My
Beloved Monster
Chapter
9
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Reviews
---------------------
((Author's
Note: Now, I know more people reviewed last chapter, but ff.n was
screwing around with something and deleted about four of them. Plus,
others vanished off the face of the internet. So, I'll answer what
reviews I can see on the site. Sorry I can't answer yours if you
didn't review.))
D.M : Ah, more ideas. Thanks.
Juu
Juu 2003: Fanart? I'm all for it. I don't have any specific, but
anything is cool. And where's that fanfic? I can't wait to see it.
^^
Sierrakoi: Aw, shucks. **blush** I dunno what to
say. Thanks, man.
lilmissgoten: Mmmm, cookie.....
**munch, munch, munch....** Thanks for the complements, and the
cookie. I hope you like this chapter too. ^^
Sara:
Here's the next chapter. Hope you like it.
Brax:
Huh?
Ravyne Black: Oh, thank you.
dbz_fan:
Hey man, long time no see!
((Another author's note:
Hmmmm.......as I type this, I notice that I can't say much in these
review replies. Now I understand why I never do this for my other
stories. Well, since the next chapter of My Beloved Monster is the
last chapter, I'll stop answering reviews. Thanks everyone for
sending in your kind (and sometimes unkind) reviews and e-mails. This
means a lot to a hopefully-soon-to-be-best-selling-author like me.
^^))
************************
Last chapter:
"Can't."
21 shook his head. "I don't have machinery in my body anymore.
The command is programmed into my DNA. Only yours and 17's DNA can
destroy it."
18 thought a minute, then helped herself and
21 back to their feet.
"Then, we'll give you our DNA."
she looked over at her brother. "17, get out the surgery tools.
We're going to give him a blood
transfusion."
---------------------------------------------
((Song:
"I Am....", Ending Theme for "My Beloved
Monster"))
chanto kiitete
tsutawaru made
sakebitsudzukete miru kara
watashi ha zutto koko ni koko ni
koko ni iru no
--Translation--
Listen
closely
because I'll keep screaming until you
understand:
I've been here, here, here
forever.
---------------------------------------------
It
took almost half an hour to gather the tools and medicine together.
18 sucked some tranquilizer into a syringe, and carefully injected it
into 21's neck.
"This should help with the pain."
she insisted. "And maybe it'll slow you down if 17 speaks up
again."
21 nodded weakly. He closed his eyes and leaned
his head back, feeling his body relax against its will.
17,
still self-gagged, fiddled around with a scalpel while 18 got the
tubes and other clean syringes ready.
"Do you know what
you're doing?" 21 asked 18, feeling very sleepy.
18
looked over at 21 and smiled.
"Sure. I've seen Gero do
things like this hundreds of times to 17 and me."
17
glared at 18.
--Gero didn't give us transfusions!--
18
glared back.
--He took blood samples often when we were
starting out. Remember?--
17 shrugged at her, and started
using the scalpel to clean under his fingernails. 18 hooked the last
of the plastic tubes together, then laid them next to 21's right
arm.
"21, are you right handed or left handed?"
"Should
it matter?"
"Yeah. So that I know what arm to put
the tube in."
21 sighed.
"Ambidextrous."
18
scratched her head.
"So, it really doesn't matter?"
"No.
I guess you could use my right arm."
"Okay."
17
was fuming in his dark corner.
Lucky bastard! He can use
both his right and left hands! And Gero thinks this guy isn't
perfect?!
He looked up at 18 and waved to catch her eye.
She looked at him, and he transferred a joke to her. She smiled with
a chuckle, then started disinfecting 21's upper arm.
"What?"
he asked, looking at her curiously.
"17 says he'd give
his right hand to be ambidextrous."
21 smiled and laughed
a little. That made 18 smile a little wider. 21's worries were
starting to melt away with this idea. If they could get the android's
DNA in his system, he'd be perfect, just the way Gero wanted
him.
After wiping his arm clean with iodine, 21 took the
scalpel from 17 and cut carefully into 21's arm. 21 closed his eyes
tightly, but felt only a sharp stinging. If not for the tranquilizer,
the pain would probably be much worse. 18 then took the thin end of
the tubes and placed it into 21's cut, then quickly taped the tube
and flesh together to prevent too much bleeding.
"All
set." 18 nodded, rubbing her hands on her jeans and staining
them with purple blood. "Okay, 17, come here. I'll take your
blood."
17 nodded, rolling up the left sleeve of his
shirt. 18 took a clean needle, and laid 17's arm on the surgery
table.
"Hold still."
