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tampered2007-01-05 12:06 am
theinfinite-667.livejournal.com) wrote in tampered2007-01-05 12:06 am
Log; Complete
When: January 3rd
Rating: PG (a little blood, but nothing else)
Characters: Albedo![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
theinfinite_667 and Yggdrasill heartxofxcruxis
Summary: Albedo gets a set of wings, through Yggdrasill's tampering and experimenting.
Log:
Albedo brushed a paint chip off his white cape and continued down the path, eyes trained on the distance, unfocused and wandering. This cursed City... He shook his head. He had better things to do than stay here...here, he couldn't even achieve his goals. None of them. Not the one...did U-DO even exist here? Rubedo certainly couldn't use his powers to Albedo's desires here. Not where even the dead were still alive.
His eyes settled, at last, on the crumbling walls. Whatever the building was, it looked ancient and ready to fall at any moment, just like the thousands upon thousands of worlds connected to the City's carousel. All evolved to their highest. All ready to die.
So am I... He sat on a crumbling stone, presumably one that had fallen from somewhere higher on the wall of the decrepit structure. Running gloved fingers through his milk-white hair, he sighed and laid his opposite arm in his lap. Rubedo...we're going to get out of here...aren't we? He couldn't have his brother doomed to immortality...
---
Yggdrasill had been on his way back to his laboratory from the forest when he noticed a familiar creature clad in white. He was in his younger form, having chosen to spend some quiet time to himself in the forest earlier with Kratos' gift. He may have scorned the gift when it was given to him and insulted Kratos' crafting skills, but now, he treasured the crude wooden creation. It was not the same pan pipe Martel had given him, but it.... he liked it.
"Albedo," he called out when he was closer. He hid the pan pipe under his coat and regarded the URTV with an arched eyebrow. "What brings you here?"
---
Albedo rose with a start, cape whirling, searching for the alto voice that had called his name. His violet eyes locked on a boy in a coat, watching him as if he knew the man, blonde hair occasionally fluttering in the faint breeze. Oh. Just a child. No one of consequence. One of the little mortals.
"Who are you, boy?" He regarded the child with a sharp half-smile and plunged a hand into his pocket. He hadn't put that picture into the frame yet. Himself and his two brothers...one who still looked like a child. "I don't know you."
---
Yggdrasill pouted clasped his hands together behind his back as he walked closer to the silver-haired URTV. "How amusing. It seems I have never shown you myself in this form..." he said with a quiet laugh. "I'll let that smile slide, Albedo. You certainly had no idea." He closed his eyes and willed the Cruxis Crystal to change his form. Bright light engulfed his small body for a moment, and then, in little Mithos' place was Yggdrasill, the leader of Cruxis. Adult.
He tossed his hair from his shoulder and then shrugged nonchalantly. "Can you recognize me now?"
---
The word almost made it out; his lips formed half a name, but his mind finished it. Rubedo... Child and adult. Boy and man. For And now this one, too...for a moment, he saw a flash of red hair, the brilliant blue eyes, the almost innocent smile that barely hid the wisdom beneath. The sight stung him; he raised a hand to his chest, over the right side where he could feel Rubedo's heartbeat, the place where his heart itself had been attached, long ago. He disguised the motion as crossing his arms, and threw his head back.
"Heh. I'd like to see you do anything about it." Taking on a sarcastic tone, he gave Yggdrasill the same wry look he had given the boy. "I'm surprised to see you here talking to some pseudo-human like myself, and in this wreck of a place as well." He glanced up toward the dilapidated building.
---
The seraphim regarded the dilapidated building with a brief look and 'hn'ed. "I was on my way back to my place and saw you. Simple as that." He paused and gave the URTV a questioning look. "What are you doing lurking around here? I doubt these are the kind of place you like to frequent. It's a bit lacking..."
---
"Lurking, eh?" He chuckled once, raising a brow and following the seraphim's gaze to the same view. "I'm here because I'm thinking, and it's quiet. I prefer to be in my ES, but I've flown around the edges of the City in it several times, and there's not much to do when the Simeon is too large to go anywhere else without knocking over a few trees or buildings."
---
"I take it you speak of a flying device...?" Yggdrasill inquired. "How big is it...? Back in my world, I had helped create a special kinds of transportation using the mana sources in our world. We had what we called "Rheiards". I wonder if it's any smaller than your machine..." He trailed away and then broke into quiet laughter.
"Of course, wings would remedy that. Or at least, an innate component that would allow flight one way or another."
---
"The Simeon is about two stories tall. I don't know how large your Rheiards are, and I've never heard of this 'mana.'" The acid faded from his stare, and this time he let his gaze settle on Yggdrasill's face, his own still with that smile, the one of confidence and a little bit of ferocious hysteria, but through it came a serious undertone. "Wings, eh? I believe I've heard this before from you. Another one of your demigod boastings?"
