Well folks...here's one of the stories I've been putting off sending to this list.  PLEASE
PLEASE PLEASE C&C!  This chapter and my others as well.  Please? Heh...I'm begging
shamelessly now. ^_^

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The Student

by Kthardin

Disclaimer:  A few of these characters aren't mine.  A few of
these situations aren't mine.  However some of them are.  If you
can't tell the difference go watch the OVA's.  There.

Authors Forward:  Well here we are folks.  The first in a run of
side stories of Heaven and Eternity fame.  I've found that people
are almost never what they seem; truth is stranger than fiction,
and that it's true that if you have the will and the love no
force can over come you.  Of course there in lies a weakness; the
love we have can make us do things that we would otherwise not.
This leads sometimes to the greatest of deeds or the greatest of
shames.  You can read this and judge for yourself which one this
is.

<Opening Music: Unforgiven-Metallica>

"Gohan!  What is your mission?"
 -Piccolo

   The regular grind began again.
   The day began just like any other.
   The students shambled into the classroom, bedraggled,
harried, eyes blood shot.  Faces haggard as an old beggars.  Lips
parched as though the hottest of deserts was in their path from
wherever they were to the class room they now filed into.  Most
seemed to almost stumble into their seats.  Some almost collapsed
before they even got there.  Some did.
   Must have been one hell of a party, thought the instructor.
Of course she knew about the party.  Hell there were hundreds
every weekend (actually it was really just one big party that
shambled off into various pocket parties around this campus; the
campus being the world they were currently on).  Like she
wouldn't know about the party.  In her younger days she partied
like there was no tomorrow.  In her younger days...her eyes
misted slightly, she could put any of these youngsters to shame
with what she did.  She never partied anymore.  She never had a
reason to.
   "Yo.  Todain to Teach.  You with us?"
   She started.  That had come from the Dralthii in the front
row.  The female one, Trini, her name was.  The one the others
called 'Hot lips.'  And no it wasn't the mouth type lips they
were referring to when they called her that.  's funny the
instructor thought.  That lady wore the name with pride.  There
was a time when she had a similar title.  Those days were long
since over though.
   "Yes.  I suppose I am."  A mischievous turn of mind caused
her to do what she did next.  No one could ever say she didn't
have a sense of humor.  "GOOD MORNING CLASS!"
   Loud and piercing her voice rang across the room echoing
off the walls; quite possibly she was heard in the next room.  Or
even the next building, that had been known to happen.  In any
case it had the effect she was hoping for as she cackled at their
extreme discomfort.  Hangovers have two really interesting
effects.  One being sensitivity to light.  The other sound.  So
to the denizens of the class; her voice (normally quite
energetic; yet comforting) sounded like an atomic bomb going off
inside their heads.
   Needless to say they all made a silent vow to get her
later.  Not that they had ever 'gotten' her as she was the
acknowledged grandmaster of all things in the ream of
prankishness.  In fact it backfired in their faces more times
than not.  This never dissuaded them, it was the principle if the
thing you see.
   Her eyes roved her domain.  Sharp with the intellect of
nothing that could possibly be sane she picked apart and
dissected each of her students in a heartbeat.  Each felt her
gaze; giving her their complete and utter undivided attention.
She would demand no less.
   After all she was the best.
   Or as she put it 'The greatest scientific mind in the
UNIVERSE!'
   A fact that none had either disputed or thought to
question.  No.  All knew of this ones talent; to be picked for
her class was an honor of the highest caliber.  Only the best
were allowed here.  And of these only the best would graduate
further still to her more advanced courses.  She was the best.
No problem she put her considerable talents to work on could ever
