Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Tassadar's Legacy: Chronicles: Dark Light ❯ The Shades of Grey ( Chapter 5 )

Akira cleared her throat and asked, “Would you tell me about your part in the Clan Wars?” Abyssal Angel seemed to think for a moment before responding quietly, “I will tell you some if you wish.” Akira nodded and leaned forward eagerly.

Abyssal Angel sat quietly for a moment, then said, “I believe you understand what the public records say about the Clan Wars and my exploits?” Akira nodded, then to her surprise, Abyssal Angel sighed, then said, “Setting the record straight, those clan leaders the history books claimed I killed? I only killed about half of them, for example, that Chinese Lieutenant working for the Shizu that the history books make out to be me taking over and the start of my rise to infamy? He was my first target. I was going to stage an accident and step in to his place, using the position to quietly take over the Clan, but through a series of strange accidents due to my being still an amateur, I found it better to convince him he'd be better off ruling the Clan instead. The leader and him then fought and killed each other, and I quietly stepped in as the Lieutenant, appropriated the Replicate and purposely made sure that the Clan disbanded.”

“That's how most of my involvement worked. It helped me stay anonymous, as no one knew who I really looked like. The times I had to personally kill the leaders are when things went wrong. Those are the situations that usually leaked my real appearance; the one you see now. Those are also the ones that spawned the more… creative rumors about me.” Abyssal Angel shook his head. He continued, "That was only half the Clan leaders. My mission was to retrieve the shards of Replicate from them, removing the danger. At the time, it was obvious that humanity could not handle the danger such things posed in their hands. The other half of the Clan leaders were taken out by people claiming I was there inspiration when I found them to get the shards they stole from them before they got a chance to make a Clan of their own."

Angel paused for a moment before continuing, "As for the beloved, 'Five', the only reason they aren't dead is because at that point my reputation preceded me and they gave me their shards of Replicate willingly. I had no real need to kill them, especially since the Government they set up would collapse if they died, and as much of a killer I've had to become, I didn't see the need for the innocent death's such chaos would cause. So I let them live, fully knowing that they could make up anything they wanted about me and they would put a price on my head."

"Of course it wasn't that simple. They figured out that the objects created by the replicate in their possession acted like replicate in that you touch them and they create things. But they are still intricately linked to the original pieces of Replicate, and I hold them all. Thankfully, I knew they might try and use those instead and set up a limit to how long they could use the pieces so they wouldn't get it in their head to abuse it. Something about having a consequence like death makes humans realize how dangerous something really is, and they've treated their gift with respective since then."

Akira gaped at Angel and said, "I can't believe you did that! Even if you explain it... people died because of that! Innocent people!" Angel shook his head and said, "Even if you did truly believe they were innocent, do you think I really let them die?" Akira looked confused, "But you said..." Angel answered her unspoken question, "The effect is the appearance of death. In truth, everyone who has used Replicate over the time limit were simply transported somewhere off world and replaced with a copy of their 'dead' body, and had their memory temporarily erased. Most of them were found by authorities, but the Five recognized my handiwork, and luckily they're intelligent enough to see the wisdom behind the limit and didn't publicize they're alive."

Kira felt completely stunned at this and didn't know what to say. Angel simply continued, "Other than that I have spent my time ever since keeping the peace from the background. The history books got that right too, though I don't simply go and kill everyone who probably might deserve it. I give them chances. I usually infiltrate their ranks and pull strings to tone down their crime's, get them caught, or work them into a position where they're forced to disband themselves. That last one is what usually blows up in my face, but thankfully it hasn't happened too often, but when it does... that's probably where the rumors got out that I usually slaughter my targets..."

Akira felt her heart strings being tugged as she listened to the obvious regret in his voice, coloring over even his synthesizer that made his voice sound empty and robotic. She quietly asked, "Why don't you just stop doing it? Just quit and stay here, or become a random citizen?" Angel shook his head and said, "You're an intelligent woman. You know what would happen if I just disappeared. It might not happen immediately, but I don't delude myself when I say the worlds need me. Humanity isn't ready to go without a 'superhero vigalante' to 'bring down the bad guys'. If I left, I predict in ten years, the world would be in chaos once more."

Akira pressed on, asking, “But don't you deserve to live in peace? It'd be one thing if you were as cold and heartless as the stories say, but you aren't. I can see you're hurting. You shouldn't have to do this. Can't you do something like make the world into a place where you're not needed anymore?” Angel didn't answer for a long moment, and Akira grew a little nervous at his silence and staring, thinking maybe she'd crossed a line and said, “You don't have to answer that if you don't want to…” Angel turned away and said, "If I could find a way to change the hearts of man, I would have already. That's what it would take to make the world no longer need me. After what I've seen, even if I could do it, I'm not the one to do it."

