Chapter 4: Beginning Again
A/N: heh, review time again! Well, the last chapters title was an inside joke really, referring to me going to a midnight Harry potter party thingy…it was ok and the book was fine but I will be sore for awhile since…my fav person died. Anyway, bookworms unite was the party, cause I couldn't think of a name for the chapter.
Jr. x Gaignun seems popular and I'm still wondering about Allen/chaos…hmmm…there must be a way to please everyone…and lastly I guess chaos could be alone since I dunno who he could be happy with…on with ficy!
"Very well, I'm listening." chaos waited patiently for Jr to speak but words seemed to elude the boy…his eyes averted chaos' and instead looked at the floor.
"Well…err…I was just thinking about how…" Jr paused and took a deep breath, feeling quite anxious, "how this is all my fault…" Rubedo glanced up at chaos but the man didn't say a word, letting Jr do the talking. "I mean, everything is…what's happened to all you guys…" Jr swallowed then raised his head to view chaos properly.
"You see…Albedo is doing most of this…I don't know if you'll believe me but he is the one who has caused us all a lot of grief…but he should be dead." Jr took another breath. "It was back when the U.R.T.V's were fighting U-DO. We were winning you know and things were looking up…I had a cat named Gaignun and two great friends, Albedo and Nigredo. Sure, there were hundreds others like us but we felt different so naturally we became fast friends, even if the times were bad."
"Go on, I won't interrupt." chaos said, noting that Jr. seemed to want feedback.
"Yeah, well, anyways…we were cloned from this doctor…can't remember his name, sure Gaignun does…and he made me different from the others…he gave me a strange power, a stronger version of telepathy I guess…it allowed me to actually control the others…it wasn't great but I did control a group that included Nigredo and Albedo…but I didn't strain them much, being friends and all…but then the day came…U-DO finally poked it's goddamn head out and that…was the beginning of the end, you might say."
****Flashback****
Alright everybody! On my command! Rubedo cried in his mind. Behind him, over two-dozen U.R.T.V's stood ready to charge into the strangely normal looking office building.
Hey Rubedo, when do I get to lead the troops? I want to dish out killing too you know! C'mon, just a little bit of mayhem? Please?! Albedo asked in a singsong way.
That's my job! You can't just take them over, told ya that before!
Ah, forget him! Nigredo laughed He's mad because he wants to destroy U-DO allll by himself!
Shut up! I bet I could! Bet U-DO would bow before my-
Whatever, there wouldn't be this many clones if it only took one to bring U-DO down.
How do you know Nigredo?! You always try to ruin my fun, peche…
Now I'm a sinner? Or did you say peach? Your French is terrible so I couldn't tell…
Enough! Rubedo rolled his eyes and threw his hand forward Let's go everybody! All at once, the Retrovirus' ran forward, bringing their guns up just in case of attack. That moment, the office building seemed to explode, raining fire and glass on the troops. All of them threw up their will power defenses to shield from the glittering downpour but even then, they were doomed.
Oh God…What are those?! Rubedo heard Nigredo's voice but he didn't have time to register the comment. From the burning debris rose strange creatures, looking a bit like Gnosis and yet so different too. They all seemed to be glowing with a blue aura and had large, pure black eyes like pools of oil. Each one was roughly the size of an A.G.W.S and without warning, a group of five of them jumped the nearest U.R.T.V. The monsters easily defeated the boy and gunshots filled the air. It was about then that everything descended into chaos…
****end flashback****
"I'm afraid I don't see the connection." chaos said politely as Jr. took an extended pause. "While it's interesting, this event seems to be a mere memory, only of importance to you."
"Hang on a minute!" Jr. grumbled as he shot a glare at chaos. "I'm not done yet…geez…can't a guy take a small break?!"
"Of course, please continue then…"
"Yeah, well anyways me, Nigredo and Albedo headed into the building with a few other troops…don't remember their names. Well these things, I think they were called D-AS or something like, killed the troops outside quickly. So we went in to find the main core…those creatures always have a main core that if you take it out, they all die. We went in there but this core…it was…it wasn't a core, it was a fragment of-" Just then, the elevator began humming gently. Both men swerved around to see young MOMO hopping off. She yawned and approached the guys, tired but happy.
