Fan Fiction ❯ The Goddess Sagas ❯ Distortion ( Chapter 18 )

Chapter 18: Distortion

Ryan moaned, tossing wildly in his sleep, beads of sweat formed on his forehead, as disturbing images entered into his

slumbering mind. The rest of the group were huddled around him worriedly.

"He's been like that for days..." Carrie whispered.

" I hope he's going to be ok...." Mimi said worriedly.

"I wonder what's wrong?" Lima asked concerned.

For the past two days Ryan had been like this, he had fallen asleep shortly after Kim and Amy left and had yet to wake up.

Alex being the strongest in the group carried him on his shoulders as they walked on to the nearest town of 'Lapan' to build on

supplies and see if the villagers had any information on the demon-god or Saiyoua.

"Do you think he's still in shock about Ruto?" Genki asked quietly, he hadn't been himself since their last fight, and the group

was getting a little worried about him too.

"Poor guy...he did love Maya didn't he..." Lemon said staring at the demon-half sadly.

" It was his fault Marie-Maya ran off in the first place." Alex responded coolly.

"Hey!" Genki shot him a bitter look. " It's not his fault or any of our fault this happened to Ruto, if you have to blame someone

blame Taromecika, and Keith!"

"Well, considering you knew Marie-Maya was the goddess all along then it's your fault also!" Alex barked, causing Genki's

face to dawn an hurt expression.

"Back off, it wasn't his fault!" Lemon hissed.

"Mally, shut up! Your to blame even more then him, after all, you served under Taromecika!"

Lemon bit his lip, uttering a low growl. " Well you were the one trained to take care of her! If you were any kind of solider as

you say your are, then she wouldn't have gotten hurt!!"

Alex froze, his eyes widening.

"And now just because you failed in your mission you have to go blame us, because your to much of a damn weakling coward

to accept it's all your fault!!" Lemon continued hurtfully.

Alex dropped Ryan, who did not even so much as groan as he hit the ground.

"Really....Is that how you think?"

The whole group stopped walking, the one's not involved in this little scuffle stood still to watch how things would turn out.

"Alex...I'm sorry." Lemon apologized quickly. " I didn't mean that."

"No...your right, I failed in my mission, and my mission is all what matters, all what I lived for." Alex said, his words becoming

even more creepier as he spoke in his expressionless tone.

" Hey....what do you mean by that?" Genki asked nervously.

" A soldiers life is on the battle field and in his missions, if I failed my mission, then I failed my life. Protecting Marie-Maya was

my mission...it was my life..."

" Alex, your talking crazy." Lemon frowned.

"If I wasn't crazy, I wouldn't be a solider." Alex answered a creepy expressionless smile curving on his lips.

"....Lima don't like how this is going." The elf whimpered, huddling close to Squall.

" Alex, are you talking about killing yourself?" Carrie asked boldly. " You sound like you are."

"Life is an in-valuable to me, but there is still a chance I can save Marie-Maya, killing myself before my mission is complete

would be dishonorable...it would be weak."

" Alex, life is never pointless, you should care more then that about it." Mimi said in a tiny voice.

"Try living mine....Anyway, it is not you business to know my personal feelings. All what matters in my mission."

" Do you even have any feelings of your own?" Genki asked bluntly causing the perfect solider to turn away as if insulted.

"A failed mission means death, but my card hasn't come up yet."

After a few minuets the group began to walk again. Needless to say their moral was low, and all of them knew that it was only

a matter of time before their small little group were to break apart.

"If only Ryan would wake up...I bet he could hold this team together..." Mimi said quietly.

"Yeah...." Genki agreed sadly.

************************

Ryan's dream

All around him was darkness, the air was thick and it was hard to breath, as he fell threw the endless void of blackness, his

eyes partly closed in an half sleep. His heart was empty, he could feel no emotion at all, but yet he could...he could feel every

bitter emotion in the world. But they all seemed to be detached and mixed into one, as if the darkness that was choking him

were chasing them away. Threw his mind he could see flashes of Ruto, his whole adventure up to from the point to where he

first saw the vision of her before finding the Anju temple up to the point where she gazed up him threw Saiyoua's soulless eyes.

Even though he could not feel things that well right now he could feel hot tears running down his face, but it took him a moment

to remember just what they were. But that could be because his thoughts were as cloudy as his feelings, he felt like an empty

body, as the darkness around him continued to engulf his being as he fell endlessly threw the bitter void.

" Ryan..."

Ryan opened his eyes slowly, at first not being able to resister whom the speaker was at first. He saw red hair, followed by

green eyes and furry skin. Feeling a faint surge of happiness he reached out towards the figure.

