****
Where Fate Turns
Chapter 12: To Bring You Back
****
Lemon chapter! Uncensored, full version of this chapter is on the website. It's a little over 2,200 words longer: gottaito.fateback.com/fics/WFT12Lemon.htm
kawaiidark: Hehe, yeah... I'm one of those kinds of people who get all freaked out about releasing short chapters... yet... often, shorter fics get more reviews. Makes me want to shorten my chapters. Who wants that? *hint* Thank you so much for the review! *GLOMP*
Dragi: Yeah, Takuya and Kouji are in this one. And very much of them. o_o;
Sillie: Angst is fun~ x3 I'm thinking of changing the Romance categorizing to Angst...
Crystal Ketchum Darklight: Wow, thank you for such nice encouragement! ^_^ *gogos*
KawaiiKaren: MVP funnage! o.o; If you didn't know, I knew about Rogues long before they came out for any server. I didn't want to put them in because I didn't have any personal experience with them (winging it wouldn't do me very well). iRO is like... the last server to get updates. Rare items are usually about luck, too. XD On the old private server I used to play (drop rates were like... 3-10x higher than usual, which is a good difference, but not an insanely high one like some other private servers have), there's been at least 3 MVPs where I got its card the first time I MVPed it, and several monsters where I got its HB on first try, etc. Probably to make up for all the terrible luck I had on official servers...
XDDD~ FMA~ Envy hasn't really changed from manga to Anime, which is good. With Winry and just about every other girl, they've added a lot of... yah. Thanks for the Japanese site D It didn't work for me ... o.o; A lot of the Japanese Digimon art sites I went to do FMA art now. ^^ Thanks for the review! *glomphuggletackle*
Lady Moon3: Lol, did you forget that Taichi's using the Doppelganger bow? Even if he had a normal bow, it's not impossible for him to kill Moonlight. Dop's just a symbol of support.
For this chapter and the next chapter, the events at the beginning occur before the end of the previous chapter. Each chapter will continue the story, however.
Kind of a strange chapter in general... but I hope you like it still. ^^;;;
Additional notes:
Warp portals can't lead into dungeons, but they can be used inside dungeons.
****
~Nothing happens without effort~
****
The brunette was still mumbling in his disarrayed state. His mask was not fully off, showing slightly parted lips that occasionally flickered to the boy's vocal chords.
Kouichi had still not returned from his " walk," much to Kouji's curiosity. And Moonlight was off in... who knows where. Actually, he had not felt this much privacy since he could remember...
Nor had he ever been alone with someone who moved him so much that it scared him. Not that he could remember much. Or maybe... something was hidden. Just like an Assassin hides in the dark corners for tactile situations, perhaps Moonlight had some kind of hold on HIM... But how could that be possible? He used to tell himself... he needed no other memories than what he had... this was his personal survival. He owed his life to Moonlight. That was all that existed to him.
No... why was he getting these feelings, these instincts? The Horong who instinctively stalk intruders, the Munak who bounce in suspended air eternally, the Nine Tail who obey their master without question, with silent understanding... Why couldn't he be like them? Why was he even aware? He was no machine... he had weaknesses... and he felt ashamed of it. He knew he was human, and he wasn't sure whether he should be grateful or not.
And this... this boy, this single, particular boy who changed everything he thought about. Kouji sat next to him, crossing his legs and sitting with natural pride.
Kouji swallowed deeply, realizing his saliva was building at a faster rate. That usually happened before he ate... peculiar. He stared at the ground as if it were a stranger. He glanced around himself. Everything... strange. Unfamiliar, he really didn't know how he ended up here... he had no personal memories before knowing that he owed Moonlight. His instincts... or the instincts Moonlight gave him?
Well, he could change, couldn't he? He didn't have to stay the same for the moment. No one else was around to see any folly. He could let himself go just this moment. He was curious... so curious. He had to know... perhaps it would be better for everyone in the end. Better for Moonlight, for Kouichi, for the boy, for himself. Just this once...
