When are things in balance? Why must nature do it’s work without prejudice? These are things that some may never know. I pondered these questions as I got to David’s door. A moment earlier I got a call from this fellow, he was ranting as usual with the exception that he had to pause occasionally to go vomit some more. I rang the doorbell and to my disbelief who would answer the door but…David. "Hi," he said in a tone as pale as his face. He then proceeded to return to his good friend Pat Porcelain, he offered Pat more to take in and "swallow up."
I stepped into the hallway, crossed into his sister’s room, and turned on the TV. While flipping through some random channels I remarked at how bad daytime soaps were, and turned the blasted thing off. This was all very troubling to me…I mean, how can a TV have 100 some odd channels and have nothing decent on? Those blokes that call themselves critics who decide what should be put on the air should be kicked around a bit. Worrying about Dave was pointless, so I let him be alone with Pat. Strolling up the stairs to his room, I noticed a keen memory of my childhood. As I reached the end of the steps, I had the end to my nostalgia.
Something called out to me then, like hot (white) cocoa on a cold day, or a cold Dad’s root beer at some nameless party; yet this wasn’t my subconscious talking, I distinctly heard a voice…such a lovely voice, like that of an angel sent from heaven to watch over me, it came from David’s room. Not even for a moment did I try and put together the situation, I just knew I wanted to get in his room badly. David had temporarily left Pat and saw my hand reach for the doorknob; he attempted to sputter some jargon in my general direction to stop my actions, "Synch…out of…bad…*mmph*" It was too late for me, my mind was set like Excalibur in the rock. I opened the door and reached in, like an infant reaches for the objects that twirl above his or her cradle. The voice grew stronger and I embraced it.
A shock overcame my body and I went unconscious. As I came to, it was morning and I could smell some form of breakfast cooking from the kitchen downstairs. I was still on the floor from which I hit just before losing consciousness. It was evident that someone had noticed my motionless body and thrown a quilt over me. As I tried fiercely to get up I found my efforts to be in vain. At first one must wonder if whether they lack the energy to move, or that they are restrained so tightly that no movement was possible. I came to terms and realized I was pinned down because the quilt was nailed to the floor. After a little time and a little knowledge of the arts of magic, I managed to free myself. I stepped downstairs carefully, like a ninja along enemy encampments, still noting the smell of most likely bacon and eggs.
There was David…and there was Suzanne, the two were there, eating breakfast together, occasionally leaning over the table to embrace one another with a friendly kiss. I fought for composure and bit my tongue as to not scream in horror. Something was even more disturbing still, the two had lost all their character that made them so admirable in my eyes. They’d just eat their breakfast while reading quietly, not speaking a word, and doing their kissing every minute exactly, like perfect little drones. I burst out of that house and ran as fast as I could to find my way home. As I approached the place I called home I found Ai at my corner. She was baling and her eyes showed evidence she had been doing such for hours on end. She was whimpering apologetically and apologized for practically everything that was wrong in the whole flippin’ world. She apologized for her sadness, for crying and soaking the cement with her tears, she lacked all the confidence she used to have in herself. I couldn’t stop, my mind was swirling, I had to find the rest, now. Rushing in my door I realized the door was unlocked and already ajar. Rube and Theis where decorating my house with posters of Einstein and DeMovire. "We’ve changed James, knowledge is power and that is all we care about now." I pinched myself, seeing no change I went ahead and pinched Rube expecting to get some form of a reaction, still nothing. I pinched Theis hoping for even a girlish squeal…again nothing. They approached me and reached out their hands to grab me. I evaded their zombie-like grips and ran to me pre-designed room. I slammed the door and fell to my knees, "Blast, even the carpeting is covered with Pythagorean equations." I knew it wouldn’t be long before the whole lot of them would bust my door down. Knowing that no one ever knew about my hidden cavity in the wall I went towards it.
I punched through the hollow part on the east side of my room, dusted the plaster off my fists, and after retrieving my gun, I decided to put a poster of my own over the hole. (Bond, naturally) My mind came to the conclusion that all I could do now was run until I found a way out. I also decided that since I’m in such a messed up world, I might as well enjoy myself a bit. On went the cummerbund, the black shoes, the vest, and the black pants. I loaded my PPK just in case any of my calm friends’ counterparts were a bit hostile.