"Hm, hm." 17
nodded, meaning to say "Sure, sure."
18 quickly and
painlessly sucked the blood from her brother's arm and took it to the
plastic tubes in 21's arm. She slowly and carefully pushed the
pressure of the needle down into the tubes, and watched the red blood
slowly stream into the bio-android's veins.
21 breathed in and
out deeply a few times, keeping his eyes squeezed shut.
Nothing
seemed to happen as 18 finished squeezing out the last of the
blood.
--Now what?-- 17 relayed to his sister.
--We
wait.-- 18 suggested, putting the needle down and heading for the
sinks. --So, how do you get blood stains out of denim?--
17
racked his brains.
--Ooh, ooh, ooh, I know that one.....I used
to know this.....uh......--
21 remained on the table, noticing
it was becoming harder to breathe by the moment.
He could feel
the changes from the inside.
Slowly, but surely, he was
transforming.
---------------------------------------------
Gero
was having a one man party in his private quarters. He was downing
beer and singing Russian drinking songs in celebration. He had
finally gotten rid of 17 and 18, and perfected his ultimate weapon at
the same time.
He had heard the commotion in his lab,
specifically hearing 17 and 18 screaming in terror. If 21 hadn't
absorbed them by now, he would at least have both of them captured in
the next twenty four hours.
Until then, Gero would patiently
wait for that time to come..........
.......meanwhile, he
would drink, sing, and congratulate himself on his incredible stroke
of genius.
---------------------------------------------
toki
ni owarete nakaba muriyari na
hibi no saki ni ha nani ga
arimasu ka
konna watashi no ikiisogu sugao
kokkei desu
ka? waratte yo
kono me mitsumete watashi no namae wo yonde
mite hoshii no
kono te nigitte daijoubu datte unazuite hoshii
no
kono se wo oshite janakya arukitsudzukeraresou ni nai
no
uso nara semete honto no uso saigo made
tsukitooshite
--Translation--
What is at the end of
these half-tiresome
days that are chased by time?
As
I'm rushing through life, is my naked face
funny to you? Go
ahead and laugh.
I want you to stare into my eyes and say my
name.
I want you to hold my hand and tell me it'll be
ok.
Help me; if you don't I don't think I can make it.
If
this is a lie, then at least keep the lie going to the
end.
---------------------------------------------
17
couldn't take it anymore!
He untied his gag and stuck his
tongue out for fresh air.
"GAAAH! My bandana's all
wet!"
18 turned to him in alarm.
"Shut up,
you idiot! He'll come after you again!"
17 clamped his
hands over his mouth and backed himself against the nearest wall in
defense. His eyes were glued on 21. The bio-android was still lying
on the surgery table, and had been statue still for the last two
hours.
21 simply smiled and chuckled a little.
"Don't
worry, 17. The attack command is gone."
17 took his hands
from his face.
"It is?" There was a pause. Then, he
grinned. "Cool."
18 smiled too.
"It's
working, isn't it? 21, do you feel anything?"
21 could
barely nod, he felt so stiff.
"I feel my insides
changing. It's as though............I will be taller."
"Taller?"
17 wondered.
18 paused for a moment, then picked up the
syringe and cleaned it thoroughly.
"Should I go
next?"
"No, wait." 21 stopped, grabbing her
wrist. "I think........this feeling should pass
first."
"Feeling?" 18 wondered.
"Hey,
what makes you think you're going to grow taller?!" 17 demanded.
"You're tall enough already."
Suddenly, 21 grew
quiet and his eyes snapped open. His back arched and he screamed in
pain. 18 went to his side, squeezing his wrist in comfort with one
hand while using the other to try and pin him to the table. 17 went
over to help out. 21 was starting to spasm on the table, shaking
uncontrollably and screaming. 18 would have cried if she could, 21
was in horrible pain and there was nothing she could do!
His
spots began to glow. All parts of him that were black were starting
to glow a bright white. 18 had to close her eyes, the light just
filled her entire vision. Both 17 and 18 felt him change under their
hands. His body expanded, his skin became tougher and felt more like
rock than leather, his headcrest split and moved to the sides of his
head.............
Another brilliant flash of light exploded in
the room, making 18 scream. Then, the light died down, and the
android twins could feel electricity vibrating around 21's body. They
opened their eyes, and looked at 21 through their spotted vision.
He
grew five feet taller, the muscles on his arms and legs were bulked
to twice the normal size, his feet became natural boots and he no
longer had toes. His wings were gone, and his tail grew longer and
was covered in flexible orange muscles. His head was leaning past the
table edge, and 18 noticed his face looked smashed in. His beak was
gone, his face was wider, and he had fat blue fish lips. His eyes
were squeezed closed, and he was still breathing very hard.
