Chapter Thirty-Three: Genetic Defect

Rebel358 had won the Azure Cup as expected. However what no one expected was that he would have a difficult time doing so in the final match against Adam Novus. The match that was put on was a spectacle of amazing feats one after another. Rebel stood tall and glorious in front of the hundreds of pilots and spectators in the dome. The ceremony was preparing to begin; Adam remained in the corner of the dome with bandages wrapped around his forehead, left arm and rib cage. His body sustained a good amount of internal and external injuries from the intensity of the battle, namely the duration of the Angel System’s EX mode. His torso leaned onto the wall as he stared at Rebel who glared back.

“Something the matter?” Mario asked. Adam turned his head to his left to see Mario staring back at him.

“It’s nothing, don’t worry about it.”

“Right.. you’ve been quiet ever since you got back from the match. Does it really bother you that much that you lost?”

“Not really….but Rebel…I’m not sure what to say about him.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I mean, during the match he was saying things, things about humanity and how we’re all sinners and need to be purged.”

“What?” The shock of the statement caused Mario to move off the wall, his arms wailing out in the air. It wasn’t the kind of statement that people hear everyday.

“Yeah….that’s what I said. I’m not sure to take it literally or what? Either way, I’m going to try and keep tabs on him you know.”

“Yeah…but now that the tournament is done we’re going to be leaving Prosperity and fall back into that chaotic world below us. Just how in the hell do you plan on keeping tabs on the guy?”

“I’m pretty confident that it won’t be that difficult to do. I mean, if he is unstable which I personally think he is then I’m sure he’s going to be doing something drastic.” Adam replied.

“I see, you tell Stephen about this yet?”

“Yeah…he said the same thing. We’re going to need to watch Rebel. The world is already in a state of confusion with the nuclear attack on Berlin. If Rebel gets thrown into the mix than only God knows what might just happen…”

“Yeah…” Mario mumbled as the ceremony continued.

Luscious smirked as he handed the golden trophy to Rebel. Rebel reluctantly smiled back at Luscious while taking the foot sized trophy into his hands. Everyone went wild as Rebel stood before them, their champion.

“This is boring; I’m going to check on Blue Dragon. I want to see how the mechanics are coming along with the repairs.” Adam mumbled.

“You sure?”

“Yeah, I don’t want to watch this.” Adam replied as he left the dome, Mario sigh shrugging his shoulders and soon followed suit.

            “So you’re all packed and ready to head back to Earth then?” Ashley asked as she sat on the wooden dresser watching Sharon stuff her clothes into her suitcase. Sharon sighed as she began to pull the zipper around the edges of the obsidian case.

“Yeah, I’ve been up here far too long. I want to see New York and solid ground again.” Sharon replied.

“I see…so what are you planning on doing? I mean we’re all going back to the military after a couple days rest. I’ve already received information on a mission that Stephen’s team is assigned too.”

“Really? That was fast…..*sigh*, I guess it’s to be expected after what happened. Has the EAP responded yet?” Sharon asked while she began to pound the suitcase so it would fit all of the clothes she had folded.

“Not yet…most believe that they’re assembling their forces on Mars and are preparing to strike any TA location at any moment. Vincent Avidus is ordering an assault on Paris and Japan, the EAP’s other two central locations. He wants to end the war as quickly as possible.”

“I see….but can anything good come from this? I mean he’s sacrificing innocent lives for his own gain.”

“You’re right, but in Vincent’s eyes everyone living in EAP territory is filth and need to be either killed or conquered.” Ashley sighed; she hated thinking about the monster that she worked for.

“Why don’t you just leave? I can tell you dislike working for the TA.”

“I can’t….it’s a job, regardless of how I feel I am a military personnel and I have to carry out my assignments regardless of my personal feelings….”

“You’re a stronger person than I am. I could never work for some one like Vincent Avidus or the military.”

Ashley smiled brushing back a few loose strands of her dirty blonde hair.

“Nah…you’re a much stronger person than I am. You prefer to live by your own morals and convictions. I can’t stand on my own….I’ve been that way my whole life. Kinda hard to change now you know?”

Sharon smiled back at Ashley. “Nah, I’m only as strong as the friends around me.”

“Heh, listen we still have time let’s try and grab some lunch.” Ashley replied as she jumped off the dresser. Sharon nodded.

The office was aphotic and dismal, Luscious sat at the forefront of the office sitting with a folder neatly placed on his desk. Light slowly crept through the cracks as the door opened. Luscious smirked devilishly as Rebel entered the lush carpeted floor. His shoes softly landing on the ground with each step as his ominous figure began to approach Luscious.

“Shut the door behind you. I’m sure you won’t mind the shadows. After all, that is what you are.” Luscious wasted no time in speaking.

“A shadow? Heh, I guess that is one way of putting it. I work well in the shadows Luscious. But I refuse to hide beneath them like you. Why are you wasting time? We believe in the same thing! We both know what needs to be done! Why aren’t you doing anything?!” Rebel’s voice began to increase with each step he took towards Luscious. 

“You’re too impulsive, if you try and do this now you’ll only fail. The clones are being transported to Utopia as we speak, once there they will continue their programming and training in order to prepare them for the war that is ahead.” Luscious replied calmly. His eyes glanced at his bottle of wine, he was dependant on it; he had been for as long as he could remember. His body seemed like it couldn’t properly sustain itself without the liquid in the Merlot bottle.

“You’re wrong…you’re just too weak and afraid to go through with it. You’re a procrastinator Luscious, you don’t have what it takes to rule over Utopia and the true paradise created for humanity. You’re nothing more than human, filled with the same sin that plagues everyone else.”

