Truth or Consequence [Prologue/? | R]
Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2004 7:38 am
Disclaimer: I don?t own Gundam Wing, mind you, I wish I did, but the series and main characters belong strictly to their rightful owners.
Dedication: To the reader. (Some of you might remember this from FF.Net; and to some, it might be a new story, nevertheless .. it's been completely revised.
)
Truth or Consequence
By: Leia Avenrose
Rating: R
Prologue ? Fateful Child
A low rumble in the distance swept along the sky, dark thick clouds rolling forward to cover the full moon. The storm moved slowly, making its way towards the lit and bustling city. The sun had set hours ago, leaving vibrant streaks of pink and orange along the clouds. It had all vanished in the blink of an eye; lives changed by the snap of a finger, fate made, and paths chosen.
Soon it began to rain, large droplets of icy water beating down upon everyone and everything on the ground. A small child let out a frightened wail as the sky went suddenly bright, a jagged claw veining across the darkness shrouding the once starry night sky. A hooded figure looked up. The infant cried out again, and a sad smile crept onto the woman?s thin lips. She reached to him with a tattooed hand, gently brushing aside some dark brown curls from the babe?s eyes, soothing it in a soft voice.
The baby cooed, reaching up to grasp her finger within its tiny grasp. She shook her head, trying hard not to look away as tears swam in her pale blue eyes. ?I?m sorry, little one,? she whispered, staring down into the soft, chubby face she had grown fond of over the few months. ?There is nothing I can do for you, you have to go or you?ll only endanger the lives of every living being on Earth.?
She broke into a run, clutching the babe to her chest, and vaulted around a dark corner, her feet nearly skidding out from under her as she entered the filthy alley.
What will I tell him, she thought, blinded by both tears and rain. How will I ever tell him?
The child peered up with intense dark blue eyes, watching her from where he was swaddled in blankets and sheets. She was a pretty woman; sad, kind, but beautiful. Aerelyn Benton wiped the back of her hand along her nose, narrowly missing some overturned garbage scattered across the alley floor.
?I have to do this, Corey,? she spoke to him, picking up the pace. ?I?m sorry; I really am. Your future would be ruined if you stayed with us any longer; it already speaks for itself, with the ? marking on your right palm, and I know you can?t understand me, but?? She trailed off, thinking it silly to talk to the child when he couldn?t understand a word she was saying, and pushed his face into her breast as the ground trembled and the air went thin momentarily, a deafening clap of thunder shocking in the air.
Softly, she spoke the words under her breath, gradually pulling his face from her breast, ?You would be the death of our world.?
Corey merely giggled, not giving a single thought to what her words truly meant. Aerelyn forced a smile, glancing down at him, but it was ripped off her face as her leg caught hard on something. There was the sickening snap of bone, followed by her sharp cry of pain. She watched the ground rise up to meet her, her fingers tightening their grasp on the child, and twisted her body so she would cushion the fall for her child.
The back of her head bounced off the pavement, and she groaned loudly, eyes tightly shut. Corey whimpered, squirming against her. Aerelyn lay there, letting the rain splash down on her, her mind numb from the shock of pain, her ears deaf. Gradually her eyes opened. The lightning that streaked overhead blurred, going terribly out of focus before clearing. She swallowed heavily, wincing, and went to sit up, hearing Corey, feeling him tug wildly on the front of her long robe.
A cool breeze unexpectedly caressed her cheek.
Immediately, she froze, looking around frantically. ?You can?t have him,? she whispered hoarsely, and forced herself to her feet.
Corey cooed, and suddenly let out a sharp wail, the rain touching his face. Aerelyn, breathing heavily, still searching the alleyway, spared her son a glance and reaffixed the hood on his head. Again her eyes scanned the area. Seeing that she was alone, she backed up against the wall, and slowly made her way by using the wall for support, keeping her weight off her one leg.
Each step she took, excruciating pain shot up the length of her leg, but she forced herself onward, for the sake of her child.