hope to stand up to her.  They had all been witnesses to that
first hand.  And with people it seemed she could do the same.
Within seconds of watching you she could know almost everything
about you; not your history to be sure (unless she took the time
to read your files) but what you would do in most given
situations.  How you act under any stimuli.  For this reason
especially she commanded the respect, attention, awe, and even a
little (actually in a few specific cases it was quite a lot;
something about kapas they said) fear from her students.  And
quite a number of others she loosely considered her peers.  The
gaze as they called it, was when she was watching, studying those
around her.  That state of mind when she picked you apart and saw
you for what you were.  It was those eyes that stared at the
class now.  Those piercing green eyes.  Suddenly those eyes
narrowed as they roved a spot, and found something out of place.
   "Where's SeeKei?"  she asked, in that tone.
   Oh shit.  That tone.  That disapproving tone that suggested
it would perhaps be best to be somewhere not here when the object
of her ire finally showed his face.  Of course this would be the
appropriate time for him to show up...however it seemed he let
the class sweat a bit before he stumbled in.  He wasn't even on
time for the cue, the instructor thought.
   She studied him.  Analyzed him.  Picked him apart.  And
came up with a ? in her mind.  It always did that when it came
to...this student.  He was an enigma, a puzzle to be solved.  He
walked by her, not stumbling like the others, no he had a balance
that no amount of drugs or pain could take away.  She looked up
at him, not by much as he was not much taller than her; making
him rather short actually, and continued her investigation.  His
eyes were a color like hers green like emeralds, piercing,
betraying an intelligence there that overshadowed a great...pain.
Something had happened to this one.  Haunted at times as well.
He hid it as best he could.  His face; nothing special really
about.  He was not hansom, not plain looking either, but not ugly
far from it. However there was something there.  Something she
couldn't quite place.  Something that drew her.  A confidence
maybe.  Perhaps.  A confidence of knowing exactly what he could
do, and what he could become.  On one cheek, his left one was a
scar, slight, fading, but noticeable.  She wondered idly how he
got it.  It was obvious to her that was probably not the only
scar he had.  This one had seen battle many times.  His hair was
rather in a disarray this morning.  Probably because he had only
showered and not bothered to brush it.  However normally it was
perfectly straight and cascaded down his back ; tied back into a
pony tail to keep it out of his eyes.  It glinted copper in the
sun as he walked.  Not copper as most would view the word.  A
reddish blond color.  No this was the color of the element men
had dubbed COPPER.  His clothing was as usual a standard science
academy outfit; well kept, everything in it's place; almost
immaculate really.  Except for the fingerless jet black glove
that he wore on his left hand.  Only one hand; why?  she wondered
again.
   All this she took in as he walked to his desk and sat down.
There was another thing she couldn't fathom.  He never stumbled.
He never swayed.  His clothing was not out of place (as she noted
before).  His eyes seemed alert.  Yet perhaps it was *something*
about the way he walked.  Perhaps it was the way he said a word
or even a vague gesture.  Whatever it was that told her;
something was telling her that at this moment SeeKei was about
ten times more stoned than anyone else in this class.
   All this added up to one big ?.  She did not like big '?'s.
There were no such thing as '?' in the cosmos.  And if there were
they needed to be investigated, analyzed, dissected until finally
that '?' became a '!'.  Such was the reason for her existence.
For the existence of science really.  The reason she existed.
Something would have to be done about this situation.
   "So nice of you to grace us with your presence."  He barely
acknowledged her acid tone of voice.  No this would not do at
all.  She would simply have to make an example out of him.