" No... come back..." the brunette mumbled. He shifted as if some nightmare had him captive, although he wasn't asleep. Kouji pulled his Pirate bandana off and tucked it into a side bandage for safe-keeping, then he retied his ponytail. He inched closer to the other Assassin, waiting for his presence to be noticed. He stared for a good five minutes with no progress.
That boy sure liked to have illusions.
Kouji didn't want to have to talk to the boy, either. He wasn't much of a talker, being an Assassin. He was careful in the past to have Kouichi to do it all, as Kouji was concerned that he would say something out of line. The taboo meant risking his life. Was it worth the risk...?
The brunette's eyes flickered upon, and ever so slowly... he spotted Kouji. There was a native sign of confidence in those eyes, one that gave him an intangible message.
' Yes. It will be worth the risk.'
" Boy," he said, barely letting the other hear him.
The brunette seemed to avoid his gaze all of a sudden, causing a little muscle to hurt inside Kouji. He pretended not to notice. ' Just the adrenal glands...' Then he realized that the boy was looking to see if there was anyone else...
" Why is it... just you..."
Kouji could sense the weakness in that voice, stimulating another foreign feeling in him...
" The others are busy at the moment," Kouji said shortly.
" Oh..." Barely moving, the boy resigned to lying lifeless. Kouji wondered if he had spent all his energy twisting around (umm...). He waited some more; He waited as a lion waits for his pride, with patience that still held a firm notion of dominance. He was trusted to keep in charge, after all.
He needed to move on, however. There was no knowing when his comrade would return, or if Moonlight would drop by.
Still, it was difficult for a person of silence to shift to one of conversation. He went through the thoughts in his mind again, reflecting on past events. He found something and voiced it before it could be lost.
" Do you know me?" the pony-tailed one asked.
Kouji was opening doors to a dangerous world, much more dangerous than any MVP could render.
" I thought I did."
" ...Do I know you?" he asked slowly.
The boy opened his eyes at last. " That's something only YOU would know."
Kouji tilted back visibly, taken from the sudden stance. The boy seemed angry at him.
" I... I am not aware... This is why I ask."
The brunette stopped his sulking position and sat more upright. He had his wake-up call.
A serious gleam clouded the area in the dungeon, darkening the already hidden haven that Kouji called home. This was his moment of truth.
" You choose who you want to be," the boy muttered, " I tried. I killed Moonlight, thinking it would set you free. But... now, I don't know what to do."
Kouji heard this, but the meaning behind it was still vague to him. He had thought that there was no possible way to set himself free. " I do not need freedom. I owe my life to Moonlight. I'm not enslaved."
" How could you possibly owe ANYTHING to Moonlight?" the boy asked, thoroughly juxtaposed.
Kouji hesitated. What... " When all of mankind is extinguished, only the MVPs' servants will shall remain among the humans. Moonlight is my savior."
The boy sighed in exasperation. " You sound worse than the Acolytes who come to Morroc to preach Thieves..."
Kouji looked at him with empty eyes. " That was my mishap... I... I just want to get this plaguing feeling off me."
" What feeling?" the boy said distastefully.
Kouji turned over so that an arm was on either side of the boy. " The feeling that resonates when I do this."
The boy looked at him, seemingly nonchalant with a stern face.
Kouji kneeled in closer, so close that he could feel the other's breath on his cheeks. With a complacent expression, he lifted a hand to the boy's face. " The feeling that overcomes me when I touch you..."
The brunette visibly blushed, but he refused to give in to the temptation... This wasn't what he wanted... not all of it...
" The feeling that I DO know you," Kouji said when he observed the boy's (lack of) response.
" I wish..."
They remained still, Kouji patient for a full response.
Takuya opened his mouth to speak again, then stopped. His heart was beating so heavily. Beating so heavily that it clouded his mind... he couldn't think straight. Did he even want to?
The brunette Assassin allowed himself to be swallowed in Kouji's gaze with his last words, remembering past events. The days before they left Morroc... the brunette often found himself longing for the other boy to stay by him... he was afraid that some day they would be separated, but more afraid that they would separate because one had DESIRED it... when he first became aware of Kouji's returning emotion, he thought he would be set. He trusted their connection too much; he was overconfident that nothing could stop them as long as they had their feelings for each other.
