Disclaimer: Any and all characters and concepts
depicted in this story do not belong to me and are the
sole property of all associated and respective owners,
creators, and distributors. I am not making a single
cent off this story. 


Mini-Note: 
*** = Designates a change in POV or a change in
setting. 

I was originally going to save this for the
hour-challenge, but I figured that the people who read
the original should at least get something for their
overwhelming patience. It isn�t much, and it might not
be worth the wait, but it at least gives a prelude of
things to come�

WARNING: This was submitted without the scrutiny of
pre-reader! I apologize to all my pre-readers and I
assure you that this will not happen again.









Shadowlands: Midnight Rhapsodies









The calm before the storm. 

The lull I feel in my mind and soul....

Its times like this that I sit back and stare off into
nothing. 

I stare into nothing...and wonder...I wonder if any of
this is real...



*



A high speed, high altitude stealth helicopter flew
silently through the night skies. Its form veiled
within the murky soup of the heavens, its jet-black
hull blending easily amidst the darkness that
surrounded it. 

There was not a single star in the sky that evening.
If one were to look up from the thick mountain forests
below, one would see an eerie void that would send
shivers down the spines of small children, a night
within night. 


*


The places I've gone.

The people I've seen.

The things I've done.

Why do I feel as if none of it should have happened?


*


Within the cabin of the airborne vehicle, two
individuals sit in silence. The pitch darkness is as
overwhelming on the inside as it is on the outside.
One would have difficulty seeing their own hand in
front of their face. It is a murky unyielding broth
that seems to devour all light before it even has a
chance to breath.

The only thing separating this from unconsciousness is
the monotonous beating of the propeller blades. On the
inside it is a dull thumping pulse that jars the
eardrums with every throb.


*


Why is it everytime I walk this world, I feel like
everything around me is wrong?

Why do I feel like we've gone too far too fast?

Why do I feel like we've gotten too powerful for our
own good?


*


He slowly opened his eyes, and a soft green glow began
to fill the berth. This pale luminescence emanated
from the boy's left eye, and it was so low that it
could have only be noticed in darkness such as the one
he found himself in. His eyes slowly adjusted
themselves to this small well of light, and he brought
them to stare at the figure sitting across from him.
His eyes were shut, his arms were crossed, and his
brow was furrowed. His face was a masque of intense
contemplation; it was his custom, as he was mentally
preparing for the task they were about to undertake.


*


We've been through it all, he and I.

We've stared in the face of death more times than I
care to count.

And yet...when I look at him, I feel as if what we
have...is wrong.

I feel like...in another time, another place, another
life...we were enemies...


*


"We've arrived at the destination, the Bayankala
Mountain Range in Qinghai Province, China,"

The voice snapped them both out of their reverie. They
both looked over toward the cockpit, though the door
was under lock and key, they both knew who it was that
was speaking directly into their minds.

"We've tacked down the location of the Amazon citadel,
and you'll be dropping about five miles from its
location," The pilot continued the briefing. "So
you'll have a bit of a hike ahead of you."


*


I see the future in one eye.

I see the present in the other.

So why?

Why do I see these images of a place...that looks as
if its from a time long past?


*


"The mission objectives are simple, slip in
undetected, observe their movements, access their
info-nets, and if possible retrieve samples of their
technology," The pilot briefed. "This is a covert
operation and you must maintain that status at all
costs. If the Chinese government finds out that we
have our operatives deployed within their borders,
heads will roll."

They stared deep into each other's eyes. This was yet
another custom of theirs, a way of synchronizing their
thoughts and feelings. They could both see what lurked
within each other, even deep down in the dark recesses
of each other's minds.

"The evac will arrive in three days time, if you need
an extraction before then, use the beacon," The pilot
continued. "Remember to keep an eye out for Amazon
perimeter patrols, they know the terrain extremely
well, and you'll hard pressed to evade them if you're
sighted."


*


Is this the reality?

Or is this the fantasy?

Are the visions I�ve been seeing some delusion my mind
made up to keep itself occupied?

Or am I living the dream? 

Is what I�m seeing the world as it should be? Or the
world as it must be?


*


�Drop commences in thirty��

His voice was accompanied by the feint sounds of
clicking as the duo strapped on the parachutes. The
harnesses were brought over black suits that covered
them from head to toe, leaving only their head and
neck exposed, and over that was an equipment vest.

A harsh wind exploded into the cabin as the doors slid
open with a hiss. The air stream shot through as cabin
pressure slowly equalized, and caused the green-eyed
boys pigtail to whip violently under the onslaught.

�Ranma, we just received a communiqu� from your
father,� The pilot�s voice broke into his mind again.
�He says �good luck�.�

�Heh,� He snickered to himself. A rare show of
concern, he had to admit, he was almost touched. �You
tell him, that luck has nothing to do with it.�

With those last few words, the dim glow of the
artificial eye increased to a vibrant shimmer, a
twinkling glow of artificial starlight against the
backdrop of total darkness.



*



Tch, whatever. In the end, it doesn�t even matter.

I tend to get these obscure bouts of mental
deliberation because it keeps me awake on the long
trips like this.

I know who I am.

I know I don�t live in a fantasy world created in some
lunatic�s distorted mind. 

It�s time like this that I know.

