This isn't an actual chapter for Children of Sorrow but a little "side note" and a glimpse of what happened in our biochemists eyes.
Memories
It hurts to remember, it hurts so much. Seeing my children everyday reminds me of what happened. I can only stand to remember in fragments. It makes me wonder what I did wrong and why did I not figure out how to fix it. What could I do? There must have been something! "Mother…?" God help me. I swear I had done everything correct. Why was my theory so wrong? It is all in the past but I cannot forget. They still live, my three dangerous children. I never had the heart to kill them. "Mother, are you all right?" Oh Dorian…perhaps if they had known you, things may have been different. I suppose only out of their mistakes were my other children created.
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"Aurora! Come here please!" My grandfather shouted from his laboratory. He has taught me so much about alchemy in hopes of my becoming a world-renowned biochemist one day. I am not like other fifteen-year-old girls. I never liked pink, unless it was a poring. I never liked to do the things that girls do. My life is about science and I am most happy this way. In fact, I have surpassed alchemists in skill that have a good ten to twenty years of experience. My title as a biochemist came just months ago and I know that my grandfather was overjoyed.
As I made my way out of my personal lab, a gift from him, I entered Grandfather's lab down the hall. "Ah, Aurora, my lovely girl. I want to show you what I have been working on. You have heard of Alchemists making creatures for companions or pets, yes? Of course you have, we have done this. I have come up with a new formula to adjust a few things. I can create a new Homunculus that is even more capable of learning."
"Oh really? Learning in what way?" I asked, adjusting my glasses. They had a habit of slipping down the bridge of my nose.
"I believe that enhancing certain features will enable the homunculi to help people better. To make them more like us would be something grand, yes? Those that have trouble with every day things like your old grandfather could get a little help! They'll be smarter, more like us. More like us…" He chuckled. I smiled at his willingness to joke about himself. He was always the warm-hearted old man with the desire to help anyone and everyone.
"It sounds like a wonderful plan."
"Indeed, my girl. Now I have no doubt that the churchgoers would fuss about this. They really don't understand that alchemists and biochemists are here to help everyone. Perhaps I am speaking only for myself but I never wanted to play God. If they understood our process, I think they would be more willing to accept." He was right as usual. People fear what they do not understand.
The homunculi created thus far have been animal like. They take many different forms depending on the design formulated by their creators. The fundamental design of homunculi is based off existing creatures. We do not seek to create life out of nothing…but wouldn't that be incredible? I have been working on just such a project but without Grandfather's knowing. I have a vision that I cannot ignore and I have completed it as far as I can. I have worked feverishly and long. As of now, I am in the waiting stages.
"I think I'll go back to work. I need to learn what I can if I want to be a great biochemist!" I said with a smile. "Do you think you ought to rest for a while?" He was not well these days but his love of his work kept him in his lab day in and day out. He looked so tired today. His eyes drooped terribly so I know he had been up all night.
"I think I will for a bit. Go back to work, Aurora." He said as he leaned down and kissed the top of my head. I watched him leave and then I headed back to my lab. People often say that I am meticulous and very organized in every aspect of my life. Grandfather likes to poke fun at sometimes but I will admit that maybe I am a little over the top sometimes. I tend to leave notes everywhere but I just cannot help being so organized.
As I entered my laboratory, I closed the door behind me and locked it. My research was too precious to be revealed just yet. I imagine that for a very long time, it will remain only my secret. On the far side of the lab, I kept my research hidden from prying eyes. I flipped a switch on a panel on the wall and several cylinders rose as the counter top moved back. There were five cylinders and five embryos in different stages. The cylinders held an artificial "womb" of sorts that allowed the embryos to grow. I pulled out a clipboard and noted the growth and changes of each. My eyes were drawn to the largest as I wrote. It was almost ready to be taken out. I could see the outline of my beloved infant homunculus. I found it interesting that I could not seem to compare the growth of the five embryos to one another. Their growth was different from one another.
