh well. Just keep in mind that they actually do have their uses."

~~~

Ruki smiled contently, oddly at ease in the flimsy lounging gown Mimi had given her. She could feel Jenrya running his fingers through her hair, his other hand resting lightly on her midriff.

"Jenrya?" She murmured softly.

"What is it love?"

"At Gala'riel they burn mecha's," She admitted, "I, now that I know you, it seems so wrong to let so many of your kind die."

"Hush love," Jenrya covered her mouth, "They are not our kind. If they were beautiful they would not be burnt."

"Jenrya, I think we should go, just in case..." Ruki pleaded as his hand returned to its previous position.

"I would do anything to please my dearest lovers. If Mimi wishes this journey, then we will travel to Gala'riel. Does this please you my sweet?"

Ruki sought out his lips with her own, meeting them in a passionate kiss, displaying the fiery nature Jenrya prized so highly.

"Yes Jenrya. It pleases me."

~~~

"Oniichan!" Sakura greeted, her green eyes lighting up as the two oldest council members walked into the laboratory. "I missed you so much."

Smiling she ran at the two boys, hugging them warmly, "Did you miss me too Touya?"

"Of course," Touya answered softly, drawing back to look down at the girl, "How are you feeling today, kaijuu?"

The girl pouted, stomping her foot, "I am NOT a monster Touya. Yue, tell niichan to be nice to me. I'm sick!"

Yue laughed softly, "Be nice to Sakura-chan, she's sick."

Touya rolled his eyes, "I'm so sorry kaijuu."

The girl gasped indignantly, and blushingly darted towards the other boy, "I'm not talking to you!" She claimed loudly.

Yue smiled affectionately, losing his cold manner in the presence of the only two people he had ever cared about.

"How is everyone treating you Sakura-chan?" Yue asked.

The girl blushed a little more, "Oh, okay. But it's not like being with you and oniichan. When am I allowed to come home?"

Yue averted his eyes, "We'll have to talk to the doctor, we're not sure."

"Okay," Sakura agreed amiably, "I know you wouldn't ever lie to me."

Touya picked the girl up from behind,

"Oniichan!" The girl shrilled.

"I'm sorry. Do you forgive me? I'll put you down when you do."

"I forgive you," The girl relented, "Do you want to play with me?"

"Well..." Touya began.

"I'm sorry Sakura, we have to talk to your doctor," Yue cut in, "Come on To- ya, we'll come visit again next week, okay?"

Sakura smiled at him, "And you'll take me home, right?"

"Of course," Yue lied.

The grey eyes of the doctor met Yue's and he shook his head apologetically.

"This is the most advanced mechanical project I've ever worked upon. There are still a few bugs to work out."

"A few bugs?" Yue replied icily, "That... machine believes she's truly Touya's younger sister Sakura. This wasn't what we asked for. You said you could heal Sakura after the accident. You said you could fix her paralysis, make her the girl she was before. You never said anything about making a robot."

"I... She has all Sakura's memories, she looks like Sakura, she'll react like Sakura. What more do you want?"

Touya blinked away the first hints of tears, "I want my little sister. I want her to be real and alive again. I don't want some machine whose just going to pretend."

"Bringing back the dead is beyond even my skill. Give me the order and I'll kill that little girl, is that what you want?"

Sakura smiled at them through the glass, her green eyes full of trust. Yue scowled and spun on his heel. "We'll be back next week. Same day, same time."

~~~

The mecha's crowded around the two newcomers with childlike delight.

"Who are you?"

"I am Sora and this is Ken. Who are you?"

"I am Izumi, and my companion is Takuya," She smiled charmingly.

Her long blond hair hung around her face, giving her the façade of beauty, but her lips had been torn somehow, and instead of the customary facsimile of lips, the girl had copper wiring poking out of a gelatine type material. Her imitation skin had also been ripped in places, showing glimpses of wiring, metal or that cheap gelatine. Her companion was missing large clumps of his hair, and twitched every few seconds while his body was racked with violent shudders every few minutes. "You two just get here?"

Sora nodded, guarding her charge carefully.

"Is he... you know, messed up in the head?" Takuya asked curiously, peering at Ken.

"What?" Ken asked, "Sora, what is he asking me?"

Takuya blinked in surprise, "Woah, I thought you might be broken, like Kouji."

"Who's Kouji?" Ken asked softly.

"Ah," Takuya began, "I'll show you."

He cleared a pathway through the crowd to a perfectly formed mecha who was sat next to the bars of the cage looking off blankly into space.

The boys long blue-black hair was perfectly straight, his dark blue-grey eyes were exquisite, physically he was perfect, no indication he was a mecha, save for his lack of animation.

"Kouji!" Takuya rubbed the boys shoulder, "Yo!"

The mecha mechanically stood, his voice flat, "Pleasure cost money. Break pleasure machine bad no ask pleasure."

"He's broken, see?" The boy asked, "We're thinking they're gonna burn him soon, when they burn me an' 'Zumi. You'se here in time to be burnt too."

"I can't be burnt. I'm going to find the Blue Fairy, and then Daisuke will love me, so you see, I can't get burnt. I'm a real boy."

~~~

It felt strange, to Ruki, to be heading to Galar'iel, not as a hunter, but as one of the mecha's she'd once sought after and destroyed.

It felt oddly anomalous to be riding her customary bike, yet to be riding with the Beautiful Ones rather then her company.

She could feel Jenrya's strong arms around her, he'd chosen to ride behind her, and the gesture comforted Ruki rather then annoyed her.

