Chapter 5
Written by Illuminet
Disclaimer: It's in the first chapter.
------
I-NO
------
Unknown Realm
I-NO laid in her crystal, her head lowered.
"How could he do this to me...all that was for him...but now, I'm no longer accepted."
Unknown to her, "That Man" appeared within the unstable world. He approached her prison, finally getting her attention.
"Master..."
I-NO began, but he held up a hand, silencing her.
"There is no need to call me that anymore...I am here simply to remove that which controls you..."
I-NO looked at him strangely.
"Controlling me...but..."
Again he held up his hand, silencing her.
"Your will was to strong it seems...so I will bring you back to normal. He is coming to save you..."
I-NO looked confused.
"Who is...?"
Before she could finish, darkness swept her as she fell unconscious. "That Man" took her hat.
"Let us lift this binding curse..."
A light emitted from her hat before it went back to normal. He placed the hat with the fallen I-NO within the crystal as he turned away, teleporting from the scene.
------
SOL
------
Paris, Knight Hall
'Damn it, I really don't like this...'
Sol walked through the abandoned quarters of the Knights during the Crusades. The entire building was a mess, but provided fairly good shelter for the swordsman as he kept walking. Lightning streaked across the sky every so often.
"You..."
Sol heard the voice ahead and cursed softly, knowing who's voice that belonged to.
"Why are you here, Sol?"
The Holy Knight, Ky Kiske asked. Sol sighed.
"That's none of your business, boy."
Sol said gruffly, by Ky shook his head.
"I can't allow you to pass, Sol. I am in the middle of an investigation."
Sol gritted his teeth in frustration.
"Look boy, I'm going through and that's final...I got some business to take care of, see?"
Ky thought for a moment.
"I'm sorry Sol. Your business will have to wait..."
Instantly the two attacked each other at the same time. Ky came in with an elbow, while Sol struck out with his right fist. Ky then brought his sword upward, but it was met by Sol's as the man performed the same motion, before he jumped with Ky high in the air.
"Vapor Thrust!"
"Volcanic Viper!"
Lightning and fire met at the same time, as the two clashed blades with each other, before they jumped off backwards, both swinging their swords.
"Stun Edge!"
"Gun Flame!"
The two projectiles met with as little success as the other attacks. Both warriors hit the ground, Ky swinging his sword out horizontally while Sol bought a flame engulfed fist forward.
"Ride The Lightning!"
"Tyrant Rave!"
The massive ball of electricity Ky summoned was canceled out by Sol's shield of fire. The two stood still a moment.
"I've no time for this, boy, as much as I would like to kick your butt, I'm gonna have to end it here..."
Sol said, not wanting to waste time and be on his way to the Unknown Realm.
"Why do you hide it?!"
Ky asked suddenly, throwing Sol off guard with it's abruptness.
"What?"
Sol kept his back turned to the Knight.
"I know your seeking him out. The creator of the Gears. If he was a cause to the Holy War, the Police should go after him as well..."
Sol lowered his head.
'Stupid kid...'
"Give it up."
He said simply. Ky gripped his sword even tighter.
"Why? I have the right to seek out justice. I am also..."
Ky began, but was interrupted by Sol as he bitterly laughed.
"Justice...?"
Sol said, as if it was a joke.
"Tell me boy, what if the justice your seeking tramples the peace already sustained?"
Sol could feel Ky's shocked eyes open wider as he stared at the man's back.
"What...? That..."
Sol cut his words off with his own.
"Thought so...you should just close your eyes, boy. Your too young to follow that path..."
Sol walked off, knowing he came Ky something very large to think on for a while.
'If he opens his eyes without being prepared...he'll end up dying for empty ideals...'
------
Zepp, Technological capital of the world
Sol felt as a small tremor went through the ground.
'That way...'
Sol followed his instincts, finding himself in a junkyard. His eyes narrowed as he looked farther.
"And who should show up now..."
He said, catching Slayer's attention. The Vampire adjusted his eye piece, then his tie.
"It seems I attracted your attention...sorry about that."
Slayer said calmly staring at Sol.
"Maybe you should fight more quietly, huh? I could hear you a mile away."
Slayer laughed at what Sol said.
"You still say the most interesting things, as usual. Are you still chasing him?"
Sol narrowed his eyes.
"What's it to you?"
Slayer took a deeper look at him before snapping a finger.
"It would seem your actually chasing after his underling, correct? The one who runs so roughly through the darkness, making such a mess...I was hoping to go and see how he might punish her..."
Sol lowered his head.
"She's no longer his underling..."
