From: Ina-chan <inachan2@ican.net>
To: JQML@onelist.com
Cc: starfox@ma.ultranet.com
Date: Sun, 14 Feb 1999 04:58:57 -0500
Subject: [JQML] [FIC] Valleychap6act1
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From: Ina-chan <inachan2@ican.net>

February 14 , 1999

Disclaimer: JQ not mine. Non-JQ characters and storyline mine. No money made. 
All for fun... 
Category: Alternate Reality, Dark, Episodic 
Rating: This entire series is for mature readers with a tolerance to slight 
netiquette language violators, implied violence (You have been Warned!)
Archivers: If you want it...
Summary:  
 
note: Do not attempt to read this part if you haven't read the earlier 
installments. Well, you can, but I don't advise it... I'm pretty sure you'll 
get the gist of the storyline, but it's not the same as reading it from the 
beginning... So if you wanna know the whole story... <shameless plug> Go to
http://www.fortunecity.com/lavendar/psycho/66
to see this fic and others written by me and my friends. ^_^. Don't 4-get to 
sign my guestbook as well... Or you can send me a note, demanding to send you 
the copies of the parts you want at: inachan2@ican.net

********************************************************************
	Geneva, 1987... it started when the world's most ambitious effort for 
global peace ended in a massacre. A tragedy that lead to the rise of  the 
"New Order"... the Zin Empire.
	Ten years later, in the year of our Lord 1997, the children of the 
fallen generation has come of age. Now it begins. The brave journey to bring 
light... 

Into the Valley of Darkness
Chapter 6 Act 1:  Aftermath

	"I've lived to bury my desires, 
	And see my dreams corrode with rust;
	Now all that's left are fruitless fires
	That burn my empty heart to dust."
		-Alexander Pushkin


	It was the sweet melody of a violin that lured him. Like a moth, 
enchanted by the dangerous light of an oil lamp, he followed it. And it led 
him to... 
	...her.
	Her special place. Her special time. Very early in the morning.  
When the usually bustling University courtyard was still devoid of  people. 
She sat by the quiet steps, under the light of the rising sun in the horizon 
behind her.  The dayspring giving her an ethereal aura, as if painting her 
as some sort of angel. Nevertheless, she was his angel anyway. His musical 
angel on earth.
	The music stopped as she looked up in surprise upon noticing him 
standing there. Silence hung heavily in the air. So many things he wanted to 
say to her, but his words remained painfully lodged in his throat. Finally, 
she smiled and cocked her head and smiled at him impishly.
	"Do you like Beethoven, boy?" 
	Even her voice sounded melodious.
	"Don't call me boy," came his automatic reply
	"Beethoven's Fifth is the best," She continued, ignoring his comment, 
as she put the violin under her chin once again.
	He knew what was going to happen next. This scene had replayed in 
his mind... in his dreams... in his memories... over and over for what seemed 
like his entire lifetime. 
	"He was already going deaf when he wrote it..."
	His desperate attempts to reach out to her... to force his frozen body 
to move. But all he can is watch in horror. 
	"And within it, he perfectly captured the eternal struggle of man 
against the wrath of fate and nature."
	For as soon as the first note played, he found himself transported back 
into hell... where he can only watch helplessly as a great wall of fire came 
between them, surrounding his oblivious angel. But even as the fire consumed 
her, the struggle of the Fifth Symphony played on...   	 
	
	His eyes snapped open and focused on the dark ceiling that replaced 
the stygian vision. His ears hearing his laboured breathing that replaced the 
painful euphony. Benton Quest sat up and glanced at the luminous glow of the 
bedside clock. 
	0400 hours.
	He lay back again with an unceremonious thump. He always has the same 
dream during this time of year. He ran his fingers through his hair with a 
deep sigh, "What are you trying to tell me Rachel?"