"Parfait...!!"

She did not return his joy, but stared back at him with a empty expression, standing just out of his reach.

"You let Taromecika take me, why didn't you help me, Ryan?"

Ryan's eyes widened. "Parfait...I'm sorry, I...I tried."

" You promised mother that you would take care of me, that you would watch over me always....you lied to her....you let

Taromecika take me away..."

"Mother......?" Ryan opened the locket with the woman's picture inside.

" This woman....she was my mother....? I don't remember...making a promise...but.." Ryan looked over desperately in Parfait's direction.

" Parfait! Please, I tried, I fought my hardest to stop Taromecika from taking you...I'm sorry..."

"No your not..."

Ryan's eyes widened at the new voice and he gazed upward to see Mara staring back at him with the same empty eyes Parfait

adorned.

"Mara....."

" You do not care about anyone but yourself, you left me alone and betrayed our friendship, you did not care what happened to

me, you just wanted Ruto and then you got her you abandoned her to. Our friendship meant nothing to you....your secretly glad

I'm gone, you really could never stand to be around me.... You hated me and now your glad I'm gone aren't you Rya?"

"Mara, I would never hate you!! Your were....ARE my best friend, I love you, not in the way I cared about Ruto, but I did love

you, please Mara, Parfait, please come back to me....!!"

But neither Mara nor Parfait made a move towards him.

"Why should they?"

Ryan's eyes filled with horror at this new voice and looked up from the ground eyes wide.

"Keith...."

Keith stood in front of him like an dark god, his eyes empty yet filled with hate at the same time.

"Ryan you always thought yourself better then me, whatever I did you always tried you best to surpass, whatever I wanted, you

took away from me, you took away my only friend....everyone hated me at school except for Mara but she too left me and

began to hate me like the rest when you showed up..."

"I did not know...I did not know Mara was you friend, it's not like I ever told her to stay away from you...!! And I never meant

to make you feel like I was better then you, sure I did try to beat you but that's normal for rivals....I never did it to make you

feel bad...Keith, I'm sorry."

" No your not, it's just your guilt that is making you say that, but if we were all still with you, you would not be saying that, it's

only to make yourself feel better, it isn't like you actually care....your so selfish...." Keith accused harshly.

" No...I'm not like that, please....!!"

"Your completely useless!"

Ryan turned towards the next voice and saw Pai-Pai, Ryo and Quinn standing in the shadows.

"You could not stop any of us from dying, some 'Savior of the light' you turned out to be." Pai-Pai continued sourly.

" You let us all die, why couldn't you help us?" Quinn asked, bitterly.

"....Why did you let me die....?" Ryo asked so innocently it hurt and Ryan could feel tears sting his eyes.

"You did not even help me grant my last wish...." Anna-may said as she too appeared in the growing crowd. "You did not care

if I had to spend the rest of my life in eternal longing, and pain...would not ever un-guard your heart, because you have none."

"You lied to my sister...you did not tell her that you were the one to kill me....You did not even try to save me." Kathy accused

as she also appeared before him.

" I did not mean to.....please...." Ryan sobbed.

" You told us that we didn't have to kill any innocence."

He stared up at Kim and Amy.

"You said it, looking at us like we were evil...but you are no better then us....no better then even Taromecika...." Amy

continued from where Kim left off.

"What do you mean....?"

" We have to kill for a reason, to save this world...Taromecika causes pain for evilness, but yet he still does have a reason, his

own twisted reasons, but a reason none the less to do so, but you, you cause others suffering and woe for nothing." Kim

answered.

"No!! That's not true, I don't....I don't...."

" You deny it, don't you Ryan. How very like you...."

Ryan's eyes widened and he slowly raised his head to look at Ruto standing above him, looking at him threw eyes not empty

like the rest, but mocking, eyes which seemed to mock him with her stare.

" Ruto...." Ryan tried to walk towards her but his body would not obey his wishes. All he could do was stay frozen in the

darkness.

" You care for no one but yourself, you hate everyone, you hate your friends, you hate me, you even hate yourself. Since the

moment I met you, all you did was cause me pain!"

The words cut deep into him like a knife, and all his emotions came rushing back into him at once and he began to cry, body

shaking out of control.

"Ruto.....!!!" The scream was so heart shattering it could break a person's heart, yet the people around him could only stay at

him threw empty and hateful eyes.

" You wanted me to die, you did not care about me, you did not care what happened to me, you had your pleasure with me,

you toyed with my heart making me think you cared about me, and then like you did with everyone else, you broke it, you

broke my heart and destroyed my life! Now because of you....I don't even have a life anymore...I'm just a memory....I'm now

Saiyoua....the Goddess of Destruction."

