FUTURE IMPERFECT
By
Muse
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from both The Lord of the Rings novel by J.R.R. Tolkien. Or the Lord of the Rings films, by Peter Jackson. I make no profit from this story and use it only for entertainment purposes only. The characters of Scion/Bethany, Tanith/Infinity, Memnon and Elf and the corporation AlexTech are created by my own warped imagination.
Thank you's- Tallasendaria, Tadriendra of Mirkwood, alexekia2222, Alia- who's review was deleted by FF.Net. Though I have all reviews sent to my email, and I thank you all for your kind reviews and for inspiring me greatly.
Special thanks goto Julie and Amy for their gracious help.
And lest we forget Bry. Her story, the Forgotten Ring, is amazing, as is herself.
Thank you to all *bows humbly*
Author's Note- Many people have hinted at the inspiration at this story. Terminator, the Matrix, Reign of Fire. The truth is, my inspiration for this story was born from listening to two songs. Bring it on, by Nick Cave and the Badseeds, and Embrace, by Virgin Black.
Scion gazed up at the filth-encrusted statue. Below the dirt, she knew it was burnished bronze, and had stood as an emblem of free spirit and hope.
The huge chariot, horses rearing up on their hind legs their manes sweeping out behind them, their hooves punching the air. The tall, proud warrior woman, spear held high, who stood firmly within the metal carriage. Her loving daughters stood behind her, honouring their mother with their courage. Her people were right to immortalise this woman's image.
How ironic, she died hundreds of years ago, yet she still inspires us!
Scion knew her well, had often crept out alone, just to stare at her. She was special; she was a queen. Her name forever etched on Scion's mind from the day she had heard this queen's tragic and heroic story.
"Boadicea."
Scion turned slowly on her heel at the quiet voice. Memnon stood behind her, his eyes locked on the proud Queen of the Iceni, Queen of the Britons.
"She never gave up, despite all she went through, the Romans never took her alive." Scion whispered the words, more for herself than for her companion.
"True, she also gave her daughters a quick painless release. Thus ending her bloodline."
"Yep, so they say." Scion responded, unable to look at him anymore she tilted her head to the ground her hair falling in front of her face. One foot drawing a line in the dirt, a line she did not want to cross anytime soon.
Her thoughts were everywhere and nowhere. Her mind trying to digest all that had been spoken to her. She cast a quick glance to the open manhole; it led to an old sewer system that adjoined the station they'd been trapped in earlier. Their new allies had used this route, quickly dispatching the few howlers that had lurked above them, before joining their little battle.
She didn't know what to say to Memnon, or even Tanith. Things had changed so much in the space of an hour; their allies had turned up, they'd won their battle, they'd said their greetings after Tan's minor nervous breakdown. Then they'd told her a little story.
One that involved Memnon, immortality, rings and Elves!
She shook her head in an effort to shake away the conversation. She had been unable to reply to Memnon after his little fairy tale, walking away instead.
"Scion, where are your thoughts, child."
Child, yeah, if I believe this codswallop then I'm truly a child compared to your supposed immortality!
"My thoughts?" She laughed humorously at him, shaking her head once more. "My thoughts Memnon, well their here, in my head." She tapped her temple, throwing him a wry smile. She didn't want to face this. Hunted daily by AlexTech, fighting a war that would never end, these things, she could handle; for they were real, tangible things that she could see all around her in the devastation of this once proud city.
Yet elves, and rings of power, and mystical dark beings, these were intangible. She couldn't touch nor taste them, therefore why should she believe them?
"This isn't happening!" She mumbled to herself.
"Yet it is. Why now would you mistrust my words, Scion?"
Scion stared at him, really stared. Taking a proper long hard look at him, she smiled at him, one of cold unfriendliness. "Probably because you lied to me, you lied to all the Furies."
"I did not have a choice, Sci-"
"Choice. Choice!" Scion raised her voice, she wanted to walk over to him and slap him upside the head. Shake him until all her strength fled anything to take away the pain inside her.