Slayer took a drag from his pipe.
"So that's what happened. He relieved her of her duties, yes? Do you really think it's Marlene, though?"
Sol shook his head.
"Not sure. That's why I intend to find out."
Slayer narrowed his eyes.
"You do know how risky that is, don't you?"
Sol nodded.
"What if it is your rival, I-NO, that awakes?"
Sol lowered his head.
"I'll have to kill her. Hopefully it won't come down to that..."
Slayer shrugged his shoulders.
"If that's what you want to do, then go ahead. Just remember that you'll have to be the one to do it, if it's not Marlene. Even still, should I-NO ever resurface..."
Sol grunted.
"I get the picture already..."
Slayer nodded.
"Very well. I'll be off now."
The two nodded at each other, be fore Sol was on his way again.
------------
SOL/I-NO
------------
Unknown Realm, I-NO's resting place
The woman got up slowly groaning.
"Where am I...?"
A voice spoke up to her, but it sounded far away.
"Your trapped within a crystal prison."
She turned to the voice, finding a man that looked somewhat familiar yet not at all at the same time.
"Who are you?"
"You don't know me, huh? Tell me, what's your name?"
She looked at him strangely.
"But I asked you first..."
The man lowered his head.
"You don't recognize me, Marlene?"
Her eyes lit up in realization.
"No...Frederick! What has happened to you?"
He opened his eyes, revealing to her that they were of different colors.
"I'm what all of us worked at creating. I'm the very first Gear, Marlene..."
He said, as she put her hands to her face in shock.
"A Gear? How is that possible? When did..."
"You've been asleep for a long time. Your other persona, the one dubbed as I-NO, has been in your place...kept in control while you sleep by a powerful magic spell. But I guess it's been lifted..."
Marlene was confused now.
"I don't understand...how long was I asleep?"
The man shrugged his shoulders.
"I'd say about a hundred years, give or take a few..."
She cut him off in surprise.
"That's impossible...a human can't live that long..."
"That's normally true. Your also probably wondering why you and I still look young right? You see, I obtained immortality through being forced into becoming a Gear. You, however...your special. Even though your still a human, you haven't aged. Why don't I get you out of here for now, and we can talk?"
She simply nodded.
'Has it really been nearly a hundred years...?'
***TBC***
Written by Illuminet
Disclaimer: It's in the first chapter.
------
I-NO
------
Unknown Realm
I-NO laid in her crystal, her head lowered.
"How could he do this to me...all that was for him...but now, I'm no longer accepted."
Unknown to her, "That Man" appeared within the unstable world. He approached her prison, finally getting her attention.
"Master..."
I-NO began, but he held up a hand, silencing her.
"There is no need to call me that anymore...I am here simply to remove that which controls you..."
I-NO looked at him strangely.
"Controlling me...but..."
Again he held up his hand, silencing her.
"Your will was to strong it seems...so I will bring you back to normal. He is coming to save you..."
I-NO looked confused.
"Who is...?"
Before she could finish, darkness swept her as she fell unconscious. "That Man" took her hat.
"Let us lift this binding curse..."
A light emitted from her hat before it went back to normal. He placed the hat with the fallen I-NO within the crystal as he turned away, teleporting from the scene.
------
SOL
------
Paris, Knight Hall
'Damn it, I really don't like this...'
Sol walked through the abandoned quarters of the Knights during the Crusades. The entire building was a mess, but provided fairly good shelter for the swordsman as he kept walking. Lightning streaked across the sky every so often.
"You..."
Sol heard the voice ahead and cursed softly, knowing who's voice that belonged to.
"Why are you here, Sol?"
The Holy Knight, Ky Kiske asked. Sol sighed.
"That's none of your business, boy."
Sol said gruffly, by Ky shook his head.
"I can't allow you to pass, Sol. I am in the middle of an investigation."
Sol gritted his teeth in frustration.
"Look boy, I'm going through and that's final...I got some business to take care of, see?"
Ky thought for a moment.
"I'm sorry Sol. Your business will have to wait..."
Instantly the two attacked each other at the same time. Ky came in with an elbow, while Sol struck out with his right fist. Ky then brought his sword upward, but it was met by Sol's as the man performed the same motion, before he jumped with Ky high in the air.
"Vapor Thrust!"
"Volcanic Viper!"
Lightning and fire met at the same time, as the two clashed blades with each other, before they jumped off backwards, both swinging their swords.
"Stun Edge!"
"Gun Flame!"