"Nooo, Ruto!!"

All around him new faces appeared, faces of people he did not even know, all starring t him threw empty eyes.

"...Who are they?" He croaked out weakly.

"They are all the people you caused to die...." Ruto answered, eyes still mocking.

"What!?"

"Taromecika attacked wherever you went, you knew it was you he wanted, if you had died then all these people in the villages,

in the towns....everyone wouldn't have died. Your so selfish, sacrificing their lives just to save you own...."

"We died because of you....It's all your fault." The nameless faces of men women and children echoed around him.

"NOOO!!! I DID NOT DO THAT!!!! IT'S NOT MY FAULT!!!!" Ryan screamed, gripping his head in agony, but the voices

still continued.

"PLEASE, PLEASE STOP!!! I DID NOT DO IT, PLEASE STOOP LOOKING AT ME!!!"

But they eyes continued to stare at him, so empty, yet so hateful and bitter at the same time, the same kind of eyes people who

has terrible rumors spread about them are looked at with. Those unforgiving eyes, telling him what he has done was

unforgivable...the pain of those eyes were unbearable...he did not know just how much more the searing pain from those

unforgiving eyes he could take.

"You failed in your mission...." Ryan's eyes snapped open, filled with pitiful tears as he heard Cid's voice echo threw his mind,

in the distance he could see Genki, Lemon, Mimi, Lima, Squall, Carrie, and Alex staring at him threw the same bitter eyes that

everyone else stared at him with and slowly they turned away from him and began to walk away into a light the was in the distance

leaving him alone in the darkness as he called out their names in a desperate plea. Turning in tears towards the eyes he saw that

they had all disappeared and he was alone floating the dark abyss.

"No, please don't leave me alone here...." Ryan sobbed, curling himself into a ball as he cried.

"Your not alone, I'm still hear, join me, embrace the darkness."

Ryan gasped as he felt Taromecika's hand grip his shoulders.

".....But...I'm...."

The golden talisman around his neck fell to the dark floor as it's chain snapped, the gold surface cracking right down the middle,

dark blood oozing up from it's golden pours.

"You're the 'Savior of light?' " Taromecika chuckled, finishing his sentence, leaning down close, so Ryan could feel the demon

god's breath against his cheek.

"It was a lie...a lie made up just so you would do Key's bidding, you saw what happened with Cid..."

Ryan stayed silent, as the demon god continued to speak.

" He was made give up everything he cared about to save Key...and then, when he accomplished his task he was left with

nothing, then years later when Key needed help again, what does she do? She abandons him, because she found he was no

longer young enough, and she chooses another to take his place, with out no more then a sideways glance back at Cid. She will

do the same to you...why serve such an heartless goddess?"

" You're the one to talk, Saiyoua wishes to destroy Gaia, earth...the universe, everything..."

" You got it wrong." Saiyoua said as she floated out of the darkness. " I don't want to destroy the universe, I want to save it."

"Save it?"

All around him he could hear bitter screams of agony, so dark, they could make one loose their mind if the lessened to it long

enough.

"This is the universe crying as it dies, I wish not destroy it, but save it, and the only way to do that is to destroy everyone that

harms it...all live my end for my planets to live..."

Saiyoua disappeared, living Ryan's mind racing with confused thoughts. Once again he could feel Taromecika's arms wrap

around his shoulders.

" If you continue to serve Key, all what will happen is the destruction of the universe, and everyone will die anyway, but with

the universe gone, their will be no chance for new beginnings...all life, all sprits and souls will disappear forever...it is the will of

humans, their wish for everything to die..."

Ryan's eyes snapped open as he felt Taromecika's fangs sink into his shoulder, and slowly he could feel the demon-god drink

away his emotions, his heart, his soul, replacing them with pure darkness. Ryan could feel his body change slightly, and he

looked up at the darkness threw misty eyes a drained expression and emotionless tears running down his face as an image of a

crying Ruto desperately tried to reach out towards him, but he could not move. With one last muted plea Ruto's image

disappeared and everything became dark, the last words he heard seemed to have came from hundreds of people, all the ones

which had stared at him threw empty eyes, all saying the same thing in perfect harmony.

"Embrace the darkness."

End of Ryan's dream

***************************

Genki sat near the water, kicking his feet back and forth in the cool surface.

"Genki..." Mimi asked, causing the boy to jump startled.

"....Oh, hey Mimi."

The fairy half frowned at his sad tone.