Why did it feel as though someone were there, watching her?
Someone had to be there, staring at her as she tried to protect her baby; the child of fate, from the one who wished to use him for the wrong reasons.
Fate can be so cruel so one so little, she thought, bitterness biting her heart.
Biting her lip against the sharp pain in her leg, she hobbled towards the brightly lit building across the alleyway. Corey began to whine softly, squirming restlessly, and she tried to rock him gently, but it was no use. He was hungry, smacking his tiny rosebud lips together impatiently. After the birth, she had had to get him and herself safely out before anyone knew she had given birth.
Daniel, his father, had known only that she had perished in a shuttle accident near the L4 Cluster. However, someone had found out she had cheated death, that she was visibly pregnant through the surprisingly thick black robes she had worn. That someone had gone and told Daniel, and now he was out searching for both her and their child.
If Daniel somehow managed to get a hold of Corey; the fate of mankind would no longer exist. Corey, a mere child, was the key to fate; he would always be such, for as long as he remained alive. Aerelyn applied a bit of weight to her leg, hoping it would quicken things, and whimpered, feeling her head grow light at the biting pain that was beginning to creep up to her hips.
Corey was strangely silent. She peered down, and found him sleeping peacefully against her breast. A faint smile touched her lips and she cradled him to her, knowing this would be her very last time ever holding something as precious as him.
He belonged to her; he was of her own flesh and blood.
Only you can fix it all, she thought, staring down at him with sad eyes. You must stay hidden, Corey, for as long as you can; you must outrun your father.
The woman sighed under her breath, tilting her head back and looked up at the dark skies. The only sound that reached her ears was the pitter-patter of the rain falling. Shifting the child to one arm, she moved forward to the door in front of her and rapped abruptly twice. It swung open slowly. A short, thick man with snow-white hair that fell to his hunched shoulders stood before her.
His round black goggles reflected the lightning that lit the skies behind the woman standing drenched before him. A frown twisted his thin, pale lips. ?Aerelyn. What brings you here?? He ushered her into the main hall, signaling to one of the guards near the door to close and lock it.
Aerelyn smiled weakly, feeling the lightness of her head expanding. Her eyes began to grow suddenly heavy. Without a word, she thrust the sleeping child into his arms. Her eyes rolled back into her head, and she toppled over, falling roughly to the ground.
The old man looked from the woman to the child against his chest, then back to the woman. He shook his head sadly. ?I will care for him, Aerelyn.? He pushed the blankets open slightly just as two women rushed forward, crouching beside the fallen woman on the ground. He lifted the small right hand, uncurling the fingers. ?I?m sure you have a reason for bringing him to me like this??
His breath caught in his throat, and he nearly choked, his sparse brows both lifting. He was speechless.
?She?s dead,? a woman with a tight bun at the back of her head announced.
?Are you sure?? The second woman felt for a pulse. Her heart sank.
The old man absently nodded. ?I owed her a favor. I will take care of the funeral arrangements; for now, take her down into the laboratory. We?ll discuss what goes on from there.?
?What favor did you owe her, Dr. J?? The woman with the bun stood, brushing off her pants. She moved forward, brushing past the second woman as the guards came forward to carefully lift the deceased woman off the floor.
?She has brought her child to me. I never knew she was even pregnant,? he mumbled to himself, scratching his stubbly chin in thought, Corey sleeping contently in the crook of his left arm.
The woman gently touched the curls on the sleeping babe?s brow. ?Tyler.?
?Tyler,? Dr. J echoed, looking at her. She nodded, smiling slightly, and brushed the curls off the child?s face.
?Tyler O?Donnell.?
The woman beamed, and clasped her hands behind her back, moving away from the doctor and the child. Dr. J stared down at the boy; his brow furrowed, and shook his head. Tyler O?Donnell; a strange combination for the child of fate. He uncurled the tiny fingers once more, staring at the tattoo. This ? tattoo; his mother has the same one? on the same hand?
