Notes: I don't own any of the rights to Cyborg 009)
(author's notes: I'd like to thank reasonwhy 77 for all the wonderful and very helpful reviews, but most of all thank you for having understanding and support for someone who is still learning the ropes of the art of writing fan fics :) Thanks to everyone else too! Please enjoy the story. )
Jealousy:
It wasn't long before sleep took over in 009's mind and he found himself back in 003's dream world. Reality began to give way into her beautiful fantasy.
Laying in the middle of a long stone path, he became more aware of his surroundings. A grand Romanisk stile garden, small statues of little Chubb and goddesses dotted the nearby landscape. Long rose vines coiled around some of the ruins blossoming in brilliant colors against the white crackled marble. Not only did blooming roses blossom from the vines, but the entire ground around the walk way was blanketed with roses. The sky's horizon looked almost the same as it once had in their pervious dream. Shades of pink and purple, only this time instead of starlit wonder, darker clouds where looming over like a troubled storm.
"00 ...?" Glancing around for his comrades he realized there was no one to be found. Most likely DR Eekamen had sent each of them to a trouble spot in the Dreamland matrix.
It was just him and him alone in a strange land filled with beauty and wonder.
Slowly, 009 got up from the cool marble stone path. His legs, his whole body felt shaky with uncertainty, but as the gentle rose scented breeze blew he felt at peace with the serenity that surrounded him. When next slightly fuller wind gust grabbed ahold of his long yellow scarf waving it in the wind, he stood now sure and ready for what ever fight he would have to face.
Stray rose petals rushed past in the wind, so did a voice calling out to him. " Joe..."
His heart seemed to leap to life with energy over just the sound of her voice call his name.
"Francoise...!" Soft gusts dusted though his autumn colored hair as he answered back into the emptiness of the rose covered valley looking for the place she was hiding.
Hearing his voice echo across the landscape he called out to her again " ...003..?"
" Joe...please come for me..." Finally, he found where her voice was coming from. Hidden off in a distance at the end of the long and winding marble path, was a large hill covered in greenery with a tall white marble staircase leading up to a huge Roman pillared pavilion.
The winds carried her voice to him once again " Joe..please come for me.. I'm waiting for you.."
The winds seemed to change direction as if almost calling him to her hiding place.
009 called out in hopes his words would reach her as he set off down the forever winding pathway alone. " Francoise!.. I'll be there for you soon...!"
Arriving in another part of the dreamland matrix in a dash of cyber information, 002 managed to drag himself up from the cold massive tile floor he was laying on.
"What... What is this place?" Getting up and stretching the kinks out of his neck he began to look at the new world that surrounded him. A huge grand hall so large that if he were to yell his voice would echo though the halls for hours. The grand hall was filled with nothing but the finest furnisher and fixtures, delicate white French doilies draped over one of the long end tables, and neat little brass candle holders lined the very pink walls. ...very pink? Everything floor to ceiling glowed in some shade of pink or white.
002 cringed in response to the decorator's tastes. "I feel like I'm trapped in a damn Barbie doll house."
As he continued to walk down the hall, it seemed odd to him that he hadn't noticed before the oversized royal mirror hanging over the end table. It's intricate design was fit only for a princess.
Walking past in curiosity, 002 couldn't resist looking in it's brass frame. "I wonder how 003 see me ...WHAT THE...!"
Seeing his reflection starring back at him in the glass, he saw himself not in his cyborg uniform nor even his twilight leather jacket and normal street punkish clothes, but as a well dressed gentleman in a black suit that almost was close to a tuxedo. There was no tie or bow tie that held the collar to his shirt closed, just a small regal looking blue gem that was close to the color of his eyes. His hair instead of his normal aero- dynamic gelled look was down and tied back in a long neat pony tail. The only part that wasn't tied back was the long swoop that always hung in his eyes. He only wore his hair down when it was wet and no other time.
" This is how she sees me...!" 002 stumbled back in shock from the sight of his appearance. He was almost afraid to touch his own refection. Timidly, he gained enough composure to place his hand on the cold glass, his heart racing in every breath he took .
" ...Is this what she sees in me..?" Glancing once more at his reflection, he rested his head against the cool glass in hopes his heart's excitement would subside. For forty years he wondered what she had viewed him as, now it was only his dream come true to finally find out.
