Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Fluesternd ❯ Part 17 ( Chapter 17 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Crimson 
Preparations and humor, with a gift for Schu.
Anime/Manga: Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Psychological | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 08.19.2002 | Pages: 4 | Words: 6.0K | Visits: 278 | Status: Completed
Preparations and humor, with a gift for Schu.
Anime/Manga: Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Psychological | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 08.19.2002 | Pages: 4 | Words: 6.0K | Visits: 278 | Status: Completed
*****17*****
Make a wish.
Hard to choose what you want, isn't it? If your heart could be granted its dearest desire in the space of a single, hopeful beat, what would it get? I know what I'd wish for, but this isn't my story.
The heart is a peculiar thing. Most of the time it doesn't even know what it truly wants. It yearns, and longs, and pounds up in our ears day after day, but as for what it needs and what it is beating for, the answer isn't an easy one. Bluntly put, there is something almost all of us have in common, even if we don't realize it.
We're lonely.
Not just for family, friends, or even that special someone, but for something else. Something we can't explain. It's as if we are incomplete - hallow. We're missing some vital part to our survival, and we don't even know what it is.
What we are missing can't be put into words, because it is different for all of us. Whatever it is, it is something we have to figure out for ourselves, and only when we finally discover what it is our hearts are truly waiting for can we be whole, as we were meant to be.
And once we are made whole, anything is possible.
*****
Over the horizon so many miles away, endlessly far, the sun is only just beginning to spill its warm rays of golden light over the city, painting amber and violet hues on the few clouds littering the sky. At last, Spring is forcing the final remnants of chill away, as Summer approaches quickly behind.
With shades thrown open to allow the glorious morning inside, the living room is abuzz far earlier than it should be. Though the inhabitants eventually crawled their way into whatever beds were available the previous night, it's pretty understandable that none of them were able to get much sleep.
Droopy-eyed but diligently struggling to meet the day, everyone is spread out in the living room, having decided that talking things out in the kitchen again would have been nearly impossible now that their number has reached a clean dozen.
"Alright, if we're actually gonna try and think up a plan to stop whatever Crawford is plotting, we need to know at least some of what is really going on."
These logical words have been spoken by Youji, leaning over the back of the couch, and directing his words at the latest addition of their crew more than anyone else.
"We may have been kept in the dark about most things." Farfarello offers from his perch near the window. "But if anyone knows what Crawford intents to do, it's Schuldrich. That is...*if* he's really going to help us."
All eyes naturally fall on the still very uncomfortable and sore German leaning against the wall next to the hallway, most with little faith and little trust in what the red-head will offer. He knows full well how all of them see him - after all, he can read their minds - but despite the countless mistakes and regrets he has piled up in his past, for once he believes he is doing the right thing, even if he still thinks...
(I hope I know what I'm doing......)
"Yeah, I know what Bradley's really planning." Schu comments matter-of-factly. "But something tells me, even if I do fess up, you're not gonna believe me."
"Have a little confidence in us, Emery." Aiko's low-toned, graceful voice calls from her claimed seat on an overly-cushioned chair. "I think we'd all like to hear what you have to say."
Of anyone in the room, Aiko - as always - trusts the untrustworthy the most. Even more than Nagi and Farfie do at the moment. Schuldrich is well aware of this, and spans his gaze over the room, catching his companions' stray thoughts before deciding how to proceed.
He is met with exactly what he expects - minds filled with disbelief and fear - but also with something he didn't anticipate.
Hope.
Ignoring what the little voices in each of their heads are telling them, every last person in that room is hopeful in what the future might bring, willing to give even the most deceitful member of Schwartz a chance at redemption. To Schuldrich, it really is an inspiring discovery.
"I don't think I can get used to anyone calling me 'Emery' again." Schu admits, with a half-smile playing over his features. "But I guess there are alot of things I'm going to have to get used to if I'm actually going through with this."
Sighing deeply, he eyes his former teammates warily, but comes to the same conclusion again and again. Hard or not, this is what he has to do.
"I'll explain things as to the point as I can." he begins, finding a hypnotizing spot on the floor to lock his jade eyes upon as he speaks. "Brad intends to destroy the world, using the book we stole back on that first night we met up, and channeling your darling Aiko's power to carry it all out. That ancient text, or whatever, is a spellbook. Actually, the little incantation we used on Fujimiya's sister for our 'indestructible spell', was supposedly taken from its pages. No doubt Brad plans to use that one first, which will make fighting him loads of fun, but the real threat is in the spell he's been deciphering ever since we got the damn thing in our possession. What *it* does...is amplify inner light. No. Inner power. In laymen's terms, boys and girls, he plans to boost Miss Firefly's pyrokinesis so high, it'll wipe out the world in a wave of flames. And he'll be the only one able to survive it."
Stunned silence in a thick and suffocating atmosphere. Then......
"The world shall be destroyed in fire and ice..." Farfarello chants in a strange, monotone voice, stepping forward. "It makes so much sense. The ice age was one, and this mass destruction in fire will be the next. It truly will be the end."
The dawning of this truth springs young Nagi to his feet as well, leaping up from the couch with wide, comprehending eyes. "No wonder he wouldn't let me do the computer work!" he exclaims. "He didn't trust me enough with the final details, but I still can't believe this is what he wants! I know we've spent years causing so much pain, all in the final hope of bringing about this new era, where only the truly powerful can survive, but......this is insane! How could we have let this happen!"
"Because when people are hurt and angry, they do stupid things." a soft, female voice calls from a spot on the floor. Amaya sits with her emerald eyes distant, speaking more sensible and direct than ever thought possible. "So you screwed up. Big deal! What matters is that we're here now, and we're going to do whatever it takes to stop Crawford before he can cause any damage. Besides, as long as we have Aiko with us his plan can't work anyway. Right?"
Her words offer more than a ray of hope, they offer rational, peace of mind, and inspiration for what can truly be accomplished by even this small band of mismatched players.
Beaming over at her short and powerful friend, Aiko stands regally from her seat, breathing in deeply without a trace of fear in knowing that the one thing capable of destroying the world is locked up inside of her. No, she is not afraid. She sees no reason to be. After all, the odds are now twelve against one, and there is no way any of them would allow their treasured leader to fall into enemy hands.
I wonder if that will be enough......
"Arigato, Amaya, for setting us straight. And you, too, Emery, for joining our ranks, and realizing that you are not alone in your struggle for discovering your true self." the red-haired, young woman expresses passionately, more confident in their cause than ever before. "I know we can succeed now. We must. So let us begin, and spend the day gathering all the information we can, stocking up on whatever supplies we may need, and simply preparing ourselves for what we must soon face. Brad Crawford is still out there, and we must capture him if there is to ever truly be an end to this. Do whatever it is you need to do in order to be ready, for tomorrow......we strike."
