"Between Two Shadows"

AUTHOR'S NOTE (more like AUTHOR'S RAMBLING...you've been warned!! =^_^=): First of all, I want everyone to know that the _ONLY_ thing that inspired me into writing this fanfic was a fan-drawn picture of a female Bartholomew Fatima on a Japanese Xenogears fan site called "Jubilate---Xenogears For Girls". I would give you a link to it, but the picture could just disappear anytime---that, and I wouldn't want any of you exposed to weird yaoi stuff on that site =+_+=". Secondly, This story may be a little...or REALLY confusing at first, but if you keep on reading, things are bound to come clear. If they don't, then do what you should do in the game itself (I know I did...)...wait until good ol' Citan explains everything all nice and clear. =^_^=

The setting of this story is around the beginning of the Second Disc in the Xenogears game, soon after Fei and Elly were released from their three-week nanotreatment at Taura's house, after everyone got together.

I don't think I'm being very accurate when I write that this happened then, because when I played that part in the game, everything was all serious. Merkava had risen, the Wels were multiplying, and Angels were ravaging the earth.

(Oh...and Fei and them never had Taura keep Bart in a nanoreactor. I just made that part up, in case you're wondering =O_O=)

I wasn't in a serious mood when I started writing this, so you'll hafta forgive me for not making this story all End-Of-The-World-As-We-Know-It. But since I started it that way, it just kept on going....

Enjoy! =^_^=

Between Two Shadows
by MaCHa 26

p r o l o g u e

Taura Melchior sat at his dining table, scribbling down a lengthy article that read:

        Record 22-03K: Nanotechnology Experiment # 038

        Subject 1: Elhayym Van Houten

        Age: 18

        Sex: Female

        Subject 2: Bartholomew Fatima

        Age: 18

        Sex: Male

        Host body: Subject 2

        Anima Essence taken from: Subject 1

        Component X taken from: Subject 1

        I never thought I would be able to use the sample I took three weeks ago, so soon.

        ...They wanted me to keep a man named Bartholomew Fatima in one of my nanoreactors for a few days. Of course, I didn't---_couldn't_ (to put it more accurately) refuse, even if I wanted to.

        For you see, it was the _perfect_ opportunity. It's not everyday Fortune smiles on you like that. I was truly sorry I had to lie to Fei and the doctor, but I'm afraid that if I let a matter like honesty get in the way of my research---no, more like my _dream_---then I am not worthy to be called one of the Sages of Shevat.

        Anyway, I told Fei and the good doctor to return to my house in a week. Of course their intentions would not have taken that long, but for this implantation, it was the required duration. Anyway, with miss Elhayym "Elly" Van Houten's sample as a component for "her", I set everything in place.

        But it was easier than I had expected, and the man Bart came to consciousness a day and a half before the predicted date. All the better, however. I couldn't let him stay at my house, though...so I urged the young man not to stay still for too long; I had him fetching my research books and helping with chores, arguing that it was necessary for one who had just undergone the treatment he had. Of course he listened to me, and I contacted the Yggdrasil as fast as I could.

       My plan worked, and by the time Bart had finished the last of his "chores", Fei, Hyuga, and Sigurd came for him. Now that they are all gone, there is nothing left for me to do except wait until the "host" keeps still long enough for the transition...

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