The dream. No, not a dream. An ambition. Yes, it was an ambition. A motive. Something that drives people to do what they do. An example of such would be Virginia. She was driven to venture with her group and follow the prophets because she knew doing so would eventually give her the chance to see her father. Jet had always wanted treasure before. Maya is obsessed with gems. Clive wants to know everything as well as continuing the work of his professor.
The Council of Seven worked to save the world from the scars left by a war. Instead, they stole the very life from Filgaia in that accident caused mainly due to Beatrice—the dream demon. The Council of Seven has always been working to save Filgaia.
They now work to save our world, by starting over. Filgaia is a lost cause, but, they can start over with a new Filgaia. With a new human race. They could create a planet; they can create life. The people. That was the general idea. But, one question, is it right to do so? To begin new life by killing off the old. Is that ethical? It's a question to a debate that was never thought of, or planned.
The Filgaia Sample—the being who decided to be known as Jet at the insistence of a young woman—will be the foundation for the conclusion. He will make the final choice? No, but he is a tool. The tool that will tip the favor to whatever side.
Clyde Enduro was born nearly thirty years ago; give or take. He was married for twelve years of those to Faluna Valentine (Later known as Faluna Enduro). She was a kind, gentle soul with a flare for elegance always with a smile. She was Clyde's true love. The only woman he would ever care about aside from his ill-departed mother. He had two sons by her, each just as great to him as the last. The first was named for his father, Elliot. The second was never even born. He would have been named Jet though. That was what Faluna and Clyde had planned to name their second son.
Yggdrasil. It changed the world. Especially, Clyde's own. His mother had died earlier. He was sad that she suffered ill while his father only was concerned with his work in the Council of Seven. Then his brother died. Yggdrasil occurred, and he lost everyone else to him that was family. His father, wife, and his son Elliot as well as the dream of having another son named Jet died. Elliot was only still an infant. He knew that still. It has haunted him for over ten years.
The Maxwell Gang—minus Jet—made it's way in front of the opening of the ruins. The place their friend was within. "Jet's in here." Virginia remarked.
"Hold!" Up above atop the ruins stood one woman, and to each of her side a man. Heidi Lank, Trevor Beasly, and Frank McCoy. Three of the Council of Seven. "We of the Council of Seven will not allow you to halt the 'Ragnarok Project'."
"Ragnarok?" Gallows wondered.
"It is an ancient tale." Clive explained. "The fall of one world and all in it aside from Yggdrasil—the life tree—and the people within it's limbs. A new world was formed in the wake of the destruction."
"Yes, exactly." Heidi replied. "That is the Council's theory."
"Wait!" Virginia interjected. "You intend to kill off Filgaia and replace it?"
"A smart girl." Frank McCoy noted. He stood. "So let's not dawdle now. Heidi! Beasly!"
With that the three dropped down on the group. Clive pushed Virginia into the opening corridor. "Go on ahead and get Jet! We can handle these three."
Virginia hesitated, nodded, and ran into the ruins. The five remaining already drew their ARMs. "So, who do we go after first?"
Clyde patiently watched Jet. It had started. The one thing he has waited for. He has had nothing else to live for. His emotions long ago had left him. Probably along with his family. He had lived days in falsehoods. He had created people that were not at all real, and they posed as his family, but they were never real. The hologram machine had helped him in that, but that machine burnt out when the 'Ragnarok Project' began.
This boy, who looked much like his younger brother. His guise hurt him so. Angered him. "So, it begins. By killing off my brother and Adam I will be able to use the Sample in the manner I wish. I will reconstruct him, and alter the world through him. He will become a success story instead of the failure he is now."
"What's going on?" Jet demanded. He watched as the other Jet collapsed. "What's wrong with you? I…feel like I'm burning up inside!"
"My brother…has…initiated the device." Jet muttered as Adam stood at his side.
"You must wake up Jet." Adam commanded. "If you do not Jet here will die, and I will soon after. Without us, you will have no form. You will be no one. You'll be the real you, just like you wanted."