"Genki....try not to be so dispirited, it's not your fault any of this happened, I mean, even if we did know Ruto was the goddess,

would it really have changed anything? We would still have collected the orbs, and we would still of gotten them stolen from

Taromecika...such things can't be changed, but we still have to hope for the best, as long as we have hope, nothing is ever lost."

"....Hmmmm, yeah, but...." Genki sighed. " You heard what Kim and Amy said...I have some of Saiyoua's blood flowing in my

veins...I will have to die, otherwise...She will still be able to come back to life by taking over my body....I'm going to have to

die in the end of all this..."

The boy's eyes widened startled as he suddenly felt a sting across his cheek, putting his hand to the sore spot on his face he

looked up at Mimi who gazed down at him trembling eyes filled with tears as he hand was still in the air from slapping him.

" Don't talk like that....You can't die...your...your far to important to me....to everyone...your....you're my friend, I don't want

you to die Genki, promise me, you wont die, no matter what!"

Genki's eyes widened in surprise as Mimi fell into his arms sobbing but slowly, he put his hands around her, comforting her as

a mother would comfort a child whose pet had just died.

"I promise......."

*********************************

In the thick trees two figures were watching them.

"They sort of remind me of us."

"Why are we still here watching them?"

"Can't you feel it? A darkness is nearing....it's going to show it's self very soon...and when it does, I think we may have to save

or steal a soul orb."

"Yeah...I feel it to..."

*******************************

"...Miss Lena, your in charge of taking the soul crystals away from the carriers after our 5th ranker weakens the group. Our 5th

ranker to carry out this mission is Karl Cabrera. He will only be replace if he gets killed of if he fails to many times."

Taromecika informed, the two names mentioned bowed.

"Father, there will be no need for that." Keith said, approaching him.

"Why not?"

"Mother has already thought of a plan, the one to destroy the rebels group, will be, Ryan."

The demon god's eyes widened a little surprised. "Ryan? She's planning on using him already? I thought we were going to wait before taking him."

Keith smiled. " Mother has already awakened the darkness in him, he is slowly going mad...besides I want to see what the little puppet can do. Anyway, after he destroys his friends, Lena can check out his soul orb, he might has one of the pieces of the goddess stone, but if he doesn't, then we can just either kill him or bring him over on our side to do our bidding."

"Ok then..." Taromecika smiled. " Sounds like a tasty little plan now doesn't it?"

***********************

Lounaru frowned bitterly from the dark corner and walked down the dark hallway. Hikari stopped him half way.

"Hey, Lounaru, you've been acting strange lately..."

The crazy man returned him with a soft glare, his eyes were not blood thirsty like every other time, this time they were a soulful

blue gaze.

"...!! You've came out of the brainwashing again!! TAR--!!"

Hikari was silenced with a blast of fire magic which tossed her across the room.

"......" Lounaru disappeared, leaving no trace of himself behind.

************************

The whole group was gathered near a camp fire, all very sad faced, Ryan was left to rest in one of the two tents they had sat up

for the night. Mimi was stirring a pot over the fire, fixing some stew for the rest of the group. The night air was cold, and they

would have been shivering, but with all the bitter feelings they had inside of them, they did not even feel the cold.

"Uhhhhh....."

The group turned towards the tent slightly startled at the sound of the moan, but then again, Ryan had moaned and whimpered

many times in his sleep, but it sounded slightly different this time.

"Lima go and check on Ryan." The elf said, getting up from her spot next to Squall and dashing off towards the tent. Before the

group had time to fully turn their attention back to the stew, a scream echoed off into the night.

"...Lima!?" Squall called out as the rest of the group looked over to the tents direction, and gasped, Lima was thrown out of it

and against a tree, knocking her out, a trickle of blood on her forehead. In fear the group turned towards the tent and watched

as a boy stepped out of it. Their eyes filled with horror as they gasped.

The boy looked like Ryan, but yet, not like him at all. No, whom they were looking at, looked like an evil image of the 'Savior

of the light.'

His blond hair had turned red, his eyes had became narrow, and an bright yet lifeless green, his skin was covered

in a thin brown fur, and his hands had long jagged claws, he smirked at them meanly, with longer more jagged teeth. Around

him a evil purple light glowed, which seemed to originate from his black sword. They would never have guessed it was Ryan if

it wasn't for the fact he was wearing the same clothes, held the same weapon, and had came out of the same tent Ryan had

been in.

"....Oh....shit..." Squall almost summed up everything they were thinking with those to little words.

"....Uhhh...Ryan?" Lemon squeaked.

The demon turned towards them, his grin spreading.