It felt almost wrong to be making for Galar'iel with the Beautiful Ones. Mimi had not even thought about her request, she had smiled and nodded at Ruki's suggestion for the simple reason it came from Ruki.

Jenrya leant forward, drawing Ruki out of her thoughts as his lips tickled her ear, "Does this make you happy love?"

Ruki smiled, "Well, if I can show the world that not all mecha's are foul ugly creatures, I'll be happy. If I can save just one Beautiful One from burning, then I'll be satisfied."

Jenrya smiled back, "Good. Let's stop here for the night," He looked over at the setting sun, "Our entrance needs to be perfectly coordinated so that we make a perfect appearance tomorrow morning."

"Of course," Ruki stopped her bike, and slid off, watching as Takehito and Yamato efficiently set up the tent of the Beautiful Ones. They'd slept in it last night, it was overindulgent luxury, and Ruki doubted she'd ever grow sick of it.

~~~

The girl stood - her blond hair loose down her back, and her crimson eyes glittering, "I think that the mechas are entertaining." She smiled, memories of the two mechas she'd witnessed making the 'erotic' motion picture filling her head. It had definitely been entertaining to watch, the two mechas had no physical flaws, and genuinely loved what they were doing, a trait that was rare in real humans.

"There are things, jobs, that need to be done, and I think it is better to have machines who enjoy doing the job, then humans who don't." She smiled over at the mecha she'd brought along, "Ah, my coffee. Thank you." She smiled, "Which brings me to my second point, they make great coffee, just the right amount of salt."

Touya spoke softly, his voice curious, and audible to all in the room, "You make a good point, Fiona, but my question is, if we give these mecha's responsibilities, jobs that no human wishes to do, what rights should we also give them? The right to life? The right to safety? Do we pay them? Why give them only the jobs no human wants to do, they're smarter then us, their posiatronic brains can hold far more information, why shouldn't we give them management jobs?"

Fiona bit her lip, "I... You're right. But we humans will never do that, because we are afraid, because we know that they are smarter then us, and could live on this planet far more efficiently. We can not give them rights, because to do so would mean we consider them equal and humans as a race must always be superior. We humans are stupid enough to believe we have gotten over our bigotry and our racism. Skin colours are no longer an issue, nobody even cares. Same sex couples are as accepted and as natural as any other kind of couple. Problems that we once thought we would never resolve have resolved themselves as people grow more tolerant, but we cannot tolerate these machines being equal to us, because we are still on our basest level a discriminatory people."

Touya nodded, "And that is why we will never achieve an acceptable standard of social cohesion or social harmony between our two peoples, because we prosecute their kind, because they are not human, and because they pretend to be so well."

~~~

The hunters were far from gentle as they hauled Kouji out of the metal cage, and the long haired boy was limp in their hands, listlessly following their commands as he was lugged towards the centre of the grounds.

"Kouji!" Takuya yelled desperately, trying to break the mecha out of his trance-like obedience.

Soft eyes turned to meet his, and Kouji blinked, "Takuya?"

The two hunters dragged him forward as he stopped moving on his own, cursing all the while.

"Kouji, don't let them... not you!" Takuya rasped, "Not you."

Kouji blinked at him. The mecha-hunters cursed louder, and the taller one hauled Kouji up and threw him into the small ditch at the centre of the grounds.

"Stupid machine."

The shorter hunter dropped a match into the kerosene that filled the ditch Kouji was standing in.

Takuya pulled away from the hunter who was restraining him and lunged towards Kouji as the flames burst into life, trying to protect the beautiful fragile mecha with his own body.

"Takuya?" Kouji whispered hoarsely.

"Oh Kouji, I'm sorry," Takuya whispered back as the fire burnt his clothes and melted his skin.

Kouji leant forward and pressed his burning lips to Takuya's, even as the fire roared around them, destroying them.

Takato beside Taichi frowned, his brow crinkling in distress, "I've never seen one of them do that before. It's... weird."

"Almost... human," Tai agreed.

~~~

Hikari smiled softly her crimson eyes alight with affection,

"Are you sure?"

Miyako responded with a deep, lingering kiss, "I'm positive."

Hikari stared at her lover for a few moments, then leant forward and gently kissed the taller girl, before trailing kisses down the girls neck.

"I love you," She punctuated each word with a teasing kiss, "Toujours. Un eternité. Je t'aime."

Miyako's breath hitched, tiny moans escaping through her slightly parted lips,

"I love you too," She whispered, repeating Hikari's words in English, "Always. Forever. I love you."

Hikari's smile broadened, and she relieved the lavender haired girl of her shirt, softly caressing her pale untouched skin.

"I promise I'll make it good for you Miya-chan. I promise."

Miyako nodded breathlessly, "I know you will Hika. God you're beautiful."

Hikari leant forward and captured the scientists lips in a demandingly heated kiss.

~~~

Mimi faltered as she took in the scene; Ruki followed her gaze to the flames roaring around a pair of kissing mecha's.

"Kouji..." Her voice was a pained whisper.

Jenrya stared at the fire for a moment, "He chose to leave the oasis, there was nothing more we could have done."

"Who...?" Ruki whispered, finally managing to tear her eyes away from the pair as they disappeared behind the sea of flames.

"Kouji." Jenrya said shortly, his voice cold, "Note well what happens to those who leave the Oasis to find their place in the world. Our place is the Oasis, and there is nowhere else we can go where we will be accepted."

Mimi looked away, "We see it, just as you do. Kouji is dead because he forsook his beauty and his family."