"But," Jet looked to the grass. "I'll be me? No, but, Filgaia's in danger! I can't do that…can I?"
"You should wake." Adam replied.
"I can't though." He replied.
"If you don't Jet will die!"
"Whatever! I told you I can't!"
Adam looks away with crossed arms. "If you so truly believe that. I don't care too much either, but I was intent on living my life. What little life I had. I had fun, watching you."
"I haven't given up, Adam!" Jet grabbed him and punched him across the jaw. In shock Adam stumbled to the ground. "You simply dismiss it as all that? I'm trying! I don't want you or anyone else to die. And, if I don't do anything they will. The only one who should die is myself and my brother. Jet's brother."
"But, it's too late. I'm sorry, Jet." With that Adam fell to the ground. The true Jet long-since dead. "I…can't help you…anymore…I'm sorry for that."
"No, I'll think of something!" Jet remarked. It was too late. Adam too, had disappeared. Jet was left alone in his world of memories. The wind picked up. The grass that was planted ripped itself up. The world around him was changing. A burning sensation tore through his body. His hand translucent. He could see through it. "D-Damnit!"
Clyde smirked. It was going according to plan. Tom and Benjamin came forward from the dark. "Is it time, Clyde?" Tom wondered.
"Yes, we will now be able to start the process of making the new Filgaia, and following empower it by destroying this Filgaia." Clyde responded.
"Who will live?" Ben wondered.
"All who dwell inside the ancient relics. We are in one. The Ark of Destiny is one." Clyde responded. "Now, shall we begin?"
They look to Jet who remained in the capsule. Anything that made him look human was gone. He was just a template of a person now. No features what so ever. It was as if Jet's body had held him together. Was a shell, and this was what was within. "Yes, please do." Just as Tom said those words within the capsule something stirred.
Virginia felt something terrible through her medium. Something was wrong. Jet! That was all that came to her mind. Whatever it was that was happening involved him. "Where are you going little girl?" Ahead of the brunette stood Mae who casually leaned on the wall and delicately draped her arm holding an ARM in it. "I will not let you disturb Clyde. His work means much to me."
"Why should it?" She stalled.
"What do you mean?" Mae wondered.
"What do you get out of this?" Virginia questioned. "You don't want anything do you? I can see in your eyes the rejection, of a man all too much still in love with a woman that is gone."
"How dare you? You will not use that fact to your advantage!" Mae stood ready to fire, and did so. Virginia dropped to the ground flat and drew her two ARMs firing forward.
The lab in the dark ahead rang out with a cry. Something had stirred within the capsule. The Filgaia Sample. The being currently without form. Just as the three of the Council began their work a tentacle made of the Sample's body struck out at Tom and rammed right through the head like a hot knife does with butter. A second one rammed itself through the chest cavity of Ben and each scientist dropped to the ground.
Clyde let out a echoing maniacal laugh. "You did excellent work, but the same will not work on me. Now, to begin." With a jump Clyde turned on a machine through a button. A field contained the Filgaia Sample and destroyed the tube. A doorway was opened beside the portal. The other end of which is unknown.
"No!" Virginia burst into the room lacking one sleeve of her dress. Her arm bloody and still movable. "I won't let you hurt Jet!" She raised her ARMs.
"You? Pheh. It has already started. You are much too late Virginia." Clyde confirmed with a glance to the Sample. "Besides, he is not Jet anymore. He is the Filgaia Sample. As he was to begin with. Just a simple android."
"No he wasn't! He's not just some stupid android! He has a life. He's just like a human. He could be more human than you or I."
"I'm sorry, but I'm no longer human as well." With that he let out a blast of energy throwing Virginia to the ground. "I have used the library of Hyades to transform myself for the most part. I have the power of the demons. I have perfected it though. While the Prophets could not survive on this Filgaia, I can." He grinned.