"...Ryan!!" Mimi exclaimed. "What....what has happened to you....?"

"I saw the truth...Saiyoua's will must be completed...for the sake of the universe." Ryan said crazily.

The group gasped.

" Ryan! You lost it!!!" Genki growled.

" Ryan, come on, snap out of it! Saiyoua wishes to destroy the universe!" Carrie reminded desperately, but Ryan shook his

head laughing.

"The universe will not be destroyed, only those foolish beings whom destroy it will face Saiyoua's wrath."

" Ryan, what's gotten into you, this is not you talking!" Lemon exclaimed, dashing towards him, but the sheer power

surrounding Ryan caused the boy to be thrown away from him, crashing into Squall. Ryan smirked as both boys went falling to

the ground, neither of them opening their eyes.

"He's so powerful...." Mimi whimpered, Carrie crept closer to her, both hiding behind Genki who put his arms out in front of

them, in hopes to protect them from Ryan.

"Damn it, Ryan you've gone insane!!" Genki growled, his brown eyes becoming dark with anger.

" Join Saiyoua, or else you will become my enemy and I will be forced to kill you." Ryan said, narrowing his eyes, harshly.

"You have her blood in her veins...you are the only one, that Saiyoua will accept...join us, Genki, the rest of these fools are

meaningless."

"I would never sell my soul to the devil! There are people and things I love to much on this earth for it to be destroyed!"

Genki got into a fighting position, but was stopped by Alex as the solider stepped forward, drawing his gun.

"Genki, protect the girls, I will fight him."

"What?"

"Don't get in my way, stay out of this." Alex turned towards Ryan, his eyes as cold as steal.

"Everyone who fights is my enemy, and I make sure all my enemy's are dead."

"How very human-like of you. You want to kill me, and Saiyoua and all her followers, so the world can have peace or is your

aim in protecting this world, for a sense of justice?"

" I don't fight for peace, peace is only something that comes from fighting, peace is only the end result of war. But there is one

thing I fight for, and that is my true mission."

"True mission?" Ryan raised an eye brow.

"Sure, most think that my mission was to protect Marie-Maya, and for the most part it was, but my true mission, the true reason

why I was trained was to protect this world at all costs."

"So, your going to kill me?"

"Everyone that gets in the way of my mission is my enemy, I was trained to kill, I don't care whom I kill. It makes no difference

to me."

"Then let's get started." The glow around Ryan disappeared as all the energy went to his sword. " If it's your mission to kill me,

then go right ahead and try."

Alex aimed his gun. " Mission accepted."

Mimi and Carrie closed their eyes as a gun shot echoed threw the night, Genki stared hopelessly as the bullet entered into

Ryan's chest. The boy was bent down, blood coming from the wound, bullet after bullet entered into his body, as Alex shot

mercilessly. Blood came out in puddles from Ryan's gut, and the girls began to cry louder, after all, Ryan was once their

leader...and friend.

" Weakling, you did not even put up a fight." Alex commented, lowering his gun.

Ryan to everyone's shock, raised his head, wiping a trickling of blood away from his mouth he smirked, standing up straight, the

wounds in his body still bleeding, but no longer seemed to harm him. The boy began to laugh, insanely.

"How can he still be alive after losing so much blood!?" Genki gasped is disbelief.

"Bleeding is to breath, to breath is to bleed, breathing is bleeding." Ryan chuckled.

Alex narrowed his eyes, giving Ryan a death glare. " I kill crazy people."

"Crazy, huh?"

Alex gasped suddenly as Ryan shoved him against a tree, twisting his wrist, breaking his arm when he refused to let go of the

gun. Alex sucked in a short gasp of pain, staring at Ryan threw bitter eyes, he lessened as the boy spoke.

" Your weak...You could not kill me...you could have, but you didn't want to, that is why you lowered your guard. Your trained

well enough to know, never lower your guard on your enemy even when they are down. Your not as heartless as you made

others belief." Ryan pushed his face closer to the others, a smirk spreading across his face. "And that will bring your death."

Alex's eyes widened and despite himself allowed himself to release a short cry of pain as Ryan sank his teeth into his neck.

".....For someone without emotions, your feelings taste so sweet to devour." Ryan mumbled, suckling at the boys neck.

The three remaining group members watched in horror as Alex struggled to get free of Ryan's grip but slowly he became to

weak to fight against him any longer, and the perfect soldiers body fell limp, his eyes slowly closing, mouthing nothing but two

words.

"Mission...failed..."

*My lullaby,

hung out to dry,

What's up with that?

It's over...