There was a knock on the door as I cocked my gun…I opened the door to find Richard, looking fancy and stylish…*bang*… "Sorry, Rich, but that’s just too much for me, and it’s for your own good." Richard lay there smiling as if he agreed, then again, I think he might have been smiling for the simple fact that he finally managed to shock me. I threw a cashmere coat over him and headed for the door. I picked up my watch and sunglasses and stepped out the backdoor. While looking back to make sure I wasn’t being followed I collided with Clay, the one who up to this point scared me the most: here he was walking in circles reading Computers For Dummies. I didn’t feel like intervening…he wasn’t a threat, yet some deserve to suffer a little for their sweet setups in the real world. At first I started to question my actions, then I questioned my questioning of my actions…then I questioned why the heck there was the sound of the music group Queen off in the distance. I shrugged it off and then questioned who I’d be meeting next. After stopping a moment I realized these were all inverted perceptions of my friends in reality, I cursed under my tongue after figuring I could have had a bigger gun in the wall, but alas, now wasn’t the time to worry of such things.
I found myself urged to walk up the street and did so…there she was. She held her position the second I noticed her. Our gazes held, combat was inevitable and about to commence. John popped up and of all the people to remain the same… "Frell, now I know this is my personal hell alternative universe." I capped John in the leg, feeling just a tad better. ((While writing this I was in the plane 9 hours…hello sock puppets!! Let’s see, 3 movies…Brit techno…oh lorrie)) Jen stayed there, unfazed from John’s incessant wailing on the ground. She held her hand in the air at me and I shuddered knowing she remained somewhat of the same when I saw the smirk, "Hello, Tora." "Hello, Bond." Now that introductions were settled she removed the veil that hid the two suits. "Ladies first," I said, breaking the silence. To my slight shock (but not much) she picked Epion, but I should have known better. I jumped into Zero and my fingers flew across the keys awaking the sleeper, reading the machine for battle. This was my first time doing this but I felt a strange sense of unity with the suit. She charged forward, getting down to business as usual. I decided to battle her with the laser saber as did she once we clashed, equally matched as always. A window popped up on my screen and there she was with her death glare. I felt it appropriate to cover her screen with vid-windows of things pertaining to nature. I knew I had to her mission to kill me when the vid-windows didn’t do anything to her. She sliced off a part of Zero’s arm as she came in for the opening. She managed to knock my laser saber off and pounced back, readying to go for the final blow. Alas, I fired a warning shot and yet she continued at me faster and faster still. I set aside my feelings and set both barrels together and let her have them both at once, blowing off Epion’s lower torso. "You were…a good match…as I expected…I’m glad I had…had the chance…to fight you…" The upper part of the suit exploded as I let out a cry of sorrow. My suit landed to the ground abruptly and I hopped out from the cockpit, landing alright, then falling to my knees, then collapsing to the ground. Alternate universe or not, it still hurt to kill one that you cared about so much.
That was it, I had to leave soon or else I’d end up like David and never be able to return to conquer all the problems I had solved incorrectly. Suddenly it hit me that of all the people out there, Walter always seemed to be a mentor even when he himself was upset. Finding him would determine if there WAS a way out before cracking up like David. As for John, he was in the fetal position, motionless. "I would have done the same," I thought to myself, "but that’s if I was him, maybe I myself would be a little more respectful of Jennifer’s request for no tears and just to drink and remember the good times."
Walter was sitting at the top of a cliff here on the beach, I didn’t question how I got there, so I just sat down next to him. He knew I was there and remained motionless. I figured that something was off and it was. Walter had a wry smile on his face. I tapped his shoulder and still I received no response. "You’d never know, never ever." I stood up, a little dazed, then after having attempted to make sense of it I gave up, asking, "What?" "Never know." "Never know what?" I grabbed his hand tightly and he didn’t even react. "I can’t feel anything, you fool! I’m insensate." He stood up and just walked off, I called after him, "If you’re insensate, then how can you hear me?" "I classify myself as such since hearing doesn’t do much for me anymore." So, he continued to walk off, walking fast enough for me to get the point. To lack in any sense would be horrid and unfathomable, I shuddered. I looked up after running this all through my mind and I saw Chris and Walter walking into the fog together.
