Author: RINGSHADOW Subject: Death's Wings Posted: APRIL 14, 1999 13:47 //this is still a work in progess, though it's up to twelve hand written pages. I'll try to keep posting as more gets written or as I have time. Another strange story from my growing library of them...// "AHHH!" James screamed as his fighter spun out. Venom's dusty landscape filled the windows of his fighter. Star Wolf veered off, instead of following and making sure the job was done like James expected. "JAMES!" Peppy shouted. The arwing hit the ground hard, and James slid out of consiousness. He vaugely remembered unfamiliar hands pulling him out of the burning wreck his lungs burning for air, heart racing, blood roaring in his ears. "We didn't arrive soon enough...probably loose him..." Said a distant voice. 'Loose who? Me...?' He thought groggily, feeling a needle poke into his arm. An IV. "Hey, buddy! Can you hear me?" Asked a doctor's voice. 'Hear yes...answer no...breathe no...' He got the impression he was in a hospital as a thick gray fog invaded his vision. Sounds became more and more distant. NO. NOT YET. Something forced air into his lungs, forced him to exhale, forced his heart to pump. Forced him to stay alive. Then it drew back, like it was seeing if he could do it on his own. Again it was a struggle, and James' heart made another attempt at stopping. THIS IS NOT YOUR TIME. NOT YET. More air was forced into his lungs. THINK ABOUT YOUR SON. It was an order. James had nothing better to think about anyway, and what better to think about then his son? He mentally shrugged and did so, and was quickly absorbed in his memories. The next time the presence drew back, he breathed on his own. WE WILL TALK. SOON. James' eyes slowly opened. His burns were bandaged, and whatever other injuries were similiarly repaired or bandaged over. He was in a private hospital room, still hooked to an IV. Venom, Corneria, hospitals looked the same, he fuzzily noticed. IT IS SAFE TO TALK. USE YOUR MIND TO ANSWER. No one was there. 'Who are you?' A ghostly laugh, chill and faintly amused. WHY MR. MCCLOUD. I AM DEATH. He blinked slowly, mulling that over. In his state of half-drugged awareness, he was in no shape to question the identity of his visitor. 'What do you want?' TO TALK TO YOU. 'Why am I alive?' SOMEONE MESSED UP. YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE SO INJURED. SO I PREVENTED AN EARLY DEATH. 'Oh...thanks I guess...why would you care?' A long silence. 'Are you still here?' YES. 'Why would you care?' I WANT A FAVOR, AND IN RETURN I WILL MAKE SURE THAT YOU DIE OF OLD AGE. 'What do you want?' I WILL TELL YOU...LATER. REST AND HEAL, JAMES MCCLOUD. Death left, and James very quickly fell back asleep. An alarm shreiked as the door eased open. James cursed mentally, leaping out the door and sprinting down the corridor, tail whipping back and forth as he ran. "Where do you think YOU'RE going?" Wolf O'Donnel appeared, gun in hand. "To save my son, care to stop me?" It was a feeling really, that Fox would need some minor assistance in beating Andross. Wolf, tired and already beat up on several times in dogfights and on the ground, just looked at him. "Not really." "Good!" He continued to run for the nearest hanger, where he found Pigma's old arwing. Knowing his was wrecked, he launched in Pigma's old plane. Author: RINGSHADOW Subject: Death's Wings, Part 3 Posted: APRIL 15, 1999 14:14 "So where were you during the awards ceremony?" Fox asked. "Waiting here on the Great Fox for you. Sorry son, I hate formalities." "So....are you taking back over?" Fox slowly asked after a few moments." "Nah, I'm really getting to old for this." James shook his head, patting Fox's shoulder. "And you're a fine leader. Actually, I plan to be a Flight Instuctor at the Academy for a while, the other trainers have been asking me to help for a while." Fox smiled. "Fine by me. Great to have you back." "And it's good to be back, believe me." The academy hadn't changed much. Relying on memory, he found the classroom, and settled behind the desk. He wasn't