---
Yggdrasill's eyebrows rose and he smirked at the URTV. "That is big, Albedo. But perhaps they were made for space travel? That's the only explanation I can think of now -- you seem to come from a technologically advanced world...." He watched Albedo before continuing. "The Rheiards were an aerial form of transformation made for travel within the planet's atmosphere -- it's open. It wouldn't be able to sustain oxygen-dependent life on it. But of course, because it doesn't need to do so, nor possess enough energy to move in space, it's compact and can carry one or two people...."
"As for the wings--" He waved his hand and the rainbow-colored wings of light sprouted from his back. He floated slightly from the ground to demonstrate how well they could function. "They're made of mana, but I'm sure we can work on yours. In fact, like I said, we could probably create one for you without the use of a Cruxis Crystal..."
---
"What else would it be for? Of course it's for space travel." Albedo raised a white brow, but then both eyes widened just a bit when the seraphim's wings emerged from what seemed like nowhere and spread in a brilliant flare of colors. "This Cruxis Crystal. Mana. Perhaps you can explain what these mean while you try this?" The violet eyes glittered amethyst; a cunning grin caught the light. "Of course, I'm sure you'll want some kind of payment. Nothing comes for free these days, does it?"
---
Albedo had a very valid point, and Yggdrasill pretended to think for a while. "Let me see-- I do believe if I help you on this whim of yours then I will have gained myself a valuable ally, don't you think?" The seraphim folded his arms across his chest and sneered slightly. "Not all payment is done obviously, don't you think, Albedo?"
He retracted the wings and let his feet touch the ground once more. "Mm. Perhaps, in four thousand years time, my world too would have ventured into space... If its foolish inhabitants didn't kill each other first and whithered the world by their silly and destructive technologies and tools of war..... Your world is interesting."
---
"Me calling you ally doesn't necessarily mean I trust you, Albedo," Yggdrasill pointed out. "It means I see your use."
He smirked at the URTV. "How about we continue this conversation someplace less... open? My laboratory is nearby."
---
"I don't care if you do or not. I have nothing to fear from you. But I'd like to know what I'm being used for before you try anything that could land you in a world of trouble." Pulling at his glove, he trailed the seraphim into the doors of the battered laboratory.
---
Yggdrasill led Albedo to the elevator in silence. One they were inside and after the elevator began descending to the lowest level, the seraphim spoke. "Well. The fact that you're indestructible tells me you are not human. That piques my attention, dear one." When the doors opened, the seraphim stepped out and began heading to the portion of his laboratory furnished with stylish egg-shaped chairs with matching cushions.
"Make yourself comfortable, perhaps?" he said as he sat one. "And then, of course, the fact that it will prove to be interesting, perhaps, even amusing to deal with the likes of you--"
---
Albedo raised a brow, baring his teeth in a faint scowl, the sting returning to his tone. The way Yggdrasill spoke made his adrenaline flow; he didn't like the voice, and he didn't like that little "dear one," thrown in there. Yuriev had managed to take over Nigredo's body; who was to say that this being didn't have a few tricks up his sleeve?
"Of course I'm not human. I told you, I'm a URTV. But, perhaps instinct is telling me I should be on guard, if only because you've told me personally that all the world is prepared to betray us all." Confident, but nevertheless watchful, he sat in another chair -- they were weirdly comfortable -- and trained cool and alert eyes on the seraphim. "The last time I was in a laboratory, I was a tool. Don't get any ideas, angel-boy." He drummed his sharp nails on the armrest.
---
The response he got from the silver-haired URTV amused Yggdrasill. He chuckled amusedly. "Your speech betrays your age, Albedo," he said plainly. "I may not trust anyone, but I know when to tolerate, cooperate and play nice while the other party is still within my will. That is the only way you can gain anything. To fool them and act the fool."
The seraphim cupped his chin and looked thoughtful. "A sacrifice, you see? And admittedly, I do intend to use you as a tool, Albedo. What should I call you, otherwise? I tend to see everyone and everything as that.I wish to find out more about your existence -- and in wishing to do so, I treat you as a tool to gain such information. It's as simple as that."
---
He leaned back in the chair, forcing his muscles to uncoil. "I suppose twenty-six doesn't seem quite the adult to you, does it?" He chuckled once and glanced down at the floor. Perhaps that was how he always saw Rubedo -- so young, despite being an adult. And as for this tool business...it didn't sound like he was planning anything.
In fact, it sounded like what Albedo had told another here in the City, not so long ago. Namine had been a tool to discover information about the Pyramid beast; no one else could understand that he meant no harm; he only wanted to use her for that purpose and that one alone. All used others. That was his life as well as this seraphim's. There was no inherent betrayal there.
"I'm used to humans." He crossed his arms. "Let's get on with this, then. I'll play the part. So will you."
---
"That's good to hear--" He rose from his seat and floated towards the URTV. Once close enough, he reached to lightly touch Albedo on his cheek. "Can you withstand pain, Albedo? We may have to go through a little trial and error, and even then, your wings will be temporary, probably."
---
Albedo suppressed a flinch; he wasn't used to anyone touching him, especially not with that eerie featherlight motion. Despite his surprise, he smirked at the seraphim's words. "Pain is no stranger to me. I don't notice it much anymore." Yggdrasill was standing, so he followed suit, standing in place and waiting for further instructions. His eyes swept the room once, taking in the laboratory; he had thought that people from this man's world were not technological, but rather magical. Apparently that was a misjudgment.