Ryan turned towards the group, his eyes still flickering with madness as he dropped Alex the ground, who laid there unmoving.

Mimi and Carrie began to whimper louder as their once leader walked towards them, Genki got into a fighting position, ready

to protect them with his life.

Where are you dad?

Mom's looking sad,

What's up with that?

It's dark in here.

Taromecika secretly floated in the sky, watching the sean, and for some reason a smile of victory stayed far away from his face

as he watched with what seemed like sadness, eyes down, watching Ryan's face with love and disappointment, like how a

mother would look at her teenage daughter which had just accidentally gotten pregnant at an young age.

"Ryan...Your stronger then this...the form your in...I don't want you to look like this."

Why, bleeding is breathing?

Your hiding underneath

the smoke in the room,

" Move out of the way, Genki, Saiyoua does not wish you to die, yet." Ryan ordered. "But if you refuse to move, I will have to

kill you."

Genki looked at Ryan threw clear, determent eyes, which shimmered slightly with unshed tears.

"To protect Mimi and Carrie, I'm prepared to die."

Ryan stared at him expressionless, drawing his sword, but pausing for a moment.

"What are you waiting for Ryan, if it would truly make you happy, COME AND KILL ME!!"

Try, bleeding is breathing,

I used to...

Lounaru watched from the bushes, his eyes wavering as he watched Ryan lunge forward, plunging his sword deep into Genki's

stomach.

'.......Ryan......'

My mouth is dry,

Forgot how to cry,

What's up with that?

You're hurting me...

Genki's eyes widened as the blade plunged it's self deep within his body, drops of blood and spit flying from his mouth as his

head fell back, getting a glance of the sky, wear a shooting star passed over head.

I'm running fast,

Can't hide the past,

What's up with that?

Your pushing me!!

"Genki!!" Mimi cried, catching the boy in her arms as he fell back, she watched as he gazed up tearfully into her face, she took

his hand, holding it tightly in her own.

"Genki..." She sobbed, her bitter tears falling onto his face. " You promised me you wouldn't die..."

"D...d...don't worry...I never break my promises...I just...." He closed his eyes passing out.

Why, bleeding is breathing?

Your hiding underneath

The smoke in the room,

Hikari frowned, as she sat in her room in Taromecika's dark castle, her eyes closed as she used her powers to watch Ryan as

he approached the last two remaining group members, his sword crimson with innocence blood.

' Ryan....why is it I don't want you to do this....why....do I feel as though....I care about you....What am I thinking?'

Try, bleeding is breathing,

I used to...

I used to...

Saiyoua and Keith stood the balcony over looking a destroyed city, darkness surrounding them, as they look up at night sky.

"...Our plan...it's almost accomplished...Ryan and the group are soon about to die...all of them...."

Keith looked at her, his expression not readable. "Not this way, mother...it's to much of a cowardly way to win....I hate him,

but he should at least die with honor..."

Saiyoua turned her gaze on him eyes flickering black , causing Keith to be thrown backwards by her power, crashing into the

wall of Taromecika's dark home, chips of paint and cement crumbling away from the force of the impact.

"Don't question my plans."

Keith bowed his head, his dark bangs hiding his face. "But...I...I..." he gripped his head as though struggling when Saiyoua's eyes flashed black again and a darkness surrounded him, causing him to scream out. As it faded he bowed his head.

"Your mother, he's a puppet, he's meant to be controlled."

Why, bleeding is breathing,

Your hiding underneath

The smoke in the room,

Lena stood watching blankly as Carrie got to her feet, approaching Ryan as Mimi, whom still cradled Genki's head in her arms

screamed to her to come back.

Try, bleeding is breathing,

I saw you, crawling on the floor!

"Ryan....I don't want to kill you but....but your not longer Ryan!"

The demon laughed. " Did you just say that you was going to kill me, little girl? Go a head and give it your all."

Carrie growled, eyes scanning her friends lifeless bodies. In tears she raised her hands to the sky

"FINAL FLASH!!"

The attack headed towards Ryan who only smiled as it approached him.

Why, bleeding is breathing

Your hiding underneath

The smoke in the room,

The two shadows that had watched Genki and Mimi only a little while ago, stepped into the light, eyes watching sadly as Ryan's

power reflected Carrie's attack away from himself and back at her, the attack blew up, taking both Carrie and Mimi out of the

battle. Unaware of two other figures that were watching him from behind the tress.

"I suppose, evil can fill anyone's hearts..."

"He's being controlled...can't you hear his soul crying...I can...it's so horrible...."

Try, bleeding is breathing,

I saw you, crawling to the door!

