For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
The human heart. It is a weak, yet strong part of the body. It keeps humans alive, functioning, both physically and mentally.
Yet, it can also be easily manipulated. Even if one does not have a heart, if they have a strong resolve and will, they can survive without a heart.
But, manipulation isn't the only thing to destroy a heart. It can easily succumb to powerful feelings of false hope and utter despair. Things that live inside humans, devour them from the inside out, turn them into monsters of pure evil.
Hope is the only thing to keep a human from falling forever into darkness. The light inside, even the smallest glimmer, can hold a heart steady.
Such a curious thing, the human heart...
190 Years Ago
Two women stood on a slanted rooftop, the wind whipping their clothes and hair. One had long, straight black hair while the other had short, messy blonde hair. They were a duo of vigilantes, fighting side-by-side against the evils of the world.
"We should get hitched." the blonde woman told the black-haired woman. "It's now or never."
The black-haired woman was surprised at this statement.
"How? We don't have anyone to do it, we don't have formal wear, or rings. We don't even have rings, Rachel." the black-haired woman began on, but had to admit she wanted to get hitched to the girl in front of her more than anything.
"Oh, Himeko...don't worry about that. For that, our powers will suffice." said the blonde woman, now identified as "Rachel". Bright blue flames crept up her arms, lighting up the darkness surrounding them.
The black-haired woman, now identified as "Himeko", could feel her companion was being serious with this entire thing. Golden lightning began to crackle and fizz from her hands. "I, Himeko Kusanagi, take thee, Rachel Lockwood, to be my partner for life." she recited.
"I, Rachel Lockwood, take thee, Himeko Kusanagi, to be my partner for life." Rachel returned.
They then exchanged several blows, their first dance as civil partners. It was meant to mirror their first meeting, when Himeko had found Rachel trespassing into her lair. "You may now kiss her." whispered Rachel as they ended the mock-battle, and they shared a tender, loving kiss. They were both thankful that they had this moment, knowing full well that tomorrow, they would die.
Tomorrow would be their last stand, and they knew this all-too-well.
Now
It was a normal night in the Riverside Shipyard Bar in Iowa. "Hi. I'd like a Klavnian fire tea, uhh...three Budweiser classics, two Cardassian sunrises, and a..." began a female customer.
"Try the Slusho, it's good." said the bartender.
"The Slusho mix, thank you." the female customer replied.
"That's a lot of drinks for one woman." said Kirk, now all grown up. He was sitting next to her.
"And a shot of Jack straight up." added the female customer, determined.
"Make that two, shots on me." Kirk declared.
"Her shot's on her." said the female customer, then turned to Kirk and said "Thanks but no thanks."
Frustrated, Kirk asked "Do you at least want to know my name before you completely reject me?"
"I'm fine without it." replied the female customer.
"You are fine without it. It's Jim, Jim Kirk. If you don't tell me your name, I'm gonna have to make one up." said Kirk.
"It's Uhura." said the female customer.
"Uhura, no way. That's the name I was gonna make up for ya. Uhura what?" asked a surprised Kirk.
"Just Uhura."
"They don't have last names on your world?"
"Uhura is my last name."
"Well then, they don't have first names on your world?" said Kirk before he got up and got closer to the woman, now identified as "Uhura". "So, you're a cadet, you're studying... what's your focus?"
"Xenolinguistics. You have no idea what that means." replied Uhura.
"The study of alien languages, morphology, phonology, syntax. It means you've got a talented tongue." Kirk quipped.
"I'm impressed. For a moment there, I thought you were just a dumb hick who only has sex with farm animals." said Uhura.
"Well, not only." said Kirk, making Uhura laugh. Suddenly, a large man in a cadet uniform came over to the two of them.
"This townie isn't bothering you, right?" asked the large man.
"Oh, beyond belief. But it's nothing I can't handle." replied Uhura.
"You could handle me, if that's an invitation." Kirk smirked.
"Hey! You better mind your manners." growled the large man.
"Oh, relax, cupcake, it was a joke." said Kirk as he put an arm around "Cupcake's" shoulder.
"Hey, farm boy, maybe you can't count, but there are four of us and one of you." declared Cupcake, anger evident in his expression.