---
"Then we'll start whenever you're ready." Yggdrasill walked over to one of his examination tables and picked up the white coat left on it. He put it on and dug into the coat's pocket to produce a small blue ribbon. He used it to tie his long hair up in a neat pony tail. "I will cut you open a bit, Albedo. Probably see if I can find mana in your body, first, and we'll go from there. Depending on what I find, I may have to cut open your head too." He smirked. "I hope this talk isn't off-putting?"
"I promise to be gentle."
When Cruxis and the Desian Organizations were still standing, he had had legions of scientists under his every whim, but he supposed, he was left to do this on his own. It had been a while, but Yggdrasill was confident in his skills. He would give Albedo a pair of angelic wings, and once he had a goal, Yggdrasill followed through.
---
"This should be interesting." Considering how he had once pulled off his own head with his own hands, he thought little of the pain that Yggdrasill could cause here in the lab. Removing his cape, he hung it on the back of the chair before unhooking the collar of his black and white flight suit. The thin suit stretched over his shoulders and came free as he pulled it away from his back, rolling it down to his waist, where it hung loose, sleeves resting against his legs. The air was chilly against his skin; obviously, even the heating systems in the lab were a little shot. When he leaned forward and pulled himself onto the table, the chilly metal sent a cold burst up his spine.
Folding his arms before him, he lay his head atop them and stared blankly at the far wall, tracing the edge of a chair just in front of it. Rubedo would kill him for this. He stifled a laugh; his brother would wonder what had possessed him to do something like this. Turning himself over to a four thousand year old scientist-angel -- at least, angel is what seemed a good description of Yggdrasill -- who claimed to be able to give him wings. Ah, well. If he made a wrong cut, it would all just heal again.
---
Yggdrasill's exploration and study of Albedo's body lasted for hours, with him carefully searching for any resemblance to the structure's of body from his world. For four thousand years, he had studied humans, elves and half-elves alike for the benefit of his causes, but never had he encountered anyone who possessed Albedo's abilities. Even if he did not immediately gain something in helping the URTV, he was sure the information would prove to be one day useful.
Once finished with his initial explorations, Yggdrasill momentarily left Albedo on the table to heal. He smirked at the sight of blood overflowing from examination table. Knowing Albedo capable of handling such extreme pain, he did not hold back and followed his intuition in search of answers.
"Albedo," he said while he worked on a nearby computer console to calculate the dimensions of the wings he would make Albedo. "Tell me about your kind." He had made physical wings for some of his followers, though he himself preferred the convenient mana-based wings he flew with. It was a pity Albedo would have to settle with the physical wings. Now, he wondered, if he could make it so it would retract and not be a hindrance without having to destroy it all the time. Tricky business, that, but Yggdrasill was confident he would make it. Perhaps, with a little help from himself.
---
An eerie, pale blue light surrounded the the scarlet, clotting scars across Albedo's back and nape. The pain was striking but not unfamiliar; he almost welcomed it; it made him remember that there was always still a chance of...
His hair was still stained, but a violet ripple washed over his skin, sealing up the wounds, the blood across them draining away onto the table, a few more drops spilling onto the floor. Eyes closed, face completely still and blank, he finally let his mind wander. Chest heaving, long breaths pulling his thoughts back into focus, he opened his eyes and glanced the seraphim's way.
"In our world, there is a force. U-DO. It is a consciousness of higher dimensions...contact with it can cause ordinary humans to lose their minds entirely. It summoned alien beasts called Gnosis into our dimension. We URTV's -- U-DO Retrovirus units -- were created and genetically modified to fight it. There were six hundred sixty-nine of us; four are different, called Variants; the others are all copies with a collective mind. I'm one of the Variants, 667." He tugged the glove off his right hand; on his palm, in letters pressed into the skin, was his number.
"Rubedo is 666. My sister Citrine is 668, and Nigredo is 669. All three are here as well. Each of us has a separate ability, a separate purpose...Rubedo possesses Red Dragon, a powerful combat power, and the ability to halt his aging. Nigredo is telepathic, and I've never seen him fight. Citrine, well...she's simply an annoyance, and we didn't work with her. I can regenerate infinitely, and I fight with what you could call psychic energy."
"You seem quite like what we would call an angel, except our concept of angels are of pure, innocent spirits." He laughed once, a rough and grating sound through the remnants of the pain. "What are you?"
---
Yggdrasill took in Albedo's words eagerly. It was strangely, very interesting. He had had little success with the creation of an actual, functioning, human-like living thing and so hearing what the URTV had had to say was rather... fascinating. When Albedo made his comment about angels, he found himself laughing himself. That was exactly what he had made the Cruxis teach to the pathetic humans.
"I'm an angel," Yggdrasill began, not looking at Albedo as he continued his calculations. "A highly-evolved existence thanks in part to the Cruxis Crystal I bear. I believe I've talked to you about the Cruxis Crystal. It's amusing to note that you too would have that kind of notion. That is exactly what I made the pathetic humans of our world believe when I founded their religion." He paused and then chuckled. "To think that angels and gods would exist... the humans would cling on any mythology they could to satisfy their suffering."