As I gazed at the most matured, I felt odd. It felt like I was drawn to it for a reason…almost as if it was calling out to me. I stared at the homunculus within the cylinder and very nearly cried out as it moved. It moved within the artificial womb with great force. I had seen it move before but not with such vivacity. I dropped the clipboard and moved to the cylinder, placing my hands on the glass.
"You want out, my little one?" Excited is somehow not strong enough a word for what I am feeling. I almost lost myself in eagerness. I punched in a few commands, the liquid in the cylinder drained, and the glass lowered. I quickly moved the kicking creature to a table and hastily grabbed a surgical knife to open the artificial womb. I had no time to waste. As I pulled the infant homunculus out, my breath caught. I had truly succeeded it seemed. This creature, this beautiful creature…looked human.
The infant coughed as it tried to breathe on his own. I cleared his mouth and throat and he seemed to be just fine. There was no crying or fussing from him. He just stared with a strange awareness. I cleaned him up, wrapped him in a blanket, and took his vitals. He was absolutely perfect. His eyes were so strange. They had a brilliant turquoise hue; the bright lights of the lab dancing in his eyes made them seem even brighter. He had a mess of pale blond hair atop his head. I did notice that he seemed unusually pale for a newborn, not to mention having a thinner body too. He looked rather graceful for a baby. "What should I call you, little one?" I asked softly. "How about Livius? Your eyes cannot deny that name." I saw a faint smile spread across his tiny pink lips as he cooed happily.
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Not six months later, I was chasing him around my lab. He was energetic and far too curious for my liking. He had grown so quickly it was unbelievable. In that six months time, he went from a newborn to the size of a four year old and his learning capacity was twice that. I noticed from the start that Livius understood what I was saying though he could not yet speak. To be honest, it was odd. I was filling up a journal with notes and observations faster than I could believe. Thankfully, he seemed to understand that I could not let him see anyone else because at this time, he is a secret. Even Grandfather had no idea. "Livius, come here."
"What Rora?" He asked as he stood by my side, peering at the growing homunculi. He was as intrigued as I was.
"Look here, little one. Your siblings are almost ready to be born. For some reason you grew so much faster than they did but hopefully they will come out as healthy as you." I watched as he stood on his tiptoes and tried to get a better look at his siblings. It would be interesting to have five of them running around but also more difficult to conceal.
"Rora, when can I go outside? I don't like it in here." I knelt down to look at him and took his tiny hands in mine. I did feel bad about not letting him go outside but it was far too risky. Only when Grandfather was out could he go outside.
"I thought I explained this to you already, love. You are not like me. You are a homunculus and if people found out what you were, they would take you away from me. They would hurt you." Being a scientist, I knew how a scientist thought. He would be treated like a lab animal. It pained me to think that people would hurt such a thing but Livius and his siblings were unlike anything in the world. They were not smart pets and they were not human.
They were something different and in many ways better. He understood this but he was still developing and learning. As the weeks progressed, the other four were born. Two were as strong as Livius but the other two…I cried profusely when they died. Something had gone wrong along the way and I had never discovered what. Livius was sad because he looked forward to seeing all four.
The two little girls I named Genesis and Adela. Genesis is an enigma. Frankly, she scares me with the way she looks at me sometimes. I know she loves me and I love her but…she exudes a power of which I know nothing. Her eyes carry a silvery glare, much like Livius but I fear that she will become dangerous if I am not careful. She is so pretty and at first glance seems so innocent but behind those eyes lurks something that should not be unleashed. She actually shares many qualities with her brother as far as looks are concerned. Her hair is the same pale blond and her skin is light like his. Genesis bears an intelligence that surpasses even that of Livius.