*****
The clock is just striking 8am, and the hallway is as empty as the cloudless sky outside. A clock on the wall keeps time with a steady, eerie rhythm, looming between two bedroom doors, and reminding all passerbys that there is one constant in life. Time moves forward, and time cannot be fooled.
Intent on reaching his room at the end of the hall, hoping to gather together his assassin gear from the back of the closet he had claimed as his own, Ran enters the barren space, lit dimly as the sun fights to peak its shining face into the building.
A moment of whimsical nostalgia crosses his mind, contemplating the irony of what he is about to do. No longer can he wear the white coat and accompanying articles as he had grown accustomed to in recent nights - for they had been destroyed in the fire - but now he must once again dawn the deep purple leather of days long past.
Before retreating into hiding, and taking Aya-chan, Sakura, and Momoe to the safety of Villa White, Birman and Manx had shown up with the boys' old clothes for the occasion. Where the irony comes in...well...that is in knowing he will end this path the same way he began walking it. Nothing could be more right.
Unfortunately, his tread to the guest room will be halted before he reaches the safety of its closed door.
"You're such a loner, Fujimiya. I can't believe those girls managed to rope you in along with the others."
Ran freezes mid-stride, forcing the shiver of recognition that dances across his spine to go away, and turns to face the familiar figure coming up behind him. "What do you want, Schuldrich? I'm not in the mood for your games."
"Who said anything about games? I was just trying to be chatty." the smirking German throws back, casually resting his lithe frame against the wall. "You know what I think? I think the real reason you're working with Fluesternd isn't just for the good of the group, or your teammates, or the salvation of your soul, or even for that dear sister of yours. Nope, the real reason......is how much you fancy that gorgeous creature who just so happens to resemble you like some twisted reflection. And what's really twisted, is how it's almost as if you've fallen for......hehe......yourself."
The darkening expression in Ran's eyes, the thin line of his lips, and the dangerous sound of his haggard breathing puts a slight scare into Schuldrich, which is exactly what Ran is going for. "I'm not going to try and win a war of wits against you, because I know there would be no point in it." the scowling red-head speaks slowly and with purpose. "You've read my thoughts, and I accept that, but unless you want to suffer the fate I still believe you deserve, than you better shut up about things you only think you understand."
With a grunt of indignation, Schu commands his grin to stay in place. "Calm down, I wasn't looking for a fight. You're the one who's swooning, after all." he dismisses. "A quick peak says you had a little intimate moment last night, eh? Dancing? That must have been a laugh riot."
Looking Ran over - up and down - Schuldrich begins circling his companion as he speaks, as if assessing something he already has figured out.
"Still, even after that dazzling display, you're convinced nothing is going on between the two of you. Can't fool me, though. I was lucky enough to be on the receiving end of your evil intentions..." he laughs lightly, slipping up close to Ran from behind, and whispering in his ear. "...and in my experience, a man doesn't do those kind of things to someone he considers a mere business partner......hehehe...."
Deciding not to put up a fight in a battle he knows he can't win, Ran merely goes blank, staring forward, and replies in a voice barely audible. "That moment wasn't for you, and it wasn't right for me to have, either. Whatever I believe, I know that much. You're nothing but a sick, corrupted man for taking advantage of me like that, no matter what Korat thinks of you!"
Spinning around abruptly, he pushes Schuldrich to the side, continuing down the hallway without looking back. The startled German hadn't truly meant to push things as far as he had, however, and calls out instantly to stop the retreating, younger man.
"Fujimiya, wait! I know I beat around the bush like a jackass when it comes to these things, but I really do have a couple of things to say to you."
Surprisingly enough, Ran turns to face Schu once again, folding strict arms across his chest and waiting expectantly for whatever will be said. That's about as much as Schuldrich can hope for.
"For what it's worth, I'd like to offer some friendly advise." he starts off, smiling almost genuinely, but with the usual glint of deviancy in his jade-colored eyes. "Yeah, I've seen inside your messed-up head, and I know how you really feel about Aiko. Problem is, *you* don't know how you feel. Figure out what the hell you want and go for it already! Push her up against a wall and kiss her in a way that'll make her glad to be a woman. That's how you handle a situation like this. Ya got me?"
Raising an inquisitive eyebrow, Ran lets out a short laugh of his own, rolls his eyes, and then moves as if to head to his room, as he has been trying to do for quite some time.
"Oh, and Fujimiya?" Schu calls one last time, causing the other red-head to stop, though this time he doesn't look back. "For what it's worth, and this time I know it ain't worth much, I really am......at least a little...sorry...for what happened. I thought you should know that, though I'll admit, I really don't what the hell's going on inside my own head right now. Still, I'll keep the patronizing down to a minimum. Promise."
Moving gently forward, Ran slips into his room with little acknowledgment to Schu's words, but takes a moment to cast one final, appreciative glance at the green-eyed monster as a sign of at least something passing between them, even if it is hardly perceivable.
Left alone to his own devices, Schu smiles to himself, feeling unbelievably at peace for some strange, damn reason, and whips out a cig from the pack in his pocket, searching for his lighter...to no avail. Frustrated, he checks every pocket and hiding place at least twice, before grunting angrily in defeat, sucking pitifully on the end of his unlit cancer stick.
"Perfect. I go and lose my favorite lighter just when I really need to light one up. What's this world coming to?"
"I think the world's just fine." a new voice answers him unexpectedly, as an energetic, young girl with turquoise hair and eyes skips her way into the hall from the living room, holding up a silver engraved object in slender hands. "You're not supposed to smoke inside, Emmy-chan. You should know better than that."
With a flabbergasted look, 'Emmy-chan' does a quick double take at what Toto is holding, forgetting the adorable nick-name for a moment. "Hey, that's my lighter, you little brat! Hand it over!"
Obediently, she tosses it into his waiting hands, eyeing him with disapproval until he begrudgingly puts both the lighter and cigarette away. Then smiling contagiously, she hops over next to him, giggling with childlike curiosity. "You don't smoke nearly as much as Yotan used to, but it's such a yucky habit. I should've kept that thing." she laughs, making Schuldrich increasingly uneasy. "I know you don't like me too much, Emmy-chan, but I just wanted to let you know how happy I am you're helping us. It means so much to Nagi-kun that you're here."
Before Schu can react, Toto pecks him lightly on the cheek and then dashes off back down the hallway. Nevertheless, she doesn't get very far before whirling around, beaming with excitement.
"Ne, Emmy-chan, I just remembered!" she exclaims. "Nagi told me what the others saw in the basement. Isn't it strange? I guess we have something in common, after all."
Schuldrich starts a little at this, looking wide-eyed back at her, but then he simply smiles in reply, very subtly. "Yeah...I guess we do."
As Toto disappears from view, Schu distinctly hears a brief conversation start up just around the corner.
"Nanami, have you seen Schul...I mean...Emery around? I need to talk to him about something." Hiromi's distinguishable voice inquires.
"Hai! He's right down the hall, Nee-san."
"Arigato."