Ruki turned back to the grounds, the flames had died down, but nothing remained of the two mecha's who'd burnt save for the heady tang of burnt rubber and acrid copper that clogged the air.

~~~

Yue smiled reassuringly as his normally reticent lover stepped forward and cleared his throat. The assembled group turned to look at him, falling silent respectfully.

"I suppose it's hard to know where to begin, or what to say," Touya began, his voice sure and strong, "I believe I have made my position clear, but the subject of mechas - mechanical humans, is not a simple subject. There is no black and white, no good and bad, there is only 'us' and 'them', a distinction we ourselves have created. There are many depths that we have only just begun to graze the surface of. These machines have no malice towards us, they are machines, and therefore do only what they are programmed to do, just as humans do only what they have been conditioned to do, by society."

"What do you mean, conditioned?" Naomi asked sharply.

"We, as humans, do not act outside the parameters of our conditioning. We do not walk around naked, because we have been conditioned into seeing that as wrong, we could walk around naked, but we do not." Naomi nodded her understanding.

"I do not believe that these mechas present an overt threat - their menace lies in their similarity, and their difference to our species. It is both their similarities and their differences that prevent their obliteration." Touya shrugged "Besides, Duo was correct when he said that the human race has done enough killing throughout history. I do not believe it is our place to destroy another species, regardless of their danger to our own. I think perhaps they are our punishment for our arrogance in replicating in metal what nature never would have recreated."

~~~

Ken's eyes were wide, conspicuous in his pale face. The hunter who gripped his arm now was the same one who was responsible for his being captured in the first place.

His mind whirled, solutions to his current dilemma were hypothesised and discarded as he hastily determined their probability of success.

The hunter began to haul him forwards and Ken's icy control broke, "Please don't kill me, please you can't, I'm a real boy, I'm a real boy! Please don't kill me, you can't, you can't, I don't want to die, not here - not without Daisuke. Please... Don't kill me!"

The hunter's grip slackened and he turned to his superior in confused shock, "Sir? What should we do?"

Tai stepped forward before he could stop himself, "Ken!"

Kens head snapped around, "Taichi?" He tried to wrench his arm free, "Help me! Please... don't let me die." The boys violet eyes filled with tears, "I don't want to die."

"Where's Daisuke?" Tai asked, positive that the redhead would be somewhere nearby.

Ken let out a choked sob, "I need to find the Blue Fairy. Help me Taichi."

Taichi tried to push through the crowd, but the writhing mass of people almost seemed to be conspiring against him.

Ken stumbled forwards as he lost sight of Taichi, turning his pleading gaze to the hunter,

"Please... I don't want to die."

~~~

"J-jenrya, look!" Mimi breathed almost reverently.

Ruki searched for whatever had caught her lover's eye and felt the breath catch in her throat, "Wow."

Takehito gave an amazed cry, "Is it... *the* Beautiful One? Jenrya?"

The self-proclaimed leader of the mecha's stared at the perfectly proportioned creature who seemed to wordlessly beg for a saviour.

Yamato's eyes widened in horror, "Ken!" His perfect blue eyes turned pleadingly to Jenrya, "We have to save him! I promised him I'd never let anyone hurt him."

Jenrya nodded, "He is beautiful, therefore it is our duty to protect that beauty. Come mes petits."

Ruki ripped the hunters hand away from Ken's arm, cold fury burning in her veins, "We find you guilty of the crime of destruction of beauty."

Jenrya looked around at the crowd, bluntly addressing those who had assembled to watch the burnings, "You have gathered here to watch the destruction of the unbeautiful, this mecha is of our breed and therefore we will protect him."

The air of authority and supreme beauty surrounding the leader of the Beautiful One's drew all eyes effortlessly.

Ruki pulled away from the hunter, and sashayed toward Jenrya drawing upon the beauty of her new family as a shield against the eyes, trying to hold her head high. "As second in command of the mecha hunters I declare the destruction of this mecha, and any other of our level of beauty illegal. I bow down to the higher authority of the legendary Beautiful Ones."

Ken's attention was diverted from his beautiful rescuers when he felt a pair of strong arms embrace him and he stiffened for a moment before he relaxed into the hug. After a few seconds Yamato's soft voice finally computed into comprehensible words, "Don't worry, I'm here Ken."

Kens legs buckled and Yamato scooped him up like a child.

Mimi and Takehito crowded around him worriedly. Mat smiled softly, cradling his fragile burden like a child, "Guys, this is Ken. Ken these are the Beautiful Ones."

Ken frowned weakly, "Yamato... I need to find the Blue Fairy, I can't..."

Yamato stared at the unconscious mecha in his arms. He'd never heard of a system that caused the machine to shut down periodically, so he assumed Ken had overloaded his system.

Jenrya smiled at Yamato when he saw that Ken had been taken care of, "Very good Yamato, I believe we have caused enough trouble." He inclined his head to one of the men he'd addressed earlier, "We will take our leave now."

"Wait!" Tai yelled, finally breaking through the crowd, "Mat, I need to tell you something! Please, don't go."

Yamato turned around, "Taichi?" He asked in shock, his last words to the brunette coming back to haunt him, how could he have forgotten them?

Tai came to a stop in front of Yamato, "Yama," He smiled, "I thought I'd never see you again. I didn't get a chance to tell you, but I hoped I would see you again too."

Yamato stared at the brunette; the words did not fit the standard behavioural patterns of his one-time lover and long-time friend.

"Taichi?" He repeated, trying to ascertain the other boy's problem.

"I wanted to tell you, Yama, I love you too. I wasn't sure before, but when I thought that I might lose you I realised - I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Fuck the rest of humanity, fuck the human-mecha relationship laws, I love you, and nobody will ever change that. Ever."

"Oh Tai, do you mean it?" Yamato breathed reverently.

Tai nodded.

Yamato grinned, "It may not be logical, it should probably be impossible and I wouldn't be surprised if it's morally tabooed... but I love you too. I don't know how it happened, but I'm programmed to learn, and I guess I just learnt to love you."

"Yamato!" Jenrya cut in brusquely, "What is the meaning of this outburst?"

Yamato turned to smile dazzlingly at the group, "This is my boyfriend Taichi, I love him and he loves me. I'm going to go live with him."

Mimi gasped sharply, clutching at Takehito's hand for support.

Jenrya looked almost lost for words, "Yamato... Your place is with us. With the Beautiful Ones... he is not Beautiful."

Mat's face paled, "If Taichi can say fuck humanity to be with me I can say screw you. I love Tai, and I think he *is* beautiful, and if you don't think so then you must be blind. I don't want to be one of the Beautiful Ones if they can't see that true beauty is on the inside."

Ruki smiled, "Very well Yamato, we wish you the very best, just remember..."

Yamato's heart clenched, as he instinctively finished the sentence she'd used more then once about her own situation.

Yamato forced a smile; "I will love him, even when he is old, because his beauty is not simply skin deep."

Ruki shrugged, "We must all follow our natures, and you will follow yours. Goodbye Yamato."

Mat smiled at Taichi, dismissing the Beautiful Ones from his mind as he crushed his lips against Taichi's, careful of the burden in his arms.

Ruki was wrong, she had to be. He and Taichi loved each other more then life itself, Ruki was wrong. He would love Taichi till eternity.