"Hi MOMO." Chaos greeted her as she stopped near Rubedo. "Jr and I finished the final touches on the café. I believe it looks very nice."
"Me too…" MOMO ran her hands up her forehead, pushing down as though to keep awake. "So, are you guys going to bed?" She asked, her eyes falling mainly on Jr.
"Well, yeah…" Jr. said slowly. "Why, want me to walk you to your room?"
"Oh, well, I sleep in there…" MOMO pointed to the rooms at the bottom of the staircase. "I wanted to go see if KOS-MOS still has Shion tied up or if she went to bed. Will you come with me?" Jr grinned and nodded.
"Well, I'm sure KOS-MOS is doing fine but if you want to then sure." MOMO smiled and started off towards the Durandal. Jr paused before leaving. "Well then chaos…I guess I'll tell you the rest later…"
"Don't worry about it." chaos seemed to always speak in the same, quiet tone. "We have plenty of time for that later…" Jr nodded and gave chaos a sort of half smile.
"Well, night then!" Jr walked off, his pace slow and his body slumping from want of sleep.
"Yes, good night Jr." chaos also left for his room, feeling somehow very uneasy.
The dock colony seemed to have burst with life since the last time Theos had seen it. Children ran around playfully, tagging each other in whatever silly game they had created. Adults watched in the distance, talking in cheerful voices that seemed to overcome the constant hum of spacecraft as they made use of the colony's ports. Yet not everyone was looking out the windows of the Luce craft…
Theos himself was gathering many stares…granted, his hair was the color of a gleaming brick of gold and his eyes were a brilliant blue but he knew it was his wings that had gave him the stares.
"What's the matter, never seen ether wings before?" Theos glared at the passengers around him. His ship was finally docking and the golden haired man was very happy: The same people had seen staring at him for about three hours. "Geez, not like it's RARE or anything to have ether skills…"
"We are now in port of Dock Colony 5. Please leave the spacecraft in an orderly fashion. Thank you for riding Luce Space Inc." The staring people marched off eagerly while Theos took his time, walking slowly to take in the sights.
"It's actually kinda beautiful for a pile of metal floating in space." Theos chuckled at his own joke and rounded the corner to get in line. After all, there's always a line to get out of these passenger ships. Theos noted the man ahead of him had a red cloak on that sheltered him from wandering eyes. Wonder if a cloak could hide my wings? Theos tugged at his large, black wings as he thought.
"You could hide them using ether power." The scarlet man turned around but Theos was disappointed to see even his face was hidden. "It's easy to do you know."
"Oh yeah, how?" Theos frowned and stopping pulling at his wingtip.
"Well, focus your mind on the thought of them becoming clear, so clear that even the most perfect of glasses would be jealous. And make them so thin, air would wish to take your wings place." The red-cloaked man said softly. Theos laughed.
"Oh, I see! Be one with the glass eh?" Theos grinned though he was unsure if the strange man was smiling too. "I shall become air? That it?"
"Focus." The man didn't sound amused. "Otherwise, you shall draw unneeded attention to yourself and that would be bad for business."
"Business? What business?"
"Focus." He said again. Theos sighed and shut his eyes. He imaged his wings becoming so see through that not even a Realian's vision would see them…and so light, so…not even there that one could walk right through them and not feel a thing. Theos concentrated on these thoughts, not even aware that both he and the cloaked man were being passed in line.
"You may open your eyes." The man said. "Your wings are gone." Theos let his blue eyes open and cranked his neck to his behind him. His lovely black wings had disappeared.
"No, I didn't want them gone!" Theos cried but the man raised his hand to silence him.
"They aren't gone, just hidden. Now I must go to my meeting." The man left the ship but Theos ran after him.
"Hang on, who are you?" He asked as he caught up to him. The man stopped and glanced at the young man.
"I am just a person who works for your master."
"Fohat?"
"No, his master…your supreme order giver if you wish to see it that way."
"Supreme…" Theos thought about it and it dawned on him quickly. "That Vector guy? The white haired one?" He asked, remembering that he had only met him once and that had been to deliver the Compass of Order. "His name was…Wilhelm wasn't it?"
"Master Wilhelm to you." The man stressed but nodded. "Yes, I work for him as well."
"Oh…what are you here for?" Theos asked.
