Fan Fiction ❯ The Goddess Sagas ❯ Storm and Stress ( Chapter 26 )

Chapter 26; Storm and Stress

The groups sprits were still damp from the last battle, especially Mimi's. It had been two weeks, but she still had not fully

recovered from the lost. However her friends did their best to cheer her up. Genki and Carrie had even made her smile once or twice, but even so...it must be hard to loose everyone you love....even Link had died, since the forest had been destroyed he

no longer had a meaning to exist.

Right now they were walking threw a valley of grass so long it went up to their waist, they did not know where on Gaia they

were, but....Genki said that this was the route they should take to Angeles. But it really did not seem like this route had been

used for a long time...or someone was just to lazy to take the time to cut the grass hear.

"Hey....Ryan, when we reach the town, we still in on robbing a blood bank?" Lemon whispered devilishly in his ear, coming up from behind him with a cute grin plastered on his face.

"......"

The Dampire frowned at the drained expression of the demon-half's face.

"Woah....Ryan....you really don't look that well...."

"Ne.....*cough* " Ryan swayed tiredly.

The group stopped as they watched Lemon rest a hand on Ryan's forehead, and pull back, shocked.

".....Your burning hot!"

"What!? My Rya's sick!?" Mara cried worriedly.

"....I'm ok.....just....a little......dizzy...." As he spoke his eyes slowly closed and he began to fall. He was caught clumsily in

Lemon's arms.

"RYA!!" Mara exclaimed panicked.

"Is there a town anywhere close?" Carrie asked worriedly.

"Yeah, there should be a village two or three miles ahead, if I remember right. Let's get going!" Genki said hurriedly.

"I wonder what happened? He did not seem sick this morning......" Lima trailed off.

" ....Hmm, I hope he's ok....lets hope it's just a sudden cold." Mimi frowned. " I don't want him to die...like everyone else...."

"Mally, I'll carry him, your to weak to carry him, onna." Alex said, taking Ryan from Lemon's arms, and putting him over his

shoulders.

"....Hey! Don't call me 'onna.' I'm a boy!"

".....I refuse to admit that, Mally."

"....The nerve...." Lemon began to growl, when Squall put a hand on his shoulder.

"You have to admit though, you are very much like a girl...."

Lemon was about to defend himself when he saw the playful look in Squall's eyes, and gave him a playful nudge, knowing to

what he was referring to.

"Squall, I never knew you had such a dirty mind."

" I don't. I'm just stating the facts."

"Oh!" Lemon frowned putting his hand on his hips, acting as if he was insulted, but everyone knew, he really wasn't. Their

actions was able to lighten the mood a little, but worry about their leader still consumed the whole group.

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

Saiyoua smiled, setting on Taromecika's lap. But she wasn't smiling at him, she was smiling as she watched Ryan's group threw the power of her mind.

"Ryan has taken sick....you think, that it's time yet?"

"No....not yet.....But it will come soon....if he can survive."

Keith frowned. " If he survives? Hmmmm.....oh, I get it now.....a doll's flesh don't last forever...."

A smile spread across his face, slowly.

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

" So.....hmmm....what if our next victim we attack is alone when we do? Then we can get the soul crystal without too much

trouble....and then we attack from overhead, destroying the town and getting the Magention from these peoples worthless

lives..." Laura thought, while her sister Lexy sat at her vanity, fixing her makeup.

"So, like, sis, I think you attack all wrong, ya know. To much thought and talk, you should just swipe the crystal." Lexy sniffed

powdering her nose. "Besides thinking gives you wrinkles."

"You do things your way when I fail."

"When? Shouldn't it be if?"

"No....good always wins, you know that."

"What the, hell!?" Lexy snapped her powder mirror shut. " Are you giving up!?"

"No...I'm just saying, I believe the light always ends up winning over the darkness."

"Then, why are you with us, if you believe that?"

"Because...." Laura smiled. " I believe in what I'm fighting for....the death of everyone....and a chance for the earth to be able to

breath again, someday."

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

".....What good will it be for a planet where only bugs can roam on it's surface?" Nagisa sniffed bitterly. Her sister glared at her threw the corner of her eye.

"Nagisa, are you turning against Master Keith?"

"No, Arisu....I'm not. But we all know, that is no longer Lord Keith."

"Your lying......He's Keith.......he has to be......." Arisu looked down at her feet, eyes wavering. " Doesn't he?"

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

The group was gathered around Ryan's bed as he laid in a hospital. They had found a very small little village by the name of

Middle. The people were very friendly, but most of them very old. The young demon-half did not open his eyes yet, but just

laid in the bed, breathing heavy and face flushed.

"Rya....." Mara whispered, brushing a strain of hair from his eyes gently.

"What's wrong with him!?" Lemon asked the middle aged doctor worriedly.

"......I can't say.....It looks like...sprit poisoning......" The doctor shook his head. " But....this boy......I can't find a heartbeat, or

plus, or.......anything.....but he's alive. I don't know how tough..."

"Sprit poisoning....?" Carrie frowned, confused.