~~~

"You summoned me, Dr Kido?" Hikari asked softly, taking a seat in the chair opposite the blue haired scientist.

"Indeed. I wanted to ask you about the original laws about the creation of mechas."

"You mean the laws that allowed my creation I assume?" Hikari paused, "I suppose, before Seto, my husband, managed to create a system sophisticated enough to allow a machine to think and grow as I have, it did not even occur to the council that it was possible for a human-mecha to be produced. My creation caused uproar, was I a machine or a human? I could think, make my own decisions, but I was not human. I expect this mecha of yours will experience these same prejudices and encounter these same problems. The world has not changed significantly during my time away from it."

"The council has sent for me," Jyou confessed, "if the world has not changed since your creation, if the council has not changed, how should I explain my reanimation of you? If they have not changed, will they again command your destruction?"

Hikari stared at her folded hands for a few moments, "I do not know, but I sincerely hope not."

The room lapsed into silence, Jyou stood, "Hikari? How do you think of yourself?"

"What do you mean?" The girl asked calmly.

"When you think about yourself, do you think of yourself as a machine or a... human?"

"I do not think of myself at all, because frankly I do not relish forcing upon myself a definition of who I am and what I must be, but then," Hikari smiled bitterly, "that's human nature isn't it?"

Jyou could not think of an answer, and when the girl-mecha disappeared through the door, the morbid question was left hanging in the air.

~~~

Willis watched the desert from his perch atop one of the sand dunes, his eyes fixed on the red-haired girl who walked amongst them. Ruki. He'd lost his hatred of her, his contempt, he realised, and he felt nothing but pity for the corporeal being amongst so many immortal machines. He'd lost his place amongst the Beautiful Ones, but it seemed that he had outgrown them at any rate. He would not return; even if they invited him back, he would never fit in. It almost scared him, this unfamiliar lack of belonging.

They looked so happy together, these Beautiful One's, so calm and... Beautiful. Something inside him ached to see their happiness, and yet, he smiled tenderly, his own happiness was waiting only a few hundred metres away for his return.

"For as long as I have Ryo, I have no need to be one of the beautiful ones, for being beautiful in his eyes is worth a thousand times being beautiful in theirs."

He spoke to attain release, to find closure as he watched his once-family return to the Oasis. It was almost strange that the mecha hunters did not try to stop them as they once might have, yet oddly not strange at all.

The red hair glinted in the sun, drawing his attention back to the girl he hated, yet could not in anyway hate at all. Even when he was not a beautiful one, he was still contradictory. Ruki had a sadness in her eyes, a sadness in her stance that he could see, from miles away. She understood that which he was only now grasping now that he understood how much Ryo meant to him.

The fragile mortality of human life and the seeming immortality of the mecha's, seemed so terribly ironic to him. He'd found the love and the life he could not have found without leaving the Beautiful Ones, but the heart of his soulmate was mortal, and it was for that reason that he loved Ryo, for his fragile mortality, for his human weaknesses. And because of those Ryo would one-day die.

Willis picked up the silver bladed knife that had been resting next to him, once he would have needed another to do this deed, now... he understood that he alone had that choice. Light gleamed along the blade and Willis hesitated, was he one of the legendary Blue Fairies now? Was that the purpose of Ryo's upgrade? To give him the ability to think for himself?

He ran a finger along the blade; he'd never before made a selfish decision, but then he had never before experienced the wholly human concept of egocentricity. Machines are designed to serve other people, Willis's action would be solely in his own interest.

Ryo's face flashed into his mind, every detail exact in his memory, every minute wrinkle that marred his face exact.

"Willis?"

Willis turned to see Ryo framed in the doorway, haloed by the light streaming through the door.

"Ryo... I don't want you to die..."

Ryo's lips quirked into a smile, "Well I don't relish the concept myself, but everybody dies sometime."

"I won't." Willis told the boy softly, "I suppose I could hack my battery to pieces, or ask someone to take it out, but it could be replaced, so I would not truly be dead, in any sense of the word."

"Oh Willis..." Ryo whispered.

"How can you live with the knowledge? The ability to make your own decisions? The understanding of your own mortality? How can you stand to be with me? Am I not a reminder that you are growing older while I remain forever unchanged by the ravages of time?"

"Willis," Ryo repeated softly, "Is it not enough that I love you?"

"I don't know," Willis replied honestly, "In this moment it might be enough, but you and I are..."

"We are in love," Ryo said firmly, taking Willis hand in his own as he stared into the mecha's desolate cobalt eyes.

"In love," Willis repeated, his tone softly bittersweet, "But for how long? Until eternity? I don't think so Ryo."

"Then let eternity take care of itself. For this moment it is enough. I love you Willis, for this moment."

Willis smiled, feeling warmth suffusing him; "I love you too."