Akira nodded and breathed out a sigh. She couldn't help but feel guilty for bringing what obviously must be a sore point for him. Glancing at the time on her watch, she called out, “Dinner time. I'd like two plates of pasta, salad, bread rolls, and water please.” A table appeared in between Akira and Angel with the proffered items. Abyssal Angel looked down at the plate in front of him, then said, “I'm sorry. I don't eat food.” Akira looked at him startled and said, “But all people eat!” Abyssal Angel simply replied, “My suit sustains me.” A look of understanding dawned on Akira and she said, “Is that why you never take it off? Would you die without it?” Angel shook his head and said, “No that's not the reason.” Akira nodded slightly, distracted, and said, “Oh, well... why don't you take it off then?”

Angel stood up, turned around and said, “I'm going out again.” Akira looked up, surprised. “What? Why?” Angel paused for a moment, then turned to look more fully at Akira and asked, “Do you want me to stay?” Akira started and blushed, saying, “Well… um…” Suddenly she grew angry and yelled, “Why does it matter? You obviously do things your own way so just go!” Angel stared at her impassively for a moment, then turned back around and said, “As you wish.” Just as he reached the wall and a doorway appeared for him to step through, he paused again, and said, “Thank you for offering dinner.” With that he stepped through the wall and disappeared, leaving behind a confused woman with the slowly sinking feeling that she'd just screwed up royally, as she remembered who she just yelled at, and the fact that she didn't even really understand why she yelled at all.

“I'm so screwed…” she moaned, burying her face in her hands.

It took nearly three days before Abyssal Angel came back. Three days Akira spent alternately reading, watching movies, playing video games, or whatever else she set her mind to, so long as she kept it off a certain dark vigilante. She'd set up a sort of routine at this point, wake up, get breakfast, do whatever, eat lunch, do whatever, eat dinner, bathe, get a nice long massage, then go to sleep. It felt like a giant vacation compared to her life before. Not that it mattered to her much, since she hated her job. It only put food on the table. Akira wondered if she'd been fired yet. Her boss might not have even noticed she had disappeared yet for all she knew.

Akira had been an auditor, taking surveys, listening to local gossip, and reporting back to a firm that helped finance the Builders. It wasn't the greatest job in the world and she hated prying into people's lives like that. She certainly prided herself in her investigative skills, but it was all just a stepping stone for her. She had originally wanted to become a Builder herself. It seemed like a dream to her when the Clan Wars ended, turning what had been nightmarish weapons into the greatest thing since the discovery of fire. The idea of being able to create anything by simply imagining it had caught the dreams of many, and she'd been one of them.

Of course, Akira wasn't too keen on the idea of accidently poisoning herself to death, but she felt it to be a reasonable risk. Now her dreams were pretty much shattered thanks to Abyssal Angel. She might've been angry or depressed, if not for one thing. See, Akira enjoyed the vacation and the uninterrupted pursuit of her hobbies, but what really caught her is Abyssal Angel's room. She greatly enjoyed asking it to create things for her, and had even started on designing new rooms, expanding this sanctuary a little. She'd already set up a movie theater of sorts hidden behind a `false wall'. She didn't know if Angel would spot it or not, but she could hope so long as he wasn't too pissed at her already.

Akira sighed again. She'd been trying to avoid thinking about Abyssal Angel after she'd figuratively shoved her foot in her mouth. Pacifist or not, Angel is the most dangerous man in the Solar System, and she'd do best to remember it. When he came back, Akira felt fully prepared to either beg forgiveness or offer him her life, or other things if he wished it. Akira shook her head a little, chasing that thought away. She always felt she was a practical woman, and she'd come to accept that she felt attracted to Abyssal Angel, but she had made herself a promise never to fall in love again. Lately though, she was starting to forget why.

Abyssal Angel walked through the wall and stopped, looking around. Akira froze in the process of finishing her lunch and just stared at him. After a few moments, Angel turned to her and said, “I see you've made some changes to the place.” Akira gulped and started, “Angel… about that night, three days ago? I…” Angel cut her off saying, “You may keep the changes you've made. For future reference, you may change anything you like, and I will choose to discuss with you if there's something I dislike.”

Akira swallowed her words and nodded, looking down. Angel hadn't moved. She could see his boots still standing in the same place. She felt a sudden desire to remove those boots, along with the rest of his clothing, but quickly pushed it aside. Those boots strode towards her and she held still in her spot cross legged on the floor. The boots stopped a foot away from her, and Angel crouched in front of her and laid his hand on her shoulder. Akira started and looked up into Angel's face, seeing her reflection in his glossy black eye pieces. With a start, she realized her reflection is crying, and she quickly wiped her face dry. Stupid hormones. She thought.