ready to paper push, but training pilots was fine with him, and he had three classes--Beginner, Intermediate, and Senior Elites, who where the best the Academy had to offer. A bell rang, and a minute or so later people started coming in, his Beginner class. The rookies. One was a rather lithe, short burmese, but instead of gold or blue eyes, he had black eyes, deep black. Odd, but the burmese smiled at James and took his seat, tail twitching slightly, waiting. "So which one are you?" James asked him. "Tony Mortis, sir." "Pleased to meet you." Other classmates straggled in, talking and laughing. When the bell rang, James whistled peircingly for attention. The students quieted down and looked at him expectantly. "As you may know, my name is James McCloud, and yes, you can call me by my first name, not 'sir.' I'm formerly leader of Star Fox, but my son took over, and I let him keep leadership. So here I am, you Flight Instructor." He took them through class rules, plans, what to expect. By the end of the class, most of the rookies had warmed up to him, liked him. The bell rang, but Tony didn't leave. He stood and went up the aisle to stand in front of James' desk. "Glad to see you on your feet, by the way." "What?" YOU DON'T REMEMBER ME, DO YOU? James' jaw dropped. "You've got to be kidding me." OF COURSE NOT. "I'd like to discuss that favor today." "Death...?" DON'T CALL ME THAT JAMES. "No one knows by you. Now about that favor?" "What do you want?" "I'm in between classes right now, but can I come talk to you after final bell?" "Fine by me Tony." The burmese left. James was in a daze, but slowly shook it off. Author: RINGSHADOW Subject: Death's Wings, part 4 Posted: APRIL 15, 1999 17:05 That afternoon, Tony showed up again in the classroom. JAMES? "I'm here. Yes Death?" "Don't call me that." Tony closed the door and sat down across from James. That earned him a bemused look. "That's who and what you are, correct?" I AM ON VACATION. "Well what do you want from me? I already owe you my life." "No you don't. I need your help." "With what?" Tony bit his lip. "Living." "What do you mean?" "This is my first time in this...form." He gestured at his body. "I'm not sure about a lot of things...before this I never had done a lot of things, never...." He ran out of words. James caught on. "You need help learning how to act alive, is that it?" "Well...I..... Yes." "So if you come to me with some questions or something, I need to help you if I can?" "Yes....I've figured out a lot of things, even in my normal state I watch people..." "You learn by observation then?" "Yes. But a lot of social things...emotions..." Tony shrugged. "This is my first time dealing with them." "They actually are a bother for living people too sometimes, but I'll help you with what I can." He stood. "Thanks. And please, don't tell anyone. As said, you're the only one who knows who and what I am." "Your secret's safe with me." "Thanks." He left, feeling a little better. Actually, he thought it strange to feel much of anything. Author: RINGSHADOW Subject: Death's Wings, part 5 Posted: APRIL 17, 1999 12:52 Tony wandered the courtyard of the Academy. It was a nice day, so a lot of people were out and around. A few spared glances at him, but not many. He fought the urge to phase out, disappear and revert to his normal spirit state. He hated crowds. He ducked into a building, the art complex, figuring he could find some peace of mind. "Hi." A girl's voice said, sounding surprised. "Um...hi..." He shifted uneasily. The speaker was one of the Academy Seniors. "Avoiding the crowds hm? Well I can relate. You're welcome here of course." She smiled, and went back into one of the studios. He curiously followed her. She was the only one there. She sat at one table, working with a set of pastels. "The main class was too crowded so I switched to independant study." She said over her shoulder. "Oh." He walked over, looking at what she was working on. It was a surreal setting, a curving staircase and open second floor. It was done in black and white, with