~~~

Ken's violet eyes fluttered open and his eyes managed to focus on the blurry blond, who was leaning over him in concern,

"I think his system has rebooted," Yamato informed the group. He turned to the bluenette, "Now, up you hop Ken. You must be more careful in future, overloading your system can be dangerous."

Ken shrugged, "There is no time for this. I must find the Blue Fairy, I must."

"The Blue Fairy?" Yamato's voice was tinged with concern, "Are you sure you want to see her?"

"I am sure," Ken replied firmly, "I need to be real. I need Daisuke to choose me."

"Very well," Yamato decided, "I will take you."

Taichi joined the two as they headed towards his hovercraft, smiling at the blond as he greeted the taller machine with a kiss.

"We're heading to the old Aiko facility, mid-level in the skyscraper district, you know where that is, right Taichi?"

Tai grinned cockily, "Course I do lover."

Tai's customary music blared out of the speakers, the heavy beat vibrating through the vehicle, destroying the need for a meaningless conversation that would not have taken place in any case.

Yamato navigated the building with ease, on arrival, efficiently showing Ken to an empty room.

"We call this computer the BF. It holds all the data behind the Blue Fairy program. It will tell you everything you need to know."

Ken stepped forward, resting his fingers lightly on the keyboard, there was the familiar flicker of static before he interfaced with the computer. The surge of electricity thrummed soothingly through his veins.

'Blue Fairy?' He requested brusquely.

'Password?' The machine countered.

"Password?" He repeated.

"Yami." Yamato replied broodingly.

'Yami'.

'Password accepted'.

"Yami?" Tai repeated, "Isn't that a little morbid?"

Mat shrugged cagily.

"So, what is this place?"

"This is the dwelling the Blue Fairy was exiled to."

"Blue Fairy? Why blue?" Tai grinned, "Blue is the colour of melancholy, of sadness. I really think you should change the colour of your fairy."

"She is the Blue Fairy for a reason Taichi."

Tai's grin disappeared, and his gaze flickered over to where Ken was sitting, his eyes closed as he delved for the information he desired.

'How can I find the Blue Fairy?'

The computer whirred softly, a low hum of sound that vibrated through Kens head, 'The Blue Fairy Project was disbanded several hundred years ago. Over the years there have been many attempts to repeat the Blue Fairy experiment, but few of these attempts have ever been successful. The first Blue Fairy was Yagami Hikari, who was placed in stasis almost a thousand years ago'. Images flashed behind his eyes, information, schematics, details about the first Blue Fairy.

'Where is she now?' Ken asked tersely.

'She is residing with the scientist Kido Jyou, in his laboratory, for research purposes. She has been reanimated'

'Can she make me human?'

'The purpose of the Blue Fairy project was to create a sentient machine - a human mecha as it were. This potential exists within all mechas; but it must be activated. The mecha must be reprogrammed as a Blue Fairy.'

'Who has proved this hypothesis?'

'Takaishi Natsuko, who was one of the mechanics who maintained the stasis around the Yagami mecha, proved her theory with the mecha - Yamato. This potential to experience humanity perhaps exists within you as well... however... the project was not called the Blue Fairy project solely because of the fairy tale from whence the title Blue Fairy comes. The colour blue represents sadness, you would do well to remember that taking part in the Blue Fairy project brings that sadness upon you.'

Ken opened his eyes, pulling away from the computer, "I have downloaded a tracking program for the original Blue Fairy. I must become human. I will know happiness if I am human."

Yamato sighed resignedly, "Then we shall track your Blue Fairy tomorrow Ken, Tacihi is human and needs sleep."

"Tomorrow." Ken affirmed as he turned and walked out the door.

~~~

"I don't care what any of you say," Duo informed the group firmly, "it isn't our place to annihilate an entire race of thinking sentient creatures, especially not when those beings play a useful role in our society."

"I agree. These machines do not share our physical flaws. They possess the ability to do the things that need to be done," Fiona added, "Perhaps we cannot give these mecha's rights or pay. They are not human, and they never will be, but they were created for a purpose, and while that purpose still exists, these machines should be used for that purpose."

"And what happens when you get a machine that seems so human even it can not tell the difference? What then Fiona? Is that machine not entitled to basic human rights? And would you be the one to tell a machine who believed it was a human child that it had no right to exist? Well Fiona?"

Fiona shrugged, "Would you be the one to physically destroy it Touya? There is no easy solution."

"We have waited too long to make our move," Yugi said with a shrug, "These machines are the result of our stupidity, and it seems fitting they will be our downfall."

"We must not let them be our downfall, we must act, regardless of the moralistic issues which we could debate until eternity," Naomi began evenly. "We are the elected council of humankind - not the elected council of machines, we are here to do what is best for humans, and what is best for humans is not to be infiltrated by a race of machines."

"And is it 'best' for the human race to have the murder of another race on our hands?" Duo spat.

"Perhaps there is no best Duo, Naomi." Yue said firmly, hurt flashing across his features as his gaze swept over Touya. "These human-mecha's bring nothing but pain. Duo is correct in that we have driven many species to the point of extinction. It is merely a percentage of the population who present a threat. The Blue Fairies."

"You would sentence them to death?" Touya asked, his voice raw with sorrow.

Yue looked tortured, "No. I would sentence them to oblivion, until the human race is better equipped to deal with them."

"So basically we're waiting for the day when the whole human race can accept them as human or the day when we've matured enough that we can form a distinction between ourselves and them."

"Yes. It is easy to be fooled."

"It's not our place," Duo repeated, "To sentence them. If we will not defend their rights then we have no right ourselves to fault them for existing."

"But that is our nature Duo," Touya said softly, "We are arrogant, and perhaps we do deserve to be replaced by them in the grand scheme of things, but we will not allow it, and they will have no say in the matter. For that is our nature, and that is their nature, and sometimes, there's nothing more that you can do."