Time was running out, as was my sanity. My gut was telling me so. I ran around aimlessly and passed Calvin Hall in my haste. Calvin had his clarinet and was playing some low key jazz number. Will was another I passed and then it hit me that he was having girl trouble. I continued on but then stopped abruptly and ran back to slap some sense into him. Atkinson was pursuing the ladies as usual so I let him, or rather, his alternative self have his fun.
"No feeling," It racked in my mind and I knew I had to tame my fears. It hit me then and there that I was going to have to run into everyone if I was to conquer my emotions, but this left me worried and confused. "What will happen when I meet the rest of them? How badly will they be distorted? If I have to kill them too, will I be able to?" I sat there in what was now a forest-like scenery around me. I heard it again, that very same beautiful voice that had brought me into this cruel and screwed up world. I picked up my gun and headed towards where the singing sounded to be coming from. Ending up in a small clearing where a soft brook was running I sat down and grabbed some water, not being aware at how parched my throat had been earlier. Something sparked in my senses and I turned around sharply from drinking…nothing. I went down for another sip and then I heard it, "Hello, James, we finally meet." I slowly looked up, seeing who it was, cursed under my breath, and got up slowly. I knew right then and their this was going to be my most sorrowful memory from my trials in this alternate world. She had a flowing dress on and the sunlight seemed to be jealous of her beauty while shining down on her soft, smiling face. "I should have known…so it was you all along who got me in here, no! I won’t let the past keep tabs on me! I’m not going to let you suck me in and end me, like all the rest before had tried!" I said, grabbing for my gun. She stood there, slightly shocked, slightly depressed. It was then that I saw a tear run down her face, "Dangit, I knew this one wouldn’t be easy…" She came closer, as if she was testing whether I’d shoot her or not. My hands were trembling and I was sweating. She got close enough and put her hand on mine and took the gun, dropped it on the ground, then took me in her arms and hugged me. My senses went off, I went mad, part of me felt good, the other part felt vile and wanted to end her before she did worse to me. "You…are…not…Krysti!" I said angrily. She stumbled back a step and cried more, I fell to my knees once more, trying not to let myself go. This was the Siren, the one who I heard at the doorway. I knew that if I gave into my own subconscious that I would have stayed there forever in her arms. I jumped back, gun aimed and cocked. "You don’t really exist, well, you exist, but you are not the Krysti Litt from the real world," I said with a sullen tone. She collapsed and cried out, "Who’s to say that this can’t be the real world? We could be happy here, James, and you know it! Leave the other world behind and stay here with me, I’ll keep you safe," Krysti said, through her tears. It hit me then and their, I heard the song that made me think of the Krysti back in my world, back at England…I had a duty to stay firm on my choices, and not to succumb to this, not here. The real Krysti was waiting for me back home, and so were all my friends, I couldn’t leave them! "I have to go, and if you get in the way I will stop you from interfering," I said, quietly. She stood there a moment silently, then got on her toes, gave me that signature killer look and said, "Please? I can’t bear to lose you like this!" I turned my head away and felt something within me snap. I lifted my hand out towards her and she flew backwards into the small brook. I looked down in amazement at what had just happened, "Aww man, it looks like I know where this is going now."