silver-blue moonlight coming through a single cracked window, illuminating the scene. It was well done, but it was something else about the picture that made the fur on the back of his neck stand on end. Lightly drawn in, sweeping down the staircase, was a black ghost. "What's that?" He asked, skin crawling. He already knew. "Really want to know that?" She laughed to herself. "Sure." "When I was twelve, my grandma got cancer. I visited her, and was reading in a chair...She had dozed off. I heard a beep and looked up...and saw something standing next to the hospital bed. She had died. I remember screaming for help, but the thing just looked at me, then disappeared. I remember it as looking like a dusky black ghost." She shrugged. "I think it was Death." 'She saw me in spirit form.' He thought, swallowing. "You seem pretty open about it." She grinned. "I've been obsessed with the supernatural ever since, especially ghosts. Most are nice, really, but I've yet to meet one in a cemetery. You think I'm crazy? I just see ghosts for some reason." "No I don't." "Good, lots of people do." She held out a hand. "Natalie." "Tony." He shook hands. 'Dear god the girl sees ghosts. I better be careful around her.' "Pleased to meet you..." She trailed off, looking at his eyes. "What's wrong?" "You know, the art teacher would kill to have you model for her advanced 2D art class just because of your eyes. Black eyes...that's cool." "Um, thanks." "Sorry I'm so open. I speak my mind." "That's okay...I gotta go.." He left the room, and stepped out of the quiet building. Sound assaulted his ears. He hated crowds, but didn't phase out like he wanted to. Instead, he returned to his dorm room and flopped on the floor, considering. 'So Death has taken a sabbatical.' James mused to himself. 'Well everyone needs a break once in a while. I feel a bit sorry for him though.' chirpchirpchirp...chirpchirpchirp... He tapped his radio. "Channel 8 here, whoever is looking for me." "Roger that. Afternoon dad. How's life as a teacher?" "Fine thus far, nothing interesting." He lied. He had sworn to secrecy, but didn't like lying to his son. "What's up there?" "Not much." "That's what I figured. Roger and out." "Clear." Author: RINGSHADOW Subject: Death's Wings Part 6 Posted: APRIL 18, 1999 11:17 Phased in just enough so he could see, Tony wandered the hospital. The most annoying thing was when people walked right through him. The sudden burst of someone else's thoughts and feelings that was gone just as suddenly was just a little disconcerting and annoying. Someone was dying next level up, or would within the next few hours. To Death itself, vision served a double purpose. He saw not only physical matter, but life. Healthy life, failing life, and death. As a solid form he lost that ability. He leapt up to the next level, tracking the failing life sign, curious. Afer all he rarely saw people before they died--he usually arrived a few seconds before the person actually died. He halted, horrified. This was a children's ward. Wait. This WAS his job. Why feel horror? He had done this for a long, long time. Why be horrified now? Was it because he had been alive? "Hi!" A small girl who's bed was across from the room's door wove at him, smiling. He looked around. No one else nearby. She was talking to him all right. He was doubly horrified, because if she could see him, she was dying. What was wrong with her? He entered the room. "Hello." She was a bear cub, one of those kids you naturally wanted to pick up and cuddle. She had big, dark brown eyes, and an IV ran to one hand. She held the other hand out to him. "What's your name?" "Tony." He wrapped a slightly see-through hand around hers gently. "What's yours?" "Christina, but call me Chrissy." She looked up at him. He sat. "Why are you here Chrissy?" "I'm sick." She replied. "Could you get Cody for me?" She pointed out a slightly ragged stuffed rabbit, sitting on a chair. He stood, collected the stuffed bunny, and handed it to her. "Thanks." She hugged the bunny to her chest. "You're a nice