To be continued.
Dedication: To the reader. (Some of you might remember this from FF.Net; and to some, it might be a new story, nevertheless .. it's been completely revised.
)Truth or Consequence
By: Leia Avenrose
Rating: R
Prologue ? Fateful Child
A low rumble in the distance swept along the sky, dark thick clouds rolling forward to cover the full moon. The storm moved slowly, making its way towards the lit and bustling city. The sun had set hours ago, leaving vibrant streaks of pink and orange along the clouds. It had all vanished in the blink of an eye; lives changed by the snap of a finger, fate made, and paths chosen.
Soon it began to rain, large droplets of icy water beating down upon everyone and everything on the ground. A small child let out a frightened wail as the sky went suddenly bright, a jagged claw veining across the darkness shrouding the once starry night sky. A hooded figure looked up. The infant cried out again, and a sad smile crept onto the woman?s thin lips. She reached to him with a tattooed hand, gently brushing aside some dark brown curls from the babe?s eyes, soothing it in a soft voice.
The baby cooed, reaching up to grasp her finger within its tiny grasp. She shook her head, trying hard not to look away as tears swam in her pale blue eyes. ?I?m sorry, little one,? she whispered, staring down into the soft, chubby face she had grown fond of over the few months. ?There is nothing I can do for you, you have to go or you?ll only endanger the lives of every living being on Earth.?
She broke into a run, clutching the babe to her chest, and vaulted around a dark corner, her feet nearly skidding out from under her as she entered the filthy alley.
What will I tell him, she thought, blinded by both tears and rain. How will I ever tell him?
The child peered up with intense dark blue eyes, watching her from where he was swaddled in blankets and sheets. She was a pretty woman; sad, kind, but beautiful. Aerelyn Benton wiped the back of her hand along her nose, narrowly missing some overturned garbage scattered across the alley floor.
?I have to do this, Corey,? she spoke to him, picking up the pace. ?I?m sorry; I really am. Your future would be ruined if you stayed with us any longer; it already speaks for itself, with the ? marking on your right palm, and I know you can?t understand me, but?? She trailed off, thinking it silly to talk to the child when he couldn?t understand a word she was saying, and pushed his face into her breast as the ground trembled and the air went thin momentarily, a deafening clap of thunder shocking in the air.
Softly, she spoke the words under her breath, gradually pulling his face from her breast, ?You would be the death of our world.?
Corey merely giggled, not giving a single thought to what her words truly meant. Aerelyn forced a smile, glancing down at him, but it was ripped off her face as her leg caught hard on something. There was the sickening snap of bone, followed by her sharp cry of pain. She watched the ground rise up to meet her, her fingers tightening their grasp on the child, and twisted her body so she would cushion the fall for her child.
The back of her head bounced off the pavement, and she groaned loudly, eyes tightly shut. Corey whimpered, squirming against her. Aerelyn lay there, letting the rain splash down on her, her mind numb from the shock of pain, her ears deaf. Gradually her eyes opened. The lightning that streaked overhead blurred, going terribly out of focus before clearing. She swallowed heavily, wincing, and went to sit up, hearing Corey, feeling him tug wildly on the front of her long robe.
A cool breeze unexpectedly caressed her cheek.
Immediately, she froze, looking around frantically. ?You can?t have him,? she whispered hoarsely, and forced herself to her feet.
Corey cooed, and suddenly let out a sharp wail, the rain touching his face. Aerelyn, breathing heavily, still searching the alleyway, spared her son a glance and reaffixed the hood on his head. Again her eyes scanned the area. Seeing that she was alone, she backed up against the wall, and slowly made her way by using the wall for support, keeping her weight off her one leg.
Each step she took, excruciating pain shot up the length of her leg, but she forced herself onward, for the sake of her child.
Why did it feel as though someone were there, watching her?
