"Conscience"
by DigistarDBZ

(A/N: Cyborg 009 doesn't belong to me or anyone else I know except Shotaro Ishinomori and such. I make no money from this, so suing isn't necessary.)

I told him that he had a destiny to fulfill.

If anyone knew that, it was me. Now Black Ghost is gone... the world finally, truly has a chance for peace.

But at what cost?

I think I begin to regret my decision, telling them that 009 is too far away for me to teleport him back to us. And 002? I don't think I need to say that it's the same for him. I might be a baby, I might be a mutant. But I know I'm still human.

And humans react to extreme grief and horror just like any other person. Watching 003 wail in sorrow as she watches the scene unfold thousands of miles above us is something that makes me wish that I had never sent him to do it alone.

Of course I have a conscience! The problem is, what do you do when there are two angels arguing over what to do instead of an angel and devil? What is the lesser of two evils?

'If it's his destiny, why did 002 have to suffer as well? Why did he have to sacrifice his own life to save someone who is going to die anyways?'

'They wanted this, didn't they? Let them finally find the peace they've been searching for; let them be human again in the next world!'

I don't know if anyone can see me do it, but I clench my fists. 003 might not know it, but I can see them as well. Fire that tries to tear them apart, threatening to evaporate them into nothing but ashes at any moment. I know it will only get gruesome, and as much as 003 doesn't want to see it, I know a part of her wants to continue watching her beloved literally be cooked alive.

How can I honor my promise to him if I'm forced to watch him die before my very eyes? To let someone be incinerated when you promised that you wouldn't save him?

Even if I wanted to, he's still too far away for me to send him here. It's as if I have no choice but to honor my promise to him, whether I like it or not.

Then why? Why am I trying so hard to find a way to save him? Even if I know it's hopeless?

I don't know how I can stand to see 003 in such terrible pain. To see all of them- even if they don't show it as much as she does- in such terrible pain. 009 and 002...

They're my family. They've been the family I never had, like brothers.

I don't know how a person could stand by idly and watch their beloved brothers die.

And I can't.

I won't.

I don't have much time. Even if I can't do it, even if I can't reach them in time, I have to try.

If I don't, I could regret it for the rest of my life. Somehow.. I have to try and save them.

I don't care if the others notice what I'm doing- all I see before me is a bright light, reaching out to the very limits of what my powers can do. It could kill me, for all I'm concerned.

A life for two lives? Perhaps that's a bargain that I'm willing to trade for.

It's an odd feeling, yet I know I'm reaching out for him, trying to grab his hand from the inferno. I feel the heat against my fingertips, then spreading down my arm as I reach in to grab them.

The pain begins to become intense..my skin feels like it's crackling, boiling.. threatening to split apart..

..But I can't let go of them. I don't know for sure, but I know I hear the others calling out for me, trying to figure out what exactly I'm doing. I don't know if I'm still out at sea, or if I'm in the fireball with 009 and 002..

For all I know, I could be both places at once. This is a side of my powers that is still foreign to me.. I'm not even sure if I knew I was capable of this.

"009... 002... don't be afraid anymore."

Now...

I feel like I can finally let go of them. The intense burning and blinding light finally ends as out from the deafening roaring, a loud splash drowns it all out.

003 is crying again... Happy tears? Grief? I don't know.

I pray that I reached them in time. But my power is gone..

I don't know if I'll wake up again after this.

But I hope that 009 and 002 do. I decided that maybe they have a bigger role in this world just waiting for them after all.

For now, everything is darkness.

Everything is peace.

The End