~~~

Sakura smiled at the doctor, her vibrant green eyes shining with happiness, "Did Oniichan and Yue really say I could come home now?"

The doctor didn't reply, busying himself with a tray, "Hop up on the bed Sakura; that's a good girl."

Sakura grinned, obeying cheerfully, "I can't wait to go home Dr. Kinomoto. Kero-chan is probably missing me lots. I miss him too."

The doctor turned, and Sakura's brow furrowed when she saw what he was holding,

"Is that a needle? I don't like needles, it's not for me is it?"

"I'm afraid so."

Sakura let out a whimper, tears beginning to pool just below her eyes,

"What will it do to me?"

"Never you mind that. Just give me your arm; that's a good girl. Yue and your brother said that if you do this then you can come home."

Sakura forced a watery smile and held out her arm.

The pale liquid streamed into the girl's veins and short-circuited her.

Carefully, as though she were made of glass, the scientist picked up his finest creation, and laid her to rest in the coffin he'd had made for her.

He felt tears pooling in his own eyes; he'd just destroyed the girl he thought of as his own daughter. He turned away from the body, a single troubled thought swirling around his head as he though about Sakura's murder: 'Are they really the inhuman ones or are we?'

~~~

Jyou stared around the waiting room anxiously, his heart pounding in his chest. In his heart he knew what they were going to say, and he was afraid. All their work would be wasted if the council did not listen to him, if the council made the wrong decision.

Osamu's death would be wasted. He felt the familiar pangs of guilt. It had not been solely his fault that Osamu had died. He had been dying long before they'd paired up to work on the Blue Fairy Program. Osamu had known that their actions would bring about his death faster then anticipated.

He felt guilty nevertheless.

He had killed his sisters fiancée in the name of science, he was a horrible person, and he didn't deserve to live.

"Momoe?"

"Hai?" Momoe sounded almost distracted, but when he didn't continue she turned to look at him, "What is it dear?"

"I'm a murderer Momoe. I killed Osamu and the council is going to demand I destroy Ken. His death will be worth nothing, Miyako will be miserable and it will be all my fault."

"Don't be ridiculous Jyou, Osamu died of a heart attack. He'd been dying for longer then you'd known him."

"Well I hurried the process along. He died from the stress of what we were doing with the Blue Fairy program. We were recording his neural patterns. Osamu didn't ever want to leave Miya."

"So you were helping him. He knew as much as you did Jyou, you can't shoulder all the blame."

"He died before we'd finished. Ken's neural patterns were a mix of his, the first mecha's and Koushiro's. I never told Koushiro."

Momoe bit her lip, "Jyou..." She whispered.

"I know," Jyou agreed uncomfortably, "I'm a horrible person."

"I think-"

"The council will now be called to session Dr Kido. If you and Ms. Innoue will follow me?" A lightly accented voice interrupted.

The two turned and followed the secretary into the room.

~~~

Hiroko smiled at Duo as he left the chamber. Only the head of the council of six needed to pass sentence. Duo had played his role.

"I think I failed you Hiro-chan." Duo choked out.

Hiro carefully raised Duo's chin, meeting the boys violet eyes with her own,

"You could never fail me Duo. Whatever decision the council makes, it will not affect us. We are the Beautiful Ones."

Duo forced a weak smile.

Hiroko leant forward, meeting the boys lips with her own.

"Let's go home."

Duo nodded and followed the girl, without once looking back at the life he was leaving behind.

~~~

Yue gathered his authority as head of the council around him like a cloak and spoke the words the council of six had decided were appropriate for the situation.

"Dr Kido. You will destroy the mecha you have retrieved, and any other of similar make. Perhaps technologically it is advancement, but these... machines, they are not human. And it is perhaps, too easy, for one to believe they are. The council has spoken."

Jyou's head fell into his hands. The council was so primitive, this mecha was the best example of human ingenuity, and the council would have it destroyed!

Momoe beside him cursed.

"What is it?" He asked.

"I was correct to begin with. Your sister will not forgive you if you do as the council asks."

Jyou was confused, "I don't understand. I know Miya's fond of the mecha but..."

Momoe gave him a 'look', "Jyou, your sister and that mecha are lovers, and have been since the day we reactivated her."

Jyou's eyes widened further, "Oh shit."

~~~

Tai grinned roguishly at his two trustworthy companions, as he triumphantly tapped in the entry code for the ship he'd decided to steal.

"Yama-chan, Ken, your chariot awaits."

Ken didn't even blink as he followed the two aboard, "I'll set up the tracker system."

"Right, I'll start up the engine, Yama, you can be my navigator."