Suddenly, someone tapped him on the shoulder awakening him from his joyful moment. "Excuse me monsieur, but Madame is ready to see you now. "
As he turned around in shock, 002 tried to gain composure over his embarrassing moment of narcissism only to find a slenderly trim woman in a French maid's outfit. Her hair was long and brown, tied back in a loose bun.
Bowing to him politely, she repeated herself "Madame Francoise will see you now."
Nervously, 002 stepped forward. " ..Sure.. Right away."
" Follow me please." Silently, they both walked down the long hall witch seemed to end abruptly closed off by two huge wooden doors. " Madame is on the terrace of the chateau."
Strangely, with ease the seemingly heavy doors magically opened as the maid touch them. However, when the doors opened to a brilliantly lit terrace garden he caught his first glimpse of her in this strange new world.
She sat at a small cast iron tea table. The iron chairs had decorative rose patterns carved in the back, but her, she wore a long flowing light blue summer dress so long flowing that the cloth draped against the ground. The large bow in the back of her dress, the way it was tied gave accent to her slender hips. However, to top off her beauty, she wore a large dress hat with a few roses around the rim. The hat itself was held in place with a scarf tied neatly in a bow under her chin.
A smile sweet like sunshine brought even more light to her beauty when she saw him walk out onto the terrace.
"Monsieur! " With the brilliance of enthusiasm in her voice, she motioned over to the empty chair at the table. "I've been looking forward to your visit all day. Please, have a seat."
" Looking forward to .." Her last words seemed to echo though him as he nervously walked over to take his seat. "She was really looking forward to being with him?"
In satisfaction of seeing the two were settled in, the maid left the terrace closing the two heavy doors behind her.
They were alone, just the two of them in her terrace garden in the sky.
She never took her eyes off him as he made his way over towards the cast iron table.
In sitting down, he noticed 003 graciously reaching her hand across the small table towards him. Did she really expect him to kiss her hand in eloquent greeting like a true gentlemen should?
He'd only seen this in movies but never in real life, or dream life?
Curiously, 002 took her tiny hand in his. He could feel his heart racing faster with anticipation as he slowly brought her hand closer to his lips. A delicate pink blush tinted across her cheeks in suprize.
"This has to be the real 003." Seconds seemed like hours as his lips came closer to contact. "She's so sweet and eloquent just like how I'll always remember her ..."
However, before his lips could touch her delicate skin, a shy giggle escaped her and she pulled her hand away. "O ..my...I was simply going to offer to pour you some tea."
Then and there 002 could have died of a heart attack from all the anticipation that was building with in. Instead he simply answered. " Um..Yeah, some tea would be nice."
That should be enough to regain his normal laid back mode.
Pleased with his answer, 003 graciously offered him some tiny pink frosted tea cakes to go with his tea from the large plate next to the tea kettle. Taking one or six, he seemed to be coming off more as and eager little boy when it came to cake rather than a perfect gentlemen. She laughed a sweet girlish giggle as he realized the error of his ways. Now monsterously embarrassed, 002 calmly put his plate down and attempted to go back to his facade of being a gentlemen.
However that damage was already done and 003 couldn't keep a straight face as she bust out in laughter "Your humor is so endearing!"
" Endearing!" She was nearly driving him wild with anticipation. Dream world or not, it seemed like all his wildest dreams were coming true.
In calming down, 003 politely folded her hands under her chin as if getting down to business resting her elbows against the iron garden table. Her sunshine smile clouded into more of a serious tone as she gazed into his sky blue eyes.
This was it. 002 could say nothing as he waited for her to speak. His throat felt like a thousand deserts and he could hardly breath. Finally she was going to tell him how she felt.
Her mood seemed to become even more concerned as she began to pour her heart out to him. " Monsieur Jet, I've been so deeply concerned lately ..."
" About..?"Nearly knocking the tiny tea table over in his rush,002 leaned across to confront her.
This was it, she was gonna say what he always dreamt of.
As he reached out to touch her face, she rested her cheek in his large palm. "Monsieur Jet, I've been so deeply concerned about your best friend lately."
"Best friend!" Now 002 was almost certain he was going to have a heart attack, because it felt every bit like someone had ripped his heart out and stepped on it. " Best friend, who?"
Getting up from the tea table, 003 left the offered confront of 002 and turned away from him walking to the ledge of the terrace looking over it's bottomless edge. " 009,I care so much for him but, he never seems to notice anything in me..."