17
looked 21 over and sneered.
"Damn, you got ugly, 21. Not
like what the pictures were supposed to be at all........."
Just
as 18 was going to say something, 21's hand shot up from his side and
clamped over her mouth. She almost screamed, but then 21 spoke in a
low, almost slurred voice.
"18........." he breathed
through pained gasps, "say nothing...........or I could attack
you like 17 earlier..........." As she nodded, 21 added:
"............quick.......inject the DNA......18....."
He
lifted his hand away (18 noticed he grew a thumb and two extra
fingers for a normal looking hand), then got up from the table. She
started relaying instructions to 17 through her eyes. He groaned and
got to work.
---------------------------------------------
Gero
felt it, and paused.
21 had his first power
surge..........
.......which meant 17 was dead........
The
drinking, singing and partying
resumed.........
---------------------------------------------
toki
no sugiyuku wana ni mi wo yudane
nagaretsuku no ha donna basho
desu ka?
mujun darake no konna watashi demo yurusaremasu
ka?
oshiete yo
--Translation--
I entrust my
body to the trap of time.
Where will I wash ashore?
Despite
my faults, will I be forgiven?
Please tell
me.
************************
18 gave 21 a tranquilizer
before injecting her blood into his system. Before the long wait
began, she knelt down to 21's head, and kissed his forehead
softly.
Even with that ugly face, you're still beautiful to
me, 21.......
17 tightened the straps one more time to be
sure they were secure enough. Both he and 18 secured tight belt
straps around 21 and the surgery table to hold him in place for the
transformation. 21 couldn't complain, this dose of tranq knocked him
out. He was fast asleep.
18 didn't take her chances, she
remained absolutely quiet as the bio android rested.
She took
a seat next to the main computer, still shielded, and watched 21
sleep.
17 decided to sit next to her.
"Okay, it's
official, right? You love him?"
She nodded.
"Cool."
he decided.
She looked at him.
--Cool? Cool?! That's
all you can say?--
17 shrugged.
--But you don't like
him, 17!--
He laughed.
"I like him alright. He
just needs to get a personality beyond puberty. You know.....grown
up."
18 hesitated before nodding in agreement.
"Well,"
17 weighed out with his hands, "you love him, and he loves
you......." He looked at her with a smirk. ".....and you
expect me to get between you and what you want?! I'd have to be an
idiot to do that."
18 could only smile, and not add onto
that.
"Hey," 17 said a little quieter, turning fully
to 18, "let's get to more serious matters. What'll happen when
Gero comes down here and sees we're alive and not eaten alive?"
18
blinked. 17 was serious about this. Since when was he serious about
anything?
She had to think a moment, first of all why this
would be a concern to 17? Then, she thought about his question and a
good answer.
Finally, she decided on a solution.
--I'm
going with my original plan. When Gero comes down here and sees 21
became perfect without us, he'll be too happy over his success to
care.--
17 slammed his head on the main computer's
shield.
"No, no, no, 18. You don't get it. You should
know Gero better than I do! When he wants something done his way,
he's hell-bent on it. He wants it to be EXACTLY his way. The two of
us getting absorbed by 21 should be EXACTLY his way."
--But
we're too important for Gero to just scrap us, like he did the
others.--
17 glared at his sister and pointed at 21.
"Not
anymore, 18! He reconfigured your boyfriend to kill me, and worst of
all, to kill YOU! Gero doesn't care about us anymore, he wants us
DEAD, 18!"
--You don't have to shout!--
17 calmed
down and looked away.
"Sorry. I just don't wanna die, 18.
And I don't want Gero to hurt you."
18 looked away
too.
--Why be concerned about me?--
17 prodded her arm
with his elbow and a wink.
"Hey, that's what brothers are
for, right?"
18 smiled at him.
--Yeah.--
Then,
they heard 21 wince! 18 sat up as 17 stood fully up.
"Hey,
you alright, 21?"
The bio android managed a slight
nod.
"The attack command for 18 is gone." he said
quietly. "She can speak now."
18 scrambled to 21's
side and put her hand on his shoulder.
"Are you
transforming now?"
"Little by little." 21
barely nodded again. "I....I'm scared...."
17 patted
21's other shoulder.
"Don't sweat it. Nothing bad's going
to happen. We promise, right 18?"
"Mm-hm." she
nodded.
"Thank you." 21 smiled.