(I must be everyone's favorite person today.) Schu ponders with a sideways smirk, waiting expectantly for Hiromi to find him. In the space of heartbeat, she appears, eyeing her quarry appraisingly as he stands poised and nonchalant, like some master of seduction anticipating his chance to strike.
"There you are. Not causing any trouble, I hope." the curvaceous blonde speaks teasingly, putting a hand to her hip.
Schuldrich chuckles a little under his breath. "Not at all. I've been saving that for you. Is it just my imagination, or do you rarely get the opportunity to match wits against someone of equal caliber?"
"Rarely? You're quite right." she smiles cleverly in reply. "But I doubt any new opportunities are in my future with you around."
Ouch. How enticing.
"All jabs aside, however, I have something very important to explain to you." Hiromi expresses, embodying a much more serious demeanor. "Aiko's really the one who came up with it, but she thought - for some strange reason - that *I* should be the one to tell you."
Curiosity perked, Schu tilts his head questioningly, narrowing his gaze. "I don't know if I like the sound of this. What, are you going to keep me tied up and gagged to ensure I don't pull a double-agent act on you?"
"Of course not!" his counterpart cries indignantly, with an authoritative whip of her golden hair. "This is a good thing. I was thinking...maybe...that you might be having a hard time dealing with your power. So...I asked Aiko if she knew of anything we could do to help you keep it under control."
"And what gave you the idea that I needed help?"
"Oh, nothing really. Just the extent to which you used it recently, the way you completely broke down last night, everything I've heard from the Weiss boys, what I've read in your file, and the natural conclusion that having other people's thoughts rushing into your head all the time might just be a bit more than one person can handle on his own." Triumphant smirk. "Need I go on?"
The dead silence that follows informs Hiromi that she has said enough.
"That's what I thought." she states with an air of superiority. "Anyway, to get back to what I was saying before, Aiko came up with an idea of how we can help you. Ready to be a good boy and listen up?"
Though forever the control-freak, hating that someone has so much more sway in conversation than he does, Schuldrich resolves to give her his complete and utter attention. After all, how often does someone walk up to you with information on the one thing you have desired all your life.
Release...
*****
(...release?) the weary German contemplates whimsically, staring hard at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. (I don't know if this trick will do anything, but if it actually works, I'll have to remind myself to thank that little vixen. Somehow......)
It hadn't taken very long for Hiromi to explain the procedure that Aiko and herself had come up with, but rather than give it a try right then and there, Schu decided he would prefer to attempt such a feat in private. After all, no one likes having someone else witness their failures, and what Schuldrich is about to do has about a one-in-a-million chance of actually working.
Nevertheless, there always is that chance.
(I just need to relax before I plunge into this.) he figures, achingly pulling off his button-down shirt that he had been forced to wear to bed the night before, and continuing to undress as he gets ready to hop in the shower. (What if it does work...? Heh. I wonder what it's like, being alone inside your own head. Brad never even bothered thinking of a way to help me, even when I'd wake him up screaming in my sleep......)
Smiling mournfully, Schuldrich lowers his head, lost in thought and standing unmoving and naked on the tiled, bathroom floor. There is something so heart-wrenching in addressing an addiction you have so recently given up. For Schuldrich, his was a dependency on Brad Crawford: being taken care of, having his strings pulled, listening to someone else tell him what to do.
But now...he has to live without that.
Taking in a cleansing breath, Schu turns on the showing and steps over the edge, mechanically pulling the curtain closed behind him. The water is warm and soothing, massaging his sore muscles that are still so very fatigued from the relaxants he'd been injected with. Thankfully, the others have agreed to let this batch wear off without giving him another shot. Such trust, however, will quickly fade should Schuldrich prove to be less reformed than he claims to be.
(Okay......hot shower...quiet...privacy......let's give this a try......)
Closing his jade-colored eyes, the slender German leans his head back under the water, feeling the relaxing warmth wash over his tangled, sunset hair, and digging deep into the recesses of his own crowded mind.
Rather than giving in to the many voices, or even picking out a single one to focus on, Schu imagines them as if they were the people themselves. He pictures a vast crowd on one end of a large, stark-white room, with himself alone on the other side. They are all screaming at him, crying, laughing, whispering, clamoring to get closer and drown him in the sheer mass of their number. Taking Hiromi's advise, however, he thinks of a brick being in his right hand, senses the weight pulling his arm down, and analyzes the texture, the feel, as well as the way it looks - a reddish-brown tool of salvation.
The brick is the most important part of this exercise. He must use it to begin building a wall, all the while seeing himself put more and more of them into place with his own imaginary hands, erecting a barrier between himself and the many faceless voices who have now been given form.
One by one he begins the long, tedious process, concentrating hard on ignoring the invading multitude of people, and adding to his wall until it stands high and solid in front of him.
Outside of his mind, Schuldrich's body has slumped against the side of the shower, breathing heavily, while the water continues to cascade over his body, wrinkling his pale skin. On the inside, his inner body is breathing just as heavily. Nonetheless, he is smiling in both forms, for never before has he known such peace.
With the wall in place, he cannot hear the voices at all. They are still there, of course, on the other side, but he made sure to place a door in the center of the barricade - a locked door that only he can open.
For the first time in his life, the little boy that grew into such a troubled man knows what silence really means.
In sheer disbelief, Schuldrich opens his eyes, staring blankly at the stream of water hitting the far wall. He straightens, turning back towards the faucet, and moves to rigorously wash his hair and body, so he can get out before turning into a prune now that his task is completed.
Despite his urge to finish quickly, he still takes the time to momentarily return to that white room with the large brick wall, and walks forward to slip back the lock on the door. Opening it wide, he summons forth a particular blonde, and finds himself thrust into her mind the moment her inner persona walks through it.
(Thanks for the tip, Gorgeous.) he purrs into Hiromi's thoughts, catching her off-guard as she sits combing through her long, wavy hair from a seat on her bed, and causes her to clumsily drop the brush onto her lap. (I owe you one......)
All Hiromi says is...(I'll hold you to that.)...before smiling beautifully, with a satisfied levity left imprinted in her heart.
After all, it does a soul good to help another.
*****
There are very few ways to save another's soul. There are even fewer ways to save your own.
Within the darkened quarters of his borrowed room, Fujimiya Ran is setting out his antiquated assassin gear. Even the katana is an older one - his first - but he finds his stomach churning as he looks at it, remembering that this is where it all began. With these clothes, this weapon, he walked down the road to damnation and barely found the detour back home in time to save himself.
Actually, he didn't find it at all. Some unexpected travelers found him, and showed him the way back. Thank God for them. Thank God for *her*. If only this could be finished without having to ever wear that long, leather coat again, or those gloves, or with that sword held in his hands. If only Brad could be changed as the others seem to have changed. But sadly, that outcome doesn't seem very likely to Ran.
The red-head sighs, fingering the fitted handle of his katana, though without lifting it from the sweet safety of the bed. Why must all great things end and begin in bloodshed......?