Adela, on the other hand, is curious and friendly. She tends to be aloof and in deep thought sometimes but she will never tell me why. Unlike her siblings, she is dark in complexion with midnight black hair and the loveliest hazel eyes. She does not have the fierce gaze that Genesis does and it puts my mind at ease. She is quite articulate and seems to become more and more like me everyday. She seems to have the slowest growth physically but matches Livius in mental ability. She is quite the character but I have noticed that she follows the actions of her siblings and I am beginning to think that it will lead to something unfortunate. I cannot rid myself of this terrible feeling in the depths of my mind.
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It had been two years now and I now live with three adults. It amazes me that just two years ago Livius was an infant. Today I have decided to go into Geffen and buy them all a gift. I celebrate their birthdays but today I just feel like we have gone through so much and I want them to know that even if they are not my real children, I love them as if they are. "Genesis, I am going into town. Please make sure to stay in the lab. Your brother and sister too." She frightens me daily, a look of disdain never leaving her face. I wish I could make her happy but I cannot no matter what I try. With a sigh, I leave the lab and the house. I said good-bye to Grandfather as I leave and kiss his cheek. I just have a feeling that today will be different somehow. I hope it is for the good of course.
Returning home approximately two hours later, I made my way into the lab and see that the door was open. I was about to scold them when I realized, walking in, that none of the three were in the lab. I began to panic and dropped my bag. I ran to check every possible spot and knew that they were not here. "Where are you? Why did you disobey?" I asked the empty room. I could not imagine anything happening to them. Perhaps Grandfather found them. I can only hope…but as I entered his laboratory, I froze. He was lying on the floor in a pool of his aged blood. His eyes were open and a look of fear stained his wrinkled and once warm and caring face. "No…" I whispered. Then I hear another noise. Looking to my left I saw Adela huddled in a corner, sobbing.
"I'm so sorry." She said. There was a knife, bloodied, laying near her and smears of blood on her white dress. She refused to meet my stare as I pieced the parts together. She killed Grandfather. My dear, beloved Grandfather.
"Apologies are not enough." I was trying to very hard not to collapse in burst into tears. "Where are Genesis and Livius?" I could feel myself shaking with rage and sadness and hurt. How could she do this to me? The dark haired homunculus said nothing more. Adela could only cry. "How could you do this?" I asked again. I could not stop the anger from seeping into my voice.
"I don't know…I just…I just did. Genesis said that she and Livius were going to the city." She managed before she was overtaken with tears again. I left the house and went back to Geffen as quick as my legs could carry me. By the time I arrived in Geffen, the word of the terrible bloodshed reached my ears.
I knew right then that something terrible was going on in the minds of my three children. Then I saw them and they saw me. They were not like Adela, they were not crying. Genesis and Livius wore cold, stony expressions as they approached me. It is so wrong when your own child looks at you with death in their eyes. "Why?" I asked my voice hardly above a whisper.
They came up to me and kissed me, comforted me. I stood like a stone not reciprocating their loving gestures. People could see this and knew instantly that the two murderers belonged to me. "Go back to the lab…" They obeyed and I followed shortly after. Arriving home again, I fixed tea and set it in front of the trio, giving them a harsh look. All of them downed their drink and in moments looked at me with horrified and betrayed expressions before falling into unconsciousness. I do not know what had gone on while they were in Geffen but it led to bloodshed.
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No, I could not kill them even for all the horrific tragedy they caused. Simply, I put them somewhere that they could live out their lives in blissful coma. They could not hurt anyone this way. I had a new laboratory built in a secret place in the forests outside of Geffen where I lived and worked for a year or so before I moved back to the magic city. My three children remain in the secret laboratory. I started my research again and created more homunculi because I feel I have perfected any mistake I made before. I now have six beautiful children who will never know of their malicious siblings. At least I can only hope. "Mother, you daydream at the strangest times." Dorian laughed. I snapped back into reality and pulled my oldest into my arms. I would protect my babies even at the cost of my own life.
A/N: Well, I've had this sitting around for months so I figured I should put it up.