He had been ashamed after he found out the reality. How could he be so naïve? How could he be so inattentive? He wanted to repent for his failure by retrieving what he had lost with his own skills, but even that failed. So many things he needed to know as well....
This person in front of him was Kouji. Even if he wasn't complete in memory and mind, it was still Kouji. Takuya could tell simply by his presence that his entity had not changed. He was just... how could he say it... lost? Kouji was lost... lost and confused. Yet, he was still willing to show his weakness in front of Takuya. Did he unconsciously trust Takuya that much? Even in their situation, Kouji still trusted him?
And it came to him. He could find out now. He could find out if he could make up for all of their lost time. It was all lying in front of him, accepting, waiting. Better yet... another bird to kill...
What an opportunity.
Pacingly, he reached over Kouji's back and brought himself closer. Already, he could see a part of Kouji that had been held back since Moonlight appeared. He could release it now...
Kouji's lips had never felt so tender before.
It was like his life had been renewed. He was given something very special. It was a new chance...
Kouji moved his lips against his softly, hesitant for lack of memory in such a field...
" K...Kouji..." he said softly as he pulled back slightly, " I'll not leave your side again."
" What..." the pony-tailed Assassin was still somewhat lost, but he was clearly aware of the emotions that were surfacing within him. " Boy..."
' You know who I am... you must,' Takuya thought with need, ' Please.'
The brunette leaned back to the padded ground, bringing Kouji with him. He brought a dexterous hand to the shoulder covering on the other's body. No words were exchanged as they got a close look at each other with guises that were suddenly unfamiliar and new. A few clicking batterings ensued, and the shoulder coverings fell to the ground. Kouji let them drop.
Kouji, in his still mindset, found similar objects of obstruction on Takuya, and he proceeded to take them off.
Takuya ran his hand with feathery touches on Kouji's bandaged torso and unraveled them one strip at a time. This was it...
****
A petit bird ventured near the dark-haired Priest as he sat on the fence outside Payon Dungeon. For some reason, he found himself not minding the isolation from the babbling parties relaxing nearby. Their chatter had no affect on him as he stared at the grass with dull interest. The pain inside him was constant now. He was getting used to it, but it still worried him. The bird lifted active legs to inch closer, tilting its head from side to side.
Kouichi took notice of it and offered a hand. The bird accepted. As he moved the head-cocking bird to his lap, he asked himself, " What am I doing?"
His will to live... he had questioned Kouji's before leaving, but he wasn't too sure himself. Would there be a point if the only humans living were servants of the MVPs? What would that do to the future? " Where should I fight?"
He stared at the bird, envying its freedom. The bird continued cocking its head, unaware of the human's distraught feelings.
How had he ended up this way? Something seemed so empty... not only the pain swelling inside him, but his mind felt cluttered, as if memories were struggling to crawl out, but something was holding them back. For now, he could only think...
Then the battle in Payon Town began.
****
Kouichi touched his kneading forehead... something unpleasant was developing. The pain inside him grew more fierce as if some beast had been released to prey upon his every being. Whatever was going on in the town, he didn't want to get involved in his condition. A nearby female gave him a concerned look. He smiled weakly at her to get her to smile back courteously before jumping off the fence. It took him great willpower to walk into the dungeon normally with the pounding in his insides. He wouldn't surprised if some monster burst from within his stomach...
As soon as the battlers in the cave camouflaged his actions, he began to teleport deeper into the cave. His breathing became ragged as he found it difficult to find oxygen. Something was happening to his comrade, to Kouji...
" S... shit..." he murmured, evoking a strange glance from the Blacksmith with the Romantic Leaf casually hanging from his lazy mouth. He teleported again and felt relieved to see the familiar temple walls. He needed to see someone familiar...
He cringed openly now. The pain was growing so heavy, he couldn't hold back if he tried, anyway. He leaned against the wall for support.