---
He raised a brow and shot the seraphim a piercing amethyst stare. "What do you cling to, then?" He smiled faintly. "I've never fancied mythology, myself, but it would make me wonder, what do the angels think? Or, those who call themselves angels."
---
"I cling to my own ideals. My own beliefs," Yggdrasil said simply and then smirked, finally turning to the Albedo. "What do you believe in, Albedo? Can you honestly tell me you believe in the existence of an omnipotent and graceful god?"
---
"The only thing resembling a god I've seen is U-DO. And it's nothing of the sort. Besides, I told you, I don't take a liking to mythology. You could call me agnostic." He craned his head, trying to look past Yggdrasill and see the computer. His own creator, Dmitri Yuriev, would leap at the chance to see what this man could do with his children. "I have my own ways of approaching the world. That's all I need."
---
"That is all you would need...." Yggdrasill trailed away and finally returned to the examination table. He eyed Albedo silently for a while with narrowed eyes before speaking again. "I was hoping I could have your body grow wings on its own, but I suppose I still need more practice in a purely scientific method. I will use mana, then... this may take a while. It will hurt. To your body, mana is an alien force."
Yggdrasill placed his bare hands on the URTV's chest. "When you meet your creator, ask him why he never made wings for your kind? The way I see it, it would not have been a difficult feat. You think, have emotions, have free will..."
He closed his eyes and concentrated on letting mana flow into the URTV's body. He envisioned what he wanted done and hoped that would be enough. The first attempts were a failure, the wings coming out much too weak, paper-thin -- he may have had an idea of what kind of wings could probably carry Albedo but Yggdrasill did not have powers of the mind influence Albedo's directly, he had to make do with a hit or miss, trial and error method.
It took a while. Hours. But finally, Yggdrasill was satisfied with his efforts. He withdrew from Albedo, feeling drained but deeply satisfied with having achieved his goals. He knew he would not have been able to do such a thing with anything else -- his powers were great, but not in that way... yet, Albedo's structure had allowed him to perform what would have been impossible for him until proper planning for a good few hundred years. It gave him a better insight of what he could possibly achieve, armed with methods with another world. If he had known Albedo's creator, it was likely, he would have been able to somehow make Martel a perfect vessel sooner, instead of having had to manipulate bloodlines over the course of several millenniums.
The seraphim petted the feathery white wings that had sprouted out of Albedo's back rapidly. (The URTV's regeneration rate was near infinite, it seemed.) They would be, honestly, hard to get rid of unless Albedo wanted them off permanently. As it was, there was no other way... for now. He wondered just how high Albedo would be able to fly until gravity began damaging the delicate connection the wings had to his body.
"It's temporary," Yggdrasill said, plucking a single feather from it. "I don't think you can fly too high with it either, but fly, you can. If they get damaged, they will heal slowly. Normally. Tear them off and they will not regenerate at all.... but you really do possess a wonderful ability.... imagine how your body would evolve paired with a Cruxis Crystal....Perhaps you would not be able to control mana, but your physical strength would be amplified... enough, perhaps, to compliment your regeneration rate."
---
Albedo smirked at the thought. "Well, then. If you ever obtain a spare one of these, you know who to find." He leaned up to a sitting position, then pushed himself off the table, wavering for a few seconds before standing straight. His center of gravity was different because of the large pinions, but that wouldn't take long to get used to. Now, all he needed was to clean the blood off the flight suit and tailor some holes into its back. His cape wouldn't work too well now; he would think of something there. Perhaps it could just fit between them; it never draped over his shoulders, just fell over his back, anyway.
Turning toward the seraphim, he stretched first one wing, then the other. "I see you dabbled in science, to say the least. Most likely biology. What would you be doing with that?"
---
Yggdrasill had reverted back to his younger form earlier, and so when Albedo turned to him, he was once again the innocent-looking child barely out of puberty. He stretched his arms upward and relished in the feeling the small body always brought.
"Don't you think four-thousand years is a very long time? I'd always prided myself for being an inquisitive one. You learn a lot when you have nothing better to do." He floated towards one of the chairs nearby and sank into it. "I had to manipulate bloodlines, you see, and to do so, you can say I also had to dabble in genetics. A little bit. To be honest, I had my own team of special scientists back in my own world to do that kind of work for me. Two organizations under my bidding, really. What I know now, I mostly picked up whenever they explained their findings. I did my homework, since you can never be sure if they were just lying."
---
"And now you have even more time. I don't believe anyone dies here in the City, and those who are dead don't have that option." He approached the door to the lift that would carry him back to the ground level. "All this equipment here...one wonders what you would do with it."
---
"We'll have to see, won't we? The beginning is always so very challenging."
---
Yggdrasill chuckled at the obvious jab at his younger form, but said nothing, and merely watched as the silver-haired URTV disappear behind sliding doors. He did wonder what the silver-haired man's precious little brother would think. Perhaps he would gain yet another enemy? He shrugged; Albedo had let him do it, he had merely acted on it.
