Xenosaga Fan Fiction ❯ 30 Kisses ❯ Benediction ( Chapter 11 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
Title: Benediction
Author: Me
Pairing: Nigredo, Rubedo (except really, really too young)
Fandom: Xenosaga
Theme: #22 cradle
Disclaimer: Do I look rich to you?
Warning: Please do not take Rubedo's actions as an orthodox religious ceremony. In the story, he's just a kid who doesn't really know what he's doing. If you want information on the actual procedure of baptism, check out: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02258b.htm or Wikipedia.

S E C T I O N B R E A K

"666, 667 and 668 report to the incubation room now." Dr. Yuriev's voice boomed over the crackling PA system. In the training room a mass of blond heads turned towards the three shortest figures scampering out. The mental link began to buzz and hum with the usual litany of (Monsters), (Abominations) and (Mistake). One of the figures began to whimper softly, a pale boy with wide, liquid violet eyes.

"Just ignore them," said the flame haired girl, striding away confidently despite her less than 4 ft. height. "They're just jealous 'cause even together that's the worst they can say."

"Yeah," chimed in the red-headed boy. "Anyway we aren't mistakes or ambonimations-"

"Abominations" corrected the girl.

"-abominations or monsters or anything like that. We're special."

"I don't want to be special!" cried the white-haired boy.

"You don't want to be like them either, do you?" asked the girl contemptuously. "They can't even think right."

"No . . . I just want them to stop picking on me!"

"They pick on us too. But they can't do anything except 'cackle and gab' as the Realians say." 668 might have continued, but they had reached the incubation room and none of the three wanted to anger Dr. Yuriev.

"Come in. I want the three of you to meet the newest URTV." One thin hand gestured to the incubator, where a small, nearly full-grown fetus waited to be decanted. "This is 669. He's another variant, like yourselves."

"You're making more URTVs? I thought we were the last," said the red-haired boy, blue eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"No, this is the last. 668, although you are the control of the URTV army, 669 will be the failsafe, just in case something should happen to you and you are unable to perform your duties."

"Failsafe?" asked the albino clone.

"Yes. 669 is to be the Executioner, capable of destroying all URTVs in case there is a loss of control."

668 frowned. "We don't need a failsafe; I'm able to perform my duty perfectly. Besides, if you had to make another URTV, why didn't you make it a girl? There are too many boys already."

"There were many factors, other than gender equality or the need to preserve the mitochondrial DNA, that went into that decision." Dr. Yuriev might have elaborated on that statement, but his beeper went off. "Not another incident in the training room." He got up to leave. "The three of you can stay and read more about your brother. However, be sure to go to your tactical lessons in half an hour." With that, the elderly doctor was out the door.

The red-head immediately went to the desk and began to pull up facts. "Independence from link . . . increased UDO resistance . . . hypnotic voice augmented by changes to the irises . . . looks like this one doesn't act like we do. Instead of neutralizing UDO, he seems to resist or be immune to it."

The girl was carefully examining the incubation tube. "Does it say what color his eyes are?"

"Hmm," said the blue-eyed boy. "Nope"

"We should give it a name," interjected the albino. "He's just like us so he should have a name, not just a number."

"What do you want to call him?" asked the girl.

"Well, he's got black hair, can hypnotize with his eyes and his voice and he's supposed to kill all of us . . . how about Basilisk?" Violet eyes looked hopefully up into blue.

"I don't think so. That's not a very nice name Albedo. Let's see, Dr. Yuriev named us after specific aspects of psy-psychology, didn't he?"

The girl nodded. "From Jung. Or from phases in alchemy. Whatever that is."

Rubedo began reading aloud from the material displayed by the hologram. "Albedo: 'whitening' or preparation for infusion of spirit, Cinitras-"

"Citrine," stated the girl, blue eyes flashing.

"The 'yellowing', the reunification of the spirit and the materia, and Rubedo: 'reddening', the final stage of completion." continued the red-haired boy. "There's another stage listed here."

"Go on." The white haired boy closed his eyes and leaned on his twin.

"Nigredo: 'blackening' the first stage of alchemy, the stage of decay."

"Well," said Citrine. "He does have black hair and he is supposed to kill us. Dead things decay."

"Fine, we'll call him Nigredo."

"I don't like him." said Albedo. "I don't like something that's going to separate me from Rubedo."

"I agree," added Citrine. "He's unnecessary. And why did Dr. Yuriev make him three years after us? He doesn't fit in." She looked as though she expected an answer from the eldest, but Rubedo had none to give. Finally she turned away. "Come on, Albedo. We'd better hurry or we're gonna be late for class."

The pale boy slipped after her, but stopped at the door. "Rubedo, aren't you coming?"

"Just a sec. I need to close this program before we leave."

"Okay"

When the glowing display had faded from the air, the oldest of the variants went to examine the fetus. He reached out one hesitant hand. There was something he, as the eldest, was supposed to do, but he didn't really understand. Finally he reached out and brushed a cross on the surface of the incubator. "I baptize you, Nigredo . . . " he hesitated. " . . . in the name of Dmitry Yuriev, as a fellow URTV, against UDO." He didn't think that was right, but he didn't have any more time. With that, he left, more worried about being scolded for being late than concerned about the creature growing in the incubator.

It wasn't a kiss, but it was the best benediction any of the URTVs could hope to have.