"Let me tell you about choice, Calebril!" She purposefully spat the name at him, after hearing his new companions calling him it. "Choice is knowing there are others out there, others who are seasoned fighters, better than us! Choice is when you purposefully hide their existence, while the people who are our friends, family are wrenched away from you on a daily basis."
Scion turned away, not able to stand his pitiful look anymore, "please just go away and leave me alone."
She walked back to the statue, glaring up at it. Blinking rapidly to stop the tears that had pooled unbidden on her lash's; fisting her hands on purpose to stop them from coming to her face and wiping at her eyes. She would be damned first before she cried in front of Memnon, Tanith was the one who cried, not her. She was strong, she was a fighter, she had survived the slave pens, and she would survive this. She'd survive, and she'd take Tanith and leave the Badlands, for good. Just go, escape, be free.
Free, where is there that is free?
Her hand disobeyed, swiping at the lone tear trickling down her grimy cheek. She felt his hand on her shoulder, it seemed as though his simple gesture of comfort, that she'd become use to over the years, was now hollow. Like my world, empty, barren!
She felt his arms come around her as her legs gave way, his strength supporting her as he lowered her gently to the ground. Scion couldn't believe that the sobs piercing the night air were her own, she was howling with the agony in her soul.
Everything that had happened rushed through her mind again, hazy images of her friends, dying painfully, giving their lives for a cause that it turns out wasn't theirs!
Her mind settled on that one moment again, the dagger against her sister's neck, she would have murdered her sister, she would have murdered another member of her family.
Again, with clarity her mind brought forth the images of her beautiful brother, Martin. His shaggy mop of brown hair that always hung in his eyes, the tattered black jumper he always wore for luck its sleeves too long for his hands. She could see his brown eyes, large and excited, always shining with hope.
Scion smiled, this was how she had always wanted to remember him. Scion settled herself against Memnon, pleased for once that the memory of that fateful day, when she'd been forced to shoot the thing AlexTech had turned her baby brother in to, did not float up to torment her once more.
"I had to choose." She spoke quietly, feeling Memnon shift to look down at her, as she lifted her chin to gaze into his electric blue eyes. His hand came up, gently stroking her tangled hair. "He would have" She swallowed unable to continue; instead, she pulled herself from Memnon's embrace wiping her damp face.
"It was not Martin, Scion. AlexTech killed your brother, not you."
~*~
The shadows moved stealthily through the darkness, Scion gaped around her, watching as their new allies blended in seamlessly despite their bright skin and hair.
She had been sandwiched between two elves, near the back of the travelling entourage. Her face openly betraying that she was not happy with her position in the ranks. She'd always been one of Memnon's scouts; therefore, her position should be upfront.
Tan was further up the ranks at the moment, and this only grated her nerves more. Her agitation was mounting as they stalked warily in front of the towering edifice that was Cade. The obsidian building seemed to cast a shadow, despite the darkness of the night, and its thickness seemed to cling to them tainting their very souls.
She gripped her teeth together, biting her cheek in the process. The temptation to walk in there and confront her former slavers, to shove every bit of pain she felt down their depraved throats, was nearly too much for her. Beth shook herself mentally, reminding herself that now was not the right time. They had a rendezvous to make, one that had surprised even her.
Memnon, apparently, was not as unprepared as she initially thought. When her moment of weakness had receded, Memnon had briefly told her of their new plans. They were to head for a safe haven; it was near the centre of the Badlands, near AlexTech itself. His reasoning, after she had questioned him on why they were moving in practically next door to their enemies, was ingenious in its simplicity.
"Keep you friends close, Scion. But your enemies closer!"
Clever, really. She just hoped that Memnon wasn't being too clever. Yep, or that cleverness could soon be biting you in the ass, Memnon.