It was time he tried recreating exspheres again.
Rating: PG (a little blood, but nothing else)
Characters: Albedo
theinfinite_667 and Yggdrasill heartxofxcruxis Summary: Albedo gets a set of wings, through Yggdrasill's tampering and experimenting.
Log:
Albedo brushed a paint chip off his white cape and continued down the path, eyes trained on the distance, unfocused and wandering. This cursed City... He shook his head. He had better things to do than stay here...here, he couldn't even achieve his goals. None of them. Not the one...did U-DO even exist here? Rubedo certainly couldn't use his powers to Albedo's desires here. Not where even the dead were still alive.
His eyes settled, at last, on the crumbling walls. Whatever the building was, it looked ancient and ready to fall at any moment, just like the thousands upon thousands of worlds connected to the City's carousel. All evolved to their highest. All ready to die.
So am I... He sat on a crumbling stone, presumably one that had fallen from somewhere higher on the wall of the decrepit structure. Running gloved fingers through his milk-white hair, he sighed and laid his opposite arm in his lap. Rubedo...we're going to get out of here...aren't we? He couldn't have his brother doomed to immortality...
---
Yggdrasill had been on his way back to his laboratory from the forest when he noticed a familiar creature clad in white. He was in his younger form, having chosen to spend some quiet time to himself in the forest earlier with Kratos' gift. He may have scorned the gift when it was given to him and insulted Kratos' crafting skills, but now, he treasured the crude wooden creation. It was not the same pan pipe Martel had given him, but it.... he liked it.
"Albedo," he called out when he was closer. He hid the pan pipe under his coat and regarded the URTV with an arched eyebrow. "What brings you here?"
---
Albedo rose with a start, cape whirling, searching for the alto voice that had called his name. His violet eyes locked on a boy in a coat, watching him as if he knew the man, blonde hair occasionally fluttering in the faint breeze. Oh. Just a child. No one of consequence. One of the little mortals.
"Who are you, boy?" He regarded the child with a sharp half-smile and plunged a hand into his pocket. He hadn't put that picture into the frame yet. Himself and his two brothers...one who still looked like a child. "I don't know you."
---
Yggdrasill pouted clasped his hands together behind his back as he walked closer to the silver-haired URTV. "How amusing. It seems I have never shown you myself in this form..." he said with a quiet laugh. "I'll let that smile slide, Albedo. You certainly had no idea." He closed his eyes and willed the Cruxis Crystal to change his form. Bright light engulfed his small body for a moment, and then, in little Mithos' place was Yggdrasill, the leader of Cruxis. Adult.
He tossed his hair from his shoulder and then shrugged nonchalantly. "Can you recognize me now?"
---
The word almost made it out; his lips formed half a name, but his mind finished it. Rubedo... Child and adult. Boy and man. For And now this one, too...for a moment, he saw a flash of red hair, the brilliant blue eyes, the almost innocent smile that barely hid the wisdom beneath. The sight stung him; he raised a hand to his chest, over the right side where he could feel Rubedo's heartbeat, the place where his heart itself had been attached, long ago. He disguised the motion as crossing his arms, and threw his head back.
"Heh. I'd like to see you do anything about it." Taking on a sarcastic tone, he gave Yggdrasill the same wry look he had given the boy. "I'm surprised to see you here talking to some pseudo-human like myself, and in this wreck of a place as well." He glanced up toward the dilapidated building.
---
The seraphim regarded the dilapidated building with a brief look and 'hn'ed. "I was on my way back to my place and saw you. Simple as that." He paused and gave the URTV a questioning look. "What are you doing lurking around here? I doubt these are the kind of place you like to frequent. It's a bit lacking..."
---
"Lurking, eh?" He chuckled once, raising a brow and following the seraphim's gaze to the same view. "I'm here because I'm thinking, and it's quiet. I prefer to be in my ES, but I've flown around the edges of the City in it several times, and there's not much to do when the Simeon is too large to go anywhere else without knocking over a few trees or buildings."
---
"I take it you speak of a flying device...?" Yggdrasill inquired. "How big is it...? Back in my world, I had helped create a special kinds of transportation using the mana sources in our world. We had what we called "Rheiards". I wonder if it's any smaller than your machine..." He trailed away and then broke into quiet laughter.
"Of course, wings would remedy that. Or at least, an innate component that would allow flight one way or another."
---
"The Simeon is about two stories tall. I don't know how large your Rheiards are, and I've never heard of this 'mana.'" The acid faded from his stare, and this time he let his gaze settle on Yggdrasill's face, his own still with that smile, the one of confidence and a little bit of ferocious hysteria, but through it came a serious undertone. "Wings, eh? I believe I've heard this before from you. Another one of your demigod boastings?"
---
Yggdrasill's eyebrows rose and he smirked at the URTV. "That is big, Albedo. But perhaps they were made for space travel? That's the only explanation I can think of now -- you seem to come from a technologically advanced world...." He watched Albedo before continuing. "The Rheiards were an aerial form of transformation made for travel within the planet's atmosphere -- it's open. It wouldn't be able to sustain oxygen-dependent life on it. But of course, because it doesn't need to do so, nor possess enough energy to move in space, it's compact and can carry one or two people...."
