Title: Poison

Fandom: Rave
Warning: Spoilers for the last arc
Disclaimer: Umi-chii don’t own Rave. Mashima-sensei still does.
A/N: I'm procrastinating on tentacle-pron, AGAIN. This one is prompted by the song, Poison of Alice Cooper. Goodness, the generalness of this fic made me… sweatdrop.

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Poison

The endless blackness inside the Star Vestige had fazed him a bit, but Haru kept his guard. His grip got tighter as the demonic armor of Lucia appears. Somewhere on the back of his mind, he could hear the roar of Endless.

Then he was there, rushing towards him, sword raised. He prepared his own, blocking the black sword, his steps faltering. It was too much for him. He vaguely felt the reopening of one of his wounds as blood started to leak again.

The sudden flash of Star Vestige far beyond them caught his attention, yet the words uttered y the blond went unheard. Next thing he knew, something both hot and cold slashed through him, the contrasting feeling along with warm blood making him scream in pain.

xxx

“Elie, I’m going out for a while.”

“Okay.”

Tying the last of his boots’ tie, Haru left the house before waving goodbye at the hanging flower outside their house. He kept his hands inside his coat’s pocket. The winter coldness of Garage Island was much peaceful than that of Punk Street, but it’s still cold and he couldn’t risk getting frostbite.

Walking past the forest, Haru trudged on forlornly at the trail, the always present smile slowly fading from his lips. Each step through the forest, the happiness inside of him slowly dissipates and was replaced by a feeling of helplessness, guilt… and sadness.

With the snow bearing his footprints, Haru continued on without looking back, head bowed in a silent prayer.

xxx

He gathered his strength together and pushed forward, as another light blinded him with the clash of their swords. The moment the swords clashed, he didn’t know anymore what he was fighting for, the blonde’s words confusing him.

Is the world really that evil? Must he really blame the world instead for this insanity? Somehow, it’s a good excuse for someone who was imprisoned for ten years with nothing but vengeance and darkness in mind.

But all thoughts vanished when something cold pierced through his guts. The sickening feel of it made him weak, his grip weakening until finally, Ravelt left his hand and clattered to the void ground beneath him. His body followed suit, before Lucia pulled his sword out and blood spurted out of his mouth.

He didn’t bother with whatever shit Lucia decided to preach on him, about the world’s cruelty or his family history. In the midst of the battle, his wound seems to be of much importance than anything else. His hands were soon stained as the red warm liquid continued to pour out of his gut wound. Dried blood already forced his right eye to close, the lack of blood threatening him to lose to the dark side. But he held on, using this chance to recollect his strength as Lucia decides to teach him a part of his family history.

Honestly, what’s wrong with the boy?

xxx

Stepping on a twig, Haru looked around the clearing he got himself to. He was sure he kept on walking in a straight path, and there was no clearing before.

Shrugging, he stepped forward and crouched on the edge of the clearing. The cold season didn’t manage to freeze the water, but he didn’t take any chances in drinking it. It might have been too cold for his throat to handle.

Instead, he dipped his right hand on it, staring at the sudden paling of his knuckles, some of the battle scars still evident. He didn’t know why they wouldn’t heal, but he also didn’t find himself complaining. In fact, he’s half grateful for the scars to remain, them serving the purpose of reminding him everything.

It was because he loved the world that made him want to protect it, to protect it from succumbing into darkness. But in every battle he fought, in every decision he made, he would always ask himself the question, of why he must fight, why he must decide for the good of others… why someone who’s lost in the dark must hold the burden of destroying the world.

Yet it was him who showed him the answer, it was him who taught him the answer. It was Lucia who made him realize that answer. Even if he must defeat the other to the point of killing him, Lucia didn’t bother with it. It’s as if like the sole purpose of his archrival was to make him realize that answer. It made him sick, it made him… hopeless.

He remembered the tears the other shed, the memories forever charred into his mind. No matter what he does, he wouldn’t be able to push them to the back of his mind. He just can’t anymore. They still burn. Recalling that single moment itself had already made him shut his eyes, willing tears to go back and not fall. But he couldn’t help himself; even with his life depended on it.

In the end, Haru just sat there, surrounded by snow, the tears keeping him warm as his knuckles remain pale. He was frozen by guilt, yet still warm with hope.

Without his other half now, he had become a living paradox. And somehow, he didn’t care at all.

“My last moments with you… aren’t so bad at all.”

END