Thy Will Be Done
Chapter 2 - Slouches towards Bethlehem
by Meimi

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Disclaimer: Am not associated in any way with Namco, Monolith, et al. No profit, blahblahblah.

Notes: Take a sharp turn right after Episode 1, head straight into Alternate Universe/Timeline territory, add in a few speculative theories, shake well.

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Shion's hand wavered weakly as she reached up and gripped her forehead. Nephilim's words still echoed dimly in her thoughts, but something else, something dark and heavy, was slowly moving across her mind, drowning them out. Something old, Nephilim had called, it certainly felt that way. A sense of ages so immense they could crush out stars, perhaps even entire galaxies, had her buckling at the knees. If she fell under the weight of this thing would she ever stop?

A gentle touch on her shoulder sent a cascade of cool, blue energy crashing through her, battering away the suffocating darkness until all that was left was the memory of it. She did fall then, but was caught long before she would have hit the floor.

"Shion, you are not well," KOS-MOS stated plainly as she supported her creator's shivering form, her voice as matter-of-fact as always.

Jr. and MOMO were by their side in an instant, their sharp, worried exclamations fading into soft, concerned murmurs as Shion tried to grasp at reality. Her head hurt terribly, but the blue still remained, soothing the ragged edges of mental agony into something more manageable. A strong up welling of Ether dimmed the rest of the pain, and she felt marginally human again.

MOMO stood on her tiptoes, cupping Shion's face in her hands, steady trails of pink light emerging from her fingertips and being absorbed into the older woman. She had noticed when both chaos and Shion had started in surprise, but she hadn't realized the brief touch of oppression she had felt in that instant was settling so heavily upon her friend. It had taken KOS-MOS moving to aid Shion for her to comprehend that something was very wrong. She was a 100 Series Observational Realian, she should have known that Shion was in distress the instant it had begun. Why hadn't she?

"Is it working?" Jr. asked tensely, a miniscule crackle of red ghosting over his right hand as he hesitated, undecided, at adding his own Ether to MOMO's. Even the slightest touch of Red Dragon in there might cause more harm than good.

Allen hovered over the two 'kids', wringing his hands and knowing there wasn't anything he could do to help except give verbal support. "Come on, Chief!"

"What-," Shion started, blinking slowly as her vision tumbled over in a nauseating spiral, before another push of Ether from MOMO righted it. "What happened?"

"That's what we'd like to know!" Jr. managed to get out before an ecstatic Allen bowled him over.

"Chief!" Allen yelled in relief as he wrapped all of the three girls up in a tight hug, but swiftly beat a hasty retreat at KOS-MOS' raised eyebrow. There was no telling what the android might do to him if she disapproved of his actions around Shion. Better safe than sorry, as the saying went.

"Are you okay?"

"I-," Shion blinked again as she looked down into MOMO's worry-filled golden gaze, "I don't know... I... think so." She moved her arms and wiggled her fingers experimentally, they felt so heavy, leaden, but they still worked properly. Her neck felt even worse though, so stiff, and her head felt like it was stuffed full of clouds. She didn't even dare try to put any more weight on her legs, they felt worse than jello. Thankfully, KOS- MOS still had a firm grip on her.

"What the hell was that?!" Jr. burst out angrily, crossing his arms, his fingers digging hard into his elbows. "Some kind of mental attack?"

"Unknown. There is not enough data to determine the cause," KOS-MOS answered as she casually reached down and hooked Shion's knees under her arm. "Shion needs to rest now. Please inform us of when you have authorization to land at the Second Miltia Space Port."

"Uh..." Captain Matthews scratched the back of his neck, not knowing what else to do, "Sure."

"Thank you." KOS-MOS nodded and then carried her charge off of the bridge, MOMO and Allen trailing in her wake.

"What the hell?"

Jr. moved to follow after them, but was stopped in his tracks by Hammer, "Little Master?"

"What?" He groused.

"Mary and Shelley are on the line, they want to talk to you right now."

"Damnit."

~*~

chaos stood off in a corner of the bridge, unconsciously using the smallest amount of his power to encourage the others to forget he was there. Shion's violent reaction to the presence that was settling itself into this reality was unexpected, but KOS-MOS handled it well enough. As for his own reaction... it had been an incredibly long time since he had felt such a surge of mortal terror.

'Nephilim, that is...'

Yes, it is. He felt her wrap ethereal arms around his soul, offering her warmth as a calming balm to his tattered emotions.

'But why would he-'

I do not know. She hesitated a moment, before continuing. You were the one who knew him best. Is there anything?

'No,' chaos shook his head, despair and uncertainty darkening his eyes. 'There's nothing. There's no reason for him to summon that.'

Perhaps, perhaps he didn't then. At least, not consciously. It has been known to answer the hidden desires of others in the past.

'That... is a possibility. But for him to harbor a desire strong enough to attract its attention, how could I not know about it?'

That is something you will have to ask him yourself.

'You realize that we haven't really talked or even seen each other since then?' chaos winced and rubbed his chest, his heart ached as he tried to avoid thinking directly about that particular point in his past, 'He will make it very difficult.'

I know. I am sorry.

'As am I... as am I.'

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And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?
- The Second Coming by William Butler Yeats