"Ran-niichan...?"
Devastatingly startled by the sound of that impossible voice, Ran instantly whirls around to face the door, and his amethyst eyes catch sight of the one person he most wanted to see, and yet hoped beyond all that is sacred he would not.
"...Aya..." he whispers, stone-still as she enters his room and closes the door behind her. "I don't believe it. What are you doing here? You're supposed to be at -"
"Villa White. I know." she finishes, smiling sorrowfully up at him while walking further into the room. "Don't be angry. Sakura is the only one who knows I'm here, so I have to be quick. If Manx, Birman, or especially Momoe found out, they'd be worried sick."
Though truthfully delighted at seeing his sister's sweet face gazing so lovingly back at him, Ran wears an expression of anxious hostility, grabbing her roughly by the shoulders. "*They'd* be worried!?! You could have gotten yourself killed coming back here! Why do you think I hid you away? We're so close now......if I were to lose you..."
"Gomen nasai, Oniichan. I know it was foolish, but I had to see you." Aya expresses deeply, reaching up to grasp those powerful hands on her shoulders with her own, and bring them down to hold tightly in front of her. "It's almost over. Don't you see? This might be......the last time I ever get to see you. I have complete confidence in everyone, of course, but...it's just...anything could happen, you know? And...I didn't want to miss what might be my last chance to tell you that......I love you."
Like a block of ice left to the mercy of the warm, Summer sun, Ran's resolve melts away right before Aya's eyes, and his own violet irises shimmer with the onset of tears.
Stubborn or not, you can't be mad at someone who only wants to be with you. You just can't.
"Aya...I love you, too......so much..." he breathes, enveloping her in a sudden embrace she gladly returns. "But I promise you this will not be the last time we see each other. When this mission is over, everything is going to change. No more secrets, or sneaking around, or keeping each other in the dark about anything. We can be a family again. A real family, with no monsters chasing us in the night, and no ghosts haunting our dreams. I promise......"
Holding each other so close, one might think their heartbeats synchronized and began beating to the same rhythm. Locked in each other's arms, an oniichan's chest and an imoto's shoulder are damp with tears, but neither care. They need this.
At long last, Aya pulls away, and grins playfully up at her brother as she reaches into her pocket and pulls something out, keeping it hidden in the palm of her hand, and waiting for Ran to extend his own in acceptance of it.
Silently, he obeys, but as the glittering objects fall into view, he touches them delicately, looking back at Aya with a furrowed brow. "I don't understand. Why are you giving these back to me?" he questions, if not a little pained.
She has given him the golden earrings he once bought for her, having worn one himself for so long, and recently having given Aya and Sakura one each, to wear as an unspoken promise to both of them.
"You gave these to Sakura and myself to remind us of you." Aya explains, serious and heartfelt all in one. "To remind us that we are loved and protected by our 'big brother,' since you see both of us as your 'little sisters.' Well, with everything that's happened, and what is about to happen, we decided you needed them more than we do. We want you to wear them, Oniichan, to remind you that *you* are loved and protected, too. And...if you really want to...you can give them back to us after it's all over. As long as you promise we'll get them back by your own hands, and only yours. Wakarimasu ka?"
Taken pleasantly by surprise in all of this, Ran smiles his graceful, rare smile, and immediately begins to put the earrings back in their rightful places. "Wakarimasu, Aya-chan. I'll wear them proudly, but you will have them back again. I swear to you."
The fate of far too many lives, too much happiness, lies in the balance now, and no one should ever have to suffer the pang of emptiness in having their dreams crushed.
*****
Even the tiniest dreams long to be fulfilled. An aching need, a purposeful longing, can overtake a person's senses and lead them down a road they may never have believed they would find themselves down again.
Walking slowing, step by step, and listening with almost obsessive intent to the sound of his footfalls, Ran stares vaguely at the sidewalk as he makes his way down the street. Few words were expressed to the others as he left, after making sure Aya was safely on her way back to Villa White, but he felt the need to take his leave once she had gone, thought he isn't entirely sure why he is heading where he is. It is just somewhere he needs to be.
One more block to go; he can already make out the towering building, and its close proximity is a comfort, not only for the need of getting there, but to escape the oncoming rain he can smell so keenly in the gentle breeze.
The stone steps are reached, but before he begins his ascension, Ran casts a longing look up at the symbol above him, looming from the rooftop. Oh, how well he knows this symbol, for it represents two areas of his life that are so separate and unalike that the irony causes him to smirk ever so slightly.
There is no second guessing or change of heart in this matter, so the anxious red-head climbs the stairs and enters, noting the peaceful darkness and gentle glow of candles lit for the lost - lit for the hopeful.
A pair of small doors, side by side, rests off to his right, and he moves to the one nearest him, knocking gently to be sure it is empty before entering the tiny chamber himself. He sits down on the small bench within, gazing purposefully at his feet, while an odd window near his head slides open for conversation.
"What can I do for you, child?" asks a tender voice, empowered with understanding.
Quivering lips, pale in the shadows, release a deep, audible sigh. No one would have a prayer at guessing how long this is going to take, but the desire, the necessity of fulfilling this treasured obligation is enough to push Ran in the right direction, and he at last begins to speak.
"Forgive me, Father...for I have sinned......"
Outside, sheltering herself from the rain that has just began to fall, Aiko stands beneath a shop's overhang, watching the church door with fond, glittering violet eyes. She is perhaps the smallest bit guilty for having secretly eavesdropped on Aya and Ran's exchange, and now having followed her stoic twin without his knowledge, but the peace, the pride she feels for Ran in this step he has taken brushes all of that aside.
It certainly isn't the most intelligent idea the lovely girl has had recently - given her track record for unfortunate events that stalk her whenever she is on her own - but she wasn't thinking about the risks. She was thinking about Ran. She was curious.
What is it they say? Curiosity killed the kitten......
"...Here, kitty, kitty..." echoes a whispering, deadly voice from behind Aiko, causing the hair on the back of her neck to stand on end as the intruder's breath dances over her skin, and firm, powerful arms wrap around her body, with a forceful hand covering her mouth. "These streets are dangerous at night. Don't you know better than to go out all by yourself? You never know when someone - perhaps a man who's plans you've foiled and friends you've stolen - will find an opportunity to repay your kindness. Hmmm...Korat?"
Aiko isn't going to be granted the chance to answer her captor, for before she can even think in response, the world around her begins to fade black. Brad Crawford is no amateur, and he most definitely is no fool. He is merely a little - just a bit - on edge, and his hand cleverly holds a cloth in the palm, with a timely substance soaked through it to knock his prize unconscious.
The game is in his court once again, and things are about to get interesting......