person." "Thank you." Realization passed across her face. "Do... Do you have to take me somewhere? " "Not yet." He quietly replied, uneasy. "Can mommy come?" He shook his head wordlessly. She was quiet for a moment, biting her lip. "Can I take Cody?" That made him smile a little. "Sure." Well the spirit of the stuffed bunny could come anyway. A nurse came in, and Tony phased out all the way, even if she couldn't see him. "Why are you awake Chrissy? You're supposed to be asleep." "Talking to Tony..." She trailed off when she saw Tony shake his head. "I couldn't sleep, that's all." The nurse nodded. "Talking to Cody hm?" "Yeah.." "Do try to sleep Chrissy, you need the rest." She nodded, and the nurse left. "Why didn't she see you?" Chrissy looked at where Tony stood. "Only certain people can see me." "Why?" "I'm Death, Chrissy." She blinked. "Then I'm dying? Is that it?!" "You're a bright young girl." He said, surprised. "The doctor said I was getting worse." Chrissy closed her eyes, a single tear tracing down her cheek. "Hey." He sat back down, taking her hand. "The doctor thought I was asleep...talked to my parents....said that I was getting worse every time..." She started crying. "He said I have a bad resp...rersp...risp..." "Respiratory?" "Yes, that's it. A disease...they can't fix me..." He unphased completely, much to her surprise because his appearance changed, and awkwardly hugged her. "Will it hurt?" "No." Not long later, a long, drawn out beep came from the hospital room. Author: RINGSHADOW Subject: Death's Wings, Part 7 Posted: APRIL 18, 1999 11:29 Tony buried his face in his pillow, miserable. Why had he even bothered with a vacation? Now he had feelings. Honest-to-god feelings. Death wasn't supposed to have feelings. He had never had them before. Then he had taken on a solid form, the body known as Tony Mortis, for the first time ever. And with the newness and a half-joyful eagerness, came emotion. And Death's new-found life became a near chaos. He pounded a fist into his bed, frustrated. "I am DEATH, for crying out loud!" He moaned to himself. "And here I am, in solid form, absolutely miserable, and so alone..." After a long while, he rolled onto his side and reached for the phone, dialing slowly. "James..? I really need someone to talk to." "No kidding. You're depressed." James observed, sitting down across from Tony. "What's wrong?" Tony sighed, slouching deaper into the chair. "I came here to talk correct? I have to know what's wrong before I can give advise." He sighed, and nodded. "I never had feelings before...and now I feel terrible." "I'm already sworn to secrecy. And if I swore, I keep it." Death slowly explained what had happened, how he had felt. James silently listened the whole time. "But I don't want to give up either." Tony said slowly, uncertainly, working his hands against each other. "I mean, there have been some moments during the lst two weeks...where I've felt pretty good. But mostly, I've been miserable and lonely." "Well what made you feel good?" He had to think about that. "I have a philosophy class, and life/death came up. The teacher let me explain my veiws on the subject, which I have a many, and everyone listened, and seemed interested the whole time. Like what I said mattered, you know?" "You like it when people listen to you?" "Yes...I like it when people are interested in what I have to say. I've always had a voice, but now for the first time I have a body, a way to express my opinions and feelings." James thought for a while. "Any suggestions?" "Well for one... Tony, you have to find some friends. And if you really want to express your views, there are clubs, like the Drama Club and there IS a Philosophy Club, and almost any club welcomes new members." Tony nodded, nervous. "They'd accept me?" "Why shouldn't they? Also, now that you've got a heart, listen to it." "What?" "Oh figure it out." James stood. "Anthing else?" "When do we start flying in class?" "Beginning next month." "Okay, thanks." Author: RINGSHADOW Subject: Death's Wings, Part 8 Posted: APRIL 19, 