"We'll see." said Kirk as an aura of flames bloomed around him like a red lotus flower. Uhura was starstruck.
"Bloody hell!" Cupcake gasped in amazement, but then slowly recovered and him, along with his three entourages, activated their quirks as well, not minding a bit that they were weak in comparison to Kirk's Hellflame. They were about to engage in a fight when somebody whistled.
"Outside. All of you. Now!" said a voice. It was none other than Christopher Pike, a Starfleet officer and George Kirk's best friend. He had this commanding aura around him, could turn heads by just walking by and when he raised his voice, the whole of San Francisco shook. He was, in fact, quirkless but when you got to know him, it was the most insignificant thing about him. In an instant, every cadet obeyed and they all high-tailed out of the bar, mumbling random stuff like "he wouldn't even listen" and "what a freak". Meanwhile, Pike went over to a still-flaming Kirk and said "You won't burn this place down, will you?"
"You can whistle really loud, you know that?" said Kirk as he withdrew his flames.
LATER...
"You know, I couldn't believe it when the bartender told me who you are." said Pike.
"Who am I, Captain Pike?" asked the young man.
"Your father's son." replied the captain.
"Can I get another one?" Kirk asked the bartender, which she complied to.
"For my dissertation, I was assigned the USS Kelvin. Something I admired about your dad, he didn't believe in no-win scenarios." Pike said.
"Sure learned his lesson." Kirk muttered.
"Well, it depends on how you define winning. You're here, aren't ya?" asked Pike.
"Thanks." Kirk grumbled.
"You know, that instinct to leap without looking, that was his nature too, and in my opinion, it's something Starfleet's lost." Pike quipped.
"Why are you talking to me, man?" asked Kirk.
"'Cause I looked up your file while you were ready to commit arson. Your aptitude tests are off the charts, so what is it? You like being the only genius-level repeat offender in the midwest?" Pike told him.
"Maybe I love it." Kirk spat.
"Look, so your dad dies. You can settle for less than an ordinary life. Or do you feel like you were meant for something better? Something special? Enlist in Starfleet." Pike insisted.
"Starfleet?" Kirk laughed. "Sorry, sir, but no can do. I'm thinking of becoming a Pro Hero."
However, Pike refused to give up. "If you're half the man your father was, Jim, Starfleet could use you. You could be an officer in four years. You could have your own ship in eight. You understand what the Federation is, don't you? It's important. It's a peacekeeping and humanitarian armada. Riverside Shipyard. The shuttle for new recruits leaves tomorrow oh-eight hundred. You know, your father was Captain of a starship for twelve minutes. He saved eight hundred lives, including your mother's. And yours. I dare you to do better." He then left as Kirk stared at a USS Kelvin-shaped salt shaker.
And after a lot of thinking, Kirk's plans to become the greatest hero the world has ever seen were suddenly...toast. In the end, he chose to become part of Starfleet, and he also made a friend by the name of Leonard McCoy, whose wife divorced him and took the whole damn planet in the divorce, leaving him with nothing but his bones, thus spurring Kirk to give him the nickname Bones. Turns out Bones's quirk was just as awesome as Kirk's—it was called Purification, the ability to heal anything he touches. And since space was disease and danger after darkness and silence, it turned out to be quite useful. However, Purification had its limits too—it could heal, but it was unable to bring back dead people. Nevertheless, Kirk still found it awesome. Time passed, and another friend joined him and Bones. Her name was Bethany Bright, and she had the ability to create and control ice. Kirk thought she was the perfect match for him—they said "opposites attract", after all. However, Bethany saw him only as a friend and remained impervious to his advances. She did take him on mock-dates after all, including one time she took him to a beautiful field not far from the Starfleet Headquarters, with a swirly-shaped tree standing in it.
"This tree is known as the Tree Of Wonders." said the freeze girl.
"The Tree Of Wonders?" Kirk asked in confusion.
"It's named that because it's the oldest tree that lived, and it's home to the beautiful fireflies that come at night every so often. Few people had seen it at night with its amazing lights that make the field and the tree so beautiful," Bethany replied, then she began singing.