Krysti was apparently defeated at the moment and I didn’t let the chance slip past me, I ran past her and headed deeper into the forest. I could feel the power swelling up in me, I could see all of those back on the real world flying around me, guiding me. I jumped across a small clearing off a cliff, landing in my mobile suit. It was time. My hands worked their magic, activating all of the weapons functions, I was in Zero, the battle was now mine. I headed up, higher and higher, breaking through this earth’s atmosphere. Multiple enemy suits approached me, I let them all have it with the buster rifles and finally there he was, David Lou. He was in a custom ground mobile suit, just like the one in the first episode of Gundam Wing. I let a shot flash past his left side. He pulled out his energy sword and I did the same, I shook my head realizing how incredibly cliché this all was but laughed it off. I pressed him further up the atmosphere and we collided over and over, I slashed away at his shield. Finally he came at me with a hard blow, forcing both our suits to break the atmosphere with great force. I sliced off the lower part of his left leg on the suit and he bailed. I changed the Gundam into the flyer mode and took pursuit in my custom Wing Zero. "You just can’t beat the system of tandems in this alternate world," I said smiling. David barely got to his space base a moment before I caught up to him. The on-board gun turrets let loose a rain of fire my way, I charged forward, slashing them all out of commission. Zero fell hard on the open cargo bay and I leapt out. The battle was mine now, everything was going the way I wanted it, I had taken control after I dealt with the last and hardest person, Krysti.
David was waiting for me in a separate cargo bay filled with supplies. I felt the power surging within my body and I let out a fierce war cry. David was there, with the usual quizzical look on his face when I show up unexpectedly. He tossed me my weapon, (a lightsabre, of course) and we both hold our stances. I noted that all around me was the very same symbols that represented the Traize Faction, a group of charismatic, yet ruthless fighters who fought to at first try and take over the colonies, then defend earth against the colonies. David didn’t say a word and nor did I. I watched the sun in the corner of my eye coming over the edge of the earth. David saw my attention was diverted and came at me with his lightsabre powering up while he ran at me. I saw his approach and powered mine up also. We crashed together, the sabres making a strong racket as the two energy weapons intermingled with one another. His sabre a dark red and mine a darker green, he finally broke the silence as our blades held each other, "I hope you remember that I was better than you at this back on the real world." I let loose a dark smile and said, "Yes, but back there I wasn’t trying to hurt you, I don’t have to worry about that now." He flinched and came back with, "What if I’m the real David from your world?" he asked. "You aren’t, or else you would have addressed that point when we met at the stratosphere," I replied, with my smile staying firm, along with my blade. The talk was over, we continued to attack the other and defend ourselves. I had let emotions go at the wayside now was the time for victory. David tried to slice at my feet but I hopped it and attempted to fell him from the waist. He blocked it, though barely and stumbled back a pace or so. Both of us had engaged in battle for at least 15 minutes and we were both breathing hard.
I headed at him once more and this time I was stopped, not by his blade but by a new fighter’s. I looked up in shock, "Suzanne?" She laughed at my dismay and terror and responded with, "that’s me!" I frowned and watched David release his other sabre making his lightsabre now a double. Suzanne did the same and I had a flashback of the two at the house…embracing one another. The power within me finally came out and my blade was covered with a mysterious yellow flame-like glow all around it, around me even. I shook my head at how insane this was getting and took a step forward. The look on both their faces was a thing that brought me much satisfaction, they knew I had been pushed too far, and now it was too late. As the battle continued my mind was preoccupied with all the great thoughts of life back in my world, the parties, the good times. Back there was peace and I was going to be back there very soon. I couldn’t wait to see all of them, each and every one of them. The battle went on while Suzanne and David tried their hardest to break my joy, I was not fighting them with all of my newly released strength, but they were having trouble just keeping their own selves safe. I jumped into the air and came down on the both of them, my blade slicing right on both of them. I could here the clarinet being played off in the distance and I landed behind them.
Both their lightsabres were sliced at the base, a mere inch from each of their hands. That wasn’t the end though, they started chanting something unknown to me, a dark and hideous thing and a great beast showed up in front of them, pure energy. I ran to the back of the cargo bay to take it on and found the use for my sabre to be unneeded. David and Suzanne continued chanting and I readied for their offensive. The beast finally became solid, still forged with the pure energy. It was on the offensive and took a swing at me with it’s huge claws, each the size of a samurai’s sword and just as sharp. The power flowed around me and I took a shot at it, coming from above the beast with a mighty kick to it’s eye…or what looked like an eye. The beast seemed stunned, but not weakened, so it came at me once more. It crashed to the ground with a swift blow from my headbutt to it’s cranium. The memories of my friends were growing stronger, I could tell that home was only a few minutes away. David and Suzanne had finished chanting and were watching with the utmost content looks on their faces. I diverted the beasts attention and had them get involved when I ran right in front of them. The two put up their hands around their faces and started to chant again, causing a shield to form around them right before the beast took his swing at me. "Good, they don’t have full control over him, just as I thought," I whispered to myself. The beast’s hand was destroyed from coming in contact with their shields; energy overflow was streaming from it’s wound and I saw the opening and ran for it, right below it’s belly. I let out a blood-curdling yell as I focus the energy swarming around me into a controllable ball of energy. I held it in my hand a moment and smiled, then converted it into a blastwave and shot through the beast’s body like a hot knife on cold butter.