1999 14:56 Besides James, the first person Death became friends with was Natalie. He liked how open she was, how she'd talk about almost everything easily, and was friendly. She was also creative, and Death quickly found himself in independent art studies, even though he had never even drawn before. He was also soon in Drama Club and Philosophy club, per James' suggestion, and found himself enjoying that as well. To his amusement, he found himself under the call sign Grim Reaper. "Lead the pack, Grim." James said. "Roger that, James." He glanced up at the arwing, which usually flew above the rookie squad, and pulled forward in formation so he lead. "Rookie Squad, this is Senior Elite leader Ghostgirl." Buzzed the radio. "You reading me?" "Loud and clear." Tony replied. "Our current flight path to land crosses yours. We need you to drop a hundred feet." "Roger that Ghostgirl. Okay tea, let's do as the lady says." James dropped into formation as his class lowered in altitude. "Thanks Tony." Ghostgirl's group passed over the rookies. "No problem Natalie." "Friend of yours?" One of the other Seniors said in a snobby voice. "Why, Ghost, didn't know you hung around with freshmen!" "Quiet, High Class! I can associate with Reaper if I want to!" Natalie snapped. "Well, I never!" A guy laughed. "Don't tell me you never, High Class! I heard that..." "SHUT UP, Maverick! Just because I'm not squad leader doesn't mean you can talk about me like that!" "AHEM. Seniors?" James asked. The group landed, and continued bickering off radio. "Obviously they aren't a squad by choice." Observed another rookie. "I don'tknow, I've heard Fox and Falco argue like that sometimes, and they're best friends." James mused. "So it probably wasn't anything serious." "You mean Star Fox argues?" "Lots. Born litigators the lot of them! Gets pretty obscene too, especially when its Fox vs. Falco. Weird to watch! They'll cuss each other out, laugh it off, and buy each other drinks or something!" James shook his head in wonder. 'Mortals.' Thought Tony, listening to the laughter. 'Sheesh.' Author: RINGSHADOW Subject: Death's Wings, Part 9 Posted: APRIL 20, 1999 13:28 "That's cool." Natalie remarked, looking over Tony's shoulder. "You like being surreal hm?" "Yes actually." In truth it let him draw what he saw normally--the auras people put out. "Cool idea. You have a lot of demons don't you? A dark past?" "Why do you ask?" He just barely kept the caution and uneasiness out of his voice. "Everything you draw is rather dark... Then again I have no room to talk." He blinked, hearing strain in her voice. "What's wrong Nat?" She sighed and sat down across from him. "A girl in my squad is giving me a lot of trouble. You see, I'm top in my class." "But that's great!" "I'm proud, sure, but High Class is second best, in fact right behind my in score by five points. She's become more and more frustrated about it. She has a drive to be best, you see..." She trailed off. He set the charcoal pencil down and looked at her. "She's threatening you isn't she?" "Yes. She is. Mostly in play....joking around like...but it worries me. I think that everything was just handed to her before, and now for the first time, she might not get something she wants." "If she's threatening, you, that's serious. Have you told anyone else?" "No." "Why not?" "Because.... I don't want to be known as a snitch. And I'm kind of scared." "Don't worry, it probably won't turn into anything." He said with more certainty then he felt. She smiled weakly. "I hope not." "When I first started considering a vacation, I decided I'd take an eight month sabbatical." Tony rubbed his chin slowly. "It's been four months.... James, I don't think I want to go back." "Lose interest in your job?" "Yes, and I'm not lonely anymore. I mean, I've got friends now, people seem to care about me...and if I suddenly disappear..." He sighed. "It's your choice, you know." "Yes I do. And it's a hard one." Author: RINGSHADOW Subject: Death's Wings, Part 10 Posted: APRIL 23, 1999 13:48 Natalie walked out to her