Angel said quietly, “I bear no grudge against you Akira. These are trying times. It's alright if you need to vent or get your frustrations out.” Akira hiccupped and nodded. Angel gave a small squeeze and stood back up, turning to the false wall and turning it into rather nice looking French style double doors to match the change Akira made to her own bedroom door. Akira followed him through the door as he surveyed the miniature theatre. Miniature only in the number of seats available; Gigantic in everything else. Akira had transferred all her video game things, including the books and movies she'd started to collect up, into the theatre already. The only touch of hers left in the original room is that large red couch and the doors to the theatre and her room.

Akira had been considering expanding that room with a kitchenette and bar, but she didn't quite dare. Now with Angel's permission, she would start going all out, within limits of course. She didn't want to truly piss off her host/sort of landlord. Akira cleared her throat and softly asked, “Do you like it?” Angel looked around, then turned back and said, “Where are the speakers?” Akira answered, “Well, there are none. I came up with this idea that I'd been toying with if I ever became a Builder myself. I used to mess with all types of electronics and wiring before the war broke out, and I thought about making a set of wireless speakers that turned the walls, floor, and ceiling into the speakers instead. It's the same idea, except instead of the walls, the very air in this room is the speaker. Listen.”

Akira stepped forward and started up a movie and moved it to the middle of the action scene. Abyssal Angel watched, impressed, as he judged that going by the camera's position in the film, he could pinpoint exactly where the gunfire is coming from around him as if he were the camera itself, while Akira explained just that. The only thing that could make it better, he decided, is that if your own perspective was that of the camera itself rather than viewing the large screen that showed the camera's perspective.

When Akira finished explaining, Angel gave a nod and said, “I'm impressed. You'd make a fine Builder.” Akira smiled a little sadly and said, “Thanks. I know that's not going to happen though. They screen Builders very thoroughly after all. Can't have them starting another Clan War right? With the record I have now, there's no way I'd make it through the screening…” Akira felt depressed at the thought. Angel shrugged and said, “There are other ways to become a Builder other than going through the government screening and training program.” Akira looked up, hopeful, “There are?” Angel nodded and said slowly, “I could teach you.”

In a matter of seconds, Abyssal Angel had an armful of extremely happy, overexcited Akira as she made an unconscious effort to hug him to death squealing out, “You will!? Oh THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!” It took a few moments before Akira became somewhat calm again and Abyssal Angel could be heard to say, “You're welcome.” As soon as she heard him say it, she suddenly became aware of just whom she's hugging and how soft his suit is. It feels just like real leather. Almost like suede. She thought before jumping away from him stuttering apologies.

Abyssal Angel cleared his throat and said, “It's alright.” Akira tried desperately to think of something to say, embarrassed and blushing furiously, she asked, “So umm… is there a limit to what I can create? I don't want to create something so large that it juts out of the building and warns everyone where we are.” Angel did something then Akira hadn't thought he was capable of doing. He chuckled. She inwardly gaped and gushed as she thought, He should do that more often… Angel answered, “You don't have to worry about it. You could create a room the size of Metropolis One and no one would notice. The great thing about this place is that it technically doesn't exist.”

Akira tilted her head to the side trying to figure out how that's possible before giving up and asking, “How does it not exist?” Angel answered, “Because I built this room in another plain of existence, one that I created that consists of this room only. The only connection to this existence that this room has is me, so only I can enter and exit here, let alone find it. I can also enter and exit at any location I wish. I only went to the top of that building when I brought you here because it wasn't being monitored at the time.”

When Angel had finished explaining, Akira's jaw had dropped and she asked, “How is that even possible!?” Angel answered, “That's just among some of the few things I will teach you. You won't learn anything like this at the Government Academy for Builders. They only think in terms of what exists in this existence and how they can manipulate it. I will teach you how to expand yourself beyond that, and your creation of these rooms is your start on that.” Akira nodded, feeling a little numb.

Angel snapped Akira out of her musings by saying, “Pick a movie.” Snapping out of it, she asked, “What?” Angel said again, “Pick a movie. I want to watch one in this theatre of yours. Each room you make I want you to give me a tour of what you can make it do. So let's watch a movie.” Akira snapped her mouth shut and nodded, and picking a random action flick, she pushed it in and took a seat next to Angel and commenced in what Akira would secretly forever know as her and Angel's very first date.