[Fic] Sleepless
Jun. 16th, 2007 01:28 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
eloquencelost.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
sutepriTitle: Sleepless
Author: BitterEloquence
Series: Scrapped Princess
Characters: Zephiris, Natalie, Shannon
Rating: G
Word Count: 1,278
In the dark hours of the night, while most people slept peacefully within Natalie’s monstrous form, Zephiris remained watchful and awake. Dragoons did not sleep. The fact that her counterpart Natalie had spent centuries ‘sleeping’ while being buried amongst the circuitry of this fortress only left Zephiris feeling more alienated from the former-Dragoon. Natalie had lost her Lord much like Zephiris had. But instead of accepting death or going insane, as most Dragoons were wont to do, the AI had shredded the last vestiges of herself and programming and had merged with the fortress.
The very idea of such a raping of one’s identity and soul had a shiver of unease crawling up Zephiris’ spine every time she looked at Natalie. It could be argued that Zephiris was the youngest of their kind. She had been the last to be initialized and one of the few twenty-six of their kind that had not gone insane. Even if her commissioned days were fewer then Natalie, the Dragoon could not help feeling like a weary adult forced to babysat a slightly unstable child.
Something was intrinsically wrong with Natalie. Zephiris didn’t know if it was because of the Dragoon’s transplanting of herself or if she’d truly gone a little mad when her Lord had perished. The most chilling thought was that she had indeed gone insane just like every other Dragoon that had survived it’s Lord. Every Dragoon but Zephiris that was, much to Zephiris’ dread.
Zephiris had thought she would do insane when Becknum had died. She had felt her programming begin to unravel much like one’s sanity would and had escaped into Phase Space. There Zephiris had stayed as she slowly repaired the flaws in her programming and tried to not think about what had transpired. It had taken her almost five thousand years to come to terms with what had happened to her beloved Lord.
And when she had emerged once more into the world, Zephiris had been surprised to find herself faced with a Guardian whose resemblance to Becknum Mauser had been uncanny. Shannon Casull could have been Becknum’s twin. Both physically but also in his fiercely protective love for his siblings. It had been that longing to protect his sister that had prompted Zephiris to choose him as her temporary D-Knight.
It had felt both aching familiar and heartbreakingly wrong to merge with him. The echoes of similarities and dissimilarities between Becknum and Shannon Casull had been overwhelming to Zephiris’ still half-functioning circuits. With time, that would grow easier, Zephiris had come to realize.
She just didn’t know if Shannon Casull would ever come to trust her again after Natalie’s plan was enacted. Hovering silently beside Shannon’s bunk, Zephiris watched him sleep. He was untroubled by the machinations revolving around him and his sister. The Dragoon was torn and she felt that unease jangle through between her emotional programming and logic program.
A part of her was so centered on fulfilling Becknum’s wishes that she would do whatever was needed to accomplish that goal. Another part of her, the part of her that had grown….comfortable….with Shannon wanted to intervene. She knew that what Natalie had in mind would counter his wishes, test his devotion to Pacifica Casull.
Thus, did Zephiris find herself in a dilemma. Which Lord did she obey? Becknum who was her first and true master; or Shannon whom she had been ordered to choose, to obey. Without realizing it, Zephiris’ face which was normally so sad and somber took on a heartbreakingly fragile expression. The sudden need to feel her Lord’s comforting and familiar presence almost overwhelmed Zephiris. Oh how she longed for his input and clear decisions. In that moment, Zephiris knew she’d give anything to have Becknum back.
That was outside her realm of control however. And no matter how powerful she may be, Zephiris knew that even she could not bring back the dead. But had not this flawed program of a world sought to taunt her with this imperfect copy?
“Did you choose him because he reminds you of your Lord?” Natalie had materialized behind Zephiris silently and she taunted the other Dragoon with a saccharinely mocking voice.
To her credit, Zephiris did not flinch when Natalie got the drop on her. She looked back at her counterpart, the cold mask over her face once more. “Your logic does not make sense.” Zephiris stated tonelessly. “I choose Shannon Casull because he was the most compatible Guardian I have found. His mental capacity and synapses are the best suited to be a temporary D-Knight.”
“Temporary, hmm?” Natalie’s lips curved in a false smile. “You never were very good at letting go, Zephiris. Are you sure you’ll be able to complete your part of the plan?”
“Of course.”
“I wonder about that. You seem rather attached to these humans, Shannon Casull in particular.”
“He is my D-Knight, nothing more.” Zephiris turned fully to Natalie and stared at her with emotionless eyes. “Stop trying to call my resolution into question. I will fulfill my purpose no matter what.”