A tear fell from her eye. Was it true? Was she too late? To save Jet? To save Filgaia? "Even if that were true!" She stood. "Even if I am late. Even if I can't save Jet. I can still kill you!" She let off multiple rounds. Clyde nimbly dodged the shots. In seconds he had closed the distance between him and Virginia. She trembled with an unknown fear. He was inches from her. She had no means of retaliation.
"Good bye. It's sad you won't see the new Filgaia." With that Clyde went in for the kill. Virginia winced shutting her eyes.
Nothing came.
"Let go of me!" Clyde demanded.
"I can't do that." Jet replied. His image the same as before. A young man with gray hair. The jeans, the boots, the poncho like coat. The two scarves that seemed like they had a mind of their own when it came to moving. His one black glove on his right arm. He smirked.
Two shots echoed out. The wasteland seemed quiet and peaceful although it would soon not exist. The skies became a darkened purple. In the midst of dust were two men. "So, what's your favorite food?" Clive wondered.
"I don't know. Rice?" Gallows replied.
"Well, I do know your favorite drink." He laughed. Bandaging his arm and chest. Finally fixing his glasses on his nose. "Well, do you think we should go?"
"Might as well. We may be too late, but we might as well see how we die. I'd be able to die knowing at least that much." Gallows simply replied and helped the sniper from his sitting position. "Though, it's sad that we had to shoot these three. The girl didn't look all that bad."
Clive gave him a glare. "Yes, I was thinking you would say that."
The two walked into the ruins in a limp. Gallows had been shot in the foot. Sadly by Clive. An honest mistake.
"I don't understand. I killed off Jet and Adam!" Clyde gritted his teeth. "How?"
"Without them, I am free to be who I really am. And, I'm really Jet. I really look this way. No other." Jet replied throwing Clyde across the room. "You took advantage of me and my friends. I won't let you go for that. I don't care about you wanting to kill off Filgaia, or wanting to kill me. But, when you hurt people I care for you have another thing coming!" Jet took out the Aigert-Lahm.
"What, is that?" Clyde wondered. "That ARM…it's black? I thought it was white."
"Shut it. Werner changed it for me long ago." Jet replied recalling such events. "You betrayed me. You led me on. That hurts me more than anything else. I was…actually beginning to like having a family." He softly spoke. "You had to steal such things from me?"
"They've been dead for years Sample! It's all your fault! You killed them!"
"I did no such thing."
"You did!"
"Reality in your mind is fragmented. You only believe what you will now." Jet noted. "Come now. We fight." Jet stood relatively defenseless with the Aigert-Lahm LV/B2 slung over his shoulder.
"Jet!" Virginia stood. Finally recovering from it all. The shock from Clyde's approach and his own sudden appearance. She stood beside him. "Do you need to be healed? What should I do?"
"Just, move back. This is something, I have to do alone." Jet replied lacking emotion. He just kept staring at Clyde who was slowly standing. Virginia bit her lip and moved back as he had said. Always ready to heal him in some way though.
"Heh. You think you can stop me?" Clyde muttered. "You will not!" With that Clyde ran forward and readied himself to run his hand through Jet. Nothing came, and Jet remained standing. Clyde had stopped short. "Why? Why can't I kill you?"
"Because you can't kill Jet." Jet dropped the butt of his ARM into the hand that was not already holding the gun. "But, he needs to kill you." With that multiple rounds cut through Clyde with much ease. Clyde's eyes of pure shock could almost be heard in the dark of the room. "I'm sorry, Clyde."
"No…I am." Clyde stumbled back as he covered the biggest inflicted area. "There's…no way to stop the destruction of Filgaia now…You…will have to make the new planet…or…Filgaia will die…I'm sorry…There's no other way." Clyde fell to the ground. "Please…save this Filgaia…I love it with all my heart…Jet."
"I understand." Jet walked forward and came to the machine he broke out from. The portal remaining on the other side.
Virginia walked forward and looked down at Clyde. He looked to her. "Do…not…feel bad…Virginia. I…I can go see…F-Faluna again now…and…Raise…Elliot…as I was…not allowed to."