The sun is nearly gone,
The lights are turning on,
A silver shine that stretches to the sea,
We've stumbled on a view,
That's tailor-made for two,
What a shame those two are you and me!
Some other girl and guy,
Would love this swirling sky,
But there's only you and I,
And we've got no shot,
This could never be,
You're not the type for me!
"Really?" asked Kirk, disappointed. Bethany ignored him, and continued on singing.
And there's not a spark in sight,
What a waste of a lovely night!
Before Kirk could say anything, an explosion was heard in a distance. The Starfleet Headquarters were under attack! Kirk and Bethany quickly hurried back to find a villain—and he looked like a quite powerful one, as he had already gravely injured several officers. Though Kirk had chosen Starfleet in the end, he carried some of his heroic antics with him. He was about to rush in and challenge the villain, when an imposing voice spoke from a corner:"Let me handle this."
Both Kirk and Bethany stared at the direction it had come from. The voice belonged to a Vulcan, the race known for their logic and telepathic abilities. But how far would he fare against an actual supervillain? Kirk wondered, which would soon be answered...
~cue Yuga Aoyama's theme~
And who could've known? He had a quirk. The Vulcan had a quirk. And he was putting it to good use. He fired an electric spear at the villain, who then slumped to the ground, defeated.
"Who is that pointy-eared bastard?" asked Kirk, dumbfounded.
"Oh, that's Commander Spock. He's one of our most distinguished graduates." said Bethany dreamily. "Surely you haven't heard of him, the son of Electoplant?"
"He's Electoplant's SON?!" Kirk yelled. He'd heard all about the famous hero Electoplant who was also his mother's best friend, and how she announced her retirement following her marriage to Ambassador Sarek. But what he never knew was that the two had a child together, and he was now looking at that child with his own two eyes. And what is worse, he had stolen Kirk's thunder.
Then suddenly Spock turned to look at him. His piercing eyes bore into Kirk's soul; a lightning-like glow emitting from those two orbs. He held a confidence in his iron gaze that oozed into his body—the Vulcan felt dangerous to him, not in the way Kirk feared for his safety, but in the way that his heart seemed to lay itself bare. For a second, Kirk remembered looking into those same eyes before, but the question was, when? Anyways, Kirk had never desired anything before, never thought to want something for himself. But something about this man, the son of Electoplant, made his crave breaking, shattering under the pressure and blossoming into something raw and new.
Kirk couldn't control his feelings even as he attempted to return to his dorm room, but to no avail and he kept on wandering about as he began to sing.
Beata Maria,
You know I am a righteous man,
Of my virtue I am justly proud.
Beata Maria,
You know I'm so much purer than,
The common, vulgar, weak, licentious crowd!
Images of Spock flashed through his mind, wielding lightning in such a graceful display meant for his eyes only.
Then tell me, Maria,
Why do I see him dancing there,
Why his smold'ring eyes still scorch my soul,
I feel him, I see him,
The sun caught in his raven hair,
Is blazing in me out of all control!
Kirk realized that the strange feelings he was having for Commander Spock were no ordinary feelings. He suspected he was going towards one of the deadliest sins ever known:lust!
Like fire,
Hellfire,
This fire in my skin,
This burning,
Desire,
Is turning me to sin!
Kirk was poisoned with the thought of him. He thought he saw him everywhere, and it was driving him insane. His whole body was up in flames at that moment.
It's not my fault!
I'm not to blame!
It is the sparky guy,
The witch who sent this flame!
It's not my fault!
If in God's plan,
He made the devil so much stronger than a man!
Protect me, Maria,
Don't let the siren cast his spell,
Don't let his fire sear my flesh and bone!
Destroy Spock,
And let him taste the fires of Hell!
Or else let him be mine and mine alone!
He smiled darkly with his mind made up, knowing exactly what to do.
Hellfire,
Dark fire,
Now, Vulcan, it's your turn,
Choose me or,
Your pyre,
Be mine or you will burn!
God have mercy on him,
God have mercy on me,
But he will be mine or he will burn!
Kirk fell to his knees as he finished his singing. As soon as he finished his note, he let out a huge burst of flames and fell down, face-first, with the image of Spock in his mind.
Pike looked anxiously from a distance, visibly worried about the son of the man he loved a long time ago.
