|
[CIA Headquarters]
~Leaven's ship docks in his own special port. He and Strives both walk out in that order, with the latter dragging the still unconscious (drugged by this point) body of Nintendofreak behind them. They walk through several corridors, all aligned with candles and plush carpet. Guards working or patrolling in the hallway at the time stand by to watch but then salute when they get over the shock of the body being dragged. One soldier, still equipping his bat weapon, knocks himself out by accident as he salutes. Leaven laughs aloud and murmurs something inaudible to himself, and Strives chuckles to herself.
Together, they finally enter the last chamber, a darkened room with red candles aligned everywhere, with mist on the floor. Leaven and Strives bow, and leave Nintendofreak on the floor. Suddenly the leader of the CIA speaks out from his chair in the dark.~
???: I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, Leaven. No matter where I turn I seem to be reminded of my fate. Our....fate.
Leaven: ...
???: Yes, that boy you carry behind you has a fate connected to mine.
Strives: Yes, sir. Leaven and I retrieved him from the PDG station with no problems.
???: Is that so? No problems at all? Tell me Strives...are you blind? Stupid? Deaf? Please, by all means, tell me when I get it right.
Strives: I...no...sir, I'm not any of those things. Why would you say that?
Leaven: ...
???: You seem to have obedience issues, miss. The entire reason I ordered the attack on the PDG was to retrieve him. Did you miss all of the rampaging Aliens aboard? The PDG soldiers? Why must you lie to your commanding officer? I am not unaware of the situation, nor any situation. This is why I am where I am, and you are where you are.
Strives: ...Forgive me, sir.
???: This time, maybe. You had better watch where you tread in the future. Now, may I see him?
Strives: ~Tosses Nintendofreak before the leader~ Here you are, sir. An Alien got a hold of him right before Leaven did, though, so please pardon the smell.
???: ...
Strives: Sir? Are you-
???: Quiet! I was thinking to myself for a moment, and do not speak out again unless you are so told! This is your last warning, miss. ~Muttering to himself~...Now, then, since he is now in our clutches, the new models can finally be produced.~Speaks louder now~ You both are dismissed, but send a research team immediately to extract the DNA and begin their procedure ASAP. Understood?
Leaven: Crystal, sir. After you, general.
Strives: Sir...please, let me explain, I didn't know that the-
???: I said you're dismissed, general. Do I need to bring some sense to you? It is not your fate to question me, nor is is anyones! I aught to come down there and teach you what your fate is.
Strives: Please sir, I didn't mean any disrespect! I don't have a memory, just excuse this forgetfulness on my part, I can't help being foolish!
Leaven: Stop apologizing! Who are you, Strives? Who!? You think you're me? When the hell would I apologize like this!? You're acting like a damn child!
Strives: Leaven, I...
Leaven: Don't apologize to him, Strives. Deep down you wanted to save them all, didn't you? You simply just told me that the self-destruct was delayed so that I wouldn't think of you as soft. But there's nothing wrong with caring about life, really. And I don't think less of you for it.
Strives: How did you know all of this?
Leaven: I know you better than you think, that's all.
???: What is the meaning of this Leaven? Do you question my authority as well now? Don't get in my way, or your punishment will be shared with hers!
Leaven: Just come and try it, then.
???: WHAT!?
Leaven: I may be a general, a step below you, but no amount of harsh words will keep me from speaking out what I know is wrong in my heart. It's burnt black by the fires of war, and pain, but even charred, a shred of decency remains!
???: I can sense something new in you now...a different fate? No, It's obvious to me now, I've simply just overlooked something drastically important to your determination.
Strives: Leaven...
Leaven: My fate has been clear to me as far back as I can remember. There is something I have to accomplish by the time I die...or else I fear the worst. I fight for hatred, but for justice. And now...I also fight for a person.
???: You brat...! This whole time you have used this organization to help you reach your own goals! Well? Is it true!?
Leaven: Yes. At first, I thought I wanted something else along with my purpose. I was planning on helping you realize your dream of power, so that I, too, could have it. If I had power...any power...I could shape the world into the image it should be in. I realize now, it's just as far out of my grasp as it is to you.
???: Choose your next words carefully...~Draws a long, shining blade from a sheath he picked up from the side of his throne~...they might be your last.
Leaven: You're a blind fool with no legit intentions. How's that?
???: How...can you...understand...MY FATE!? ~Suddenly, the candles in the room flare upwards, and a large chandelier on the ceiling, also. The leader of the CIA's image comes into full view, a living, breathing replica of the unconscious body laying on the floor.~
Strives: You're telling me...the boss is...
