Lament-Tribute to Allen
Allen Ridgeley, the sad, unlucky character of Xenosaga. This story pays tribute to him in so many ways. I do not own Xenosaga. A/N at the bottom of this fic.
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Gently, the Elsa slid through deep space, passing a small meteorite shower that tinkled on windows like tiny wind chimes. It seemed so beautiful, and yet so dangerous. Outside the thick windows of the Elsa, any human being would instantly be vaporized by the immense pressure of the universe.
Allen Ridgeley stared sadly out of the window as twinkling red blue and green particles bounced off the hull and into space infinite. The small meteorites kinda reminded him of his own fate, forever searching, yet never finding.
It had been that way even from the start.
His mother and father had divorced, and he was sent to live with his poverty-stricken mother while his father remarried a rich model. Even though they were poor, his mother gave Allen everything he could ever need, and protected him from the rigors of life while he grew up.
Good things never lasted.
She died of leukaemia soon after, on Christmas Day, and Allen was deeply stricken. Holding her hands, he opened her last Christmas gift to him, those easy tears stinging his eyes as he watched his beloved mother fade away into the eternity of death.
It was a swimming suit, one that was made of expandable materiel and could very well serve him for life. The colour was….awkward to say the least, seeing that his mother had been colour-blind, but he treasured it.
After his mother's death, he was forced to seek refuge at his father's, and was not treated well at all. After scraping together enough money to enter Bormeo by himself, the unlucky soul left his home, never wishing to return again.
Bormeo was vast, with many students and faculty. Allen was not always welcome, and often ridiculed, even for his achievements. The Ridgeley AI Prototype System, to be used on androids, never made it out of the lab due to someone's 'accidental' mistake of throwing the large data chip into the recycler. Again, when he developed a new mathematical analysis codon for digital systems, someone chucked that out of the window. His only skills were at digital stuff, but thanks to some jealous peers, the instructors viewed him as a useless fool.
Parties were terrifying to him, especially beach ones. During the few occasions that he was invited (more like they invited everyone else, and unwittingly put his name on the list) to a beach party at one of Bormeo's great beaches, Allen wore that swimsuit, and was constantly ridiculed by his peers for his 'ugly' costume. Yet, he never threw that away, for it was the sole relic of his mother.
After Bormeo, he finally was accepted into Vector, where he established himself as a quiet man. Unfortunately, most thought of him as a sissy.
Allen looked down at the steaming hot dish of scallops, vegetables and rice that the bartender served up. The same bartender that he had lost ALL of his rare promo Shion Uzuki XenoCards to. The only reason he continued to patronize the Elsa restaurant was because he was given 50% off his food and drink. Mostly because of all the cards the robot had won.
"Damn it…" said he softly, cursing his luck.
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KOS-MOS was challenging herself to another round of cleaning dishes. So far, she had only broken one out of two million, forty-eight thousand five hundred and fifty-six (she offered some help in the Kukai kitchens), and found that to be immensely challenging. Her power output was capable of crushing a car without any trouble, yet washing the delicate porcelain was a task she never tired of. The bartenders had enjoyed her help, especially as she could do several hundred in a scant minute. Of course, there were other more lecherous men who tried to 'take advantage of her', as humans often said.
Androids were never taken advantage of.
Just then, Allen made his entrance rather spectacularly, being kicked in by someone after forgetting to pay his debts. Again. All of his contributions, such as restocking the Elsa at every port, maintenance of KOS-MOS when Shion was busy or depressed, buying gifts out of his own money for the crew were instantly forgotten at his slightest mistake.
Everything forgotten.
Allen slammed hard onto the floor, his plate smashing against the bulkhead. Several slivers embedded themselves into his arm, causing him to cry out in pain.
"Ow…"
KOS-MOS immediately walked over, her voice and features emotionless as always. "Allen, are you all right? My sensors indicate that was no light damage you suffered for a human."