"If you want to know just what it is, I say you go talk to Karen, she lives in the observatory at the edge of town."

"Karen....?" Mimi trailed off, trying to remember where she had heard the name before.

Lemon bit his lip and mumbled. "Oh no....Not Karen...."

"You mean, one of the originals who fought in the goddess wars!" Genki gasped.

"....Yeah, I guess....I don't know much about her past. She is quite introverted."

"Will he be ok?" Mara asked worriedly, not removing her eyes from Ryan's flushed face.

"I can't promise you anything, except that will try my best to cure him." The Doctor said sadly. Mara nodded, a tear trailing down her cheek.

'Rya......'

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

They found Karen's place with very little trouble. Inside a woman with gray streaked blond hair tied up in a loose pony tail,

and blue eyes hidden behind a pair of thick glasses turned to them, her face had not lost all of it's youth yet, but had it's fair

share of wrinkles.

Lemon, backed up into Squall's arms nerved, eyes dancing worriedly.

The woman placed her eyes on the group curiously, then snarling as she spotted Lemon.

"You!? What are you doing hear!? Did you not cause me enough torment!? Get lost you...you bastard!! How dare you show your face to me after what you did!!"

"I changed since those days Karen...I'm not on Saiyoua's side....I'm sorry for the trouble I caused you and your friends." Lemon apologized, not being able to look up at her face.

"I thought for sure, with Saiyoua back, you would be her little lap dog, her little puppet of death....." Karen frowned hatefully.

".......I was on that side......but....but I can't make up for my sins that way.....I know that now....so now I will destroy

Taromecika, Saiyoua.....and.....Lo...." Lemon shook his head. " And Lounaru."

"Lemon, what do you mean? What is your sin?" Squall asked him softly.

"Don't make me tell you, because if I do, I know I will lie, and I don't want another sin added to my list."

Confused and worried Squall nodded his head, allowing Lemon to remain silent. He just wished that he did not stay silent

forever.

"Do you actully think I could forgive you for what you did!?" Karen snarled, leaping forward sending a punch to the boys face. Squall went to help his lover protectivly but Lemon shook his head.

"She has every right to kill me right here if she wanted too...."

"I hate you Lemon!! I hate you! I hate you! I will never ever forgive you!!"

"....I don't want your forgivness."

"Well that's good, because your never going to get it. I'll hate you forever!"

"Why should I care if you hate me or not!? You were never able to forgive anyone...." Lemon said, once again going from sweet to sour.

Karen turned away from him bitterly, and looked at the rest of the group. "So....what are you all doing hear, anyway? Set down, I'll fix you some tea. Then you can explain yourselves."

The group obeyed, watching as the woman went on to fix tea, she passed out the cups, but pointedly passed Lemon without a

second glance. The group noticed this but by the pleading look Lemon gave them in return, they decided not to say anything

and were left to wonder, just what did Lemon do so bad to have this woman hate him so much?

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

"This is so odd....what is this boy?" The doctor wondered, as he gazed over at the ex-rays shaking his head slowly in confusion.

Suddenly his eyes widened as a blade embedded it's self into his body.

Emotionlessly Keith removed his sword from the man's spine. " So, Ryan, we meet again, but this time....." A grin worked it's self on his pale face.

"Things will be a little different.

" Taromecika and Cid were best friends....." Karen explained. " Cid, Taromeicka, Jambora, My sister Lou and myself traveled together to destroy the evil goddess, so Key could perfail. Our plan was to use the goddess stone....it was a stone made by the lost goddess Messiah who watched over the life stream it's self. We had searched for months for it, but the only way to get it was to go into the life stream."

"But don't you have to be dead to enter the stream....?" Carrie began to ask, but was silenced by a single gesture from Karen's hand.

" Yes, of course.... I don't know how Cid did it, but he entered the life stream and got the stone from Messiah. We used it against

Saiyoua, but it didn't work the way we wanted, Key and Saiyoua merged into one being. It was then that the true war broke out, and ' OISA' was summoned to destroy the planet. It was stopped by 'Messiah' We had used the goddess stone to combine Saiyoua and Key together and then we used it again to reborn them. An baby was born, and it was

given to Queen Ruto.... We was not suspose to do that. Messiah hated the goddesses and had gave us the stone for the soul reason of destorying them, but...we didn't....Messiah disapeared, I don't know how or why...maybe it was because to much of the stones power was used? About, Taromecika, he was not always a bad guy...he use to be a great friend of mine but....Taromecika loved Saiyoua....No....he doesn't love Saiyoua. You see, while the wars were going on, Saiyoua had disguised herself as a human girl named Aya, he fell in love with Aya.....I think he still sees her instead of the evil she has become...no...the evil she really is."

"Messiah....." Genki mumbled under his breath.

"Who is Messiah?" Mimi questioned. "I heard the name mentioned before, but I always thought there was only two goddess, Key and Saiyoua. Just who is this, Goddess of the life stream."