Unfortunately she had found making an example of this student
presented a whole new set of challenges.  One she had almost
thrown herself into with a passion bordering on her passion for
science.  Yes science.  Good old reliable science.  It could
never lie or betray.  Could never leave for the laws it abided by
the whole universe revolved around.  Science could not be wrong,
otherwise reality was meaningless.  And reality was hardly
meaningless.  Sure it was in how you perceived it; yet it was
there, and did do what it did, regardless of your wants or
desires.  Almost living in and of itself really.  How else could
one explain Murphy's law?
   Yes she thought, I must do something about him.
   Class began.  These lectures were basics really.  The
foundation on which everything else would be built.  Very
important were they.  At one time one of the students asked her
why she taught such basic material, even if it was to the best of
those in the academy.
   She had answered because she hated to see such potential
fucked up by those who didn't know jack about shit.  So she
needed to get to them before their minds became so warped that
when they started the more advanced stuff their lack of knowledge
wouldn't come back and bite them on the ass.
   She observed her class as she taught; all eyes were on her;
fingers busily typing at their respective holoboards.  All were
almost enraptured by her voice and the messages she was sending
them.  Of course it could have simply been some lingering effects
of whatever dope they had had the previous weekend, but she
decided not to go there.  All that is except one.  SeeKei.  Damn
bastard was staring at the ceiling; no doubt counting the cracks
for some obscure reason only known to him and highschool
students.
   She sent a mental command to a certain device in subspace.
The statue landed firmly and with a gratifying sound imbedded
itself in his head.
   He didn't even acknowledge it's existence.  At most he
turned his head slightly so he could better see the ceiling.
   "So tell me if you would SeeKei, what is the appropriate
answer to the question I posed a second ago?"
   He shifted his head so his eyes could meet hers.  He almost
laughed.  She was short; shorter than him.  A child really.  No.
He knew better.  There was a woman there.  A woman of strength
enough to shatter worlds by will alone; a woman of passion;
whatever it was that aroused those passions had better be of a
similar passion lest it be consumed.  Intelligence would be an
understatement.  She practically reeked of that.  It was an aura
she exuded, a smell she emitted.  You could not know her; and if
she walked into a room it was so potent you would at least know
*that* about her.  And be truly awed.  She wore the robes of a
professor; they looked rather funny he thought; on such a small
frame.  He smiled.  Those piercing green eyes widened.  The eye
brows of bright red perked up.  Her head moved slightly; the
blindingly bright red spiked hair that was barely kept in check
by her head band moved animatedly.
   She was annoyed.
   His smile turned into his grin.
   The class nearly collectively groaned.  They knew what came
next.
   He was going to annoy her further.
   "It's a trick question."  The other students looked at him
serendipitously.  Here we go again.  "The tackyon beam and the
subspace oscillation field cancel each other out at that
frequency.  Perhaps if you used an antimatter stream focused by a
simple laser in place of the tackyons you would achieve the same
effect.  'Course then you would need to set up a containment
field that would both protect you and not disturb the chain
reaction, but that could be done with quantum field distortion
set to around 16 or 17 GU (or somewhere in that area) if you
really wanted to take the time and effort that is."
   The other students sat dumbfounded.
   The instructor actually frowned.
   Uh oh.
   "That is correct."  The instructor stated.
   He had done it again.
   "Please see me after class."
   "Sure."  He smiled again.
   This probably didn't bode well.  The smart ones (actually
there were no stupid ones, so perhaps smarter would be more
appropriate) in the class made mental notes to get the fuck out
of dodge.