plane, waving when she saw Tony working on his plane's engine. Tony grinned and wove back. She hopped into her plane and took off, flying through the rings absently. The sun was still rising, making her plane glow golden red. "What a gorgeous day." She started pulling up, but the plane didn't budge. "Wha?!" She yanked violently up on the controls, but got no response. Behind her, the engines sputtered, and died. "MAYDAY, MAYDAY!" She shouted, "My engines have died, and my controls have died.... AAAAA!" Her fighter slammed into the ground. Tony dropped the wrench in surprise as he picked up the 'Failing Life' sign. He phased out automatically. It took several moments for him to realize that it was his best friend that had just gone down and was dying. Failing life... Natalie was his next client. NO! He screamed, and ran. In spirit form, he moved extremely fast by nature, and was the first one at the wreck by far. Clouds of smoke and fire rose from the engines. A plate on the plane had ruptured, and he could see that the air system had melted down. She was suffocating. He went solid and yanked on the manual cockpit release. The glass didn't move. Eyes watering and lungs burning from the odd-smelling smoke, he slammed one elbow into the glass. It gave. Failing life, failing life... NO! He shouted in fury, yanking the cockpit open. He couldn't tell what was wrong, what was killing her. He undid the buckles and picked her up, getting her out and away from the burning plane. "Get...away...Death..." She moaned, coughing red, eyes barely open enough to focus on him. "Nat!" NAT! IT'S ME! IT'S TONY! In his confusing, in the emotional roar conflicting with his job, he spoke both ways at once, phasing erratically in and out. "Tony Mortis... Tony Death?! No... It can't be true.... Oh, god...." She moaned. "If I can see you like this, I'm dying..." YOU SEE GHOSTS ANYWAY NAT. He went solid and made an effort to stay that way, trying to ignore his lungs, which felt like they were on fire. Failing life, failing life... "Stay with me!" He yowled angrily. "You bloody liar....I am dying..." "Not if I don't let you." He replied firmly. Author: RINGSHADOW Subject: Death's Wings, Part 11 Posted: APRIL 23, 1999 13:50 For Natalie, the next several hours were a living nightmare. Though she was dying, she didn't die. Doctors at the hospital were abuzz about her odd life signs, but corrected the problem at last. There had been poison in the smoke she had heavily inhaled. Someone had sabotaged her plane. For the first several times her eyes opened, there was the black ghost of Death's spirit form, and she panicked. Then at last she realized he was watching over her. When she finally woke up all the way, he was still there, the black ghost. 'Tony?' With a blur, the burmese appeared, and started coughing red, lungs blazing in pain. In complete panic, he phased out. 'Tony?! What's wrong?' She asked mentally, stunned. MY BODY IS DYING, I THINK. The ghost bowed his head. 'What do you mean?' I INHALED THE POISON WHICH ALMOST KILLED YOU NAT. BUT I PHASED OUT BEFORE IT COULD ACT. He shuddered. 'What happens if your body dies?' I DO NOT KNOW.... NAT. I'M SCARED. 'You have to phase in and let the doctors here help you!' She sat up slowly. He drew away, trembling. I HAVE NO ONE TO PREVENT MY DEATH AS I PREVENTED YOURS. I'M SO SCARED NAT... It came out as a mental wail, a cry for help. 'Tony... so am I. Let the doctors help you, it's the only way...' He shifted. SOMEONE'S COMING. 