"I'm here to hear a report on KOS-MOS and Albedo from Virgil." The man paused, looking over to seemingly eighteen-year-old man. "So what are you here for?"
"Oh well, I'm trying to find that idiot who took my job!" Theos felt a sudden anger surge within him. "You know, that idiot…well, I know he was here…"
"He's been around this place many times…he's on Second Milita I think…or near it…I can't remember anymore, he wanders too much."
"Damn straight he wanders too much!" Theos crossed his arms. "Always walking around wherever he wishes, doing what he wants, and making friends and stupid idiot…"
"Well, if you are trying to find him, go to Second Milita… he is around the Don-gai area I believe."
"Hmph, stupid idiot…" Theos was still muttering under his breath. He sighed and looked up. "Well, guess I have to find a flight then…have fun with Virgil. I hear he's REAL nice…" Theos walked off, looking angrier then before. The red-cloaked man shook his head.
"Maybe that silver boy is better for this job, of course Theos seems to forget that it's too late now anyway…" The scarlet man walked off towards an alleyway.
chaos found himself crying…he wasn't sure where he was but he knew he was alone. Everything around him was covered in a veil of fog and the tan boy felt like the mist was trying to hide him too. He merely sat on the ground, his legs pulled up to his chest as the tears streamed down his soft skin. He was afraid to move, thinking that something was waiting for him, just past his line of sight.
"Why are you crying?" He heard his own voice ask. chaos didn't answer. Instead, he buried his head in his knees and shut his eyes tightly. "There's no need to cry, you're being stupid."
"Are you me?" He asked, his voice sounding as though it hurt to speak.
"Not really…are you me?" The voice had turned the question back to chaos.
"Maybe…I don't know…who am I?" chaos sniffed a few times and wiped the salty tears from his face. "I don't know anything…I don't remember…do you remember?"
"Yes, I do…" A man who looked exactly like chaos appeared from the fog and bent low over the sobbing boy. "Well, it doesn't matter right now…why are you crying? You never answered me."
"I'm not sure who I am…" chaos lifted his eyes, looking through his bright silver bangs to see the strange clone of himself smile. "It's not funny…"
"I'm not laughing…you're thinking too hard…you're using an outdated frame of reference to view the world around…that's why you're alone." His double extended a gloved hand. "You're afraid of change, I know…but don't worry. If you stop crying, you'll be fine." The slim man slowly let go of his legs and put one shaky hand out.
"I'm not alone?" He asked as the other chaos helped him up.
"Nope…not really…sure you're different but not alone." He continued to smile in an amused way. "You see, everything's changing and you're going to have to go with the flow. So leave this place and go search…look for friends and find your destiny…you'll be fine, you'll see." Then the grinning chaos let go and walked back into the fog.
"Wait, hold on!" chaos wanted to run after him but found his legs glued to the earth…he felt the tears welling up in his blue-green eyes once more but suddenly a hand touched his chest. He looked down and saw a girl with bright orange hair and a cross around her neck.
"chaos, you must stop trying to find yourself." She said calmly, her voice echoing in the white mist.
"N-Nephilim!" chaos cried out in surprise. She nodded and gave him a small push that sent him flying back.
"Now wake up." He heard her say as he fell back, not hitting the ground but instead falling down into a darkness until even her bright glow faded from his view.
The tan boy's eyes opened slowly and he sat up in his bed. His silver hair was sticking to his face and his body was covered in a cold sweat. His attention was quickly drawn to the fact that he was shaking terribly. He put his trembling hands over his face and moaned softly.
"I was so close…" chaos whispered sadly. "I almost was able to give chase this time…" He swung his legs over the side of the bed and bowed his head. "Damn…why won't she let me find out? What's so important that I must remain in the dark?" He sighed and left the room without getting dressed, wandering the brightly lit Elsa until he found the bathroom. chaos ran the cold water and splashed some on his face, getting most of his bangs sopping wet.
"Hey, bout time you got up." chaos turned and saw Tony standing with his shirt off and a towel slung casually over his shoulder. "It's noon, you missed the sweet landing I did."
"Landing?" chaos blinked some water off his eyelashes. "We landed…on Second Miltia right?"
"Yep, it was awesome, I did a nice show for everyone. MOMO was really impressed but Shion said I was showing off." Tony shrugged and started to turn the shower on. "Hey, you're done in here right? I need a shower before I hit the local bars…gotta smell nice for the ladies." He grinned at chaos, who only managed a weak smile.