The two projectiles met with as little success as the other attacks. Both warriors hit the ground, Ky swinging his sword out horizontally while Sol bought a flame engulfed fist forward.
"Ride The Lightning!"
"Tyrant Rave!"
The massive ball of electricity Ky summoned was canceled out by Sol's shield of fire. The two stood still a moment.
"I've no time for this, boy, as much as I would like to kick your butt, I'm gonna have to end it here..."
Sol said, not wanting to waste time and be on his way to the Unknown Realm.
"Why do you hide it?!"
Ky asked suddenly, throwing Sol off guard with it's abruptness.
"What?"
Sol kept his back turned to the Knight.
"I know your seeking him out. The creator of the Gears. If he was a cause to the Holy War, the Police should go after him as well..."
Sol lowered his head.
'Stupid kid...'
"Give it up."
He said simply. Ky gripped his sword even tighter.
"Why? I have the right to seek out justice. I am also..."
Ky began, but was interrupted by Sol as he bitterly laughed.
"Justice...?"
Sol said, as if it was a joke.
"Tell me boy, what if the justice your seeking tramples the peace already sustained?"
Sol could feel Ky's shocked eyes open wider as he stared at the man's back.
"What...? That..."
Sol cut his words off with his own.
"Thought so...you should just close your eyes, boy. Your too young to follow that path..."
Sol walked off, knowing he came Ky something very large to think on for a while.
'If he opens his eyes without being prepared...he'll end up dying for empty ideals...'
------
Zepp, Technological capital of the world
Sol felt as a small tremor went through the ground.
'That way...'
Sol followed his instincts, finding himself in a junkyard. His eyes narrowed as he looked farther.
"And who should show up now..."
He said, catching Slayer's attention. The Vampire adjusted his eye piece, then his tie.
"It seems I attracted your attention...sorry about that."
Slayer said calmly staring at Sol.
"Maybe you should fight more quietly, huh? I could hear you a mile away."
Slayer laughed at what Sol said.
"You still say the most interesting things, as usual. Are you still chasing him?"
Sol narrowed his eyes.
"What's it to you?"
Slayer took a deeper look at him before snapping a finger.
"It would seem your actually chasing after his underling, correct? The one who runs so roughly through the darkness, making such a mess...I was hoping to go and see how he might punish her..."
Sol lowered his head.
"She's no longer his underling..."
Slayer took a drag from his pipe.
"So that's what happened. He relieved her of her duties, yes? Do you really think it's Marlene, though?"
Sol shook his head.
"Not sure. That's why I intend to find out."
Slayer narrowed his eyes.
"You do know how risky that is, don't you?"
Sol nodded.
"What if it is your rival, I-NO, that awakes?"
Sol lowered his head.
"I'll have to kill her. Hopefully it won't come down to that..."
Slayer shrugged his shoulders.
"If that's what you want to do, then go ahead. Just remember that you'll have to be the one to do it, if it's not Marlene. Even still, should I-NO ever resurface..."
Sol grunted.
"I get the picture already..."
Slayer nodded.
"Very well. I'll be off now."
The two nodded at each other, be fore Sol was on his way again.
------------
SOL/I-NO
------------
Unknown Realm, I-NO's resting place
The woman got up slowly groaning.
"Where am I...?"
A voice spoke up to her, but it sounded far away.
"Your trapped within a crystal prison."
She turned to the voice, finding a man that looked somewhat familiar yet not at all at the same time.
"Who are you?"
"You don't know me, huh? Tell me, what's your name?"
She looked at him strangely.
"But I asked you first..."
The man lowered his head.
"You don't recognize me, Marlene?"
Her eyes lit up in realization.
"No...Frederick! What has happened to you?"
He opened his eyes, revealing to her that they were of different colors.
"I'm what all of us worked at creating. I'm the very first Gear, Marlene..."
He said, as she put her hands to her face in shock.
"A Gear? How is that possible? When did..."
"You've been asleep for a long time. Your other persona, the one dubbed as I-NO, has been in your place...kept in control while you sleep by a powerful magic spell. But I guess it's been lifted..."
Marlene was confused now.
"I don't understand...how long was I asleep?"
The man shrugged his shoulders.
"I'd say about a hundred years, give or take a few..."
She cut him off in surprise.
"That's impossible...a human can't live that long..."
"That's normally true. Your also probably wondering why you and I still look young right? You see, I obtained immortality through being forced into becoming a Gear. You, however...your special. Even though your still a human, you haven't aged. Why don't I get you out of here for now, and we can talk?"
She simply nodded.
'Has it really been nearly a hundred years...?'
***TBC***