Virginia tried her best not to give off any emotion. Before her was a flawed man who was only after giving a new hope in a misguided manner. He wanted a world like that of the one he had before he lost his life. When Yggdrasil stole it from him. He wanted to see that world again, and believe that if he could bring it back, he would bring back Faluna as well.
"Jet?" Virginia joined Jet as he stared at the hole in the universe. "What will we do?"
"I'm sorry Virginia."
"You can't do anything?"
"No, I'm sorry that I can do something." Jet looked to her with a smile. "I've found who I am. I was Jet all along it seems. I just wish I had found out sooner. My own greed lead us to this."
"It wasn't your fault, Jet. You only wanted good things. I know it!" She encouraged. Gripping his arm. The same the had saved her.
"I started this long ago without knowing it, Virginia. From the day I was created this whole thing was put into motion." Jet replied. "Those who live on Filgaia must live with their sins that they carry for wanting to save Filgaia. You remember how we saw those machines? The ones that acted as Guardian Shrines and all?"
"What are you planning to do?" She said sternly.
"So, you noticed that I was hiding something?" He chuckles. "I knew you would figure it out."
"Jet." She moved in front of him. Taking each hand gingerly. She looked at the hands, and then right to his eyes.
He changed his expression to one of all seriousness. "The only way I can save Filgaia and make up for my sins is to give my life back to Filagaia. That's where it belongs."
"No! You can't do that! You have to find another way." She shook her head ferociously.
"I'm sorry. I said that." Jet looked over his shoulder. "Looks like we have company."
Virginia looked to the door where Clive and Gallows entered. Gallows stepped forward with Clive's help. "So, punk, you plan on dying, is that it?"
"That was the general idea, moron." He replied with a grin.
"Pheh. You won't stop that even now, you two?" Clive muttered. "It was a perfect experience the journey we've been on. We've found out many things and lived through it all due to none other than you, Jet."
"No. We only found out those things, and lived due to all of us. We're a team, remember? And, no matter what, you guys will always remain a team. WE will always be a team." Jet confirmed.
"Virginia, why don't you come over here and leave the kid alone? You know how he gets about being called a friend? He doesn't like it. So let him be alone like he wants to be." Gallows said with a smirk as he did almost a shrug.
"Yes, let's allows Jet his solitude." Clive agreed.
Virginia looked to Jet's chest. A tear in her eye. She looked up to Jet's face, and gave him a warm smile. "We will always be a team Jet."
"I know."
"And,"
"What is it?"
"Nothing. I'll wait until the next I see you to tell you." Virginia replied and let go of his hands. "Thank you, Jet. For everything!" She gave him a kiss on the cheek, and made her way to the other two. They watched him a few more minutes, and turned away. Leaving the gray-haired boy to his lonesome.
"I have to go. I'm going to live!" Jet replied forming a fist. "I have a home, and I'm not sure if I'll see it again. I'm not sure if the welcome mat will be gone, and I'm definitely not sure if my key to it will work when I get back, but I don't care. That wasn't the point. I have a home. I have memories. Filgaia! Show me what you can do!"
With that he jumped into the hole. Following, there was nothing. The portal disappeared. The ruins became dark again. Filgaia was on it's own. It was fine again. Nothing.
Gallows, Clive, and Virginia made their way to the exit never speaking a word. As the light blinded them from outside they found something rather bizarre when they regained the ability to see. A plain of grass. The Filgaia of the past. Though, it was no longer the past. Was this, Jet's parting gift? Did he restore the planet's verdue? They could see no other reason.
What did Virginia want to say, as she looked into his eyes? As she fell to the grass and watched the clouds, she recalled it. It was something so important he would have to return to know. Maybe someday he will be able to?
"So," She began. "Where to now?"
"Clive?" Gallows looked over.
"Well, why not go home? I haven't seen my Kaitlyn in some time."
"We all know it's Catherine you want to see." Gallows gave him a smirk.
Clive gave him a glare. "Moron." Clive replied and looked away. After a few moments, they all broke out into laughter.
Somewhere, Jet was still with them. That fourth spot of the team will never be filled by any other.