"As for the wings--" He waved his hand and the rainbow-colored wings of light sprouted from his back. He floated slightly from the ground to demonstrate how well they could function. "They're made of mana, but I'm sure we can work on yours. In fact, like I said, we could probably create one for you without the use of a Cruxis Crystal..."
---
"What else would it be for? Of course it's for space travel." Albedo raised a white brow, but then both eyes widened just a bit when the seraphim's wings emerged from what seemed like nowhere and spread in a brilliant flare of colors. "This Cruxis Crystal. Mana. Perhaps you can explain what these mean while you try this?" The violet eyes glittered amethyst; a cunning grin caught the light. "Of course, I'm sure you'll want some kind of payment. Nothing comes for free these days, does it?"
---
Albedo had a very valid point, and Yggdrasill pretended to think for a while. "Let me see-- I do believe if I help you on this whim of yours then I will have gained myself a valuable ally, don't you think?" The seraphim folded his arms across his chest and sneered slightly. "Not all payment is done obviously, don't you think, Albedo?"
He retracted the wings and let his feet touch the ground once more. "Mm. Perhaps, in four thousand years time, my world too would have ventured into space... If its foolish inhabitants didn't kill each other first and whithered the world by their silly and destructive technologies and tools of war..... Your world is interesting."
---
"Me calling you ally doesn't necessarily mean I trust you, Albedo," Yggdrasill pointed out. "It means I see your use."
He smirked at the URTV. "How about we continue this conversation someplace less... open? My laboratory is nearby."
---
"I don't care if you do or not. I have nothing to fear from you. But I'd like to know what I'm being used for before you try anything that could land you in a world of trouble." Pulling at his glove, he trailed the seraphim into the doors of the battered laboratory.
---
Yggdrasill led Albedo to the elevator in silence. One they were inside and after the elevator began descending to the lowest level, the seraphim spoke. "Well. The fact that you're indestructible tells me you are not human. That piques my attention, dear one." When the doors opened, the seraphim stepped out and began heading to the portion of his laboratory furnished with stylish egg-shaped chairs with matching cushions.
"Make yourself comfortable, perhaps?" he said as he sat one. "And then, of course, the fact that it will prove to be interesting, perhaps, even amusing to deal with the likes of you--"
---
Albedo raised a brow, baring his teeth in a faint scowl, the sting returning to his tone. The way Yggdrasill spoke made his adrenaline flow; he didn't like the voice, and he didn't like that little "dear one," thrown in there. Yuriev had managed to take over Nigredo's body; who was to say that this being didn't have a few tricks up his sleeve?
"Of course I'm not human. I told you, I'm a URTV. But, perhaps instinct is telling me I should be on guard, if only because you've told me personally that all the world is prepared to betray us all." Confident, but nevertheless watchful, he sat in another chair -- they were weirdly comfortable -- and trained cool and alert eyes on the seraphim. "The last time I was in a laboratory, I was a tool. Don't get any ideas, angel-boy." He drummed his sharp nails on the armrest.
---
The response he got from the silver-haired URTV amused Yggdrasill. He chuckled amusedly. "Your speech betrays your age, Albedo," he said plainly. "I may not trust anyone, but I know when to tolerate, cooperate and play nice while the other party is still within my will. That is the only way you can gain anything. To fool them and act the fool."
The seraphim cupped his chin and looked thoughtful. "A sacrifice, you see? And admittedly, I do intend to use you as a tool, Albedo. What should I call you, otherwise? I tend to see everyone and everything as that.I wish to find out more about your existence -- and in wishing to do so, I treat you as a tool to gain such information. It's as simple as that."
---
He leaned back in the chair, forcing his muscles to uncoil. "I suppose twenty-six doesn't seem quite the adult to you, does it?" He chuckled once and glanced down at the floor. Perhaps that was how he always saw Rubedo -- so young, despite being an adult. And as for this tool business...it didn't sound like he was planning anything.
In fact, it sounded like what Albedo had told another here in the City, not so long ago. Namine had been a tool to discover information about the Pyramid beast; no one else could understand that he meant no harm; he only wanted to use her for that purpose and that one alone. All used others. That was his life as well as this seraphim's. There was no inherent betrayal there.
"I'm used to humans." He crossed his arms. "Let's get on with this, then. I'll play the part. So will you."
---
"That's good to hear--" He rose from his seat and floated towards the URTV. Once close enough, he reached to lightly touch Albedo on his cheek. "Can you withstand pain, Albedo? We may have to go through a little trial and error, and even then, your wings will be temporary, probably."
---
Albedo suppressed a flinch; he wasn't used to anyone touching him, especially not with that eerie featherlight motion. Despite his surprise, he smirked at the seraphim's words. "Pain is no stranger to me. I don't notice it much anymore." Yggdrasill was standing, so he followed suit, standing in place and waiting for further instructions. His eyes swept the room once, taking in the laboratory; he had thought that people from this man's world were not technological, but rather magical. Apparently that was a misjudgment.
