Cyborg 009 Fan Fiction ❯ Ante Mortem ❯ Chapter Two ( Chapter 2 )

Ante-Mortem

By: Wildfire Sky

The second chapter in my series is here!! I personally think I updated pretty fast. I just realized something, I FORGOT THE DISCLAIMER!! (Heavens no…). Therefore, I'm going to do it right now.

Presenting…..THE DISCLAIMER (da dada!!): I do not own Cyborg 009…I do not know why you would even think I owned Cyborg 009 cuz if I did I sure as hell wouldn't be writing fanfics for it, I would be watching it.

There we go!! I'm not going to keep repeating that, because it's a waste of time and, not to mention, web space. So, now that that's over with, on to the fic!!

Ante-Mortem

Chapter Two

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Even though the battle with 0013 was over nearly a year ago, Tokyo was still feeling the sting of the monstrous robot and Black Ghost's evil intentions. Construction vehicles traveled slowly down the already congested streets, turning into various sites of destroyed buildings, the local residence sometimes pausing to admire the giant machines that struggled to restore the crippled city to the glory it once knew. Everywhere, one could see the effects of the vicious attacks, and all tried desperately to deny anything so horrible had happened. The cyborgs traveled down the back alleys of the smaller neighborhoods, trying to avoid the traffic of downtown Tokyo.

Joe led them from store to store, allowing the visitors to his city to stop and gaze at the various items on display. Occasionally, 006 would hurry into a local restaurant or grocer, and the others would wait as the old Chinese chef 'looked around', criticizing and suggesting things to the store owners until he was finally dragged away, Joe apologizing in smooth Japanese for the frequent disturbances.

"I can't keep apologizing for your behavior, 006," Joe said with a small frown.

Francoise nodded, "I don't think these people appreciate you interrupting their daily routines with your criticism."

"Nonsense!" 006 huffed, giving the French woman a small glare, "I'm only helping them to better their business, nothing more."

GB smirked, "Criticism from you would likely cripple their business. People see you walking down the street and they shut their doors."

"What's that, 007?" 006 challenged, "Say it again; I don't think my fist heard you!"

"You touch me pudge boy and I'll---"

"Pudge-boy!!" Change exploded, "How dare you insult my physical appearance!"

"Enough!" Albert shouted, "We came here to visit Tokyo, not to complain at every store we come by and not to fight every ten blocks. 007, you wanted to see the temples, right?"

007 nodded numbly.

"Then let's do that shall we?" 004 snapped, setting the two bickering cyborgs with a heavy glare before turning to the silent Japanese guide, "Lead on, 009."

The team turned to face their silent, unmoving companion. 009 stared at the ground, his eyes half lidded, sweat beginning to trickle down his face. If he led them any further down the road, they would run right into the church…but the temple was down the same path. What could he do? If he turned away, then they would start asking questions…but if he continued, he would have to confront the very thing he was struggling to avoid. There was no choice in it. Sighing in defeat, he prepared himself to finally face his past and his dreams.

"Guys, I have something to tell y---" he looked up to find himself alone, the once crowded back road now empty, only pieces of discarded paper flapping across the walk. He quickly glanced around, searching for his missing comrades, a strange panic clutching his chest in a death grip. He began to walk down the street, frantically looking on all sides for his family.

"No! Joe, don't!"

Joe froze in midstep, dust gathering around his feet as he slid to a stop, "Who's there?" he demanded, gazing around him, hand edging closer to his ever present blaster.

"Please, Joe put it down!"

"Come out now!" The blaster was in his hand now. A strange feeling crawling up his spine, putting him on edge. He shivered uncontrollably, his vision blurring slightly.

"Joe, I'm begging you! Please don't do it!"

Suddenly a sharp pang shot through Joe's mind, the young boy collapsing to one knee, his blaster thudding to the ground as his hands shot up to his head, clutching it in agony as the jabs continued to torment him.