Leaven: The same as this prototype. ~Draws axes~ Though I don't know the details. Will you help me find them, general?
Strives: You know I would any time. ~Draws bow~
???/ X-66: Fate...what would you know of it? You can't even comprehend enough to change your own, let alone question MINE. You've disobeyed a simple order to leave the prototype here with me...why? Because of justice? You could have spared your own life, Leaven, if you had just let me taken hers.
Leaven: If I had let you kill her, it would have been the same as if you killed me, instead. Besides, standing over this kid now, he reminds me of another reason I fight: Freedom. I'll save him from you now, and by the end of this fight, all of the fates of the people in this room will have changed!
~The X-66 explodes in rage, and lunges at Leaven and Strives. He unleashes an unreal amount of swings at Leaven, who narrowly avoids each by a hair's length. Strives hops backwards and puts a few arrows into the X-66's sword to throw it off trajectory, so it wouldn't strike Leaven. Meanwhile, Leaven rolls out of the way, picks up Nintendofreak's body and tosses it out of harm's way. He rejoins the fight just as Strives began to take the heat of the swings delivered from the X-66, and tackles him to the ground.
The X-66 rolls onto his back and sends Leaven flying upwards into the chandelier on the ceiling, which surprisingly holds his weight as he holds onto it. Strives, now back on the defensive, takes a few slices from the X-66's blade, which neatly slices through parts of Strive's armor as if they were bread. He lunges at Strives once more, catching her off guard, and pushes her back to a wall. He raises up his sword and sticks it in the wall right beside Strive's face, and takes out a long dagger from his clothing.~
X-66: There's always just been something about slitting throats that I've enjoyed so much. I do hope you'll get what I mean, miss. ~Smirks~
~The X-66 goes for her throat but is once again tackled by Leaven before he gets the chance to slice her open. They wrestle on the ground for a moment while Strives pulls the X-66's sword from the wall and circles the pair with it in front of her. The X-66 throws Leaven into his throne, and throws his dagger after him, nailing him in the chest. Strives looks at him for a moment and cries out, then looks back to see the X-66's hand grasping hers on the handle of the sword.~
X-66: I'll be taking that back now. ~Elbows Strives in the face, sending her staggering backwards, and then tripping onto the floor. She scrambles to her feet but is knocked down again by the X-66 as he points the blade once more to her throat.~
Strives: This feels so wrong, sir!
X-66: Ah, but I always thought you were into that forbidden stuff, Strives? Sacrificing your own men, battling my Alien drones, and otherwise ruining my own plans to obliterate everyone on that ship besides you three.
Strives: You're insane! What are you even saying any more? ~Starts to slide back away, avoiding the blade's point.~
X-66: I'm only joking, even if you DIDN'T know that all of my CIA soldiers were androids, you still sacrificed them to leave with Leaven and the prototype. What a ....~Thinks to himself for a moment~ heartless bitch you are, hah!
Strives: You heard Leaven, that was a lie! You're the only one to blame for this! All we were doing was following orders in the end, but it looks like you were the one to really betray us with this set-up!
X-66: Of course everything on that ship was a set-up, it was a way to make sure that the group of idiots would deliver the prototype to you, so you could to me! All you two had to do was follow the rules of the game, along with the group that the prototype was with. Don't you think it's more fun when you don't know it's all part of a special plan? ~Smirks~ But look where you two are now- about to die at the hands of your commanding officer for disobeying simple orders to continue the game! Why did you do it?
Strives: I was only trying to please you, like I always have...and I just wanted to explain my actions...but no matter what I do, you've always treated me like dirt. Why!?
X-66: ~Smiles~ That's a secret.
Strives: You'd even let your two most trusted generals fight Aliens from space. What kind of leader are you!?
X-66: A good one. I've captured the DNA of an Alien while it was in space, sent it through an asteroid, and let the PDG handle it. After that, I could manufacture my own, as well as artificially breed them, though the androids were less costly in the end. Still, the guard drones still proved worth while in the end. Who cares about artificial life in the end, hm? This is far more efficient.
Strives: Why go to the trouble?
X-66: Why? Well, why NOT? We're all just artificial...it's the cold truth of life. Nothing about it is truly unique when the day is over. Even you, a mess of organs, copied the life out of one of your own friends. Co-dependency at it's best, but you're not a robot. You might as well be, though. Do you get the point yet? Even when I look at myself...I'm nothing...but a copy...something that has already happened before. A repeat of life!