---
"Then we'll start whenever you're ready." Yggdrasill walked over to one of his examination tables and picked up the white coat left on it. He put it on and dug into the coat's pocket to produce a small blue ribbon. He used it to tie his long hair up in a neat pony tail. "I will cut you open a bit, Albedo. Probably see if I can find mana in your body, first, and we'll go from there. Depending on what I find, I may have to cut open your head too." He smirked. "I hope this talk isn't off-putting?"
"I promise to be gentle."
When Cruxis and the Desian Organizations were still standing, he had had legions of scientists under his every whim, but he supposed, he was left to do this on his own. It had been a while, but Yggdrasill was confident in his skills. He would give Albedo a pair of angelic wings, and once he had a goal, Yggdrasill followed through.
---
"This should be interesting." Considering how he had once pulled off his own head with his own hands, he thought little of the pain that Yggdrasill could cause here in the lab. Removing his cape, he hung it on the back of the chair before unhooking the collar of his black and white flight suit. The thin suit stretched over his shoulders and came free as he pulled it away from his back, rolling it down to his waist, where it hung loose, sleeves resting against his legs. The air was chilly against his skin; obviously, even the heating systems in the lab were a little shot. When he leaned forward and pulled himself onto the table, the chilly metal sent a cold burst up his spine.
Folding his arms before him, he lay his head atop them and stared blankly at the far wall, tracing the edge of a chair just in front of it. Rubedo would kill him for this. He stifled a laugh; his brother would wonder what had possessed him to do something like this. Turning himself over to a four thousand year old scientist-angel -- at least, angel is what seemed a good description of Yggdrasill -- who claimed to be able to give him wings. Ah, well. If he made a wrong cut, it would all just heal again.
---
Yggdrasill's exploration and study of Albedo's body lasted for hours, with him carefully searching for any resemblance to the structure's of body from his world. For four thousand years, he had studied humans, elves and half-elves alike for the benefit of his causes, but never had he encountered anyone who possessed Albedo's abilities. Even if he did not immediately gain something in helping the URTV, he was sure the information would prove to be one day useful.
Once finished with his initial explorations, Yggdrasill momentarily left Albedo on the table to heal. He smirked at the sight of blood overflowing from examination table. Knowing Albedo capable of handling such extreme pain, he did not hold back and followed his intuition in search of answers.
"Albedo," he said while he worked on a nearby computer console to calculate the dimensions of the wings he would make Albedo. "Tell me about your kind." He had made physical wings for some of his followers, though he himself preferred the convenient mana-based wings he flew with. It was a pity Albedo would have to settle with the physical wings. Now, he wondered, if he could make it so it would retract and not be a hindrance without having to destroy it all the time. Tricky business, that, but Yggdrasill was confident he would make it. Perhaps, with a little help from himself.
---
An eerie, pale blue light surrounded the the scarlet, clotting scars across Albedo's back and nape. The pain was striking but not unfamiliar; he almost welcomed it; it made him remember that there was always still a chance of...
His hair was still stained, but a violet ripple washed over his skin, sealing up the wounds, the blood across them draining away onto the table, a few more drops spilling onto the floor. Eyes closed, face completely still and blank, he finally let his mind wander. Chest heaving, long breaths pulling his thoughts back into focus, he opened his eyes and glanced the seraphim's way.
"In our world, there is a force. U-DO. It is a consciousness of higher dimensions...contact with it can cause ordinary humans to lose their minds entirely. It summoned alien beasts called Gnosis into our dimension. We URTV's -- U-DO Retrovirus units -- were created and genetically modified to fight it. There were six hundred sixty-nine of us; four are different, called Variants; the others are all copies with a collective mind. I'm one of the Variants, 667." He tugged the glove off his right hand; on his palm, in letters pressed into the skin, was his number.
"Rubedo is 666. My sister Citrine is 668, and Nigredo is 669. All three are here as well. Each of us has a separate ability, a separate purpose...Rubedo possesses Red Dragon, a powerful combat power, and the ability to halt his aging. Nigredo is telepathic, and I've never seen him fight. Citrine, well...she's simply an annoyance, and we didn't work with her. I can regenerate infinitely, and I fight with what you could call psychic energy."
"You seem quite like what we would call an angel, except our concept of angels are of pure, innocent spirits." He laughed once, a rough and grating sound through the remnants of the pain. "What are you?"
---
Yggdrasill took in Albedo's words eagerly. It was strangely, very interesting. He had had little success with the creation of an actual, functioning, human-like living thing and so hearing what the URTV had had to say was rather... fascinating. When Albedo made his comment about angels, he found himself laughing himself. That was exactly what he had made the Cruxis teach to the pathetic humans.
"I'm an angel," Yggdrasill began, not looking at Albedo as he continued his calculations. "A highly-evolved existence thanks in part to the Cruxis Crystal I bear. I believe I've talked to you about the Cruxis Crystal. It's amusing to note that you too would have that kind of notion. That is exactly what I made the pathetic humans of our world believe when I founded their religion." He paused and then chuckled. "To think that angels and gods would exist... the humans would cling on any mythology they could to satisfy their suffering."