Someone had to be there, staring at her as she tried to protect her baby; the child of fate, from the one who wished to use him for the wrong reasons.
Fate can be so cruel so one so little, she thought, bitterness biting her heart.
Biting her lip against the sharp pain in her leg, she hobbled towards the brightly lit building across the alleyway. Corey began to whine softly, squirming restlessly, and she tried to rock him gently, but it was no use. He was hungry, smacking his tiny rosebud lips together impatiently. After the birth, she had had to get him and herself safely out before anyone knew she had given birth.
Daniel, his father, had known only that she had perished in a shuttle accident near the L4 Cluster. However, someone had found out she had cheated death, that she was visibly pregnant through the surprisingly thick black robes she had worn. That someone had gone and told Daniel, and now he was out searching for both her and their child.
If Daniel somehow managed to get a hold of Corey; the fate of mankind would no longer exist. Corey, a mere child, was the key to fate; he would always be such, for as long as he remained alive. Aerelyn applied a bit of weight to her leg, hoping it would quicken things, and whimpered, feeling her head grow light at the biting pain that was beginning to creep up to her hips.
Corey was strangely silent. She peered down, and found him sleeping peacefully against her breast. A faint smile touched her lips and she cradled him to her, knowing this would be her very last time ever holding something as precious as him.
He belonged to her; he was of her own flesh and blood.
Only you can fix it all, she thought, staring down at him with sad eyes. You must stay hidden, Corey, for as long as you can; you must outrun your father.
The woman sighed under her breath, tilting her head back and looked up at the dark skies. The only sound that reached her ears was the pitter-patter of the rain falling. Shifting the child to one arm, she moved forward to the door in front of her and rapped abruptly twice. It swung open slowly. A short, thick man with snow-white hair that fell to his hunched shoulders stood before her.
His round black goggles reflected the lightning that lit the skies behind the woman standing drenched before him. A frown twisted his thin, pale lips. ?Aerelyn. What brings you here?? He ushered her into the main hall, signaling to one of the guards near the door to close and lock it.
Aerelyn smiled weakly, feeling the lightness of her head expanding. Her eyes began to grow suddenly heavy. Without a word, she thrust the sleeping child into his arms. Her eyes rolled back into her head, and she toppled over, falling roughly to the ground.
The old man looked from the woman to the child against his chest, then back to the woman. He shook his head sadly. ?I will care for him, Aerelyn.? He pushed the blankets open slightly just as two women rushed forward, crouching beside the fallen woman on the ground. He lifted the small right hand, uncurling the fingers. ?I?m sure you have a reason for bringing him to me like this??
His breath caught in his throat, and he nearly choked, his sparse brows both lifting. He was speechless.
?She?s dead,? a woman with a tight bun at the back of her head announced.
?Are you sure?? The second woman felt for a pulse. Her heart sank.
The old man absently nodded. ?I owed her a favor. I will take care of the funeral arrangements; for now, take her down into the laboratory. We?ll discuss what goes on from there.?
?What favor did you owe her, Dr. J?? The woman with the bun stood, brushing off her pants. She moved forward, brushing past the second woman as the guards came forward to carefully lift the deceased woman off the floor.
?She has brought her child to me. I never knew she was even pregnant,? he mumbled to himself, scratching his stubbly chin in thought, Corey sleeping contently in the crook of his left arm.
The woman gently touched the curls on the sleeping babe?s brow. ?Tyler.?
?Tyler,? Dr. J echoed, looking at her. She nodded, smiling slightly, and brushed the curls off the child?s face.
?Tyler O?Donnell.?
The woman beamed, and clasped her hands behind her back, moving away from the doctor and the child. Dr. J stared down at the boy; his brow furrowed, and shook his head. Tyler O?Donnell; a strange combination for the child of fate. He uncurled the tiny fingers once more, staring at the tattoo. This ? tattoo; his mother has the same one? on the same hand?
To be continued.