It was over and they knew it, they fell to their knees asking to be spared from death, I looked out at the stars and saw a glimmer coming our way. I grabbed then by the hands and pulled them to their feet, letting them go free. "When will the fighting be over?" I thought to myself as I got in Zero once more. She was coming back, I knew it for sure. I knew I hadn’t killed her, she’d never die. I headed out to an open space between the earth and the space base I had just come from and shut everything off but sensors. All was black in the suit and as she finally approached me the suit beeped in acknowledgment of her presence. "You came back, why?" I asked her. "I has happy to have had that last battle, but wasn’t ready to die just yet. James, you’ve done far better than what was expected by myself and many others," She said wryly, "but there is one more battle you must face before you go." I pounded my fists on the controls, knowing this wasn’t going to be easy. She opened her suit (now a mobile suit resembling an Aries) and extended her hand like Relina. I cringed and opened up my suit also, the two of us stood there in our space suits, her hand extended and my hands wide open, both aimed at her. "I can do this now, I have the power, the sleeper within me has awakened, and you know I’ll do it." I said, trying to bluff her. "Are you sure you will? I’ve always won in the battles before, this time will be no different," she said quickly. She hopped back in her suit and closed the door, I did the same. It was then that I saw it, the same sort of glow that I had seen all the way back at Dave’s house coming into this mess. It was only large enough for me to go through alone, without the suit. She noticed it too, "You will never get over there!" I smiled at Jennifer and replied, "Watch me!"
She opened fire at me after putting herself between me and the portal. Her shots hit my suit as I charged forward, shot after shot banged up my controls, it was then that the Zero system came online and my reflexes quickened. I started dodging the accurate shots and was able to fly past her. She swore and grabbed a massive gun from her side, one that looked like the double buster rifle and opened fire, putting a hole through my suit right at the left shoulder, my sword shoulder. The suit started to power down and I drifted there, trying to bring back up any form of control. After a few seconds all I could manage was the right shoulder, my buster rifle shoulder...and enough for one last shot. The tracers tried locking onto Jennifer as she hurriedly came at me with her energy blade. The tracers finished swirling across the screen and held tight, "Target locked, let’s make this count." I opened fire, blasting away the energy pack that controlled the main acceleration ports. She was a sitting duck and her gun had run out of power cells. We both laughed at the situation and I hopped out of my suit with a rocket pack to my back. "We’ll call this a draw, alright?" I said to her, she nodded and smiled with a remark, "You won’t be so lucky next time."
I jetted away while the repair suits showed up to aid her. The portal swirled a fluorescent green and I took a gulp and charged in. The colors around me swirled and my space suit burned off me. I lost consciousness at that point and when I came to I was back at David’s. David was leaned over me with the usual look of "I told you so" and helped me up. We sat down and had some tea and I just wondered how I ever managed to get through it all. "You know you might have to go back again, right?" I nodded at the sound of such a thing but didn’t cognitively agree with it just yet. Engaging in all of that was very trying and all I wanted to do now was go to the beach, so I did. I rubbed my head soothingly and picked up David’s phone, calling each and every one of the people I killed in the other universe and apologized. They didn’t really understand but just laughed and figured that was me being "me". I ate something warm, though to this day I’m not even sure what it was. David went to check on the others who were arriving once he realized that I was here for good. I tried to tell them all but they will never believe me. One of them suddenly said that they needed to go use the bathroom…and David and I looked at one another and laughed. "They’ll never learn, will they?"