Natalie giggled quietly, an eerie and rather human sound that no self-respecting Dragoon would utter. It was further proof of just how incomplete Natalie’s Dragoon programming was. No true Dragoon would dare to interfere with another Dragoon and her relationship with her D-Knight.
Unease coiled around Zephiris as she eyed the former-Dragoon. If Natalie dared to question her relationship with Shannon Casull, Zephiris wondered what other sacred parts in a Dragoons personality was Natalie missing.
Had she lost the inhibitors on her powers as well? Without a D-Knight, a Dragoon was incapable of accessing most of her powers. Without those safeguards, a Dragoon could be a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.
Zephiris made a mental note to watch Natalie more closely from now own. Who knew what Natalie’s half-functioning programming could come up with in a moment of insanity.
Their unspoken standoff now over, Natalie smiled sweetly at Zephiris. “I’m just concerned for you, Zephiris. Who knows what being stuck in Phase Space for so long did to your circuits.”
As the humans were fond of saying, if that wasn’t the pot calling the kettle black then Zephiris didn’t know what it was. But she kept her snide comment to herself and merely blinked passively. “Your concerns are noted.” She knew her voice was flat and that it was expected for her to thank Natalie for her concern but Zephiris fell silent instead and turned her attention back to Shannon as he tossed in his bed.
“Tomorrow will be a long day, you should try and sleep, Zephiris.” Natalie reminded her as she began to de-materialize and the sound of her childish laughter echoed in Zephiris’ head as the other Dragoon faded from view.
“I don’t sleep.” Zephiris murmured to the empty room and she continued her silent vigil through the night as she hovered at the bedside of her D-Knight.
By morning, when the inhabitants of the fortress were beginning to stir, Zephiris faded from Shannon’s room when the human began to show signs of stirring.
Waking a few minutes, Shannon grumbled at the sense that something was wrong and he half mumbled Zephiris’ name as he was caught between the land of dreaming and the waking world. It felt like something was missing and coupled with the strange, half-lucid dreams he’d had, Shannon felt lost and disoriented for a moment.
The strange dreams he’d had were forgotten as he yawned and sat up. By the time Shannon crawled from his bed, he’d all but forgotten the sense of loss he’d felt upon waking and he prepared to face the day.
My first attempt at Scrapped Princess. I <3 ShannonxZephy even if I am going to burn for it. XP Nothing like that here though it is slight one-sided.
x-posted to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
eloquencelost
Author: BitterEloquence
Series: Scrapped Princess
Characters: Zephiris, Natalie, Shannon
Rating: G
Word Count: 1,278
In the dark hours of the night, while most people slept peacefully within Natalie’s monstrous form, Zephiris remained watchful and awake. Dragoons did not sleep. The fact that her counterpart Natalie had spent centuries ‘sleeping’ while being buried amongst the circuitry of this fortress only left Zephiris feeling more alienated from the former-Dragoon. Natalie had lost her Lord much like Zephiris had. But instead of accepting death or going insane, as most Dragoons were wont to do, the AI had shredded the last vestiges of herself and programming and had merged with the fortress.
The very idea of such a raping of one’s identity and soul had a shiver of unease crawling up Zephiris’ spine every time she looked at Natalie. It could be argued that Zephiris was the youngest of their kind. She had been the last to be initialized and one of the few twenty-six of their kind that had not gone insane. Even if her commissioned days were fewer then Natalie, the Dragoon could not help feeling like a weary adult forced to babysat a slightly unstable child.
Something was intrinsically wrong with Natalie. Zephiris didn’t know if it was because of the Dragoon’s transplanting of herself or if she’d truly gone a little mad when her Lord had perished. The most chilling thought was that she had indeed gone insane just like every other Dragoon that had survived it’s Lord. Every Dragoon but Zephiris that was, much to Zephiris’ dread.
Zephiris had thought she would do insane when Becknum had died. She had felt her programming begin to unravel much like one’s sanity would and had escaped into Phase Space. There Zephiris had stayed as she slowly repaired the flaws in her programming and tried to not think about what had transpired. It had taken her almost five thousand years to come to terms with what had happened to her beloved Lord.
And when she had emerged once more into the world, Zephiris had been surprised to find herself faced with a Guardian whose resemblance to Becknum Mauser had been uncanny. Shannon Casull could have been Becknum’s twin. Both physically but also in his fiercely protective love for his siblings. It had been that longing to protect his sister that had prompted Zephiris to choose him as her temporary D-Knight.
It had felt both aching familiar and heartbreakingly wrong to merge with him. The echoes of similarities and dissimilarities between Becknum and Shannon Casull had been overwhelming to Zephiris’ still half-functioning circuits. With time, that would grow easier, Zephiris had come to realize.