18 leaned her
head on his shoulder, reaching down for his strapped hand. She weaved
her fingers through his, and squeezed gently. He returned the gesture
by squeezing her hand and stroking the back of her thumb with
his.
They stayed that way for a few moments (with 17 rolling
his eyes at them).........
........then, 21 clamped hard on
18's hand and screamed!
They could feel the ki rising from his
body dramatically!
It was happening!
Without further
warnings, the room was filled with a blinding green
light........
---------------------------------------------
douka
wakatte
sonna koto wo itte iru n janai no
douka
kidzuite
konna mono ga hoshii wake janai no
douka
hanashite
sonna toko he ikitai wake janai no
watashi ha
zutto tatta hitotsu no kotoba wo sagashite iru
kono me
mitsumete watashi no namae wo yonde mite hoshii no
kono te
nigitte daijoubu datte unazuite hoshii no
kono se wo oshite
janakya arukitsudzukeraresou ni nai no
uso nara semete honto
no uso saigo made tsukitooshite
--Translation--
Please
understand,
that's not what I'm saying.
Please
notice,
this isn't what I want.
Please let me go,
I
don't want to go there.
I've been looking for just one
word.
I want you to stare into my eyes and say my name.
I
want you to hold my hand and tell me it'll be ok.
Help me; if
you don't I don't think I can make it.
If this is a lie, then
at least keep the lie going to the
end.
---------------------------------------------
Gero
felt it, and stopped in mid song.
A huge burst of ki was
coming from the lab.
It was happening! 21 was becoming
perfect!
That teasing bitch 18 was dead!
Singing grew
louder, and he downed two more beers before heading for the door. He
was just passing 17 and 18's room en route to his own lab when he
started stumbling and smashed himself into a wall.
"Oof...."
he groaned. "Too much.....*hic!*......system.....in meh
alcohol......*hic!*...."
He passed out on the
floor.
---------------------------------------------
All
18 could feel in the bright light and the violent shaking of ki was
21's hand change into a smaller hand.
It took about five
minutes for the entire transformation to finish.
The light
died down, the ki was still, and the room was silent.
17 and
18 had trouble seeing at first; the bright lights blurred their
vision. And it took a little time to readjust to the dark.
When
they looked up, the surgery table was bent and cracked in half, the
straps were vaporized, and 21 was standing up. Brother and sister
looked him over in amazement.
21 had returned to his normal
size, but he looked very different from his first form. His head
crest was still split down the middle, his feet were still natural
boots. However, mixed with his green and speckled skin was a marble
pale that covered his face and hands. His face looked much more
human, with a nose and purple stripes running from the bottom of his
eyes. His wings had returned, and his tail was barely visible behind
his back; only the sharp spike showed. His eyes were pink again, but
even those looked more human.
"Just like in the
pictures......." 17 gasped. "Cool."
"21...."
18 smiled at her friend.
He smiled back.......
......then,
his legs buckled and he fell backward. 18 helped slow his fall, her
hand still gripping his. 18 knelt next to him, putting her other hand
to his face.
"Are you alright?"
He nodded,
then leaned his head back.
"A little weak. I'm sure I
would be stronger if I absorbed you naturally."
"Hey,
don't say that." 17 smirked, walking to 21's other side. "You
didn't have to."
"True." Then, 21 added. "How
do I look?"
"Picture perfect." 17 grinned. "If
you know what I mean."
21 paused, then nodded. He
understood. Then, he looked up at 18.
"Do you like me
even more, 18?" he asked. "Now that I'm not ugly
anymore?"
18's smile dropped, and it took a moment of
thinking before smiling.
"Silly. I love you just the same
as I have before." She stroked the side of his face with her
thumb. "And I can't love you any more than I can now."
21
closed his eyes, choking back a sob. A tear was squeezed out of his
eye. 18 leaned closer, confused.
"Are you alright?! Did I
say something wrong?"
"No....." 21 choked back,
almost hiccupping. ".......I'm just so happy."
"21....."
They
leaned into each other, touching lips carefully.
17 didn't see
any further. He walked into a corner, making gagging
noises.
---------------------------------------------
douka
wakatte
sonna koto wo itte iru n janai no
douka
kidzuite
konna mono ga hoshii wake janai no
douka
hanashite
sonna toko he ikitai wake janai no
watashi ha
zutto tatta hitotsu no kotoba wo sagashite
iru
--Translation--
Please understand,
that's
not what I'm saying.
Please notice,
this isn't what I
want.
Please let me go,
I don't want to go there.
I've
been looking for just one
word.
---------------------------------------------
TO
BE CONTINUED!
NEXT CHAPTER IS LAST CHAPTER!