*****A/N*****
Ok, that was a good chapter. Tenderness, humor, Schu's evil tendencies. I love it! And I hope you did, too. Next, what has become of Aiko? Also, the beginning of the final showdown with Braddy-kins. And...you get to find out the last of my many hidden secrets for these beloved characters. That's right, Brad's inner workings are the last to be revealed, and you're about to get a first hand look. Woohoo! Keep reading, and I grovel for reviews. :-)
Make a wish.
Hard to choose what you want, isn't it? If your heart could be granted its dearest desire in the space of a single, hopeful beat, what would it get? I know what I'd wish for, but this isn't my story.
The heart is a peculiar thing. Most of the time it doesn't even know what it truly wants. It yearns, and longs, and pounds up in our ears day after day, but as for what it needs and what it is beating for, the answer isn't an easy one. Bluntly put, there is something almost all of us have in common, even if we don't realize it.
We're lonely.
Not just for family, friends, or even that special someone, but for something else. Something we can't explain. It's as if we are incomplete - hallow. We're missing some vital part to our survival, and we don't even know what it is.
What we are missing can't be put into words, because it is different for all of us. Whatever it is, it is something we have to figure out for ourselves, and only when we finally discover what it is our hearts are truly waiting for can we be whole, as we were meant to be.
And once we are made whole, anything is possible.
*****
Over the horizon so many miles away, endlessly far, the sun is only just beginning to spill its warm rays of golden light over the city, painting amber and violet hues on the few clouds littering the sky. At last, Spring is forcing the final remnants of chill away, as Summer approaches quickly behind.
With shades thrown open to allow the glorious morning inside, the living room is abuzz far earlier than it should be. Though the inhabitants eventually crawled their way into whatever beds were available the previous night, it's pretty understandable that none of them were able to get much sleep.
Droopy-eyed but diligently struggling to meet the day, everyone is spread out in the living room, having decided that talking things out in the kitchen again would have been nearly impossible now that their number has reached a clean dozen.
"Alright, if we're actually gonna try and think up a plan to stop whatever Crawford is plotting, we need to know at least some of what is really going on."
These logical words have been spoken by Youji, leaning over the back of the couch, and directing his words at the latest addition of their crew more than anyone else.
"We may have been kept in the dark about most things." Farfarello offers from his perch near the window. "But if anyone knows what Crawford intents to do, it's Schuldrich. That is...*if* he's really going to help us."
All eyes naturally fall on the still very uncomfortable and sore German leaning against the wall next to the hallway, most with little faith and little trust in what the red-head will offer. He knows full well how all of them see him - after all, he can read their minds - but despite the countless mistakes and regrets he has piled up in his past, for once he believes he is doing the right thing, even if he still thinks...
(I hope I know what I'm doing......)
"Yeah, I know what Bradley's really planning." Schu comments matter-of-factly. "But something tells me, even if I do fess up, you're not gonna believe me."
"Have a little confidence in us, Emery." Aiko's low-toned, graceful voice calls from her claimed seat on an overly-cushioned chair. "I think we'd all like to hear what you have to say."
Of anyone in the room, Aiko - as always - trusts the untrustworthy the most. Even more than Nagi and Farfie do at the moment. Schuldrich is well aware of this, and spans his gaze over the room, catching his companions' stray thoughts before deciding how to proceed.
He is met with exactly what he expects - minds filled with disbelief and fear - but also with something he didn't anticipate.
Hope.
Ignoring what the little voices in each of their heads are telling them, every last person in that room is hopeful in what the future might bring, willing to give even the most deceitful member of Schwartz a chance at redemption. To Schuldrich, it really is an inspiring discovery.
"I don't think I can get used to anyone calling me 'Emery' again." Schu admits, with a half-smile playing over his features. "But I guess there are alot of things I'm going to have to get used to if I'm actually going through with this."
Sighing deeply, he eyes his former teammates warily, but comes to the same conclusion again and again. Hard or not, this is what he has to do.
"I'll explain things as to the point as I can." he begins, finding a hypnotizing spot on the floor to lock his jade eyes upon as he speaks. "Brad intends to destroy the world, using the book we stole back on that first night we met up, and channeling your darling Aiko's power to carry it all out. That ancient text, or whatever, is a spellbook. Actually, the little incantation we used on Fujimiya's sister for our 'indestructible spell', was supposedly taken from its pages. No doubt Brad plans to use that one first, which will make fighting him loads of fun, but the real threat is in the spell he's been deciphering ever since we got the damn thing in our possession. What *it* does...is amplify inner light. No. Inner power. In laymen's terms, boys and girls, he plans to boost Miss Firefly's pyrokinesis so high, it'll wipe out the world in a wave of flames. And he'll be the only one able to survive it."
Stunned silence in a thick and suffocating atmosphere. Then......
"The world shall be destroyed in fire and ice..." Farfarello chants in a strange, monotone voice, stepping forward. "It makes so much sense. The ice age was one, and this mass destruction in fire will be the next. It truly will be the end."
The dawning of this truth springs young Nagi to his feet as well, leaping up from the couch with wide, comprehending eyes. "No wonder he wouldn't let me do the computer work!" he exclaims. "He didn't trust me enough with the final details, but I still can't believe this is what he wants! I know we've spent years causing so much pain, all in the final hope of bringing about this new era, where only the truly powerful can survive, but......this is insane! How could we have let this happen!"
"Because when people are hurt and angry, they do stupid things." a soft, female voice calls from a spot on the floor. Amaya sits with her emerald eyes distant, speaking more sensible and direct than ever thought possible. "So you screwed up. Big deal! What matters is that we're here now, and we're going to do whatever it takes to stop Crawford before he can cause any damage. Besides, as long as we have Aiko with us his plan can't work anyway. Right?"
Her words offer more than a ray of hope, they offer rational, peace of mind, and inspiration for what can truly be accomplished by even this small band of mismatched players.
Beaming over at her short and powerful friend, Aiko stands regally from her seat, breathing in deeply without a trace of fear in knowing that the one thing capable of destroying the world is locked up inside of her. No, she is not afraid. She sees no reason to be. After all, the odds are now twelve against one, and there is no way any of them would allow their treasured leader to fall into enemy hands.
I wonder if that will be enough......
"Arigato, Amaya, for setting us straight. And you, too, Emery, for joining our ranks, and realizing that you are not alone in your struggle for discovering your true self." the red-haired, young woman expresses passionately, more confident in their cause than ever before. "I know we can succeed now. We must. So let us begin, and spend the day gathering all the information we can, stocking up on whatever supplies we may need, and simply preparing ourselves for what we must soon face. Brad Crawford is still out there, and we must capture him if there is to ever truly be an end to this. Do whatever it is you need to do in order to be ready, for tomorrow......we strike."
*****
The clock is just striking 8am, and the hallway is as empty as the cloudless sky outside. A clock on the wall keeps time with a steady, eerie rhythm, looming between two bedroom doors, and reminding all passerbys that there is one constant in life. Time moves forward, and time cannot be fooled.