Instantly, 002 knew exactly what she was talking about and she was right. 009 was completely clueless to her emotions. Her feelings were so obvious for 009 that everyone else in the team knew how she felt but 009. It drove him so crazy sometimes. It dove every piece of emotions in him crazy with envy and sorrow. Sorrow for her wasted feelings, but also deep envy for what 009 never knew he had.
In footsteps that seemed light as feathers, it felt like his deeply held emotions magically lead him to be by her side. He couldn't turn away from her, not now.
He reached out to take her hand in silence if only to confront her feelings in friendship. Even then she would always push his attempts aside, it was almost something he was waiting for.
Huge sobbing tears fell from her eyes like heaven's rain and onto the terrace rail as she gripped his hand tighter in trying to gain the strength to explain the rest of her story.
"It's so horrible, as much as I care for him he only shows interest in other girls he meets on missions, like Artimis in the Greek Islands, and that girl from the Incan ruins, Iskkik and her enormous breasts, but the most heart breaking blow is how much he daunted his emotions all over Helen and her sisters."
Her story only fueled more fire to the envy and jealousy that already burned in his heart. He had known 003 much longer than 009 . She didn't need this, she didn't need to be treated this way.
Making his boldest mood yet, 002 closed his eyes in wishing his feelings would finally get though to her as he wrapped his arms around her slender waist from behind. Perhaps telling her all that was in his heart too would bring her back.
When he felt her relax in his arms, 002 kissed the back of her neck as he held her close and secure. As he heard her sigh slightly in pleasure, everything felt so wonderful about her in that moment his dreams came true. The way she smelt like freshly cut roses, how heavenly soft and inviting her skin felt as his lips graced across her skin.
Lightly whispering his words across the spot he kissed, 002 told her everything in his heart. "003, I'm not perfect. No, I'm far from perfect, but despite that one thing would always be pure. I'll always treat you with the love and respect you deserve. I love you. I've been so deeply in love with you for so long. If he won't accept your love and treat you with that care you deserve, then please let me love you and worship your feelings like the beautiful princess that you are.
As 003 turned towards him her eyes seemed to sparkle like the twilight diamonds in the aroua lit sky."...002.."
Leaning closer twards him, she seemed to almost be begging for a real kiss.
This was it. The promise of his love was accepted.
However, as he reached to kiss her in return, she placed one of her delicate hands on his chest stopping him.
"003... what's..?" Before he could finish, her grip on his suit grew tighter.
"I still love 009 and nothing you can say or do will change my mind." With the force of what felt like being stuck by a car, 003 pushed him hard over the edge of the terrace and into the endless oblivion of the twilight sky.
Clicking his rockets into action, 002 hoped to fly to safety. "Rockets...? .. Wait where are they?"
His powers were no place to be found. They seemed to be of no use in the dream world. Falling faster and fast away from his dreams and his hope to save 003, he looked back towards her as he fell from grace.
She watched him fall with an emotionless expression on her face.
002 could feel the tears falling from his eyes as her emotionless expression burned into his memory. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry for not being able to be your hero."
The small cyborg baby watched over his friends in great distress from outside the dreamland matrix. His eyes gleaming with effort to keep his physic connection with his comrades. "002!"
Worry struck though DR Gillmore as he heard 002's name called out by the smallest cyborg. "What happen to him?
Dr Eekmen turned twards his assistances in panic to see what the latest computer readings were.
They say in myths and urban legend, that if you touch the ground when you fall in a dream you die but in this case ...
" 002" Looking down in disappointment the gleam from the baby's eyes faded. "He's become another victim of the dreamland virus."
( to be continued)
(Post notes: Why 002 first? It wasn't because he's my fave cyborg. It's because his emotions towards 003 run so high that he was the perfect first victim to be drawn in. You didn't think 002 was really gonna get hooked up with 003 now did you. Silly, silly. It's sad to see 002 endlessly rejected by 003, but no it just wouldn't work at all.
Quite honestly as far as non yaoi hook ups in the series go, if you've ever read some of my other 002 fics you'll know I'm a huge Jet and Cathy, ( coffee shop girl from the "hero" ep) for some reason they seem to complement one another very well.
Don't worry hard core 009 and 003 hook up fans you'll get another taste of 009's adventure though 003's dream mind. There's still hope for you yet. Also, another one of our cyborg hero's becomes victim to the dreamland virus. Just who would it be? The drama ensues.)