"Ahhh!" he yelled, falling to his knees and hands, one still gripping his skull, "What's…what's happening to me??" he gasped, sweat now flowing from his pores and pooling on the ground. He looked down at the pool of sweat, eyes wide with shock as the clear liquid slowly turned to thick blood. He lifted his hand from the pool, staring at it in horror as the red fluid ran down his hands, engulfing it.

"Why did you do this to me?"

Joe was panting, his heart throbbing in his chest, "Stop it!" he cried, "Stop doing this, please!"

His head shot up as a low rumble shook the ground, his gaze pulled up the street where the remains of the church stood. A small gasp of horror escaped from between his lips. An enormous wave of blood was crashing down the back alley, devouring everything in its path in a bloody spray. Joe struggled to his feet, trying to move, but his feet seemed to be rooted to the ground. He looked down and watched in shock as the pool of blood crawled up his legs, holding him in place.

"Let me go!" he shouted helplessly as the wave of blood hurled towards him.

"Why did you do it, Joe?"

Joe looked back up, the wave now towering above him. He let out another cry of fear as the wave engulfed him, churning around his body and lifting him from the ground. He tried to swim to the surface the putrid liquid, but it seemed to pull him deeper and deeper.

"You must pay for your sins, Shimamura! You must suffer as I have!"

The cyborg continued to struggle against the ocean of blood, the fluid flowing into his mouth, nose, ears, and eyes…any opening it could find, seeping inside, saturating his body and attacking his insides.

"Don't fight death, my son…accept your destiny…"

His lungs were now desperate for air as the blood, attacked them. Joe felt as though an acid was chewing away at him, melting every piece of his body, cyborg and human.

"Your place in Hell shall soon be filled, my son. Time to die…"

With a final cry of agony, Joe Shimamura's world went a deathly black.

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"Quickly! Put him on the table and stand back!"

005 hoisted Joe's prone body onto the operating table, quickly moving aside as Dr. Gilmore moved in, attaching tubes and wires to the stiff, pale body before him. 003 stood next to Joe, gripped his hand and weeping silently, unaware of anything else but the man in front of her.

"003, you must move!" Gilmore shouted, dodging around her with vials full of different liquids, "I can't work with you in the way."

Francoise only replied with a harsh sob of angst. Finally Gilmore had 002 and 004 remove the weeping woman from the room so he could work on saving Joe's life.

Albert and Jet led their heaving burden into the Dolphin's living room, setting her down on a couch and stinking down beside her on either side.

Albert looked over at Chang, "006, maybe you should make some tea."

006 nodded quickly, "Right, tea, of course!"

As the round cyborg busied himself, Albert and Jet struggled to calm the devastated Francoise. The blue eyed man drew her close, and gently ran his human hand through her hair, trying his hardest to sooth the girl. Jet, not use to these types of situations, slowly rose to his feet, giving the woman a small look of compassion before veering off down the hallway and back to the infirmary. 004 watched him go before turning his attention back to Francoise.

"Shh…shh…please, 003 don't cry. I'm sure, 009 will come out fine."

The girl shook her head, gripping the front of Albert's black turtleneck and sobbing into it, "He's going to die! I know he is!"

Albert slowly let out a sigh, "No, he won't die, 003…I promise he won't. Dr. Gilmore is taking care of him, nothing bad could possibly happen to him!"

"How do you know?" Francoise snapped, her voice muffled by Albert's shirt, "How can you be so sure of it?"

004 chuckled, lifting 003's chin with his metallic hand, "Because he's 009, that's how. No matter what, he's not leaving this planet until he's damn good and ready! Right?"

Francoise looked into his confident eyes and a small grin cracked her tear stained cheeks, "R-Right, 004..." she wrapped her arms around him in assurance to herself, "Joe will be fine…he'll be…fine…"

Albert held still as the worn French woman fell asleep in him arms, exhaustion from her crying finally catching up with her. He paused for a moment, waving off 006 and the tea. The cyborg cook nodded slowly, giving 003 a look of pity before returning to the kitchen. Gently, for the first time in years, Albert Heinrich hugged someone with as much love as his mechanical body could muster.