Intent on reaching his room at the end of the hall, hoping to gather together his assassin gear from the back of the closet he had claimed as his own, Ran enters the barren space, lit dimly as the sun fights to peak its shining face into the building.
A moment of whimsical nostalgia crosses his mind, contemplating the irony of what he is about to do. No longer can he wear the white coat and accompanying articles as he had grown accustomed to in recent nights - for they had been destroyed in the fire - but now he must once again dawn the deep purple leather of days long past.
Before retreating into hiding, and taking Aya-chan, Sakura, and Momoe to the safety of Villa White, Birman and Manx had shown up with the boys' old clothes for the occasion. Where the irony comes in...well...that is in knowing he will end this path the same way he began walking it. Nothing could be more right.
Unfortunately, his tread to the guest room will be halted before he reaches the safety of its closed door.
"You're such a loner, Fujimiya. I can't believe those girls managed to rope you in along with the others."
Ran freezes mid-stride, forcing the shiver of recognition that dances across his spine to go away, and turns to face the familiar figure coming up behind him. "What do you want, Schuldrich? I'm not in the mood for your games."
"Who said anything about games? I was just trying to be chatty." the smirking German throws back, casually resting his lithe frame against the wall. "You know what I think? I think the real reason you're working with Fluesternd isn't just for the good of the group, or your teammates, or the salvation of your soul, or even for that dear sister of yours. Nope, the real reason......is how much you fancy that gorgeous creature who just so happens to resemble you like some twisted reflection. And what's really twisted, is how it's almost as if you've fallen for......hehe......yourself."
The darkening expression in Ran's eyes, the thin line of his lips, and the dangerous sound of his haggard breathing puts a slight scare into Schuldrich, which is exactly what Ran is going for. "I'm not going to try and win a war of wits against you, because I know there would be no point in it." the scowling red-head speaks slowly and with purpose. "You've read my thoughts, and I accept that, but unless you want to suffer the fate I still believe you deserve, than you better shut up about things you only think you understand."
With a grunt of indignation, Schu commands his grin to stay in place. "Calm down, I wasn't looking for a fight. You're the one who's swooning, after all." he dismisses. "A quick peak says you had a little intimate moment last night, eh? Dancing? That must have been a laugh riot."
Looking Ran over - up and down - Schuldrich begins circling his companion as he speaks, as if assessing something he already has figured out.
"Still, even after that dazzling display, you're convinced nothing is going on between the two of you. Can't fool me, though. I was lucky enough to be on the receiving end of your evil intentions..." he laughs lightly, slipping up close to Ran from behind, and whispering in his ear. "...and in my experience, a man doesn't do those kind of things to someone he considers a mere business partner......hehehe...."
Deciding not to put up a fight in a battle he knows he can't win, Ran merely goes blank, staring forward, and replies in a voice barely audible. "That moment wasn't for you, and it wasn't right for me to have, either. Whatever I believe, I know that much. You're nothing but a sick, corrupted man for taking advantage of me like that, no matter what Korat thinks of you!"
Spinning around abruptly, he pushes Schuldrich to the side, continuing down the hallway without looking back. The startled German hadn't truly meant to push things as far as he had, however, and calls out instantly to stop the retreating, younger man.
"Fujimiya, wait! I know I beat around the bush like a jackass when it comes to these things, but I really do have a couple of things to say to you."
Surprisingly enough, Ran turns to face Schu once again, folding strict arms across his chest and waiting expectantly for whatever will be said. That's about as much as Schuldrich can hope for.
"For what it's worth, I'd like to offer some friendly advise." he starts off, smiling almost genuinely, but with the usual glint of deviancy in his jade-colored eyes. "Yeah, I've seen inside your messed-up head, and I know how you really feel about Aiko. Problem is, *you* don't know how you feel. Figure out what the hell you want and go for it already! Push her up against a wall and kiss her in a way that'll make her glad to be a woman. That's how you handle a situation like this. Ya got me?"
Raising an inquisitive eyebrow, Ran lets out a short laugh of his own, rolls his eyes, and then moves as if to head to his room, as he has been trying to do for quite some time.
"Oh, and Fujimiya?" Schu calls one last time, causing the other red-head to stop, though this time he doesn't look back. "For what it's worth, and this time I know it ain't worth much, I really am......at least a little...sorry...for what happened. I thought you should know that, though I'll admit, I really don't what the hell's going on inside my own head right now. Still, I'll keep the patronizing down to a minimum. Promise."
Moving gently forward, Ran slips into his room with little acknowledgment to Schu's words, but takes a moment to cast one final, appreciative glance at the green-eyed monster as a sign of at least something passing between them, even if it is hardly perceivable.
Left alone to his own devices, Schu smiles to himself, feeling unbelievably at peace for some strange, damn reason, and whips out a cig from the pack in his pocket, searching for his lighter...to no avail. Frustrated, he checks every pocket and hiding place at least twice, before grunting angrily in defeat, sucking pitifully on the end of his unlit cancer stick.
"Perfect. I go and lose my favorite lighter just when I really need to light one up. What's this world coming to?"
"I think the world's just fine." a new voice answers him unexpectedly, as an energetic, young girl with turquoise hair and eyes skips her way into the hall from the living room, holding up a silver engraved object in slender hands. "You're not supposed to smoke inside, Emmy-chan. You should know better than that."
With a flabbergasted look, 'Emmy-chan' does a quick double take at what Toto is holding, forgetting the adorable nick-name for a moment. "Hey, that's my lighter, you little brat! Hand it over!"
Obediently, she tosses it into his waiting hands, eyeing him with disapproval until he begrudgingly puts both the lighter and cigarette away. Then smiling contagiously, she hops over next to him, giggling with childlike curiosity. "You don't smoke nearly as much as Yotan used to, but it's such a yucky habit. I should've kept that thing." she laughs, making Schuldrich increasingly uneasy. "I know you don't like me too much, Emmy-chan, but I just wanted to let you know how happy I am you're helping us. It means so much to Nagi-kun that you're here."
Before Schu can react, Toto pecks him lightly on the cheek and then dashes off back down the hallway. Nevertheless, she doesn't get very far before whirling around, beaming with excitement.
"Ne, Emmy-chan, I just remembered!" she exclaims. "Nagi told me what the others saw in the basement. Isn't it strange? I guess we have something in common, after all."
Schuldrich starts a little at this, looking wide-eyed back at her, but then he simply smiles in reply, very subtly. "Yeah...I guess we do."
As Toto disappears from view, Schu distinctly hears a brief conversation start up just around the corner.
"Nanami, have you seen Schul...I mean...Emery around? I need to talk to him about something." Hiromi's distinguishable voice inquires.
"Hai! He's right down the hall, Nee-san."
"Arigato."
(I must be everyone's favorite person today.) Schu ponders with a sideways smirk, waiting expectantly for Hiromi to find him. In the space of heartbeat, she appears, eyeing her quarry appraisingly as he stands poised and nonchalant, like some master of seduction anticipating his chance to strike.
