GoldenWings: Yeah, you're right, Hiead's character doesn't change in a minute, but it's been about three years after the actual series (i.e. they're almost done with their training now), so Hiead's characters might have warmed up just a tad. I hope that makes a little bit of sense! Thank you for your suggestion though-I'll try and make it more gradual instead of all at once!
Skydancer: cry I know!
Ikhny Gnr: Yes, I am in great need of a beta reader! LOL! My computer doesn't pick up grammar, and as long as there's a word that's spelled right, it won't mark it. SIGH For example, if I meant "hand" but typed "had" it wouldn't mark it. bops compy on the...well, I guess it's a monitor not a head... Anyway, thank you! I shall be on the lookout and try better! If you see any, please e-mail them to me and I'll fix them!
dennisud: grin BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA..wait and see...I kinda took the blue light thingie from Disney's Atlantis movie, you know, when Kida gets sucked up in it and all. Anyway, I figured it'd be sorta cliche-y, but oh well! GRIN
Kappy Locks: The kid's name is in this chapter. Thank you for your review!
Ice Princess: I know! Ikhny and Hiead's kid has a very nice ring to it! And Hiead, well, there's a little bit of Hiead-bashing in this chapter (notice the little) because he's been acting like a jerk to Ikhny, but anywho, like I said, the kid's name is in this chapter.
Lalita: Yes, I quite agree. has some major issues still, even if they've gotten rid of most of the "site overloading thingie. SIGH But, thank you for your review! Twice! I didn't get the first one, but it's so nice of you to review again! Enjoy this chapter!
Erica: lol! Yeah, I've noticed that a lot of authors do that, but I'm not a quitter! Just a...very good procrastinator! BWAHAHAHAHAHA! Hiead/Ikhny is the best pairing of all! Oh yeah, there is a side pairing of Zero/Kizna just for a bit of fun...grin
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Chapter Two: Melanie
"Mommy? Daddy? Where am I?"
Ikhny and Hiead looked at her, looked at each other, and looked at the little girl again. There was no way on Zion that she could be their future daughter. They absolutely detested each other-how in the world could they get together and create...that!
"Um...I think you have the wrong people...we aren't your parents..."
"NO! YOU ARE! You have to be, 'cuz Mommy looks like you and Daddy looks like him! Only taller!"
Both teenagers looked at each other again, and shook their heads in disbelief. This was impossible! They were fighting and out pops this little girl claiming to be their daughter, which, by the way, was quite impossible.
"What's your name, kid?"
Warm, childish crimson eyes met cold, hard crimson eyes. "My name is Mellie, Daddy, Melanie! You know that already! You're the one who named me, remember?"
Hiead grunted a response. "No, I didn't. Number one, I'm not your father. Number two, I don't give a damn about your name. Number three, I don't give a damn about you. Why don't you just go back to where you came from and stay the hell out of our lives!"
"Damn," he thought, "if this was my kid, why would I name her after my sister? Her name is sacred-she can't be mine."
Melanie started tearing up, and soon, she was sobbing and hugging Hiead's leg. "No, Daddy, you can't mean that! You love me! You said last night that you loved me!" She kept crying and hanging onto her father's leg, refusing to let go even though he started walking. Ikhny looked at the little girl and a wave of pity flowed through her. This small child, whomever she belongs to, was lost in time. That had to be it. She had parents who looked like Hiead and herself. She probably fell into one of those black holes-
"THAT'S IT!"
Hiead stopped in his tracks and looked at Ikhny with a raised eyebrow, questioning her sanity. Ikhny ran to him and scooped up Melanie into her arms. "I bet she fell into one of those black holes Azuma-sensei was telling us about! They're very rare..oh, I wish I were paying more attention! We should go to sensei and ask him-he'd probably know!"
Ikhny started up the stairs with the little girl in her arms while Hiead followed her two steps behind.
"Mommy, does Daddy love me?"
Ikhny stole a glance at Hiead before answering: "Yes, I'm sure he does deep down inside of him."
Hiead glared at the back of her head. Stupid repairer. What does she know?
"Then does he love you?"
Ikhny's step faltered, and she felt herself losing her step and falling backwards. She shut her eyes tightly, waiting for the inevitable hard step to hit her head and crack her skull open as she tumbled down the stairs.
Only, it didn't come.
After about a minute, she cracked one eye open, and looked up into Hiead's crimson eyes. Immediately, both eyes flew open and she tried to regain her step quickly only to fall again, with Melanie laughing, thinking it was a ride.
"Always the klutz, Allecto, really," said Hiead as he set her down. Melanie reached out her arms toward him, inferring that she wanted him to carry her. He rolled his eyes and did as she wished. "Can't have a klutz trying to kill her now, would we, Allecto?"
Ikhny glared at him as she stomped the rest of the way up the stairs barely making out a "you'd better slow down, Allecto. I can't play hero again, you know." She grumbled and reached for the door. She opened it and Hiead with Melanie, who was giggling, walked through. The trio headed to Azuma's office, awaiting their impending doom...