Jet watched them silently from the hallway, his eyes narrowing as he watching the loving embrace of 004. He snarled viciously, contemplating whether or not he should confront Albert until he realized that it wasn't Albert he was angry with. It was Joe. But why? Joe hadn't done anything to her…had he? Joe had done something to Jet, stolen the very woman he had loved and dreamed about ever since they had met...and wanted back.

Jet smiled to himself, Francoise had that way with men apparently.

"Something funny, 002?" 007 asked, coming up beside him.

002 ignored the question, "How's 009 doing?"

"Not too good," GB said with a heavy sigh, "The doc detected some sort of liquid in his body, which is strange enough…then his behavior today…" GB trailed off shaking his head, "I knew going to Tokyo was a bad idea."

Jet snorted, "Oh please, we all know what happened."

GB looked up in surprise, "We do??"

002 turned and set GB with a stern look, "Ever since I met 009, I knew he was crazy…always quiet, barely talking to anyone but 003, it was sickening! Personally, I took him for a stalker."

"A stalker?" 007 guffawed, "002, what the hell are you talking about?"

"Goddamn it, 007, look at the facts!" 002 shoved his face close to that of the British actor, "Why is he always around 003 and no one else? Why is it that he always seems to know where she is at any given moment? How come I'm constantly catching him just watching her without purpose?"

GB took a step back, "Now, just wait a minute, 002…do you realize what you're saying?"

"I'm saying we have to keep an eye on 009."

"And what exactly does this have to do with his condition, huh 002?" GB folded his arms across his chest in defense of his leader.

Jet smirked, "He faked the entire thing, 007…just to get 003 closer to him."

GB's hard look wavered, "What?"

"Sure!" Jet began to walk towards the infirmary, "In desperate times like this, 003 is always close to 009's side. Remember 0010? She was with him in that damn infirmary for hours! Not eating or sleeping…just the type of opportunity 009 needs."

"For what?"

Jet paused dramatically, looking down at the carpet floor, "To take advantage of our kind 003…exactly the type of thing a psychotic, stalker would do…set his eyes on a target and pursue until he gets what he wants."

GB's arms fell to his sides, clutched into fists, "Which is?"

Jet looked at him sympathetically and began to walk away, throwing a single word over his shoulder as he left, "Her."

Great Britainstood rooted to the spot, his heart thudding in his chest, mind torn in two. Was Jet playing with him…trying to get him angry? Or was he telling the truth? The loyal side of GB was screaming at him to ignore 002's words, but at the same time, a darker voice was telling him that it made a great deal of sense…that the American's words could be tragically true. GB stood in the hallway, storming over his thoughts and didn't hear the soft steps of his intruder.

"What are you thinking about, 007?" 006 asked with a tiny smile, "What dinner's going to be tonight?"

GB turned and looked at the cook gravely, "We need to talk, 006…everyone does…"

****************************************

When Joe opened his eyes, he was staring at the tall ceiling of his old church. He blinked in confusion, groaning as a small ache rippled through his head. Slowly he lifted a hand to grip it, using the other to grasping the back of the seat. He realized in shock it was a pew, the same pew he used to hide in as a child.

"Joe! What's wrong now?"

Joe's head jerked up and he looked around in surprise. There standing before him was the very man he killed in his dreams nights before. A choked gasp escaped his lips.

"F-Father…?"

The Father smiled warmly, "Joe, you can tell me what's wrong…is it the other orphans again?"

Joe opened his mouth to respond, but another answered for him.

"No."

The cyborg's head snapped down and there, sitting next to him, curled up in a little ball, was the younger version of Joe Shimamura. The boy was sniffling, knees drawn up to his chest, tears staining his red cheeks. Oh, how many times Joe had found himself hiding from the others, hiding from their cruel barbs and insults. The Father completely ignored the older Joe and sat next to the boy, brushing his hair away from his eyes and wrapping an arm around the boy's small shoulders.