" I can't really say anything except that, Messiah is the absolute existence. She has the power to destroy a universe with three

words, but also has the power to save a world with three words. She is neither good or evil, and fully innocent. Pure innocence, and certain and rare kind draws her...she is as attracted to it as Key is to light and Saiyoua is to darkness. She has great power...the goddess stone was made out of a part of her innocent soul. I would hate it if Messiah became an enemy...she....she is the key to revoulationizeing the world...and if a power like that was to battle us...who knows what that power might cause. She could destory both Earth and Gaia in a mere moment if she wanted too..."

Alex sat up, pacing the floor. " You said something about calling ' OISA.' I know that the words means Satan, destroyer of all.....but what did you mean, summon? Saiyoua tried to summon the devil?"

Karen shook her head. " No....Oisa, it's....such as Messiah is pure innocence, Oisa is pure corruption. I don't know what made Oisa, or where it came from, but I know that if it hits, the souls from the life stream will be sucked dry...and all life on the planet will end forever."

The group gasped.

"Forever?" Mimi whispered in fright.

"Forever...." Karen repeated seriously.

" One of our friends." Alex continued. " Is a demon-half, with blonde hair and blue eyes, he has a sword that he called 'Oisa' but only, he doesn't remember naming it that....he just came out and said it, then denied right after the he even said the word."

Karen's eyes widened. " A demon with blonde hair, and blue eyes? That's impossible....all demons, no matter what, has green

eyes and red hair....even if they are mostly human....as long as they have a drop of demon blood in their veins they have those

characteristics.....your friend can't be a demon half....."

"He is!" Mara protested. " Rya, is........but........no.....I......no forget it....."

"He is at the hospital right now....the doctor said something about Sprit-poisoning....he said that you could tell us what it

was...." Squall said, changing the subject.

"Sprit poisoning? Ok....but I want you to show him to me after I explain this. Come with me upstairs, I want to show you

something. Lemon....please leave...I'm not going to risk having you go and tell the enemy everything...such as you did before. Now get lost!."

"Your hate is understood, Karen. I accept it.....I'll go check on Ryan, see you guys....." Lemon smiled sadly as he left the

house.

".....Lemon......" Squall whispered softly.

"Mally will be ok, stop worrying, men don't worry, it's weak." Alex said expressionless." You should know that....only cowards

and weaklings worry......"

"Why do you always call, Lemon, Mally?"

".........I knew him almost since childhood, he's almost like a little sister....or something like that."

"Oh, so Mally is a term used to show affection?"

"Affection?" Alex repeated the word, as if he had never heard it before. He gave Squall an empty stare before turning to fallow

Karen.

'........And I thought my existence was empty....at least, I have feelings......' the man beast thought before following the others. ' But why did he tell me not to worry...? Does he have feelings to him after all? But if so, why does he hide it? Then again, why do I hide it most of the time?''

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

Ryan was standing in the dark river again, his eyes closed. All around him was darkness, it seemed to wash over him. Opening

his eyes again, he saw himself staring back at him, almost like a mirror. Looking down at his real hands he saw that his arms

were furry and had claws. His mirror smiled at him, his expression or rather lack of one, made him shiver.

"Why am I shown as the demon....and you as me?"

The mirror image just looked at him empty, the black wings unfolding themselves from his shirtless back neatly. Ryan gazed up

at the raven dark feathers which fell from the wings, floating downward to rest on the surface of the dark water, but as they

touched the surface, the black water turned to blood. Ryan whimpered at the strong and thick smell of decay, hanging on his

nose and mouth not wanting to inhale the impudent smell.

"What are you trying to tell me....?" Ryan gasped sickly at the smell, his eyes catching a glimpse of his own reflection in the

crimson river, he saw that a pair of white wings had extended from his own back.

"Black means darkness, and white means light....then why.....why does the demon version of me have the white wings? I

remember what the demon version did to my friends, I almost killed them....."

"No....The demon version only appeared because it's the form of the darkness you fear....but what you should fear is this

form.....this form of lies...." The mirror spoke back to him. They even had the same voice except this one was empty and cold,

almost as cold and numbing as the black water had been.

"Form of lies....that is my form....why do I take on this body, and you take mine?"

"Is this your body?" The mirror asked, removing his sword from his side. " If so....can you feel this?"

Ryan gasped as he watched himself plunge the sword into his body, blood trickling from his lip.

"What are you doing!?"

His mirror copy laughed, sinking the sword deeper threw his own chest, a trickle of blood running down his chin.

"......Ha, ha,ha....your just a memory, living inside of an empty shell.....your such a fool....to be fooled by it...."

Suddenly Ryan found himself all alone in the darkness, he was back in his normal body. The body he just watched die. Looking

down at his feet he saw the demon version of himself laying dead on the ground, the sword impaled threw his heart. Slowly

gripping the handle of the glowing sword, he worked it loose from the others rib cage. As the last of the blade left his mirror

images body, the body turned into snakes and slithered away, disappearing under the river of blood.

"What the hell is going on....? I'm I going crazy?"

"Again?" A familiar voice asked from behind, almost mockingly.