Kens eyes flickered up to watch them, the anguish he felt was clear to anyone who cared to look for a mere split second before it disappeared.

"When I'm real Daisuke will love me like that." He whispered to himself, "When I'm real Daisuke will choose me first."

~~~

'...these... machines, they are not human. And it is perhaps, too easy, for one to believe they are.'

Takeru swore and turned the holo-screen off. He shouldn't feel stupid or guilty just because of one stupid announcement on the news.

"You okay Teeks?" Daisuke asked worriedly.

"I... it's just... I dunno, they're not human - they're machines, I just feel guilty I guess, and I shouldn't, because they were never real. None of them. But I'm real, I'm real to me, and I'm real to you, and I'm human and you're human, and we're real to each other, right?" Takeru rambled.

Daisuke tilted Takeru's face to look the other boy in the eyes, "Hey, tell me, okay?"

Takeru swallowed nervously, "The Blue Fairy project the council was discussing on the news... have you ever heard of it before?"

Daisuke shrugged, "Once or twice. Something to do with the illegal advancement of mechas."

"My mother worked on the project several years ago. She was one of the mechanics who maintained the stasis around the original Blue Fairy - Yagami Hikari."

"Okay, and?"

Takeru turned his head away, "And she decided to do an experiment. With me. And a mecha she'd picked up somewhere, an upsider," Takeru frowned distastefully.

"Oh," Daisuke frowned, "What happened?"

"Do you know what neural patterns are Dai?" At Daisuke's look of confusion Takeru elaborated, "they're brain waves, they define who you are and how you think."

Daisuke nodded his comprehension.

"My mother copied mine, and she copied his, and she somehow managed to give us both a bit of each, his electronic emissions must have interfered and leaked into my-" Takeru broke off, mentally chastising himself for his slip up, there was no way in hell he could let Daisuke know his true nature, know how hypocritical he truly was. "My brain. I was too young to understand what she was doing, and she never told me who he really was. They lied to me. She told me he was my brother. I loved him goddamnit, and he was a machine, just like the machines that killed her and left me in his care. Care," Takeru snorted, "He didn't care about me at all. He was a machine who did nothing save for what he was programmed to do."

"Oh Teeks," Daisuke whispered softly, "I'm so sorry. I know how human they can seem, and I know it must have hurt..."

"It didn't." Takeru cut him off, "He was just a machine, everything I felt was fake, even the pain. I don't care about that mecha. I'm real and he's not, and it doesn't matter what anyone says, he isn't me, and we aren't the same."

"I know, c'mere," Daisuke pulled the blond into his embrace.

Takeru relaxed into the hug, his blue eyes fluttering closed as he tried to push the memories of his childhood away.

They remained together on the sofa for hours, but not even Daisuke could set Takeru's mind at ease. Ken's response to his insistence that he cared nothing for the mecha's weighed heavy on his mind and Yamato's words seemed to haunt him with their blood-chilling frigidity, 'How can you be so sure that it is I who is the mecha and not yourself?'

"Because I'm a human," He whispered aloud, "I think, I make decisions, I'm a sentient creature, there's more to me then just wire and plastic and rubber."

Daisuke didn't reply, but hugged his troubled lover closer; it hurt to see Takeru so deeply distressed.

"Thank you Dais. I love you," Takeru whispered hoarsely as the redhead held him lovingly.

"Yeah me too," Daisuke whispered, 'I just hope that that's enough.'

~~~

Miyako threw herself at Jyou, her heart laid bare,

"Please, you can't destroy her... She's... She is my everything. I have already lost one lover, would you kill another?"

"I cannot disobey the council Miyako." Jyou said softly, his eyes not on his sister.

Miyako felt her heart shatter, with comprehension came despair, there was nothing left to do.

She allowed her voice to slip into the listless lifelessness she had adopted after Osamu died.

"It's okay Jyou, I understand. I don't expect you to disobey the council simply because I was stupid enough to fall in love."

Jyou put a gentle hand on his younger sisters shoulder, brushing the purple strands of hair back from her face,

"I'm sorry Miyako." He said. The girl shrugged,

"Like I said, it's okay Jyou. As it began, so must it end."

~~~

Ken looked up; his eyes devoid of emotion save for the haunted determination he had harboured since he'd discovered the first mecha and the Blue Fairy were one and the same.

Yamato met the boys gaze with his own... he could not decide whether Jyou and Koushirou had been cruel to program Ken to love unconditionally or simply idealistic.

Did it matter?

He sighed, if Ken had not been programmed as he was... then he would not be Ken. All else was irrelevant.

Ken's lips curved into the barest hint of a smile,

"Taichi, the location of the Blue Fairy is 50 kilometres out beyond the coast of the Sea of Despair. I will transfer the coordinates into the ships computer now."

Tai nodded, ignoring the perfunctory speech, despite his impassive words Ken had never been more human.

~~~

Ruki trailed a finger through the exquisitely clear water, her eyes gazing at a faraway point as she absently created a tiny whirlpool. The oasis was beautiful, and it's caretakers even more so, but like the blond, who had found love outside the oasis and The Beautiful One, she did not belong here.

The touch of icy fingers on her shoulders woke her from her reverie and she turned to see Jenrya smiling at her.

"Your attention wanders, my beautiful one."

Ruki smiled back, speaking nothing of her thoughts, "Yet I still make the oasis beautiful, do I not?"

"Always..." Jenrya affirmed, his fingers playing with her burnished copper hair.

Ruki forced the smile to remain on her face, even as she considered his words.

She would not always make the oasis beautiful. Jenrya had not yet noticed, but very soon he would become aware of the minute wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, and the flaws and imperfections every human possessed.