"There you are. Not causing any trouble, I hope." the curvaceous blonde speaks teasingly, putting a hand to her hip.
Schuldrich chuckles a little under his breath. "Not at all. I've been saving that for you. Is it just my imagination, or do you rarely get the opportunity to match wits against someone of equal caliber?"
"Rarely? You're quite right." she smiles cleverly in reply. "But I doubt any new opportunities are in my future with you around."
Ouch. How enticing.
"All jabs aside, however, I have something very important to explain to you." Hiromi expresses, embodying a much more serious demeanor. "Aiko's really the one who came up with it, but she thought - for some strange reason - that *I* should be the one to tell you."
Curiosity perked, Schu tilts his head questioningly, narrowing his gaze. "I don't know if I like the sound of this. What, are you going to keep me tied up and gagged to ensure I don't pull a double-agent act on you?"
"Of course not!" his counterpart cries indignantly, with an authoritative whip of her golden hair. "This is a good thing. I was thinking...maybe...that you might be having a hard time dealing with your power. So...I asked Aiko if she knew of anything we could do to help you keep it under control."
"And what gave you the idea that I needed help?"
"Oh, nothing really. Just the extent to which you used it recently, the way you completely broke down last night, everything I've heard from the Weiss boys, what I've read in your file, and the natural conclusion that having other people's thoughts rushing into your head all the time might just be a bit more than one person can handle on his own." Triumphant smirk. "Need I go on?"
The dead silence that follows informs Hiromi that she has said enough.
"That's what I thought." she states with an air of superiority. "Anyway, to get back to what I was saying before, Aiko came up with an idea of how we can help you. Ready to be a good boy and listen up?"
Though forever the control-freak, hating that someone has so much more sway in conversation than he does, Schuldrich resolves to give her his complete and utter attention. After all, how often does someone walk up to you with information on the one thing you have desired all your life.
Release...
*****
(...release?) the weary German contemplates whimsically, staring hard at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. (I don't know if this trick will do anything, but if it actually works, I'll have to remind myself to thank that little vixen. Somehow......)
It hadn't taken very long for Hiromi to explain the procedure that Aiko and herself had come up with, but rather than give it a try right then and there, Schu decided he would prefer to attempt such a feat in private. After all, no one likes having someone else witness their failures, and what Schuldrich is about to do has about a one-in-a-million chance of actually working.
Nevertheless, there always is that chance.
(I just need to relax before I plunge into this.) he figures, achingly pulling off his button-down shirt that he had been forced to wear to bed the night before, and continuing to undress as he gets ready to hop in the shower. (What if it does work...? Heh. I wonder what it's like, being alone inside your own head. Brad never even bothered thinking of a way to help me, even when I'd wake him up screaming in my sleep......)
Smiling mournfully, Schuldrich lowers his head, lost in thought and standing unmoving and naked on the tiled, bathroom floor. There is something so heart-wrenching in addressing an addiction you have so recently given up. For Schuldrich, his was a dependency on Brad Crawford: being taken care of, having his strings pulled, listening to someone else tell him what to do.
But now...he has to live without that.
Taking in a cleansing breath, Schu turns on the showing and steps over the edge, mechanically pulling the curtain closed behind him. The water is warm and soothing, massaging his sore muscles that are still so very fatigued from the relaxants he'd been injected with. Thankfully, the others have agreed to let this batch wear off without giving him another shot. Such trust, however, will quickly fade should Schuldrich prove to be less reformed than he claims to be.
(Okay......hot shower...quiet...privacy......let's give this a try......)
Closing his jade-colored eyes, the slender German leans his head back under the water, feeling the relaxing warmth wash over his tangled, sunset hair, and digging deep into the recesses of his own crowded mind.
Rather than giving in to the many voices, or even picking out a single one to focus on, Schu imagines them as if they were the people themselves. He pictures a vast crowd on one end of a large, stark-white room, with himself alone on the other side. They are all screaming at him, crying, laughing, whispering, clamoring to get closer and drown him in the sheer mass of their number. Taking Hiromi's advise, however, he thinks of a brick being in his right hand, senses the weight pulling his arm down, and analyzes the texture, the feel, as well as the way it looks - a reddish-brown tool of salvation.
The brick is the most important part of this exercise. He must use it to begin building a wall, all the while seeing himself put more and more of them into place with his own imaginary hands, erecting a barrier between himself and the many faceless voices who have now been given form.
One by one he begins the long, tedious process, concentrating hard on ignoring the invading multitude of people, and adding to his wall until it stands high and solid in front of him.
Outside of his mind, Schuldrich's body has slumped against the side of the shower, breathing heavily, while the water continues to cascade over his body, wrinkling his pale skin. On the inside, his inner body is breathing just as heavily. Nonetheless, he is smiling in both forms, for never before has he known such peace.
With the wall in place, he cannot hear the voices at all. They are still there, of course, on the other side, but he made sure to place a door in the center of the barricade - a locked door that only he can open.
For the first time in his life, the little boy that grew into such a troubled man knows what silence really means.
In sheer disbelief, Schuldrich opens his eyes, staring blankly at the stream of water hitting the far wall. He straightens, turning back towards the faucet, and moves to rigorously wash his hair and body, so he can get out before turning into a prune now that his task is completed.
Despite his urge to finish quickly, he still takes the time to momentarily return to that white room with the large brick wall, and walks forward to slip back the lock on the door. Opening it wide, he summons forth a particular blonde, and finds himself thrust into her mind the moment her inner persona walks through it.
(Thanks for the tip, Gorgeous.) he purrs into Hiromi's thoughts, catching her off-guard as she sits combing through her long, wavy hair from a seat on her bed, and causes her to clumsily drop the brush onto her lap. (I owe you one......)
All Hiromi says is...(I'll hold you to that.)...before smiling beautifully, with a satisfied levity left imprinted in her heart.
After all, it does a soul good to help another.
*****
There are very few ways to save another's soul. There are even fewer ways to save your own.
Within the darkened quarters of his borrowed room, Fujimiya Ran is setting out his antiquated assassin gear. Even the katana is an older one - his first - but he finds his stomach churning as he looks at it, remembering that this is where it all began. With these clothes, this weapon, he walked down the road to damnation and barely found the detour back home in time to save himself.
Actually, he didn't find it at all. Some unexpected travelers found him, and showed him the way back. Thank God for them. Thank God for *her*. If only this could be finished without having to ever wear that long, leather coat again, or those gloves, or with that sword held in his hands. If only Brad could be changed as the others seem to have changed. But sadly, that outcome doesn't seem very likely to Ran.
The red-head sighs, fingering the fitted handle of his katana, though without lifting it from the sweet safety of the bed. Why must all great things end and begin in bloodshed......?
"Ran-niichan...?"
Devastatingly startled by the sound of that impossible voice, Ran instantly whirls around to face the door, and his amethyst eyes catch sight of the one person he most wanted to see, and yet hoped beyond all that is sacred he would not.