Slowly a pair of strong hands wrapped themselves around his shoulders. Turning his head to the side he gasped.

"Keith...."

" A toy.....so easily controlled....just a memory....are you alive Ryan? Will you be my puppet and allow me to pull your strings,

will you allow father to pull your strings, what about mother?"

"Keith, what are you talking about!?"

"You'll understand soon enough....puppet."

".....Puppet.....?"

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

Slowly Ryan opened his eyes to see Keith gazing over him, a smile spreading on his face.

"Why, Ryan, you seem like you just had a nightmare."

"KEITH!" Ryan growled, trying to reach for his sword but found that he was being held down tightly to the bed by Keith. He was still sick and weak, so he did not have the power the fight back.

"Ryan, wake up....your my doll, remember.....look past the lies and deceit....the evil side of you, is not the demon.....wake up

and obey me! Your soul wants to, give in to it, don't lesson to your memories, they are all lies.....lesson to the part of you....the true part of your heart and mind that you always fight against...."

Ryan struggled to get free. " I'll never lesson to you Keith! Your the one who lies!"

"Is that so? Ryan, I can easily control you....make you obey me. It's very easy, puppet."

"I'll will never do anything you say!!"

"Really? All I need is one moment of surprise, or weakness and your mind is free for me to toy around with."

"Is that a fact?" Ryan asked bitterly. " Then go ahead and prove it!"

Ryan's eyes went wide and he stopped struggling as Keith pulled him off the bed, kissing him hard and roughly on the lips.

Slowly he could feel his mind go numb and he, as much as he hated himself for it, found that he was kissing back.

"See...I told you...I can make you do anything I want....anything....no matter how much you fight against it." Keith mocked.

Lemon walked into the room and froze, eyes going wide as he spotted Ryan and Keith kissing.

"Oh god....what the hell is going on hear.....?" Lemon gasped in shock.

Ryan and Keith pulled away from each other, and Keith smirked as he saw the dead expression on his rivals face, his eyes were misty and his face drained.

" As I said Ryan....you are a puppet, you obey everything I say....Don't believe me....? Well you see, all what I had to do was

kiss you, and your memories faded and your soul could feel the truth about who you are....Understand now? Struggling against me is useless."

"......Yes master...."

"Funny, when mother first did this to you, I thought it was a cowardly action, but now I see all what she was doing was waking the true you up from your slumber, isn't that right Ryan?"

"Right."

"Keith! What did you do to him!?" Lemon hissed, in rage, making himself visible.

"Oh? So we have a peeping tom, huh?" Keith grinned. " Did you like what you see?"

Lemon frowned. " I've seen better watching Ruto practice for her first kiss on her 'Ken' dolls...What kind of spell did you put Ryan under!?"

"I just let his memories sleep, that's all. Nothing to worry about....after all, they aren't even his memories...."

"Keith! Dammit, leave this place! Ryan is not evil like you, so....leave, or else, I wont be afraid to become to god of death once again." Lemon hissed, his magical scythe appearing in his hands.

"Awww....does the little girlie boy think he can kill me?" Keith mocked. " I know all about your little secrets....but, I don't think Ryan knows, how about I tell him?"

"NO!!" Lemon gasped, eyes going wide.

"Ryan, go kill him, it'll be fun...the blood shed...."

Lemon backed off fearfully as Ryan took his sword approaching him, an empty look placed on his face. It was the look of an killer that never regretted any of the lives he took.

" Ryan.....please, don't do this.....don't you remember, anything....." Lemon gasped, as he tried to avoid the slashes from Ryan's sword, barely dodging them in time.

"...Memories are all what makes me, me.....but I'm the Ryan without memories....."

"What....?"

"Well, attack me, God of death. Of did you become soft? Come on!"

"No....I'm not going to kill you....you aren't one of them.....you aren't Lounaru......"

"Soft!" Ryan growled slashing down at Lemon. His eyes snapped open shocked as the Dampire blocked his attack with his own weapon.

"....But the doesn't mean I'll let you kill me so easily!!"

Keith watched in amusement as Ryan and Lemon battle each other, swiping at each other with their weapons. He yawned, watching them continue on with side to side blocking and attacking was starting to get boring.

Ryan grinned as he saw that Lemon was getting comfortable with the left to right movements, and quickly switched his movement from the left to the right catching Lemon off guard and knocking the weapon from his hand.

"Ah!" The Dampire cried, gripping his arm which oozed with thick blood.

Ryan dropped his sword and smiled. " Why not we go, hand to hand? Fighting you is interesting, but, for the sake of my pride, take on an older form, your body is weaker in that child's body."

"Ha...ha....ha..." Lemon laughed weakly, still clinging onto his arm. " I think I will take your advice. I really don't want to fight

you though....but when you slip into insanity, it's the only way to deal with you..."

The girlie boy cried out in pain, a punch striking his cheek.

"Insane!? Ha....you have a bad sense of humor, death bringer."

" Who said I was joking?" Lemon asked, calmly, before transforming into age 21. He looked the same, only taller and his face more mature and not as girlie. Infact his face was more hansome, like a cute young man, with a feminine look to him.