***

	"Are you still going through that?" Melana spoke, irritation lacing 
her voice
	"The only way I am going to find my answers is if I do the search 
myself," Anaya replied flatly without taking her eyes off the screen from the 
scenes emitted by the security cameras, "You know very well how annoying it is 
to depend on idiots to do the work for you."
	"Our flight is due in a few hours. Father is expecting us. You know 
how Father dislikes tardiness."
	The young woman clenched her teeth in annoyance, "Father is a stubborn 
fool, trapped in his personal ideals from the past. And you, dear sister, are 
no better than a mindless lamb following his every command like your common 
headless poultry. "
	"I shall pretend I did not hear that. You better not force me to drag 
you by your hair when it is time to leave," Melana retorted in an equally irked 
manner, as she prepared herself for another scathing come back from her twin.
	It never came.
	Instead, an amused sardonic laugh came out from her sister's lips as 
she pushed herself away from the monitor. 
	"What is it?" Melana inquired curiously 
	"Nothing. I just discovered one of the damned amusing ironies in life," 
Anaya wiped the tears spilling out from the corners of her eyes, "I do believe, 
we found our mysterious... bomber. Now, I do believe I shall take a short nap 
until our flight home." Anaya pushed herself up from her seat and made her way 
out of the room. 
	Melana  watched her sister's disappearing figure from the corner of her 
eye. She knew her sister too well to read her twin's true feelings behind the 
shallow facade of amusement.  She stepped closer to peer at the frozen frame on 
monitor. There seemed nothing unusual about the scene, until her eyes spied a 
seemingly lone insignificant figure in the background. 
	"Well, well, well..." Melana raised an eyebrow as her Cheshire cat grin 
touched her lips 	 
	
***
	
	The piece of jewelry glinted mysteriously in the moonlight as it rested 
on a woman's hand, perched by a window. How long has it been since she had
this? 
Nine... no... ten years. The woman only known as the Jezebel Jade told herself 
that she only kept it as insurance. Though it was a simple golden band, it must 
be worth some money that she can use in the future. Only a stroke of pure luck 
will trace it back to its owner, with the name etched inside the ring scratched 
and almost faded from battle scars.
	She smiled as her palm closed around the wedding band and tucked it and 
its chain back under her collar. Ten years... and she kept the damned ring
around 
her neck like a good luck charm. Close to her heart. There were a lot of 
opportunities to get rid of it... but she never did. Face it, girl. You
can't let 
it go. Truthfully speaking, she didn't really know the reason why. Maybe,
for some strange and morbid subconscious thought, she also dreamed to have
the safe 
comforting traditional love, marriage and family gig.
	A soft noise caught her attention. She looked up and saw the child 
standing by the door, watching her expressionlessly. A twinge of fear ran
through 
her again. Ever since she found out... she realized... the feelings she
thought  
she buried long ago was no longer at reach. But whenever she sees him... he
looks 
at her with his doll like eyes... she remembers.
	Ten years... Truthfully speaking, she knew the reason why she kept it. She 
was just afraid to face the truth. In doing so, it meant facing her sins.  She 
clutched the ring through her blouse, as if to gain some inner strength from
it as 
she faced the boy and forced a smile on her lips, "So... Jason. How has it
been? 
You've grown."
	The boy replied with his usual answer of silence.
	Jade made her way closer to the boy and bent down to meet his eyes. Her 
hand slowly moved uncertainly to touch his cheek. She froze as another noise 
announced itself. She looked up only to catch a split-second glance of  a tall 
figure move out of sight in embarrassment. She pulled her hand away and 
straightened up, "Khau-lun!"
	"Hai!" A smaller female figure appeared suddenly by the doorway.  Seeing 
the boy, the smaller woman started chattering soothingly in Chinese as she
led boy 
out of the room. 
	Ten years... The woman chuckled softly as she staggered backwards for 
support at the window sill behind her. When are you finally going to stop
running 
away?
	
(To Be Continued)
written by: Ina-chan

comments, criticisms, bricks to inachan2@ican.net

Author's Squawk:

	Can't say much. Sick with flu. Story just expanding the prelude to opening 
a couple more cans of worms. Happy Valentines Day.

Ja matta ne!
Ina-chan
***************************************************************************
Dialogue of the moment:

Apes:<monkey sounds> Hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!
Jonny: Who? Me Jonny, him Hadji.
Hadji: Remind me to laugh later if we get out of this alive.

	-Jonny, Hadji & the tree people in 
	"CJQ episode: Attack of the Tree People" 

~@@@~
Ina-chan
inachan2@ican.net
main: http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/psycho/66
W.A.R.: http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Set/1986
ICQ:13667820


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