"...Aya..." he whispers, stone-still as she enters his room and closes the door behind her. "I don't believe it. What are you doing here? You're supposed to be at -"
"Villa White. I know." she finishes, smiling sorrowfully up at him while walking further into the room. "Don't be angry. Sakura is the only one who knows I'm here, so I have to be quick. If Manx, Birman, or especially Momoe found out, they'd be worried sick."
Though truthfully delighted at seeing his sister's sweet face gazing so lovingly back at him, Ran wears an expression of anxious hostility, grabbing her roughly by the shoulders. "*They'd* be worried!?! You could have gotten yourself killed coming back here! Why do you think I hid you away? We're so close now......if I were to lose you..."
"Gomen nasai, Oniichan. I know it was foolish, but I had to see you." Aya expresses deeply, reaching up to grasp those powerful hands on her shoulders with her own, and bring them down to hold tightly in front of her. "It's almost over. Don't you see? This might be......the last time I ever get to see you. I have complete confidence in everyone, of course, but...it's just...anything could happen, you know? And...I didn't want to miss what might be my last chance to tell you that......I love you."
Like a block of ice left to the mercy of the warm, Summer sun, Ran's resolve melts away right before Aya's eyes, and his own violet irises shimmer with the onset of tears.
Stubborn or not, you can't be mad at someone who only wants to be with you. You just can't.
"Aya...I love you, too......so much..." he breathes, enveloping her in a sudden embrace she gladly returns. "But I promise you this will not be the last time we see each other. When this mission is over, everything is going to change. No more secrets, or sneaking around, or keeping each other in the dark about anything. We can be a family again. A real family, with no monsters chasing us in the night, and no ghosts haunting our dreams. I promise......"
Holding each other so close, one might think their heartbeats synchronized and began beating to the same rhythm. Locked in each other's arms, an oniichan's chest and an imoto's shoulder are damp with tears, but neither care. They need this.
At long last, Aya pulls away, and grins playfully up at her brother as she reaches into her pocket and pulls something out, keeping it hidden in the palm of her hand, and waiting for Ran to extend his own in acceptance of it.
Silently, he obeys, but as the glittering objects fall into view, he touches them delicately, looking back at Aya with a furrowed brow. "I don't understand. Why are you giving these back to me?" he questions, if not a little pained.
She has given him the golden earrings he once bought for her, having worn one himself for so long, and recently having given Aya and Sakura one each, to wear as an unspoken promise to both of them.
"You gave these to Sakura and myself to remind us of you." Aya explains, serious and heartfelt all in one. "To remind us that we are loved and protected by our 'big brother,' since you see both of us as your 'little sisters.' Well, with everything that's happened, and what is about to happen, we decided you needed them more than we do. We want you to wear them, Oniichan, to remind you that *you* are loved and protected, too. And...if you really want to...you can give them back to us after it's all over. As long as you promise we'll get them back by your own hands, and only yours. Wakarimasu ka?"
Taken pleasantly by surprise in all of this, Ran smiles his graceful, rare smile, and immediately begins to put the earrings back in their rightful places. "Wakarimasu, Aya-chan. I'll wear them proudly, but you will have them back again. I swear to you."
The fate of far too many lives, too much happiness, lies in the balance now, and no one should ever have to suffer the pang of emptiness in having their dreams crushed.
*****
Even the tiniest dreams long to be fulfilled. An aching need, a purposeful longing, can overtake a person's senses and lead them down a road they may never have believed they would find themselves down again.
Walking slowing, step by step, and listening with almost obsessive intent to the sound of his footfalls, Ran stares vaguely at the sidewalk as he makes his way down the street. Few words were expressed to the others as he left, after making sure Aya was safely on her way back to Villa White, but he felt the need to take his leave once she had gone, thought he isn't entirely sure why he is heading where he is. It is just somewhere he needs to be.
One more block to go; he can already make out the towering building, and its close proximity is a comfort, not only for the need of getting there, but to escape the oncoming rain he can smell so keenly in the gentle breeze.
The stone steps are reached, but before he begins his ascension, Ran casts a longing look up at the symbol above him, looming from the rooftop. Oh, how well he knows this symbol, for it represents two areas of his life that are so separate and unalike that the irony causes him to smirk ever so slightly.
There is no second guessing or change of heart in this matter, so the anxious red-head climbs the stairs and enters, noting the peaceful darkness and gentle glow of candles lit for the lost - lit for the hopeful.
A pair of small doors, side by side, rests off to his right, and he moves to the one nearest him, knocking gently to be sure it is empty before entering the tiny chamber himself. He sits down on the small bench within, gazing purposefully at his feet, while an odd window near his head slides open for conversation.
"What can I do for you, child?" asks a tender voice, empowered with understanding.
Quivering lips, pale in the shadows, release a deep, audible sigh. No one would have a prayer at guessing how long this is going to take, but the desire, the necessity of fulfilling this treasured obligation is enough to push Ran in the right direction, and he at last begins to speak.
"Forgive me, Father...for I have sinned......"
Outside, sheltering herself from the rain that has just began to fall, Aiko stands beneath a shop's overhang, watching the church door with fond, glittering violet eyes. She is perhaps the smallest bit guilty for having secretly eavesdropped on Aya and Ran's exchange, and now having followed her stoic twin without his knowledge, but the peace, the pride she feels for Ran in this step he has taken brushes all of that aside.
It certainly isn't the most intelligent idea the lovely girl has had recently - given her track record for unfortunate events that stalk her whenever she is on her own - but she wasn't thinking about the risks. She was thinking about Ran. She was curious.
What is it they say? Curiosity killed the kitten......
"...Here, kitty, kitty..." echoes a whispering, deadly voice from behind Aiko, causing the hair on the back of her neck to stand on end as the intruder's breath dances over her skin, and firm, powerful arms wrap around her body, with a forceful hand covering her mouth. "These streets are dangerous at night. Don't you know better than to go out all by yourself? You never know when someone - perhaps a man who's plans you've foiled and friends you've stolen - will find an opportunity to repay your kindness. Hmmm...Korat?"
Aiko isn't going to be granted the chance to answer her captor, for before she can even think in response, the world around her begins to fade black. Brad Crawford is no amateur, and he most definitely is no fool. He is merely a little - just a bit - on edge, and his hand cleverly holds a cloth in the palm, with a timely substance soaked through it to knock his prize unconscious.
The game is in his court once again, and things are about to get interesting......
*****A/N*****
Ok, that was a good chapter. Tenderness, humor, Schu's evil tendencies. I love it! And I hope you did, too. Next, what has become of Aiko? Also, the beginning of the final showdown with Braddy-kins. And...you get to find out the last of my many hidden secrets for these beloved characters. That's right, Brad's inner workings are the last to be revealed, and you're about to get a first hand look. Woohoo! Keep reading, and I grovel for reviews. :-)