"All right, then. Let's get going."

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

"WHAT!?" Taromecika roared, his eyes burning.

"Keith is in Mideel, and is controlling Ryan's mind....right now he is making Ryan and Lemon fight each other....the rest of the group is talking with Karen." Hikari informed, trembling.

"That damn idiot....Keith....It was not time yet...."

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

Lemon cried out in pain as Ryan sent another punch to his jaw, a loud cracking sound echoed threw the room and the man fell to the ground, whimpering in pain. Ryan delivered a multiple kicks to his stomach, causing a puddle of blood to be coughed up threw Lemon's mouth. No longer able to keep up his adult form, Lemon shifted back into a thirteen year old. He did not have

time to move before he found himself being lifted up into the air by the throat.

"...R....Ryan..." he coughed, trying to pry the fingers from around his neck.

" You wanted to pay for your sins, so pay for them in death." Keith snarled sharply.

Lemon screamed weakly as Ryan's grip around his throat tightened, blood began to trickle down his lip.

"Ryan...please stop this.....please....."

Ryan's eyes widened, and he began to tremble all over, dropping Lemon to the floor, who laid limply, not moving and breathing in air in ragged breaths.

"Oh...god...what have I done....?"

"So, Ryan, you have a stronger will then, I thought." Keith grinned approaching him, drawing out his sword.

'Keith return at once!' Saiyoua's voice echoed threw his head. Pausing, Keith grinned.

"I'll see you again, soon, Ryan...."

Ryan was almost sobbing in horror as he watched Keith disappear from his sight, but the effects of his visit stayed.

"Lemon?" Ryan asked worriedly.

"Ryan....*cough*....ha....ha....you deliver a good punch.....Genki would be get competitive if he knew what a good fighter you

were....ha....ha...." The Dampire laughed weakly.

"Lemon....I'm so sorry, I could not stop myself....I.....Oh god!!" Ryan sobbed, dashing out of the room, tears glistening in his

eyes.

"....Ry.....Ry...an...." Lemon coughed before passing out.

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

"Wow...." The girls in the group gasped, gazing around them.

Upstairs of Karen's home was a planetarium. It was amazing, almost like you were standing in the middle of space.

"Wow...is that a shouting star?" Lima asked, eyes shining as a shouting star streaked across the sky.

"Yes, all the workings of space is up hear, isn't it beautiful.....I made this model myself." Karen said proudly.

"How is this suppose to tell us what Sprit-poisoning is?" Alex demanded, bored.

" Please, set down and pay attention. I have a lot to tell you."

The group obeyed, and lessened to Karen as she spoke, in the same tone a teacher who is explaining something to her students would use.

" Our planet is just one of many in the universe, and it may seem special to only us but....infact Gaia is one of the only places left

with sprit energy. What is sprit energy, well, in simpler terms, it is the energy that gives us life.....our souls. As I was saying,

Gaia is special because it as this sprit energy. But what makes this energy? Well, you must already know that when people die,

their bodies return to the earth, but not only people, all things living. Animals, plants....everything that is alive... But what about

their souls? the things that make them who they are? That returns to the planet as well....and allows the planet to continue living.

The sprit energy gathered, combines all into one big mass, and serves the world as a shield of protection. Sprit energy makes it

possible for new things to live, and wounds to the planet, caused by wars and such to be cured. But, now with Saiyoua's

machine sucking the sprit energy or in another name, Magention, from people and the very planet it's self, she is causing all

living things to be devoured and ended forever. Let me show you in this model of what will happen to Gaia with all the sprit

energy gone."

Karen clicked a few buttons and the model of the planet Gaia slowly turned completely black and then grumbled to pieces,

leaving the group to watch in horror.

" Gaia will be destroyed if this continues on. I can hear the screams of the earth, they scare me so much....the earth will die

someday, it is not unperventable, but we can't let Saiyoua be the one to destroy. Not only for justice or pride, but Osia. It will destroy the world by sucking out all of the Magention....all life will end forever....I don't think Saiyoua realaizes what will happen when Oisa hits. She is so against humans, that she never stopped to think for a moment that without their life energy that the planets would die..."

"What about sprit poisoning?" Genki asked, being one of the first to recover from the death of the model of Gaia.

" It happens when someone was infuse with stolen magention from the life stream.....I never saw how it is done though....it was done to one person back in Cid's days...and we took care of him...I did not think it was ever done to someone else."

"Stolen souls from the life stream...." Genki trailed off, voice uncharacteristically soft.

"But, Ryan was never infused the sprit energy....or at least from what I know." Mimi trailed off.

" Can you die, from....sprit poisoning?" Carrie asked nervously.

Karen paused, before nodding. "Yeah, dying is quite possible.....From what I seen before."

"Oh Rya!" Mara sobbed putting her hands to her face as she sobbed.

"I want you to show me to your friend now, perhaps I can help him, I do know herbal magic." Karen spoke, seriously.

"Ok then, come on..." Alex instructed, leading her and the others to the hospital.