Three years passed, and Kirk had decided to take the Kobayashi Maru test for the third time. "We're receiving a distress signal from the USS Kobayashi Maru. The ship has lost power and is stranded. Starfleet Command has ordered us to rescue them." said Uhura.
"Starfleet Command has ordered us to rescue them, Captain." Bethany relayed the word to Kirk.
"Two Klingon vessels have entered the neutral zone and are locking weapons on us." said McCoy.
"Oh, that's OK." Kirk stated casually, earning a puzzled look from everybody. Overhead, the instructors were equally dumbfounded.
"Did he say don't worry about it?" said one instructor.
"Is he not taking the simulation seriously?" said another. Meanwhile, inside the simulator, everything was going on smoothly.
"Three more Klingon warbirds de-cloaking and targeting our ship. I don't suppose this is a problem either." said McCoy.
"They're firing, Captain." Bethany added.
"Alert medical bay to prepare to receive all crew members from the damaged ship." said Kirk.
"And how do you expect us to rescue them when we're surrounded by Klingons, Captain?" asked Uhura.
Kirk remained adamant. "Alert medical."
"Our ship is being hit. Shields at sixty percent." McCoy informed him. "Well, should we, I don't know, fire back?"
"Nah." said Kirk.
"Of course not." McCoy grumbled, and the power seemed to go out for a second.
"What is this? What's going on?" cried an instructor.
"Hmm...arm photons, prepare to fire on the Klingon warbirds." ordered Kirk.
"Sir, yes, sir!" Bethany complied.
"Jim, their shields are still up." said McCoy.
"What?"
"No, they're not." the doctor corrected.
"Fire on all enemy ships. One photon each should do it, so don't waste ammunition." Kirk commanded as the Meat Loaf song "Bat Out Of Hell" began blaring from the comms. In no time, all the Klingon ships were taken down. "Begin rescue of the stranded crew. So, we've managed to eliminate all enemy ships, no one onboard was injured, and the successful rescue of the Kobayashi Maru crew is underway." ordered Kirk.
Meanwhile, the instructors were all awestruck. One of them asked "How the hell did that kid beat your test? And, how'd he sneak a Meat Loaf song into the whole deal?"
"I have no idea." replied Spock.
LATER...
"This session has been called to resolve a troubling matter. James T. Kirk, step forward." said Admiral Richard Barnett. "Cadet Kirk, evidence has been submitted to this council, suggesting that you violated the ethical code of conduct pursuant to Regulation One-Seven point three of the Starfleet Code. Is there anything you care to say before we begin, sir?"
"Yes, I believe I have the right to face my accuser directly." said Kirk, and much to his surprise, it was the very one he was lusting after.
"Cadet Kirk, you somehow managed to install and activate a subroutine to the programming code, thereby changing the conditions of the test." Spock said calmly, sending a surge of anger and betrayal through Kirk.
"Your point being?" asked Kirk, trying his best to remain calm.
"In academic vernacular, you cheated." said Barnett.
"Let me ask you something, I think we all know the answer to. The test itself is a cheat, isn't it? You programmed it to be unwinnable." Kirk retaliated.
"Your argument precludes the possibility of a no-win scenario." Spock snapped back.
"I don't believe in no-win scenarios." Kirk declared.
"Then, not only did you violate the rules, you also failed to understand the principle lesson." said Spock. "You of all people should know, Cadet Kirk. A captain cannot cheat death. Your father, Lieutenant George Kirk, assumed command of his vessel before being killed in action, did he not?"
"I don't think you like the fact that I beat your test?" asked Kirk.
"Furthermore, you have failed to divine the purpose of the test. The purpose is to experience fear. Fear in the face of certain death. To accept that fear, and maintain control of oneself and one's crew. This is a quality expected in every Starfleet captain." said Spock.
Kirk couldn't handle it anymore, and turned on his flames. He was fuming, completely lost in his anger. The edges of his flames were blue. "S'chn T'gai Spock...DUEL ME!"
A sudden shockwave hit Spock. Not only the human knew his full name, he pronounced it perfectly. It took a moment for him to recover, and when he did, he replied "Challenge accepted."