"It's…nothing. Thanks anyway." He winced, knowing how often the Chief said that, and how he hated that phrase. KOS-MOS offered a hand, and pulled him up easily. As the lonely soul carried his shattered plate over to the sink miserably, holding it like a poor person might hold onto his one possession, the android moved closer to him.
"Allen, are you certain of your mental condition? My sensors do not indicate any cheerfulness in your demeanour, and you appear to be suffering from depression."
"Go away."
"My Primary Directive is to ensure that all Vector personnel are safely taken care of, and that-"
With a primal roar of frustration, rage and despair, Allen launched himself at KOS-MOS, banging his fist on her ineffectively. The android made no move, even though he was a minor threat. Her armour was indomitable to him, and several psychological studies had shown that humans needed to relieve 'stress' this way.
With each blow on the titanium exoskeleton, Allen's hands bruised and bled. Yet, he kept on doing it, until he was wracked with pain and exhaustion. Then, collapsing to the floor, the easy tears slid down his cheeks again.
At this, KOS-MOS reached down, and pulled him up once more, surprisingly gentle. "Allen, did that make you feel any better?"
It was only after a while and in a choked tone that he replied saying he did indeed feel better. Before he could say more, the door slid open, and MOMO walked in.
"Hello KOS-MOS! Have you se-Allen! What's wrong?"
The ashamed man tried to hide his grief-stricken face, but MOMO was faster. The 100-Series Realian ran over and inquired innocently about Allen's grief. He refused to say a word, but MOMO guessed it nonetheless. Throughout the last few days, so much had happened, and she and Ziggy were the sole witnesses to Allen's hard work.
Two days ago, before entering the Song of Nephilim, Allen could be observed loading heavy crates onto the Elsa alone, and getting beaten up by a group of thugs because of his uniform, like Cherenkov formerly was. Unfortunately, he wasn't a super-soldier.
Only MOMO again had seen the pain he was in as he stumbled to the sickbay and applied first aid to himself, but he always refused help, trying to prove that he was not a coward anymore. Now, she took one look at the stricken man, who had gone through so much pain in life, and yet found no solace, and decided to take him back to the cabin.
"Come on KOS-MOS! Help me get Allen back!"
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While MOMO patched Allen's hands up and KOS-MOS stood attentively beside them, Allen mentioned a new, upgraded emotion chip that he had been working on for the android. According to him, the chip was to take his mind off things, and would treble the capabilities of the old one in KOS-MOS.
MOMO leapt up and down eagerly. "KOS-MOS, what say we insert that chip for you? It'd make you seem more human!"
"Based on my personal assessment of your chip, I have detected that it will indeed increase my capabilities, although I must be able to deactivate the chip when unnecessary." MOMO looked at Allen, who nodded. "No prob."
"Okay then! Allen, we can install it, and won't Shion be surprised!"
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Poor Allen. I relate to him more so than anyone else in the epic game known as Xenosaga (no sarcasm intended. But I am furious that I don't own it). Well, this is just a random fic, created by some guy who loves Xenosaga so much he's addicted, and just hopes to do this awesome game some justice with his not-so-awesome fic. Okay, reviews would be welcome, flames as well, and I am expecting some when I say this next statement.
Ahem, I am listing out pairings.
Chaos has no time for love, coz he's always so busy trying to do good. I don't hate him, just I don't relate to him so well. ^_^
MOMO and Jr. sitting on a tree. Kay-eye-ess-ess-eye-enn-gee.
That says it for them.
If Margulis turns out to be Kevin sometime in Episode something, then Shion gets to be with him. Until then, no-one for her. (surprised? You'd be stunned by the next one)
Allen and KOS-MOS.
Bring on the flames or whatever! I just wanted to write this, and I will do so, no matter what! Ha.
(two big men enter, and drag the screaming author off, presumably to a mental institute)
Big MAN: We apologize for the inconvenience. This man is in reality, an escapee from the Federation Asylums, and we are here to take him back. Enjoy the fic, though.
Shadow Percussionist (me, you moron^_^) : AUGH! I'll be BACK!!!!!!!
*insert Darth Vader theme*
See you guys!