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

"Hikari, show us our next target." Laura demanded, Rex standing by her side, like a faithful bull dog.

"Ever heard of saying please?" Hikari muttered before using her sensing magic, her eyes widened slightly.

"Oh! It's Karen....um....one of the original....Lou's sister."

"......Karen........I remember her....guess I have to kill her.........." Laura sighed, a small frown plastered on her face.

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

"Lemon! Lemon!" Squall exclaimed, shaking the boy in a desperate attempt to wake him up.

The rest of the group, along with Karen stood stunned. The Dampire was beaten so bad that his face was covered in dry

blood, one of his eyes were black, and even one of his wings seemed to be broke.

"Dammint! Who did this to you!?" Squall cursed, hopeing for an answer.

"Hey....Where's Ryan?" Carrie was the first to notice.

"Ryan!?" Mimi looked around startled.

"Hey.....Where did he go?" Lima blinked confused.

"Baka elf onna." Alex rolled his eyes. " You may have been acting some stupidity before, but even without the act your dumb. If

we knew the answer to your question we would be looking around this room for him, understand?"

"........Meanie......"

"HEY RYAN!!!" Genki called, but obviously got no reaction.

Mara slowly sniffed the air, her eyes widening.

"Rya! I can smell his scent!!"

"Mara!" Carrie called out, but the cat had already dashed off on all fours leaving the others behind.

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

Ryan sat by an glowing and beautiful lake, it was shimmering and shining with power, but he could not really notice. He just

stared down at the water pale and drawn. His body still trembled all over, he could not stop trembling. Slowly tears spilled over

his cheeks, burning hot tears which seemed to burn his flesh.

'What happened? What did I do? Why did I do it? Why did I attack and try to kill Lemon? Just because Keith told me to? Am

I really a puppet? No....No! I'm Ryan....'

' Ryan who?'

' Ryan me! I'm Ryan.....I don't remember my last name.....but that's just because both of my parents are dead.....or at least I think so...I know the face of my mom......All I have to do is look at Parfait's locket.''

'How do you know that the woman in the locket is your mom?'

' Parfait told me......'

'In a dream created by Saiyoua....'

' I know it's the woman in Parfait's locket...she seems so famuilar."

'Why is it Parfait's locket? Do you ever remember seeing it before the day she gave it to you? Why would Parfait, who was the baby then have the locket while you didn't?'

' I remember the locket from before.....from before that time.....Parfait told me about how I got her a chain for it, since the

original one broke....I can't remember that time though....but I was very young....'

'Parfait was younger, why can she remember?'

'WHO THE HELL ARE YOU, ANYWAY!?'

' You only remember it because Parfait told you about it....the mind is funny like that. When somebody asks you if you

remember something, your mind makes up an memory, even though it never happened to you....When this happens, your just

living someone else's memories....Does all your memories belong to someone else, *Ryan?* '

"STOP MOCKING ME DAMMNIT!!! I'M ME, FUCK!!! LEAVE ME THE FUCKING GODAMN HELL ALONE!!! WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!? WHAT DO YOU WANT!? ANSWER ME!!!!!!"

Ryan screamed, throwing his head back to the sky, his tears growing hotter on his flushed face.

"....Rya...." Mara's voice trembled in a frightened tone.

Turning his head over his shoulder he gazed at her threw increasingly insane eyes.

"Mara....I'm....I'm me, right?"

"Rya?"

"Mara, tell me, I'm Ryan, aren't I? AREN'T I!?"

The cat girl slowly backed up with every step Ryan took towards her. Eyes wide and face pale, body starting to shake.

"Rya.....Of course, your Ryan....who else would you be?"

"....I.....I......I......Am I the SAME Ryan though? The same one that came to the school? The same one you made friends with? The same one who Lena found and brought back to the school with his little sister?"

Mara smiled nervously. " Of course Ryan? Remember, Miss.Lena brought you over to where Keith and I were playing....I

took you around to show you the school, but after that, Keith got jelouse and beat you up. I got mad at him and I would not

play with him anymore, and----"

"NO!!" Ryan screamed, clinging to his ears.

"Rya?"

"This is just what Keith said to me....was he telling the truth.....do my memories only come from the stories you and Parfait tell

me.....? Is that why I felt so empty after you left?"

"Ryan....?"

' You must end the source of the false memories'

Mara took and step back and tripped over an upturned stone, falling painfully onto the rocky ground as she watched threw

wide eyes as Ryan gripped his head, whimpering softly.

"That voice......Oh.....ok, Keith.....I understand......"

Mara's face changed from one of confusion in one of fear as slowly and madly Ryan approached her, expression empty.

"I'm sorry Mara.....but the false memories must end.....they end with you.......they end.....now....."

"Rya!?"

Ryan suddenly leapt, pinning Mara to the ground and proceeded to pound into her face, ignoring her screams. Usually just one

whimper from Mara would bring his deep concern for her well being, but right now the sounds of her screams and the scent of

her blood were like fuel for his abuse.

"Hey!! Stop it!"

"Have you gone mad, demon-half!?"