“Heheh, that’s an interesting perspective coming from a soulless failure.” Luscious replied.

“Failure? You’re the failure; your failure to act proves this.”

Luscious smirked trying not to burst out into a fit of laughter. He slowly leaned forward picking up the manila folder that was placed in front of him. He slowly glanced back towards Rebel and grinned.

“You think I’m the failure….you have no clue what you are? Or how you even came into existence do you?”
Rebel began to stumble backwards as he was appalled by the question. It was true however; he didn’t know the origin of his birth. All he knew was that he was given the label Rebel358. He always had the sense that he was something beyond the scopes of humanity, hence why he was able to pilot the MF Shadow the way he did.

“What are you talking about?”

“Everyone has a birth, an event that brings them into existence. And you don’t even know what yours was….heh, you don’t even know the past and you’re trying to work on fixing the future. You can’t even live in the present you are so screwed up. And you have the audacity to call me a failure. Here, its time you knew just exactly who you are.” Luscious replied as he dropped the folder on the floor. Rebel’s eyebrows twitched, his crimson eyes trying to pierce Luscious as a form of intimidation but it wasn’t working. Luscious leaned against the edge of his desk smirking at the confused Rebel. Reluctantly Rebel bent down to pick up the folder.

“Yeah, I thought so. I’ll leave you alone, you’re going to need some time to work things out….oh, and before I forget I am fully aware that you stole 4 prototype MFs from the hanger. Are they going to be part of your tribulation for humanity?” Luscious mumbled sarcastically.

“Pfft, it’s not like you’re using them?”

“I’m not. But just remember that they are extremely experimental, I hope the four pilots you got for them can handle the stress that is exerted.” Luscious replied as he left the door. The door slammed shut with a thunderous sound leaving Rebel in the shadows once again holding onto the manila folder that contained his past in fewer than 20 pages.

“…Project Cryostatis……” His crimson eyes scanned through the chaotic text paying no attention to the various illustrations of charts and graphs. “…357 failures….what the hell…..”

            “Hey be careful with that!” Adam screamed as he watched the mechanics lingering inside Blue Dragon’s cockpit so they could reconnect the OS and make sure everything was working properly.

The damage that Adam’s MF sustained during the match with Rebel was severe, the OS was burnt and needed to be replaced, and the wings were thrashed and needed to be rebuilt from the spare parts in Genesis. Luckily Genesis had technology similar to the ones used on Blue Dragon only more advanced. Optical wiring needed to be replaced; the boosters and ion thrusters too were in need of replacement. The H-Cell batteries were completely drained and no longer useful, new H-Cells needed to be installed. Adam sighed as he leaned over the guard rail; his eyes began to wander taking notice of 4 MFs he had never seen before until today.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Amy’s voice penetrated his ears. The sound at first caused his nerves to loosen, but he soon remembered that this person wasn’t truly Amy, but a clone of which Amy Caecus used to be.

“I’m broke; can you squeeze it to a dime?” Adam replied sarcastically.

Amy chuckled, her mahogany hair slowly oscillating through the chilled air conditioning wind. Adam began to laugh as well, it wasn’t often that he laughed, but for every rare occasion that it happened he found himself in bliss like state.

“What’s the matter? You did a great job out there.” Amy said as she firmly latched onto his right arm. Her chest budding forward rubbing against the muscle of his arms. He had to force himself to remember that she wasn’t Amy, not the real one.

“Just some things…today would have been my friend, Jen Fama’s birthday. Heh, I almost forgot.” Adam mumbled. His head turned to the side glancing back at Amy. It was hard for him not to find himself indulging in the feelings he once had for Amy Caecus before she died and before he met Sharon.

“Oh…I…I don’t remember her.”

“You wouldn’t.” Adam replied.

“*sigh* Listen…I know I’m not the real thing. I’ve accepted the fact that I’m merely a shadow of her lingering memory. But, I don’t know what else I’m supposed to do. I think that’s why I came here looking for you.” Amy mumbled.

“Well, you need to understand that I can’t decide your fate for you. That’s something you need to figure out on your own. I’m confident that you’ll figure something out.”

“No….no, I don’t think I will….” Her arm moved away from Adam’s and she began to walk away leaning over the guard rail. “Why would some one make me?”

Adam’s eyes widened, it was the most innocent thing he ever hear coming out of her mouth. He wasn’t sure how to answer the question.

“I’m guessing because someone couldn’t stand living without Amy Caecus….”

“I see….what about you? Could you stand living without Amy?”

“I….ummm…” Adam began stumbling his words in confusion. Sweat slowly ran down his face as the heat seemingly increased, or at least in his perspective. “…I miss Amy, that’s for sure. There are times when I feel like I could have done harder to save her….”

“And because of this regret you tend to stay away from me….I guess I understand.” Amy replied.

“I….that might be why. I’m sorry.”

“It’s ok…I think I would do the same if I was in your situation.”

“Heh…thanks.” Adam replied.

            “Have you guys seen Rebel?” Pestilence asked moving his green hair away from his face. Both War and Famine shrugged their shoulders. Rebel had yet to return from his meeting with Luscious. Death smirked as he watched the door to the room slowly open. Rebel stumbled in with a crumbled piece of paper firmly clutched in his hand. His dark black and crimson hair lingering over his dilated pupils.

“Rebel! Are you alright? Where have you been?” War screamed loudly.

“It doesn’t matter….there’s no time. Suit up; we’re heading to Earth tonight. Humanity’s requiem will be played eloquently in the coming hours.”