---
He raised a brow and shot the seraphim a piercing amethyst stare. "What do you cling to, then?" He smiled faintly. "I've never fancied mythology, myself, but it would make me wonder, what do the angels think? Or, those who call themselves angels."
---
"I cling to my own ideals. My own beliefs," Yggdrasil said simply and then smirked, finally turning to the Albedo. "What do you believe in, Albedo? Can you honestly tell me you believe in the existence of an omnipotent and graceful god?"
---
"The only thing resembling a god I've seen is U-DO. And it's nothing of the sort. Besides, I told you, I don't take a liking to mythology. You could call me agnostic." He craned his head, trying to look past Yggdrasill and see the computer. His own creator, Dmitri Yuriev, would leap at the chance to see what this man could do with his children. "I have my own ways of approaching the world. That's all I need."
---
"That is all you would need...." Yggdrasill trailed away and finally returned to the examination table. He eyed Albedo silently for a while with narrowed eyes before speaking again. "I was hoping I could have your body grow wings on its own, but I suppose I still need more practice in a purely scientific method. I will use mana, then... this may take a while. It will hurt. To your body, mana is an alien force."
Yggdrasill placed his bare hands on the URTV's chest. "When you meet your creator, ask him why he never made wings for your kind? The way I see it, it would not have been a difficult feat. You think, have emotions, have free will..."
He closed his eyes and concentrated on letting mana flow into the URTV's body. He envisioned what he wanted done and hoped that would be enough. The first attempts were a failure, the wings coming out much too weak, paper-thin -- he may have had an idea of what kind of wings could probably carry Albedo but Yggdrasill did not have powers of the mind influence Albedo's directly, he had to make do with a hit or miss, trial and error method.
It took a while. Hours. But finally, Yggdrasill was satisfied with his efforts. He withdrew from Albedo, feeling drained but deeply satisfied with having achieved his goals. He knew he would not have been able to do such a thing with anything else -- his powers were great, but not in that way... yet, Albedo's structure had allowed him to perform what would have been impossible for him until proper planning for a good few hundred years. It gave him a better insight of what he could possibly achieve, armed with methods with another world. If he had known Albedo's creator, it was likely, he would have been able to somehow make Martel a perfect vessel sooner, instead of having had to manipulate bloodlines over the course of several millenniums.
The seraphim petted the feathery white wings that had sprouted out of Albedo's back rapidly. (The URTV's regeneration rate was near infinite, it seemed.) They would be, honestly, hard to get rid of unless Albedo wanted them off permanently. As it was, there was no other way... for now. He wondered just how high Albedo would be able to fly until gravity began damaging the delicate connection the wings had to his body.
"It's temporary," Yggdrasill said, plucking a single feather from it. "I don't think you can fly too high with it either, but fly, you can. If they get damaged, they will heal slowly. Normally. Tear them off and they will not regenerate at all.... but you really do possess a wonderful ability.... imagine how your body would evolve paired with a Cruxis Crystal....Perhaps you would not be able to control mana, but your physical strength would be amplified... enough, perhaps, to compliment your regeneration rate."
---
Albedo smirked at the thought. "Well, then. If you ever obtain a spare one of these, you know who to find." He leaned up to a sitting position, then pushed himself off the table, wavering for a few seconds before standing straight. His center of gravity was different because of the large pinions, but that wouldn't take long to get used to. Now, all he needed was to clean the blood off the flight suit and tailor some holes into its back. His cape wouldn't work too well now; he would think of something there. Perhaps it could just fit between them; it never draped over his shoulders, just fell over his back, anyway.
Turning toward the seraphim, he stretched first one wing, then the other. "I see you dabbled in science, to say the least. Most likely biology. What would you be doing with that?"
---
Yggdrasill had reverted back to his younger form earlier, and so when Albedo turned to him, he was once again the innocent-looking child barely out of puberty. He stretched his arms upward and relished in the feeling the small body always brought.
"Don't you think four-thousand years is a very long time? I'd always prided myself for being an inquisitive one. You learn a lot when you have nothing better to do." He floated towards one of the chairs nearby and sank into it. "I had to manipulate bloodlines, you see, and to do so, you can say I also had to dabble in genetics. A little bit. To be honest, I had my own team of special scientists back in my own world to do that kind of work for me. Two organizations under my bidding, really. What I know now, I mostly picked up whenever they explained their findings. I did my homework, since you can never be sure if they were just lying."
---
"And now you have even more time. I don't believe anyone dies here in the City, and those who are dead don't have that option." He approached the door to the lift that would carry him back to the ground level. "All this equipment here...one wonders what you would do with it."
---
"We'll have to see, won't we? The beginning is always so very challenging."
---
Yggdrasill chuckled at the obvious jab at his younger form, but said nothing, and merely watched as the silver-haired URTV disappear behind sliding doors. He did wonder what the silver-haired man's precious little brother would think. Perhaps he would gain yet another enemy? He shrugged; Albedo had let him do it, he had merely acted on it.
It was time he tried recreating exspheres again.