"That sounds nice Tony." chaos pushed his damp bangs from his forehead.
"Something bugging you?" Tony asked. "You seem down."
"No, I'm fine…" chaos looked down at himself. His chest was still soaked in sweat and his delicate legs appeared to still be shaking. "I think I should get some clothes on, don't you?" chaos chuckled as he pointed to the boxers he was wearing. "I doubt anyone would be happy to see me walking around like this."
"Yeah, unless you're trying to get a date." Tony laughed. "I'm sure you could win Shion over easy, she and I were going to have a date you know…"
"Yes, I remember." chaos nodded his head. "Well, I should go then." He left and Tony went back to thinking about all the girls he was going to get on Miltia.
"Well, why can't we go yet?" Shion asked that morning. KOS-MOS had done well to keep Shion away from the café but now Allen was giving her a tune-up and that meant it was Jr.'s turn to play keep away.
"Because umm…Hammers let off a…umm…fire…and uhh…we're fixing it…" Jr wanted to shoot himself…he'd heard Gaignun lie better then that and he couldn't lie to save his life. Plus his face was turning the same color as his hair. "Yeah so uh, we have to stay away till…they're done."
"Well, if they don't hurry then I'll just go to Jin's for breakfast." Shion sighed heavily and sat down on the floor by the vending machines. Rubedo grinned and wanted to hug her. Shion had just believed the worst lie in the world.
"Well, they'll be done soon…" Soon as everyone gets here anyway…Jr thought to himself. Just then he saw everyone gathering towards him. Allen with KOS-MOS, chaos and Tony, Mathews and Hammer…MOMO and Ziggy were already inside cooking. This worried JR a bit but Ziggy had been unable to keep Shion busy.
"Oh, here comes everyone…" Shion stood up as though to head them off. "Hammer, what's the idea setting the café on fire and…" She stopped and a frown formed on her face. "Wait, Hammer…I thought you're cleaning up everything?"
"Huh? What'd Little Master tell you?" He asked. Shion spun around to face the boy but Jr had already run into the café. Shion ran after him and as the doors flipped open, she found herself stopping and nearly tripping. The entire café had been decked out in balloons of fabulous colors and streamers had been hung all around. All her favorite dishes had been spread out and Jr, MOMO and Ziggy were smiling at her from underneath a huge blue banner that read 'HAPPY 23RD BIRTHDAY SHION!!!'
"What…what is…" Shion nearly fell on the floor as a big smile spread across her face. "You guys…you remembered…my birthday?"
"Of course we did!" MOMO was almost squealing in delight. "We're your friends but it was really chaos' idea!!" Everyone else filed into the café grinning as Shion turned to chaos.
"chaos…I…thank you…" She hugged him but soon everyone had grouped around her, arms tangled together as they all began to sing.
"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Shion happy birthday to you!" They sang in unison as tears of joy splashed down Shion's face. Even KOS-MOS sang, though it sounded very odd.
"Happy birthday Chief!" Allen cried as chaos popped one of his crackers, raining confetti and colored string down on the group. Shion felt a balloon of happiness swell up inside her as everyone talked happily around her.
"Thank you everyone!" Shion threw her arms around everyone, pulling them into another hug.
"Thanks Miss Vector."
"Really, it was fun to plan!"
"I'm glad to see you so happy. I thought this is what you needed."
"Ahhh, Shion, quit hugging me already!"
"Guys!" Everyone stopped and turned to see little MOMO carrying a large birthday cake. It had twenty-three candles on it and frosting with a picture of Shion's A.G.W.S on the cake. Everyone pushed Shion into a seat and the pink haired girl set the cake in front of her. Tony dimmed the lights as the group hunched over her.
"Blow out the candles Chief!"
"Make a wish Shion…" chaos smiled. Shion looked over all her friends, their faces beaming at her as the candle's light flickered on their faces. Her eyes rested on each one of them before she decided. Shion inhaled a large bit of air, then blew out all twenty-three candles in one mighty sweep.
A/N: Ok, next time we'll go see Jin and Learn more about Virgil, Wilhelm and the Zohar! (maybe, who knows?) see you guys! Review okay?