Ryan stood in the middle of the battle field, staring at the bodies of his friends which lay all around him, his talisman flicker gold for a moment, tears suddenly falling

over his cheeks, images of each of them flashing threw his mind at once.

FLASH

"Guess I'm on your team, huh? Hello my friend!" Genki laughed, throwing an arm around his shoulders

FLASH

"Um....Ryan....Your strong...do you think, you can...help train me?" Mimi asked shyly.

FLASH

"My sister meant everything to me....Ryan, do you understand my pain?" Squall asked, turning towards him, blue eyes glistening

with tears.

FLASH

Lemon smiled brightly. " I like being around you guys! I love having friends, I hate being lonely."

FLASH

Carrie smiled. "Being with all of you, is like being with my family again...you all are very special to me."

FLASH

" Ryan, don't worry, it will all turn out all right." Lima comforted him after he had awoken from his nightmare.

FLASH

" Your lucky you don't have a past...not having a past means you don't have anything to look back apon, a clean sweep for

your soul...." Alex said sadly, looking down at his wrist, for the 1st time Alex noticed a tear.

FLASH

Ryan began to tremble, as his eyes traveled over one body to the next.

"...What have I done...?"

Why, bleeding is breathing,

Your hiding underneath

The smoke in the room,

Lena walked out of the bushes, slowly Ryan turned towards her, tears falling down his face.

"1! 2!"

Ryan felt some kind of board appear behind him and suddenly he was strapped down to it, he knew from Kim's story what

was going to come next but he just no longer cared.

"3!"

"Ryan!!" Ruto appear before his eyes reaching out towards him in tears as his pure heart crystal floated out of his body.

WHY, bleeding is breathing!

Your hiding underneath

The smoke in the room!

Saiyoua gasped clutching her chest, as she heard Ruto's voice echo threw her head also.

'No...Marie-Maya...stay dead...'

Ohhhh, bleeding is breathing,

Your hiding underneath

The smoke in the room,

Ryan's group members weakly opened their eyes gasping at the intense brightness of Ryan's soul crystal, a glowing sliver gold

and crimson, star shaped crystal.

"....Such a bright crystal..." Lena exclaimed, dazzled.

"Ryan's soul crystal..." Lemon wheezed, gazing up at the object.

Ryan was pale in the face and laid weakly against his bondage, tears still falling down her face, leaving stains on his cheeks.

"Lena..." Lounaru spoke, finally coming out of his hiding place.

The leader of the 'Great L's' looked up startled, eyes widening.

Try, bleeding is breathing

I saw you, falling far away.

Ryan's group looked at the man in horror, knowing that now they had no chance at all, but something very unsuspected

happened.

Lounaru walked towards Lena, holding a magical fire dagger to her neck.

"Go away, or else I will kill you."

Trembling Lena obeyed wordlessly, and disappeared the bondages which held Ryan on his feet vanished along with her,

causing him to fall to the ground in a pitiful heap.

Taromecika watched with an expression one could never really describe, it was almost like a mix of love and hate, joy and

anger, disappointment and relief, plus any kind of emotion, which could never be describe, perhaps it was the same one Ryan

had felt when Ruto's body had been taken over by Saiyoua...but there was no way to ever tell, for that emotion did not have a

name, and so there for it could not be known and could not exist. But such a emotion is better off, not existing.

Why, bleeding is breathing,

Your hiding underneath,

The smoke in the room.

Lounaru took Ryan's soul crystal tenderly into his hands, placing it back into his body, slowly the color returned to the boys

face and his eyes flickered open, before his eyes he saw Lounaru.

Whatever passed between the two men would never been known to any of the others, as they exchanged a few words which

were mere whispers, tears falling down Ryan's cheeks, Lounaru leaned forward, kissing his forehead, a tear of his own sliding

threw his closed eyes lids.

Try, bleeding is breathing,

I saw you, breathing in,

Your bleeding tears...

The group gasped as suddenly in a flash of golden light Ryan returned back to normal, the talisman around his neck glowing

softly along with him.

Lounaru put the once again asleep boy back down on the ground and looked up towards Taromecika who was watching him.

But all what the demon god did was nod, a small smile appearing on his lips.

Lounaru closed his eyes, turning to the group with a smile of his own he spoke in a small voice which was almost a muted

whisper.

".....Taromecika's headquarters is located at Angeles..."

The group watched in confusion as Lounaru disappeared, followed by, unknown to them, Taromecika.

To breath is to bleed...*

Ryan's dream

He floated in the dark void once again, tears still falling from his eyes.

"Ryan..." Ruto spoke as she appeared in front of him.