Going in freefall at terminal velocity, with nothing
under me or above me, with only the wind in my face
and ground coming up at over 100 miles an hour.

I�m in this for the rush.

I�m in this for the challenge.

I�m in this to prove to the world that I am the best
that there ever was, or will ever be.

That�s what keeps me in the game.

That�s what lets me know I�m alive.




***








Ten Years Ago...










Within the great electric empire of Tokyo, Japan,
within one of many great spires secluded within a
forest of glass and steel, one man sits in wait.

He is enshrouded within the darkness of a conference
room, empty chairs running along side a long oaken
table added to the visage of total seclusion.  He
stared deep into the only source of illumination
provided to him, three orange hued wire frames of the
human body hovered in the air before him, casting
their light and accentuating the features of his face
and shedding a deep shadow upon the walls.

His mind was a jumbled blur, despite the dead, even
expression on his face. Everything was happening at a
rate he could not readily perceive, even all his years
and experience in the corporate setting and out could
not prepare him for what was happening at this very
moment. He was cursing himself even now, even when it
was so much after the fact. All he could do was sit in
helplessness, and wait to see the ramifications of the
decision he had made, and pray that it would not be
the greatest mistake of his entire life.

�Kimiko�if you are watching�,� Soun whispered to
himself. �I pray you will forgive me one day��

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the
conference room door opening and closing. He looked up
from his staring to see a spectacled man in suit and
tie walk inside. He quietly walked over to Soun�s
side, said man�s eyes never leaving him.

�The operation is in its fourth hour,� Dr. Tofu
reported. �Everything is running smoothly.�

Soun brought his eyes back to the holograms. At a
glance one would be hard pressed to see the difference
between them, but a prolonged look would note the
slight variations in height. To him, he could tell
whom each one represented without thinking twice�

�How could I allow this to happen,� He finally sighed.
�This isn�t right�how could I do this to them.�

�Soun, they willingly submitted themselves to the
project,� Tofu corrected. �You needn�t feel guilty, it
was their choice. They are very loyal to you.�

�They�re only children!� Soun snapped. �How could I
believe that ones so young could possibly make such a
decision for themselves! I�m their father, I am
supposed to choose what�s best for them and yet I do
the exact opposite�� 

�They did it because they love you, Soun,� Tofu said
in an attempt to calm his nerves. �They are much wiser
than you give them credit, and I believe they are
fully aware of the consequences.�

�If Kimiko were here, should would never have allowed
this�� Soun sighed. 

A tense silence settled between them. The holograms
continued to rotate in silent synchronicity. Every so
often, numerical data would scroll past each one and
highlight various areas of their anatomy.

�Soun, as you know, we doctors have a credo. Do no
harm,� Tofu finally spoke up. �If you cannot trust
yourself, and if you cannot trust them, then trust me.
I will personally ensure that no harm befalls them, I
will treat them as if they were my own daughters.�

A slight amount of tension was relieved from Soun�s
shoulders as he heard that. It did not totally settle
his unease, but at least he had the assurance of the
only person who he truly trusted with his progeny.

�They are being given all too rare opportunity Soun,�
Tofu continued. �We are giving them a chance to be
above their peers, they will not hate you for that.�

�Yes, but I only hope such superiority will not
deprive them of a normal childhood,� Soun said softly.


�I have seen the level of maturity they possess, I
don�t see them as being that callous and arrogant,�
Tofu assured. �We are not changing them Soun, simply
giving them the ability to bring out what is already
there. Even if this operation is successful, and it
will be, it will still require a great deal of
dedication on their part if they wish to reach their
full potential. Perhaps you can even train them
yourself.�

�As much as I would enjoy doing so, my schedule does
not permit me such desires,� Soun chuckled for the
first time since Tofu�s arrival. �No, their regimen
has already been premeditated. I only hope it will not
be too rigorous for them.�

�Humanity and technology is reaching its highest
point, and if either wish to progress further, we will
have to bring the two together. At an even deeper
level than we have already.� Tofu contemplated to
himself briefly as he scrutinized the holograms. �It
is no longer a simple matter of cyborgization. If this
project is successful, they will be more machine than
human�and yet more human then machine. It is quite
fascinating.�

�All that matters to me in the end, is that they
remain the angels that my late wife gave birth to,�
Soun murmured. �No matter how powerful they become, it
will not matter if the hearts that guide them become
corrupted by progress��

�You needn�t worry over that, those three are closer
siblings as I have ever seen,� Tofu said confidently.
�If anything, their progress will be depend on that
bond, more so than any training they receive.�

�I suppose only time will tell,� Soun resided. �Only
time will tell��













Coming Soon:


Where are the limits between the Organic and the
Artificial?


How blurred have the lines between Progression and
Evolution become?


What are the absolute borderlines between Man and
Machine?



The answer is quite simple.

In this time, in this place, in this world�

They don�t exist�




Shadowlands: Blood and Silicon








End Midnight Rhapsodies








































































__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Movies - coverage of the 74th Academy Awards�
http://movies.yahoo.com/

             .---Anime/Manga Fanfiction Mailing List----.
             | Administrators - ffml-admins@anifics.com |
             | Unsubscribing - ffml-request@anifics.com |
             |     Put 'unsubscribe' in the subject     |
             `---- http://ffml.anifics.com/faq.txt -----'