However, who exactly had found this new sanctuary and was preparing it, was a mystery. One, which Memnon had told her, was to be a pleasant surprise.
She unconsciously shrugged, earning a puzzled glare from the long blond hippie next to her. Scion ignored his narrowed eyes, and his sniff of disdain at her presence. Oh trust me, I don't like being stuck next to you either.
Scion peeked her head out of the shadows, watching Memnon's back further up. He seemed deep in conversation with one of the elves. His head nodding constantly.
She could only see the profile of the blonde guy, legolegowhatever, his hair more blonde than the others they travelled with, it was long, sleek and straight, falling past his shoulders; two braids at the side, and a long braid at the back kept his hair from falling in his face.
She could see his mouth moving, punctuating each of his words that she couldn't hear, much to her annoyance. Scion wanted to get nearer to Memnon and his friend. Glancing up at her two -forced upon her- bodyguards, she decided to see just what her position was now.
Missing a step, bringing her behind her escort she quickly edged past them and surged forward. She heard one scowl, whispering something to his buddy. "Weala inya!"
She did not want to know what he said, or what language it was? More pressing matters made her jog on ahead. Her footfalls, that she had always believed to be very quiet, slammed against the concrete loudly, compared to the soldiers. Memnon's head turned to greet her, his brow furrowing at her presence, she could plainly see she was interrupting. Get over it, Memnon.
Raising a brow at him, her face questioning. She expected answers, but Memnon turned away picking back up on his conversation with- what's his name.
She sighed, knowing he would talk when he was ready. "Beth!" The quiet whisper came from two rows in front of her. She smirked at Tanith; her sister had been cautioned to stop using real names. The problem was, Memnon did not know her little sister very well, and Tanith would do what she liked at times. Obviously, the seventeen year old had grown tired of codenames, therefore Memnon, in Tan's own words, would have to like it or lump it!
Beth scowled at Memnon, before jogging off to Tan's side. She too was sandwiched between two soldiers, right near the front. Tan slipped out of the ranks, and Beth wrapped an arm around her small shoulders, her step falling in line with her sisters.
"Beth, they're weird!" Tan's whispers seemed almost shouted in the silence, Beth grinned in the darkness at her. She was about to reply when a familiar rumble pierced the air.
Beth shoved Tan back into the ranks, darting back to Memnon. "Memnon," she didn't bother about being quiet as many of the soldiers were now cocking their heads towards the sky, listening to the whir.
"Searchers!" He replied before she could inform him, nodding quickly she glanced around at them seeing all had come to a stop.
"We need to hide!"
"Do you know of anywhere, Scion?"
She gave him that look, the one that said, sure like I come here all the time! Shaking her head. Scion looked around at the buildings, well more precisely a few walls defying gravity, everything was wide open.
"This was not one of your best plans, Memnon!" She frowned thinking hard, she knew the searchers would go after anything that was moving, her head shot up, her gaze narrowing on Memnon, "ok you keep moving, I'll distract it."
"Scion-"
She whirled around quickly her hand in Memnon's face. "No, get them out of here! Especially Fin, her ass is in your care, and I'll be kickin' yours if she ain't safe."
Memnon nodded, she knew he understood. She knew all the back alleys, bridges, under passes, countless ways to lose a searcher. She just needed to keep it sidetracked long enough, for them to get
"Wait," Memnon glared back at her. He'd been explaining to both the leaders of the small squad what was about to happen. She tilted her head, "where the hell you guy's goin'?"
Memnon laughed at her, "meet me at the old docks. I shall wait for you." Scion looked at him, the darkness not hiding that look he had. The overly protective father look, that had kept her by his side for longer than she wanted, yet was probably the most comforting look in the universe.
Grasping him at the wrist she pulled him forward, "I'll be there, trust me!"
Scion gasped as he pulled her into a fierce hug, "come back to those that love you Scion." She nodded, then turning away she ran into the night.
Weala inya! ~ Foolish Female!