She just didn’t know if Shannon Casull would ever come to trust her again after Natalie’s plan was enacted. Hovering silently beside Shannon’s bunk, Zephiris watched him sleep. He was untroubled by the machinations revolving around him and his sister. The Dragoon was torn and she felt that unease jangle through between her emotional programming and logic program.
A part of her was so centered on fulfilling Becknum’s wishes that she would do whatever was needed to accomplish that goal. Another part of her, the part of her that had grown….comfortable….with Shannon wanted to intervene. She knew that what Natalie had in mind would counter his wishes, test his devotion to Pacifica Casull.
Thus, did Zephiris find herself in a dilemma. Which Lord did she obey? Becknum who was her first and true master; or Shannon whom she had been ordered to choose, to obey. Without realizing it, Zephiris’ face which was normally so sad and somber took on a heartbreakingly fragile expression. The sudden need to feel her Lord’s comforting and familiar presence almost overwhelmed Zephiris. Oh how she longed for his input and clear decisions. In that moment, Zephiris knew she’d give anything to have Becknum back.
That was outside her realm of control however. And no matter how powerful she may be, Zephiris knew that even she could not bring back the dead. But had not this flawed program of a world sought to taunt her with this imperfect copy?
“Did you choose him because he reminds you of your Lord?” Natalie had materialized behind Zephiris silently and she taunted the other Dragoon with a saccharinely mocking voice.
To her credit, Zephiris did not flinch when Natalie got the drop on her. She looked back at her counterpart, the cold mask over her face once more. “Your logic does not make sense.” Zephiris stated tonelessly. “I choose Shannon Casull because he was the most compatible Guardian I have found. His mental capacity and synapses are the best suited to be a temporary D-Knight.”
“Temporary, hmm?” Natalie’s lips curved in a false smile. “You never were very good at letting go, Zephiris. Are you sure you’ll be able to complete your part of the plan?”
“Of course.”
“I wonder about that. You seem rather attached to these humans, Shannon Casull in particular.”
“He is my D-Knight, nothing more.” Zephiris turned fully to Natalie and stared at her with emotionless eyes. “Stop trying to call my resolution into question. I will fulfill my purpose no matter what.”
Natalie giggled quietly, an eerie and rather human sound that no self-respecting Dragoon would utter. It was further proof of just how incomplete Natalie’s Dragoon programming was. No true Dragoon would dare to interfere with another Dragoon and her relationship with her D-Knight.
Unease coiled around Zephiris as she eyed the former-Dragoon. If Natalie dared to question her relationship with Shannon Casull, Zephiris wondered what other sacred parts in a Dragoons personality was Natalie missing.
Had she lost the inhibitors on her powers as well? Without a D-Knight, a Dragoon was incapable of accessing most of her powers. Without those safeguards, a Dragoon could be a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.
Zephiris made a mental note to watch Natalie more closely from now own. Who knew what Natalie’s half-functioning programming could come up with in a moment of insanity.
Their unspoken standoff now over, Natalie smiled sweetly at Zephiris. “I’m just concerned for you, Zephiris. Who knows what being stuck in Phase Space for so long did to your circuits.”
As the humans were fond of saying, if that wasn’t the pot calling the kettle black then Zephiris didn’t know what it was. But she kept her snide comment to herself and merely blinked passively. “Your concerns are noted.” She knew her voice was flat and that it was expected for her to thank Natalie for her concern but Zephiris fell silent instead and turned her attention back to Shannon as he tossed in his bed.
“Tomorrow will be a long day, you should try and sleep, Zephiris.” Natalie reminded her as she began to de-materialize and the sound of her childish laughter echoed in Zephiris’ head as the other Dragoon faded from view.
“I don’t sleep.” Zephiris murmured to the empty room and she continued her silent vigil through the night as she hovered at the bedside of her D-Knight.
By morning, when the inhabitants of the fortress were beginning to stir, Zephiris faded from Shannon’s room when the human began to show signs of stirring.
Waking a few minutes, Shannon grumbled at the sense that something was wrong and he half mumbled Zephiris’ name as he was caught between the land of dreaming and the waking world. It felt like something was missing and coupled with the strange, half-lucid dreams he’d had, Shannon felt lost and disoriented for a moment.
The strange dreams he’d had were forgotten as he yawned and sat up. By the time Shannon crawled from his bed, he’d all but forgotten the sense of loss he’d felt upon waking and he prepared to face the day.
My first attempt at Scrapped Princess. I <3 ShannonxZephy even if I am going to burn for it. XP Nothing like that here though it is slight one-sided.
x-posted to
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Date: 2007-06-17 02:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-20 08:27 pm (UTC)Noticed a couple of little errors:
I <3 ShannonxZephy even if I am going to burn for it. XP
Why would you burn for something that's practically canon? XD Sure, her child-like appearance takes the creep factor up a few thousand notches, but still!