Soon he would see the silver threads in her copper hair, and the signs of age that she would acquire with the passing of years.

And even if he ignored all that, some day she would die, and her body would rot and become unsightly, like the bodies of the mecha's she had once hunted.

She would not always make the oasis beautiful.

She contemplated returning to the mecha hunters, and to Ryo, her mind turning the idea over and over in her head as she examined it from all angles.

Grey eyes overlain with a silver sheen captured her own violet,

"Speak Ruki, I am listening."

"I... The oasis is beautiful."

Jenrya smiled, as if accepting a compliment, for perhaps he believed he was.

"You will always make the oasis beautiful."

Ruki allowed the silver-eyed mecha to kiss her, softly returning the gesture. She would always love the handsome leader of The Beautiful Ones, and his stunning mistress Mimi, but she refused to delude herself.

Regardless of Jenrya's words, one day she would grow old.

One day she would be forced to leave the oasis... forced to leave because she was no longer beautiful.

Violet eyes fluttered closed as she lost herself in the kiss; for perhaps that was the price of being human.

~~~

Yamato's fingers were entwined with Taichi's, his blue eyes were alight with pity,

"Ken don't do this. Please..." Taichi begged.

Yamato shook his head; "He has no choice. I will never forget you little one."

Ken didn't look at either of them, "The Blue Fairy will make me real, and then Daisuke will love me."

"...You don't know where the Blue Fairy is!" Taichi cried.

"I will find her. Goodbye Yamato, Taichi."

The tiny Sea Explorer dropped out of the opening in the ship Taichi had appropriated and into the sea, which danced below.

Ken piloted the ship, his eyes scanning the seabed for the Fairy the computer had guaranteed he would find there.

"Blue Fairy!" The words were jubilant as Ken found what he was looking for.

The Blue Fairy stood on the seabed, frozen solid. Her dark brown hair formed an icy halo and her crimson eyes were covered with a thin layer of ice.

Yagami Hikari, the First Mecha, also known as the Blue Fairy, did not reply.

She knew of nothing that happened before her perpetually open eyes, knew nothing of Ken who pleaded for humanity. She knew nothing of her lover, who had coloured water, much like the water Hikari now resided in; crimson with blood upon discovering the fate of the woman she had once called soul mate.

She knew nothing of the fate of the City of Angels and those who resided therein.

~~~

"Did we make a mistake Momoe?" Jyou asked softly, his eyes filling with tears, "Should we have simply let sleeping mecha's lie?"

"I..." Momoe's soft voice was hesitant, "Perhaps. Perhaps not. Miyako is dead because of Hikari, but Hikari made her happy."

"Osamu made her happy too. Why must I always destroy her happiness?"

"I do not know."

"I sometimes think there is no happiness left in the world. I sometimes think there is nothing but sadness and hatred and pain."

"There is happiness Jyou, but for happiness to exist, there must also be sadness, they are not contradictory as you might think, but rather complementary."

Jyou turned his face away, staring into the distance hopelessly,

"Perhaps. Perhaps not. It was still my fault Momoe."

The silence that followed his statement seemed almost loud, and when Momoe turned and left the room Jyou buried his face in his hands and cried.

~~~

Taichi turned to meet Yamato's eyes, feeling a sudden sense of loss and heartache.

"We can never go back, never return to the City of Angels. Never return to Galar'iel, we'd never be accepted." Yamato said abruptly, as if he had read the thoughts of the boy whose eyes he gazed into, "People like us aren't supposed to fall in love Chi-chan." Ruthlessly he forced himself to ask the question he desperately did not wish to, "Do you want to spend the rest of your life haunting the mecha wastelands, never again to come in contact with your people? Can you live like that Taichi?"

Taichi shrugged, "If it means being with you... then yes. I can live like that."

Yamato ran a thumb over Tai's cheekbone his blue eyes alight with some unrecognised emotion.

"I love you Taichi, I just pray that you won't wake up one day and realise you wasted your life on a machine..."

"I love you Yamato," Taichi punctuated his words with a chaste kiss, "Spending my life with you wouldn't be a waste."

Yamato smiled and embraced the other boy, and hearing the brunettes heartbeat beneath his ear like a melody of life, he tried to dismiss the knowledge he could not ignore, the knowledge that one day Taichi would grow old and die, while he remained young and beautiful for all of eternity.

~~~

There are some who say the City of Angels is the most beautiful city ever created by man, but like the cold cruel beauty of those who call themselves 'The Beautiful Ones' that beauty is intangible and has no worth.

Within the hearts and minds of those who dwell within the City is the knowledge that the City should truly be called the City of Fallen Angels, for those who inhabit the city are simply demons in disguise, both beautiful and heartless, the greatest demons of all.

Yet while demons roamed the city, Ken, trapped at the bottom of the sea, waited, praying to the Blue Fairy as the hours turned to days. Waited as the days turned to months, and the City of Angels slowly crumbled beneath the onslaught of the years. Stalwartly, Ken remained, never losing patience, unable to lose hope.

As the years passed the water began to freeze, turning to ice before Ken's eyes, and as he watched he stopped moving, and then, finally, stopped talking, his silent plea almost painful,

"Please Blue Fairy, Make me a real boy."

Owari.

End Notes: Love doesn't conquer all. Sex isn't as mind blowing as actors try to make it seem, and your leg doesn't always 'pop' when you get kissed. All that you can say for sure is that there *is* a rainbow after every storm, nothing is ever as bad as it seems, and every story I write is dedicated to you K-chan. Toujours. Un éternité. Je t'aime.
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