Sorry for the wait, but there were still some things to accomplish at school and home first.

Title: Grow

Rating: G- PG (Pretty certain, but one mention of murder, so it might be PG-13. I'm not good with ratings.)

Warnings: Spoilers, though small ones. But if you haven't seen The Final Battle, and you don't want a spoiler, don't read.

I guess no one really knows how it is to live… for a lack of better term, outside time. Not even 009, who's gone through similar circumstances, could ever come close to understanding.

It all started with my, well, I don't really call him my father anymore. It all started with Gamo. My birth ended up with me being a stillborn, and I might have died. Sure, I owe Gamo complete gratitude for giving me another chance at life…

Sadly, a lot of things in this world come at a price. So did my second chance.

He operated on me, in a resuscitation surgery, but did a lot more. His previous research led him to a near insanity, operating on my brain. He opened the unused portion of my mind, allowing me to gain mental prowess beyond the imagination. He did this to me, his own son.

Though, I'm not his son anymore.

My intelligence grew from that of an infant to adult, but so much more intelligent. Sure, these abilities were astounding, but I found out the consequences later on. First of all, there was one other problem. My mother tried to stop Gamo. Her efforts were for naught though, because the operation took place as he planned. Afterwards, she and Gamo argued continuously over me, Gamo saying that I was his greatest experiment, and mother saying that I was her son, and not just some lab rat.

I guess I miss her, despite what little time I had with her. What happened after their quarrels was that Gamo became irritated with her, and killed her. [1] His wife, he killed her!

I didn't count the days that passed, but I clearly remember the day he handed me over to Black Ghost. Over to the organization that changed my life, and so many other lives, forever. Though, my life was changed already, so I was already as miserable as I could be. He just knew that they could further the result of my prowess, so he gave me up.

He watched as I was placed onto the operating table, and that helmet was placed on my head. I don't know what made me did my next action, but I think it was out of the frustration I felt at the moment. Using telekinesis, I raised several tools and supplies into the air, circling them over the surgeons and nurses. Needless to say, they were shocked and amazed.

He told me to stop, and strangely enough, I did. I guess I might have wanted to prove that I was still his son. A lot of good that would ever do for me. Besides, I barely remember what I felt that day. But I did put everything back in their proper places.

Just as they were starting, he walked past the double doors, leaving me there for good. I didn't shed any tears for him. He never really deserved them in the first place. I wasn't some helpless baby anymore. In a way, I grew up, just mentally. I grew from baby to adult. I grew from Ivan Whiskey to Cyborg 001.

That's when the price was laid down. Physically, I could never grow up. Due to opening my mind to its full potential, my metabolic function was forced to slow down, while my mind seemed to accelerate. An adverse effect, if you will. I lost the ability to fully use my body. I lost my chance to grow physically.

And I was cursed with this infant body.

The only thing that could be worse was that condition that I needed to go through 15 day sleeping cycles. 15 days awake and 15 asleep. But if I expended my energy, I would succumb to sleep immediately. As one could already tell, this left me in a state of vulnerability.

Even if I am as strong as they claim, how can I be so weak?

I watched through my mind's eye as three other victims of Black Ghost came in. I could see into each of their minds, knowing all about them. First up was Jet, then Françoise, and lastly, Albert.

They were all operated on, changed from human to cyborg in just a matter of hours. Respectively, they were given the code numbers 002, 003, and 004.

I remember communicating telepathically them during their training test, which was really one of the only times I could, before the incident. Sadly, there were slight flaws in their technology, so we were all placed in suspended animation for forty long years. [2]

The time passed, and we were finally reawakened by Dr. Gilmore. Over the time, more cyborgs had been made. I knew them already, with just one look into their minds. G Jr., Chang, G.B, and Pyunma. 005, 006, 007, and 008. And there was still one more on the way, Joe, a.k.a. 009.

Thanks to Dr. Gilmore, we finally had our chance to escape from Black Ghost. Though any hopes were short lived, seeing as he was still after us. We're not sure if he's out there, since there haven't been any strange occurrences, ever since our previous battle. We're all hope that he really is dead this time. [3]

We're taking residence at the beach cottage, some of us anyways. 004, 005, and 008 have gone out into the world to temporarily resume their lives. I say temporarily, because we never know what may come… That comes with being a cyborg.

I hate to admit it to myself, but I envy them. I even envy those who are still here. At least they have their lives. I have to be fed by another, and often carried by another when the situation calls for it. I haven't told anyone, but I've wanted to live a life too… But because of the slow growing process, I might not see that chance for a long, long time.

Whenever Françoise takes me out into the city, I feel that surge of… jealousy, whenever I see other infants. I could say that they're luckier than me, having the chance to grow, and live through their lives like normal kids.

I may never get that chance now, thanks to my father, and thanks to Black Ghost. I'm just an adult trapped in a baby's body, for good… That's what my situation is like, and no one knows.

I'll just have to take these consequences as they come, day after day. There was a price to pay in the long run, so I'll have to pay it.

For as long as I live.

[1] It was never stated in the anime, but in the manga he did do that to his wife, Erika.

[2] Considering the sites and a few episodes (English dubbed/Japanese DVD's of episodes 27-51), the freezing period seemed like it was for at least 40 years…

[3] This is referring to "The Final Battle"

RR

QueenOfDarknessYetAGorefest: I can understand that 3/9 pairings aren't your cup of tea. We all have different opinions anyways. Still, good luck with the story!

Cyborg0021: Thanks! Good luck in getting that block.

Holli: Probably should have put that alternate universes warning at the beginning of the chapter. My bad. And thanks for the tip about the 'orbs' thing. Sweatdrop

MoonShaddow: Well, that's what AU is all about. And I have!

ravenf6: Much oblige for the comment. I've been watching certain episodes just to see a small basis of his darker, gloomier thoughts.

Demon Darkchild: Well, I saw the idea a couple times in other sections, I just don't know which ones though… And besides, I didn't want to take up space. But thanks!