The boy looked up at her, this time however her eyes were filled with nothing but kindness and love.

She smiled at him, her wings spreading forth from her back, she put her arms around him, a few tears falling from her eyes and

onto his hot shoulder, which still had dark wounds. The tears seeped into the marks, causing them to disappear like they had

never been there.

"Ryan...don't ever think I hate you....don't ever think what those illusions said were true. You tried you best to protect us all,

you never gave up, no matter how hard things got you never gave up, that is what I love about you....so please, don't start

giving up now...."

"Will the others ever forgive me?"

Ruto smiled, stroking his cheek. " Ryan...They already have, they know you were under the control of darkness."

"I shouldn't have been so weak and let evil control me like that."

Ruto chuckled a little. "Hey, Ryan, don't say that, your starting to sound like Alex."

"But I still can't believe I let Saiyoua and Taromecika control me like that."

"Taromecika had nothing to do it, infact, Him, Hikari, Lounaru, even Keith were hoping that this time you would win. Sure they

all had different reasons, but it all boiled down to one thing, they could not stand to see themselves win like that, to win so

unfairly, they respect your strength and to see you defeated like that...it was to dishonorable for them to bare. But Saiyoua's dark control runs deep, especially in poor Keith, so they wont be so against trying to control you again. You have to be strong, Ryan...there is much about yourself that you do not know."

"Ruto?"

"Yes?"

"I will save you, no matter what."

"Ryan...."

The two of the embraced, what both of them knew, might end up being their final embrace. Closing his eyes he leaned forward

to kiss her...

End Ryan's dream

Alex's eyes widened surprise, one moment he was leaning over Ryan, while the others huddled around him, trying to

wake the demon-half by slaps to the face and the next he heard Ryan mumble Ruto's name and leaned forward and now found

himself being kissed by the boy who only moments had almost killed him.

Ryan opened his eyes, which widened as soon as he saw just what he was doing, he pulled away with a small yell of surprise.

The whole group stared at him, blinking.

"....I was dreaming of Ruto!! I thought I was kissing Ruto!!" The boy protested.

Alex's look changed from surprised into raged. "INJUSTICE!!! ACK!!" The boy wiped at his mouth disgustedly, as if he had

just been kissed by a toad or something.

"Ryan....are you back to normal, now?" Mimi asked, worriedly.

Ryan's eyes dropped towards the town. "I can hardly remember anything that happened...but I know I hurt you guys...I'm so

sorry, will you ever forgive me...I should not have let Saiyoua take control of me like that....I'm...I'm so sorry."

One by one Ryan felt each group member lay their hand on his shoulder. Squall, for the first time any of them had ever seen,

smiled at him.

"True friends always forgives each other Ryan, and that is what we are."

*******************

Taromecika faced Lounaru as both of them stood, facing each other.

" You're a fool, Taromecika, Saiyoua wishes to destroy everything, and that includes you, your son, everybody."

"You learn your place, it's not a equal to me, you're my servant remember?"

"I'm not a servant to you! I never was, I was foolish to...to care about you, you twisted beast!!"

Taromecika flinched at the words, but forced himself to smirk, cruelly.

"Your not a servant , but Lounaru is." The demon god snapped his fingers and suddenly Lounaru found himself being grabbed by the dark

sorcerers, kicking and screaming while they drug him away.

"How many times is that brain washing going to run out? I should keep him away from Ryan for a while..."

*****************************

Saiyoua held her chest breath heavily. "Damn you Marie-Maya, I almost destroyed him, why did you have to interfere!"

"Because, I care about him to much for you to take over his soul like that, as long as I have an ounce of will-power left I will

fight against you until the end, to make sure Ryan stays safe." Ruto said as she spoke, an image of Ruto appeared in front of

Saiyoua's eyes, which was replaced by Key's as soon as the second goddess began to speak.

"You do not own this body yet, and you never will, Marie-Maya and I will exist forever, as long as people believe we are alive

we will be, as long as she are remembered we exist. We will always exist, for we will never let you forget about us."

" You bitches get out of my head, get away from me, I own this body, not you, only I!! Get away from me!!!!"

"You say you own this body, you and only you?"

"Have you forgotten your own words, We are you, you are us..."

The images of Ruto and Key flashed rabidly before her eyes until finally becoming a merged pair.

"Marie-Maya is Key, Marie-Maya is Saiyoua." Together they add almost mockingly. "Marie-Maya is Marie-Maya."

"Nooooo!!!" Saiyoua screamed, throwing her head up towards the sky in a scream of anguish.

'Marie-Maya, is everyone...'