He could not focus on the who it was screaming at him, he was to far gone in a fury of blood and rage as he continued to

pound Mara who had stopped screaming as her body began to become numb and her mind fuzzy.

" LET HER GO!!"

Suddenly Ryan felt something forceful smash him on top of the head. Eyes widening he blacked out, a stream of blood trickling

down his face.

"Kim...." Amy swallowed slowly.

"Amy, We have to kill him. Right now......This is not the first time he fell under their control."

"But...."

"Lesson! You saw him turn against one of his own friends. He is to dangerous......He must die now."

Slowly Amy nodded, breathing in deeply. " Your right, nothing must stop our mission...."

Kim nodded and placed her foot on the side of Ryan's head, and slowly began to press down.

Coughing Mara pulled herself off the grass, face covered in a mass of blood. "No....! Don't hurt him!!"

Both Kim and Amy blink at her confused.

"What are you talking about!?" Kim asked in a sharp tone.

"He almost killed you!" Amy exclaimed sternly trying to point this out.

".....I don't care! I still....I still love him....!"

"Your a idiot!!" Kim screamed, putting more pressure on Ryan's head. Blood began to pour down in a small stream down his

face, a soft groan escaping his mouth.

"No stop!!" Mara screamed, dashing forward but was held back by Amy.

"No don't kill him!!" The cat struggled hard against Amy's grip, but was not able to escape.

"Lesson! He's dangerous, we can't just let him live! What if he attacks you again! He might kill you next time!!" Amy snapped

giving Mara a slap across the face, in hopes to get her back to her senses.

The cat girl stopped struggling, lowering her head, she sobbed quietly, she could hear Ryan screaming in his state of sleep, and Kim's foot pressed against his head harder and more forcefully every passing second.

'Ryan....Ryan......no....no....'

Kim looked up startled as he heard Amy scream, she spotted the purple haired girl laying weakly on the ground, shaking her

head as she pulled herself into a setting position. She stared at Mara in horror, eyes wide. Kim followed her gaze and gasped.

The cat's eyes were glowing a burning white, as was her very body.

"Mara!" She called out to her. The cat-girls body flared with energy, as she raised her hands to the sky.

"NO!!!"

Destiny and Faith screamed as they were flung backwards by the very energy Mara's body gave off. Weakly the both watched

as the power dimmed and Mara fell beside Ryan, blacking out on top of his chest.

"My goodness.....what was that....that power?" Amy stuttered. "Kim what is going on hear?"

"I wish I knew. First, something seems to be able to control Ryan....it is impossible for him to be doing these terrible things on his own."

"Yes, your right. Else he would not be able to wear the talisman of light."

" Then that girl...that power was not normal....maybe the same thing that controlled him, can control her as well..."

"But.....They seem so innocent, Kim are you sure we have to......"

"Kill them. Kill them both, otherwise....."

"I understand." Amy nodded, sounding somewhat defeated.

Kim began to gather energy for her attack when suddenly she was stuck by the side. With a growl she looked up at her

attacker to spot Squall, and the rest of Ryan's group running up behind him.

"Oh no! Mara, Ryan!" Mimi and Carrie cried running towards their fallen friends.

"Hey!" Genki hissed, standing next to Squall. " Who are you to attack our friends!?"

"Did you attack Lemon to...?" Squall snarled.

".....No......" Lemon coughed, being held in Alex's arms, still to weak from the beating to stand. ".....No....Not

them.....Ryan.....He......He did....." suddenly to weak to continue speaking Lemon passed out again, but the group understood

his words.

"N...No....Impossible...." Mimi gasped, her peachy face had gone white.

"Ryan would not....would he?" Carrie blinked frightened, and puzzled, letting the memories of the first time Ryan had lost it slip back into her mind.

".....What the hell is going on? Why would Ryan attack Lemon.....and....." Genki looked up with wide eyes. "Mara?"

Amy nodded. " We stopped your friend while he was pounding the cat."

"However when we tried to finish him off, that flee-bitten cat attacked us."

"Regardless of that fact, we can't let you harm them." Squall growled, narrowing his eyes.

"Killing someone when they are already down, not able to fight back is cowardly and weak." Alex agreed seriously.

Amy got ready to fight, but Kim stopped her by putting a hand on her shoulder and shaking her head.

"Let them get killed if they want, it doesn't concern us."

"Your right."

The group watched seriously as the two of them left, without so much as looking back. Kim only said one sentence before she

and her companion disappeared into a thicket of tress.

"You'll end up regretting this."

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

Lemon and Mara recovered from their wounds in a few hours, but still had black eyes and swollen cheeks. Lemon told the

group of how he saw Keith take control of Ryan, and Mara just remained quite as though in shock. It was Genki's idea to all

go out to a restaurant to cheer them up. Karen had volunteered to stay behind and look after Ryan who was strapped down to

a hospital bed, still bleeding and asleep.

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

Karen sighed, brushing a strain of hair from Ryan's face. Eyes glistening slightly with tears she left the locket he had around his

neck into her hands and opened it. An sad smile appearing on her face, she laid it down and began to sob quietly to herself.