   Class ended.  The class filed out.  The individual students
going off to wherever or whatever (and at times whoever) they did
next.  SeeKei remained.
   The instructor was not frowning.  She was not smiling.  In
fact she had no expression on that cute face of hers.  A face he
knew that could turn from cute to stunningly beautiful; if she
wanted.  He grinned a little.  This was going to be fun.
   "How did you know the answer?"  Cutting right to the chase
huh?
   "It was easy.  You discussed both effects last week.
Antimatter streams are covered in basic ship dynamics.  As for
the field anyone who has even a remote bit of knowledge about
protection should be able to come up with something equivalent."
He shrugged.  "Just put it all together."
   Her frown deepened.  "I wonder."  His eyebrow lifted.
Almost identically to hers.  "You have a good...no...a mastery of
the basics."  THAT is a complement coming from her.  She never
says anyone masters anything until they at least have achieved a
level far above even some of the instructors here.  He was almost
to a point of blushing.  "My question is this; why did you
request..." Actually he demanded this course, but she didn't need
to know that. "this course?"
   "Easy enough to answer." he grinned in that most maddening
way, the way that seemed to be making fun of her even as he
spoke.  "One because I needed to prove to everyone here I could
really do it.  Makes my life easier from here on.  Two because I
heard this was the easiest way to get you for a teacher."  Both
of her eyes widened.  He had managed to surprise; yes even stun
her.  "You are the best."  She nodded her head at the complement.
"Three: because it's always good at times to go back to the
basics.  It helps in ones more advanced studies."  She blinked.
Twice.  She turned from him.  What did I say?  Oh. Yeah.
   "Yes it does don't it?"  She almost sounds sad.  Damnit.
   He rose from his seat and walked to her.  He startled her
by placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.  "Are you alright?"
   She quickly composed herself.  To the untrained eye, it
would seem there was not a trace of sadness in her bearing.  His
eyes saw everything, but he would make sure they didn't reflect
that.  Not reflect that he knew that she was in pain.  "Yeah.
Just an old memory.  What you said reminded me of someone."  He
nodded his head in understanding.
   "Well I'm free if you need to talk about it."  he offered.
   She smiled gratefully.  Then her expression turned
outraged.  This bastard had changed the subject!  "You will
report to the school director tomorrow.  He will have a new
schedule for you.  You will start my advanced classes tomorrow."
The tone brooked no dissent or discussion.
   This was an act never before done in the entire history of
the academy.  She must think very highly of him indeed for this
to even occur.  He almost cried in joy.   His face must have
broke into a silly grin, it was the only thing he could think of
that would cause her to laugh as hard as she did.  "Just don't
disappoint me."
   He lost all expression.  "Never!  I would never dishonor
you by failing you at this task you have set before me."  Touched
a nerve there she thought.
   "Good."
   He nodded.  "You have no further need of me?"
 She nodded a negative.
   He turned to walk away, but stopped for a moment.  He
turned back.  His eyes had just gone from mirthful to concerned.
Concerned for her.  "The offer still stands."
   She gasped; although very faintly.  "Thanks."  It had been
a VERY long time since someone had been really concerned just for
her.  It felt good.  She felt a strange warming sensation in her
chest.  Oh no girl.  You WILL not fall in love like that!
Satisfied that THAT wouldn't happen she began to make a mental
compilation of the paper work as well as the list of favors she
would have to call in (of which she had more than enough) in
order for her to have him advanced as far as she wanted.
   Still as she did this she wondered about something.  His
file was almost nonexistent; didn't detail his past at all.  She
was curious about that.  So many things he did seemed familiar
somehow.  A few mannerisms at most, but those seemed
almost...something.  "Where are you from by the way?  I'm not
sure if I ever caught that."
   His face turned into a complete unreadable mask.
Unchangeable as adamant it seemed when he did this.  "I never
threw it.  And if it's all the same I'd rather not say."  She
nodded her acceptance.  No she would never get it out of him.
Still her lack of understanding was nagging at her; demanding she
find some kind of answer.   She pondered this as he walked out of
the classroom.  Suddenly her eyes latched onto something on the
floor.
   A single copper hair.  His hair.
   She smiled.  Why not?