Joe sat watching them in amazement. He could hardly remember being so small and fragile. Now he was a strong, cyborg and savior of the planet…he never would have realized back then what he'd grow to be. Sadness filled the Japanese teen as he sat and watched the priest and him.

"You can tell me, Joe," the Father said kindly, "I promise not to tell anyone."

The young Joe sniffed, "It was Scar Nose."

"Again?" the Father said with a huff, "That young man is as bad as Eden's apples."

The young Joe giggled, "Is that why he never gets adopted?"

"Undoubtedly."

There was a commotion off to one side and the Father looked up, a frown crossing his kind features, "Scar Nose, you and Yako stop this instance!"

Joe tore his eyes from his younger version to look up and watch as Yako and Scar Nose tossed around a statue. Yako suddenly paused and turned slowly towards Joe, a dark gleam in his eyes.

"Hey there, Joe!"

Joe froze, his mouth dropping open.

Yako gave him a sinister smile, "Yea, I'm talking to you. Remember this old thing?"

Joe watched horrified as Yako threw the statue at him. Panic gripped him and he dodged away from the object, wincing as it shattered against the back of the pew.

"Aw you missed him!" he heard Scar Nose pout.

Cautiously Joe lifted his head and looked over at where Yako and Scar Nose stood. The boys had their backs to him, the Father towering over the two boys, hands on his hips.

"Now you've done it."

Joe down at himself, "Did what?"

The boy began to shake, "The Father is a bad, bad man…"

"No," Joe said, glancing back up at where the Father was scolding his childhood playmates, "The Father is kind…he's a very good man."

Something wet touched his hand and Joe's head jerked down. The boy's hand was on his, blood flowing down his arm and pooling on the pew and over his hand. Joe looked up, choking back a cry of horror.

The young boy's face was peeling back, revealing the blood soaked skull underneath, his red eyes rolling inside so only the gapping sockets remained, paralyzing Joe was unnamable fear. The boy's hand reached for him as the hair fell from his head.

"Look out for the priest Joe…" the boy hissed, "…don't let him in your dreams…don't let him in your mind."

The boy slowly pointed over to the where the Father should have been, and in his place stood the infamous Black Ghost. With a harsh laugh, Black Ghost grabbed Yako's head, tearing it from his body, blood splattering across the floor and walls. The masked demon cackled in delight as he grabbed Scar Nose.

"No please!" Joe shouted, stumbling to his feet.

Black Ghost simply laughed in reply, and tore the child apart, tossing the decapitated body at Joe, the blood splashing across the red eyed youth. Black Ghost loomed over Joe, eyes glowing menacingly.

"The Father's life was mine, 009," he said pulling out a blaster and leveling it at the shocked cyborg, "Now your life is too!"

Bracing himself against the stings of the blaster rays, Joe collapsed into the endless darkness once again.

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If that seemed a little confusing, good. I want it to be. However, if you're feeling utterly lost, that is a BAD THING and should be addressed…quickly. So R&R, and tell me if you were lost at all so I can clear it all up for you.

BTW, I wasn't sure on how to spell Scar Nose's real name, so if you know how, it would be very much appreciated.

GoldenAngel2:Ahh!! Such an honor to get a review from the very authoress who inspired me! Thank you thank you thank you!! And yes, I am very much aware that Joe didn't kill the Father which is why the dreams are so devastating. Thanks for the BG idea!!

WolfWood11:Whew!! I was worried my first few reviews would be all flames, but I guess not!

Jenny6444…:Long ass name, Jen! Wow, I was breakin' a sweat just reading it!! Thanks for your support!!

Holli:You are absolutely right, I never should have put it in my fic in the first place. I will try to restrain myself from now on. Thanks for you input!!

CC1F:I got two words for you: HELL YA I'M GONNA UPDATE!! Damn…went over the limit, but hey, if you can do it, so can I.Thanks a lot for your support!!