"I don't belive it...."

"So, Karen, we meet again." Laura smiled, appearing behind her.

"....Laura....it's been along time, my old friend." Gazing into the others eyes, Karen asked calmly. " Have you come to kill me?"

"Yes...."

"Your a fool you know that?"

"Yes."

Laura extended her hand, using her power to draw the soul crystal out of Karen's body. Slowly she fell to the ground, eyes

beginning to dull. Slowly Laura kneeled down beside her, hold her limp body in her arms.

"....Remember how we would walk my dog down these streets...."

"And how he would drag us down the road."

".......Don't destroy these memories by killing this town........do this as my one and only favor Laura....I know you have no

reason to lesson to what I say now....or even care about what I want....but please remember....we were once.....friends......"

Laura's eyes widened slightly as Karen's head fell limp and her breathing came no more. Closing her eyes she allowed and few tears to slide threw her closed eye lids, gripping the soul crystal in her hand.

".......?"

Slowly she turned to Rex and nodded.

"Destroy this city, quickly." She disappeared leaving her son Rex alone to accomplish the task. " Don't waste your power killing Ryan now, just kill him with the village."

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

Ryan slowly opened his eyes, he heard everything that happened to his sleep, but he was not able to wake up until now. His

eye widened as he spotted Karen laying on the floor. She looked so famiular...the woman from the dream?

`No...not that woman...'

He shook his head. ` No that's not...her....but...Lena and Rex must have done this. I have to stop them from destroying the town.....but what am I doing

hear....?'

`You don't remember?'

`Oh....yeah....now I remember.....but I didn't do that.....the other Ryan did....right?'

` Other Ryan?'

` The one I dream of...the black winged one....'

`You are the black winged one.'

` It doesn't matter...If I'm the black winged one, or the white winged one....I have the talisman of light.....I can't let this town be

destroyed!'

"Ryan...your aren't Saiyoua's angel...you don't belong to the darkness....you belong to the light!" Key's voice exclaimed.

Slowly Ryan's body began to glow golden and the straps the held him down thightly to the bed broke, allowing him to stand

up. Slowly his hand wrapped around the glowing sword. Gazing up into the pitch black sky he saw that a huge dragon which

Rex probably had left behind was charging up a huge fireball. His friends were assembled around him, throwing different

attacks, none being effective. The town was burning...

Ryan closed his eyes, allowing the golden light to consume his body. When it vanished, a boy, completely human, was standing

in his place. Slowly a pair of gold wings unfolded from his back and he took off into the sky, his sword drawn.

".....Whose that....?" Lima blinked, staring up at the winged figure in the sky.

" It looks like...." Mimi began, wide eyed.

"....Rya..." Mara choked.

"....He's human?" Lemon blinked confused.

The group watched as Ryan slashed the dragon down the front, green blood spilling out over the area. The group watched

nervously and in awe as Ryan landed infront of them, staring at them threw misty eyes until the gold light disappeared as did the

wings. Weakly he fell to the ground, once again, back to normal.

"Rya!" Mara exclaimed, landing on her knees next to him, tears shining in her eyes.

The rest of the group just watched unmoving.

" I don't understand what is happening anymore....." Genki shook his head.

" It's all just to confusing." Lima frowned.

" What is Ryan? Who is Ryan? Is this Ryan?" Lemon began. " We can ask these questions, but I don't think we will ever find

the answer...I don't think even he knows the answer."

"Even so....He's still our friend, no matter what." Mimi finished.

"........I....." Carrie frowned. " We can't trust him, completely. But I know, that Ryan will not harm us, but whoever the other person, or persons inside of him, is the dangerous one."

" He still has to save Marie-Maya." Alex spoke, surprising the group. " I know, he wont give up completely until he has saved her."

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

An funeral was held for Karen and for everyone else who had died in the fire. It was a sad event, that only a few lucky citizens of Mideel, Ryan and his group

were alive to witness. As they left Lemon stayed behind for a moment, setting flowers down on Karen's grave stone, a tear

trailing down his face.

`It hurts for you to die, I guess I did want to be forgivin by you....but I will get revenge on Taromecika and Saiyoua for you...for Taromecika...Jabora, and Lou. For all of you....'

"Lemon?" Squall called worriedly to the boy who still remained standing over Karen's grave. Turning around the boy forced a

smile.

"Coming, Squall!"

As he ran towards his friends, another tear slid down his cheek. ` I promise....'

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

A figure watched as the group left, and slowly approached the grave stone. Laying blue-bells down on the tomb, the figure

gazed and the tomb sadly, tracing Karen's name that was carved into the stone with her index finger.

" Karen....I'm sorry....but this town....I could not let it stand....It brought back to much memories....and memories can be hard to live with. What is the use for memories anyway? Hear...I wont let Saiyoua devour this...I coulden't....goodbye my friend." Laura sat down Karen's soul crystal on top of the grave and vanished, leaving behind the body of her first and only true friend whom she ended up killing in the end.