   The instructor checked her readings for about the tenth
time.  The scans revealed the same conclusion as the other nine
times.  Inconclusive.  She drummed her fingers on her holoboard
and looked at a another holoscreen above her main one.  It wasn't
the characteristics; those shown out loud and clear.  Green eyes,
check.  Copper hair, check.  Height, check.  Nice healthy
specimen of Male, check and double check.  No, those were all
easily read.
   She glanced at another screen.  One that showed a double
helix pattern of a DNA chain.  It was the history contained
within the DNA itself.  The part that said this is my ancestry,
sucks don't it?  That part was...well blurred.  The part she
really needed to see.  The part that would tell her where he came
from, what he was.  Hmmm.  It seemed that there were certain...
chemicals attached to the Helix chains.  Chemicals that masked
the exact nature of the chains from her scanners.  That
definitely sheds some light on the subject.  Chemicals that did
that would have the side effect of rendering the person in
question nearly insensible.  Which explained why SeeKei was...how
to put this delicately...naa!  He was snockered off his ass!
Hmmm...It was nothing short of amazing that he was as capable as
he was even in that state.  My god!  If he were to quit taking
those drugs he could well be my match in intellect!  But why does
he do this?  Why does he feel the need to hide himself?  For what
reason?  I must know!  How to get around the blurring agents
though?  No problem is beyond my ken.  It is only a matter of
time.  "After all I am the number one genius scientist in the
universe." She finished out loud.  The following cackle raised
more than a few hairs on the students that passed by.  Even
managed to pause Trini in the middle of her recent conquest...er
project.
   Suddenly something was out of place.  Something was not
right in her lab.  Something was here that wasn't supposed to be.
She turned and *those eyes* began roving her lab.  They
dissected, analyzed and investigated every micrometer.  They
moved over the Giant flux capacitor; humming as continued
operation.  Over the holding tank of specimens, containing
whatever (the contents changed daily sometime even hourly)they
did presently.  Past the shadow acting too much like a shadow.
Over the poster of a Juraian tree ship.  Skimming the...wait a
sec.  Her eyes moved back to the shadow.
   Nothing remarkable about it.  Yet something wasn't right
almost as if it were trying to be what it was.  Yet that didn't
make sense.  First off the light was in the proper position to
cause the device in question to cast such a shadow.  Second how
could a shadow act like a shadow?  Shadows are simply the absence
of light and have no will of their own.  She studied it further,
yet her eyes just couldn't pick out what it was about it.
   "Heh.  I was wondering when you would see me."  A voice
spoke.  No she knew the voice.
   A figure seemed to detach itself from the shadow and form
the basic structure of a man.  Almost melting into that form.  So
that's it.  That's what he is.  Only one type of person can do
that.  Or so she had knowledge of.  Which wasn't to say that
others might not have the knowledge, just these type were the
ones known to her.  Even if she didn't know she saw *that* mark
on the back of his left hand.  Now conspicuously without his
glove.  The dragon mark had wings spread out, almost inviting;
it's hand open as if receiving an embrace; it's eyes, they
betrayed a wisdom of ages, an intelligence unfathomable, a
kindness without limit.  And the Phoenix below it; the bird of
fire, it's wings spread and intertwined with the dragons; it's
eyes alight with an excitement; anticipation even, and it's mouth
open, screaming at the joy of being alive.  Passion and Logic.
Whatever is needed at the time it seemed to say.  A yin and yang
of sorts.  He was a Deneign Warrior Priest.
   "Get what you need?"  He asked; slightly amused.
   "You know the answer to that as well as I do!" she
retorted.  He shook his head as he walked up to her.
   "Yes I do."  He walked past and leaned on the nearest
terminal.  He was tired.  So very tired.  It radiated from him
like a wave of lethargy.  His back was turned from her, and his
head, bowed resting on his arm.
   Plop, Splash.  Huh?  She looked down.  Two spots of water
had appeared to either side of him.  He's Crying!  Why is he
crying?  "He said this would happen.  I didn't believe it.  I
told him I could handle it.  Now I have no choice.  What a fool I
was." he cursed himself.  What are you talking about?  He turned
toward her, a slight grin on his face; his eyes still streaming
tears; reflecting a deep sadness.  "You are everything he said
you were.   And more.  So very much more."  What are you saying?
"I see why he loves you still.  Will love you forever.  I see now
why he protects you like he does."  Protects me?  What are you