'Phase in! It's a nurse! She can help you! PHASE IN, Tony!' He phased in, and a blast of pain pounded at him. He staggered, propping himself up on the wall with a thin mewl of pain. His vision swam, blood roared in his ears. NO AIR NO AIR NO AIR... He gasped, but nothing got to his oxygen-deprived body. "NURSE!" Natalie shouted at the top of her lungs. A nurse ran in, and stared at Tony. "He saved my life, Nurse! But he's inhaled the same poison I did! It just kicked in! please, you have to help him!" Tony collapsed on the floor, holding himself off barely, almost blacking out in the process. HELP ME HELP ME HELP ME! The nurse put the alarm out, and moments later doctors were helping Tony to ER. I'M DYING! He said to himself in utter shock. DEATH CAN DIE?! I DON'T BELEIVE THIS... OH I HURT SO MUCH... SO THIS IS HOW IT FEELS... "Tony Mortis." A doctor read his dogtags. "Tony can you hear me?" "Yes..." He moaned faintly. "Hang on, hero. Just hang on. We're doing all we can..." "Doctor look at his life signs..." "Does he have a chance?" "If we hurry...but I'm not sure..." Failing life, failing life... Author: RINGSHADOW Subject: Death's Wings, Part 12 Posted: APRIL 24, 1999 12:07 AM I DEAD? DIDN'T THINK SO. He forced his eyes to open, rubbing them. An IV ran to one hand. He stared numbly at it. "Oh good you're awake." A nurse walked in. "There's been a parade of people wanting to see you, but since you're in intensive care, well... How do you feel?" He took a deep, slow breath. His ribs throbbed a little, but no screaming pain. "Okay. Sore. Who wanted to see me?" The nurse, a petite mongoose, chuckled and pulled a piece of folded paper from her pocket, then passed it to him. "The nurse's station has been keeping tally, young man." He unfolded it and read through it absently, surprised. All of his teachers, everyone in both clubs he was in, a variety of rookies he knew. Some names did have tally marks next to him, showing more then one visit. "My god." "Didn't know you were so popular?" She smiled. "Right. Sheesh... This is quite a list." He glanced up. "By the way is Nat doing okay?" "Natalie? She's going to be fine thanks to you, hero." "Am I going to be okay?" "Yes, thank god! The aerated poison that somehow got into the smoke was a lung inhibitor. It coats and prevents the lungs from taking on oxygen. Good thing there is an antidote! You and Natalie both must have nine lives or something!" She shook her head in wonder. "Who sabotaged the plane?" "I'll tell him." James appeared, leaning on the doorframe. Tony looked at the paper, and counted over a dozen slash marks next to James' name. "Sir you can't..." The nurse protested. Jams rose an eyebrow lazily, as if saying, 'Who's going to stop me?' "Oh well....but only for a few minutes." She tossed up her hands and left the room. "Thanks." James went in and pulled up a chair. "Shall I explain?" "Sure." "A rivalry that turned nasty. Natalie is number one in her class. Another girl was right behind her, and got so frustrated with the simple fact that she couldn't be best she sabotaged the plane." "High Class?" "Yes, how'd you know." "Nat told me she was getting threatened by High Class." "Ah. High class was pretty thorough about it. Cut the control wires, leaving them touching just enough to take off but so they'd separate in the air. Took all the oil and coolant out of the engine so it overheated and shut down, after disabling the sensory system that would have warned Nat about the ailing engine pre-crash. Not only that, High Class stole aerated poison and rigged the canisters to go when the plane crashed." James shook his head in wonder. "All to be best, and two people almost died." "Is she in jail?" "Yes, awaiting trial. It's pretty cut and dry though. You and Nat are very lucky." The nurse reappeared. "Um, sir. The doctor is coming to check on Tony, and if you're here, it's my hide." James stood. "Talk to you Later, Tony. Thanks ma'am." He added, glancing at the nurse, and left. Author: RINGSHADOW Subject: Death's Wings, Part 13 Posted: APRIL 25, 1999 12:16 YOU ARE IN TROUBLE, DEATH. Tony opened his eyes. A trio of spirits stood around the hospital bed, glaring at them as best ghosts could. DEATH. Repeated the one on his left. WE AGREED TO ALLOW A SABBATICAL, HOWEVER, THIS HAS GONE TOO FAR. He nodded wordlessly, knowing these presences could destroy him. YOU ALMOST DIED. WE HAD TO PREVENT IT. AND YOU REFUSED A CLIENT. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU DEATH? Asked the one at the foot of the bed. YOU ARE CRUCIAL IN THE CHAIN OF LIFE. IT WAS THAT GIRL'S TIME. He roared indignantly in his spirit voice. SHE IS MY FRIEND! I COULD NOT LET HER DIE! AND IF YOU SO MUCH AS TOUCH HER OR EVEN THINK ABOUT TAKING HER, I AM COMING AFTER YOU! The trio stepped away from the bed, stunned. YOUR NEW-FOUND LIFE HAS CHANGED YOU. Said the third. I DID NOT KNOW THAT I WOULD ALMOST DIE! He shouted, black eyes blazing. HOW COULD I HAVE?! The trio conferred, then turned back to him. ALL OF YOUR MISTAKES CAN BE CONSIDERED FORGOTTEN DEATH. BUT YOU MUST RETURN ON THE SET DATE, UNDERSTOOD? UNDERSTOOD. The trio disappeared, leaving him alone to his thoughts. "So it's true?" Natalie asked. "You're Death." "It's true." He sighed. "Who else knows?" "Just James." Long pause. "Why?" She glanced at him. "Why what?" "Lots of things. Why are you here? Why didn't you let me die? Why didn't YOU die?" "Vacation. You're my best friend. My bosses wouldn't let me." She poked him, seeing if he was really there. Tony laughed, shaking his head. "So how do you like living? "I love it. Too much." He sighed. "Huh?" "I have to leave in about three and a half months.... I don't want to leave Nat." "What happens if you don't?" "My bosses will quite probably destroy me." "Dear god!" "I wouldn't call'em dear, and I'm not even sure if they're gods." "So what do you plan to do now?" "Keep living. Relish the experience." He sighed again. "I won't get many vacations in the future." "When will your next one be?" "Not in your life time, I'm afraid. Probably in, say, 400 to 500 years." Her jaw dropped. "I'm not really aware of passing time as a spirit." He said carefully. "Now can you understand why I want to savor what I have left?" Author: RINGSHADOW Subject: Death's Wings, Final Part Posted: APRIL 25, 1999 12:26 For the next three and a half months, Tony 'Grim Reaper' Mortis continued to live a normal Academy life, and enjoyed it immensely. He had a growing circle of friends, and was becoming quite a good pilot. He went ice skating, to a number of assorted sports games, went to a rock concert, learned to drive. TONIGHT DEATH. SO SOON? He whispered in his spirit voice, trembling. YES. I DON'T WANT TO GO. YOU DON'T HAVE A CHOICE. "So what's it huh?" James said when Tony told him. He had sent messages to Nat and James. "End of the line." Tony replied in a depressed voice, looking across at his two best friends. "Thanks." "What for?" Nat asked. He focused on James. "Advice. Teaching me how to fly a plane. Supporting me." He turned to Nat. "Teaching me to draw and drive. A rock concert. Not freaking out when you found out who/what I am." He focused on both of them. "Being my friends. You two taught me how to live. Both say you owe me your lives, but I owe you more more then I can ever, EVER repay. And all I can say is thanks." James smiled sadly, Nat managed not to burst into tears--barely. "So that's it? We'll never see you again?" Nat asked blearily. "Probably not." Something tugged his spirit side. "I don't have a picture of you Tony...nothing...I don't want to forget you..." DEATH? He looked out the window. The sun was setting. Something gave his spirit side a hard yank. DEATH. COME ON. JUST A MINUTE! SHEESH! I'M SAYING GOODBYE, DO YOU MIND?! "Something wrong Tony?" James asked, watching Tony's eyes. "My boss, or one of them, is harrassing me." He stood, took off his dogtags, and pressed them into Nat's hand. "Goodbye." Unable to help it, tears sprang to his eyes...and Death phased out. "Just like that..." James murmured. The disappearance of Tony Mortis caused quite a ruckus at the Academy. For a week, cops were all over the campus, but found nothing. Of course, the two people who knew the truth couldn't say a word. Gone but not forgotten. Years later, people still remembered him. Death soon fell drearily back into his normal schedule, though he complained to fellow spirits that he had been 'Dilberted' by his bosses. Of course they had no idea what he was talking about. And for the next hundreds, then even thousands, of years, during which the physical world changed many times, Death never forgot his first friends...and dreamed of flying planes. ~~Shadow