Strives: Why do you want him, then?
X-66: He stole that life from me. The proper life that I deserve, that the androids deserve. It's HIS fault I'm like this. It's only fair that I steal his life and even the deal. After all, what good is it to him? He doesn't even know of the special DNA he carries! He's wasting a unique life- the gravest, most horrible mistake you could possibly make!
Leaven: It's not what your fate is, It's what you make of it. You can mold your own destiny- I do it for myself, and I do it for others.
X-66: My fate is to be perfect, that's all it was meant to be! Why can't you realize that this boy stole MY fate from me!?
Leaven: You're pathetic. Live for others, think of others, it's the only fate meant for us.
X-66: ~Growl~ I'll kill you for all of this disrespect...I swear it.
Leaven: Your fate is different, because...
~Strives rolls to the side and then jumps about ten feet away from the range of the X-66's sword.~
Leaven: It wasn't meant for you.
~Leaven holds out a rope he was holding this whole time in front of him, and cuts it with one of his axes. The immensely huge chandelier falls from the ceiling and onto X-66, crushing him with a look of sheer terror and realization on his face. The chandelier shatters, and glass flies outwards with flames dancing above it. All of the lights in the room suddenly flicker out at that second, and a cold feeling of death creeps in to take it's place. Leaven removes the dagger from his chest, and throws it to the ground. Strives and Leaven both kneel and pick up Nintendofreak once more, and proceed out the door to the looks of a dozens of shocked looking guards and other security officers too frightened to head inside.~
Leaven: Take the boy and the general to the medical ward, on the double.
Strives: But, Leaven, your wound is far greater than...
Leaven: This discussion is over. I'll be fine.
Guard: General, What happened to the leader?
Leaven: Attention, men. Our tyrannical leader has met an unfortunate end, and will be immediately replaced. General Strives, as second in command, I humbly request that you take up leadership of the organization and end this foolish war on our part.
Strives: But...me..? You're the only sensible decision, Leaven. You were, after all, second in command.
Leaven: It's time you shaped your own destiny and stopped depending on me. This way, everyone will see just how exceptional of a leader the great General Strives can be. I am in no way capable of the job, and I never will be.
Strives: ...
Guard: But the leader! He was obviously assassinated by you two. Someone, arrest them at once!
Leaven: In all seriousness, did any of you actually like the old leader?
~Silence, but a single cough is heard after a slight pause.~
Leaven: I thought as much. And...guard, inform the research teams to halt all projects...and set courses for a new location on my new command.
Guard: ...But isn't that under General Strives jurisdiction now?
Leaven: When she makes a full recovery she will give us an answer as to whether or not she accepts the job meant for her. Until then, I'm the leader of all of you. Can I expect to be treated like it?
Guard: S-Sir, yes, sir!
Leaven: Besides, it's a special request. Oh, and...send a doctor to my private chambers in a moment (ouch). ~Grabs his wound with a free hand~
Strives: Leaven, wait!
Leaven: Yes, what is it?
Strives: Everything you said back there, about my fate...do you really think I can become my own person?
Leaven: Someday, I'll help you regain that memory of yours, and we'll learn just who the real General Strives is.
Strives: ...Adele.
Leaven: What?
Adele Strives: Something came to me...so what I said just now, I think...it might be my real name. Somehow is just...feels right.
Leaven: Well...fancy that. ~Grunts~
Adele: Thank you, Leaven. I don't think I could have changed my own fate if it weren't for you and all that you've done. I mean, even when I couldn't remember anything, I just admired you so much that I didn't know who else to act like.
Leaven: Just now, I think I've realized just how much power I can wield. But there's still something unfinished...something that must be accomplished. Not just for you, or me, but for everyone in the universe. I owe it to good people now to save them from destruction...at all costs.
Adele: I wish you luck.
Leaven: Thanks. For some reason I can't describe, I think I'm going to need all of the luck I can get.
~Leaven and Adele stare at each other for a good amount of time before finally parting to the medical ward, or to Leaven, his own personal room for treatment. While there, he ponders his new path, and his new fate. Soon, he thinks, the universe will have to change.
Elsewhere, back in the darkened room of the fallen ex-CIA leader.~
Shaky voice: ...Fate... it's still there... my fate...won't die...without being realized.
Last edited by RetroJape on 13 Jan 2009 03:33, edited 3 times in total.
|