talking about?  "I see you are puzzled.  Perhaps if I did this?"
he suggested.  His hands moved up and smoothed back his hair.
Where they passed the hair turned gold yellow, wavy, almost curly
really.
   An illusion, but it awakened something inside.  Something
she had long ago buried.  Something struggling to be heard.  And
heard she did.
   Loud and Clear!
   He didn't really look like *HIM*.  Yet perhaps it was his
stance.  Perhaps his attitude.  Perhaps it was that little grin
he always wore.  It was all *his*.  The rest of it was easy
enough to see what was familiar.
   Those green piercing eyes, the very face said it all.  Now
that he quit blurring it as he did somehow.
   It was like looking into a mirror.
   Dumbfounded her eyes opened wide.  Her mouth parted
slightly as these thoughts made their way slowly through her
head.  He's rather short.  Wonder where he got that from.  He's
strong.  Better than us both.  So much better than us both.
Another thought began to intrude.  My baby.  My little baby boy
is all grown up.  Well a couple of thousand years does that; the
analytical part of her mind noted.  She was hardly aware that she
was being held.  Had been held for sometime.  Had been crying in
his chest holding him tight.  She looked into his eyes, the eyes
of HER son, and saw...Why that? She wondered.  Why such despair?
My son is with me again.  This should be a time of happiness!
Yet his eyes remained sad.
   "He protects you.  I had to know why.  He loves you.  I do
too.  I couldn't help but love you." He began.  A hollow feeling
was forming in her stomach.
   "NOO!" she screamed.  "I won't let you go!  I lost your
father to those crazy families I won't loose you too!"  He smiled
gently.  Just like his father.  So much like his father.
   "I will not let them hurt you mother.  And as long as you
know who I am there is that risk."  She shook her head no.  "If
necessary I must be able to leave."  He traced the outline of her
face in the gesture of affection she knew so well.  At the end
cupping her face gently and kissing her on the forehead.  She
suddenly felt his mind invade hers.  She fought; oh she fought to
no avail.  And truthfully?  In the final analysis, she didn't
want to.   She didn't want to fight her son.  <Why?  Why must you
do this?> She felt his utter consuming despair as he erased that
part of her mind that contained these memories.
   <Because they don't know you're my mother.  No one does.
They don't know he's my father.  Only a few trusted individuals
know that.>  She felt his gut wrenching sadness as he close off
her curiosity about him; making sure she would never find out
about him again.
   <But if it must, it can be our secret.  You don't need to
do this!>
   <I will take no risks.  You will not be endangered.  I love
you.  I love father.  I will not let anything happen to you, and
I will not let his sacrifice be in vain.  I'm sorry.>  And for
one brief moment; she saw everything about him.  His life, his
childhood, his dreams, hopes, fears, EVERYTHING.
   <I know you!>  she cried silently.  <I love you my son.>
   And then it was gone.  She slumped in his arms unconscious.
   He sat her down at one of her desks.  He composed himself
for a moment before he exited the office; taking care to delete
all records pertaining to tonight.  Also making sure no one saw
him as he left.
   He walked.  He walked until he found himself somewhere not
there.  Somewhere not anywhere really.  Only then did he let his
feelings loose.
   They wondered about that scream for quite sometime.

CK personal log:

She found out today.  Hmph.  At first I thought I could keep it a
secret; that she wouldn't find out.  The first day I met her I
knew that was only hollow hope, that I was in fact deluding
myself.  It was only a matter of time.  DAMNIT!  Why did I have
to be so much like her?  Why did I have to be so much like
father?  Heh.  I answer my own question.  Yes she found out.  And
I had to take that away so she would never find out again.  Dear
god forgive me, for I cannot forgive myself what I had to do to
keep her safe.  I never should have come.  And now I cannot
leave.  She will never know again unless I choose to let her.
And I won't.  Not until we finally make sure that what happened
before never happens again.  Not until they are all dead.  I hope
one day she will find it in her heart to forgive me.  I violated
her in a way that every teaching I had ever received said was a
wrong of the highest order.  She may never.  No matter.  She'll
be alive, and she'll have a chance to be happy.  I suppose that's
what it comes down to.  I hope you find something to keep you
happy mom.  In any case I will be with you for awhile longer yet.
Though it tortures me to be so close, yet so far.  I'll live with
it though.  I have to.

<Closing Theme:  Lonely Moon-Sharon Scott>

End.  Heh.  C&C go to kthardin@geocities.com

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