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"Hm, this is quite interesting, kids," said Azuma as he looked Melanie up and down while having Dr. Rill check her, "She's in perfect health, no atomi (surprisingly). However, we need blood samples from the two of you to make sure she really is your daughter in the future, as far fetched as it is. However, there is one clue that we can definitely rely on. It's this smudge."
"Smudge?" asked Ikhny as Hiead raised a perfectly arched eyebrow.
"Yes, smudge. Right there on her nose. It seems to be some sort of residue from the black hole..."
"Um, sensei? I think that's dirt."
Melanie held onto Ikhny's hand as they walked silently down the white halls of GOA. The blood tests had confirmed it-this child, Melanie, was indeed Hiead and Ikhny's daughter. Hiead passed out. It would have been incredibly funny if the situation wasn't so serious.
Melanie, on the other hand, was not thinking about the blood tests. She knew she would be dreaming of those vile needles for the rest of the week, but there was a more important matter at hand. First of all, she was sent here for a reason and judging by the way her mother and father treated each other, her task was probably to get them together. She grinned evilly (a grin that seemed to have been inherited from Hiead) as she began to form a plan. The situation started to sound like the story Simon had been telling her before she went to bed. Oh how she loved her older brother and his crazy stories. She never knew that this particular one would come true. He'd definitely get a kick out of this one.
Smiling, she bounced at Ikhny's side, who was still walking, deep in thought. They stopped in front of the door, and Ikhny pushed it open. It was already way past curfew-the tests had taken a rather long time.
The brown-haired girl picked Melanie up as she walked inside. She got changed into her pyjamas which only consisted of a tank top and long flannel pants, much like everyone else's. She got out an extra shirt and changed Melanie too. She didn't have any clothes that would fit a five-year-old girl, so it was rather baggy. When she and Melanie emerged from the bathroom, they were bombarded with millions of questions from Kizna and Saki, like where did she go, what's with Hiead, and who is that way too cute little girl in her arms?
"She's my daughter from the future."
The two looked at her like she had grown an actual head.
"Future? How did that happen? Oh no, don't tell me. She fell into one of those black holes sensei was talking about in class today. That crazy old coot! As if that would ever happen!" said Saki.
"But I did!"
Saki stared at her. Only then did Zero, Clay, and Hiead (who was dragged there) enter the room.
"It's way past curfew, guys. WHAT IF YOU GET CAUGHT!" yelled Kizna, pulling on Zero's ear as she yelled into it. Zero winced at the loudness of her scream, but accepted it nonetheless. He did everything that Kizna wanted him to. He didn't know why, but everyone else did.
"'Scuz me if we wanted to see our cute repairers in their pj's!"
Kizna turned red and smacked Zero upside the head. "BAKA!"
"Hey, who's the kid?"
Everyone turned their attention back to Melanie, who smiled innocently.
"AWWWWW! SHE'S SO CUTE! I WANT ONE!" said Kizna who was already getting down on the floor to be eye-level with the little girl.
"But you do have one! Erts! His name is Erts!"
"How is that possible?"
Melanie laughed. "You're so funny Aunt Kizna! You and Uncle Zero, silly! How could you forget?" She laughed harder as Kizna turned red as a tomato and Zero turned pale.
"Is that so?"
"Yep!"
The cat-eared girl marched up to Zero, smacked him hard and stomped out the door.
"Kizna, WWAAAAIIIITTT!" He ran out the door after her.
Clay peered closely at the little girl. He looked up and glanced at Hiead.
"I suppose she's yours? They're your eyes, you know," he said to the silent boy. Hiead did not say anything, nor did he move. Saki began to giggle.
"That's just not possible!" she laughed, wiping away tears, "Hiead, the emotional bastard-no offense-created the cutest child in the world! With Ikhny! That's just NOT possible! What's your name anyway, kid?"
"I'm Mellie and it IS possible or I wouldn't be here!"
Saki only laughed harder, accidently punching Clay as she shot her hand up. "I bet 1000 yen that Hiead and Ikhny will never get married and have kids!"
"I would't do that if I were you, Aunt Saki. What would Izzy say!"
"Izzy?"
"DUH! Don't tell me you forgot who your own kid was!"
Ikhny, Saki, Clay, and Hiead looked at Melanie. Minutes passed. They just stared at her. Then suddenly, they decided it was too quiet. Kizna should be yelling so loud that they'd be able to hear it. First to notice the silence, Hiead went and creaked the door open, only to shut it tightly again, blocking it with his body.
"What?" asked Clay.
"That was THE most disturbing thing I've ever seen in my entire life."
"No, you're wrong, Hiead," said Saki as Hiead (yet again) raised a perfectly arched eyebrow, "You saying one complete sentence is the most disturbing thing I've ever seen in my life."
Hiead rolled his eyes and stepped away from the door. "Suit yourself."
Clay, Saki, and Ikhny once again cracked open the door and watched.
"Hm...interesting, very interesting," said Clay as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, mentally taking notes.
Zero and Kizna were kissing like there was no tomorrow.
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A/N: Sorry for the short chapter, but it was sort of an insert between this and the next one to fill in a few holes...grins sheepishly I promise the next one will be longer! Leave a review, please!