' Kouji... what is going on...'
Casting spells on himself had absolutely no effect. No. He had no time to even think about casting spells. He just had to find Kouji.
" Teleport."
Over and over, teleporting, getting closer to the corner of the shrine area where Kouji and the boy were. He wasn't completely sure why he was going there, but it was the most rational thing on his mind. He didn't feel much sanity left in him, anyway. With all the strange occurrences involving humans and Moonlight... He KNEW something was missing, but he couldn't put a finger to what it was...
He encountered a flash of a soft, pink taint... then turned away. He could not bring himself to look further, as even the short glimpse of the scene now behind him brough him a queer feeling in his gut.
The view of Kouji and the boy's naked bodies entwined together in deep slumber would not disappear from Kouichi's imagination. Legs crossed over each other, arms bearing each other's backs, lips pressed against sweet skin...
The banging in his mind became more intense. How quixotic... how painful... Suddenly, a bright flash of yellow slashed through his consciousness and sent him on the ground only several feet from the others.
A small girl sparkled in his vision, clad with soft, plush paws and a bell-stick. She drifted away like a sand-painting blown by a heavy wind, falling apart particle by particle. In place, a pony-tailed boy who looked similar to him and a brunette with such a gentle expression materialized. And all Kouichi could do was watch and wonder.
Who was she? Who were the boys?
Kouji.
Takuya.
' And I am... Kouichi. This is I. I'm... a Priest? ...Sweet...'
****
Raspberry brown eyes opened peacefully in the silent cave. Takuya felt strangely fatigued, then he remembered what had happened. He could have sworn Kouji had cried out his name during their intercourse. Was it just his longing imagination?
" Mm... Takuya..."
No... It was true.
" Kouji..." he cupped the pony-tailed Assassin's cheek and stared more intently, " Are you..."
" What have I been doing?" Kouji said creackingly, glancing all around Takuya.
" Moonlight possessed you, but you're back to normal, right? I'll not leave you again..." Takuya nuzzled his nose against Kouji's chest, sincerely loving his presence. He folded his eyebrow in worry when Kouji didn't answer. He backed up and looked at him.
Kouji held his forehead, abruptly wincing.
" Why do I remember all of these things..." he grumbled, " ...but I don't remember DOING them?"
Takuya gaped. " You remember..." What else could he say?
" Kouichi's here," Kouji added.
Takuya turned to where the other had turned his head. The Priest was lying flat on his stomach not far from them. Kouji quickly covered himself and crawled over to the Priest. He turned the Priest over and bringing his eyes open as he did.
" What... what happened..." he said at first. The others waited while he gained some focus. The Priest lethargically observed his surroundings, first noticing Takuya dressing in the back. Eventually, realization dawned on him. " We should get out of here. It's too dark here."
Kouichi put his hand to his hair for a moment as if he wanted to scratch his head, but he merely kept it there. " Take... a warp portal..." He lifted a hand and hesitantly, but surely, he said, " Warp Portal!"
Kouji and Takuya hopped into the pillar of light he created. Kouichi glanced at the shrine one last time, somewhat confused, before following the other two.
" So..." Takuya's words broke the five-minute silence outside Payon. The sun was shining brightly on them, illuminating their sweat-drawn bodies. The area outside Payon Dungeon was eerily empty. " Where is everyone?"
Kouichi stared at his robes. " I think they all moved into the city... something's going on there."
Kouji stared at his Katars. " Let's check it out."
Without another word, they headed out. Kouichi and Kouji moved fluidly; Takuya found that he had to take extra strides to keep up with their natural walk. Moonlight's influence remained in them, but they were different people now. Even if whatever control that was on them was off... they were still different.
Takuya swallowed. Was this the best he could do? Was this the best option?
They crossed a straight path and over a hillside to look into the city. Nothing could have prepared them for what they saw... Bodies were everywhere, bodies of humans, monsters, unrecognizable beings. Some were obviously dead, while others struggled for life. A male Alchemist desperately tried to heal his leg while fending off arrows from an Orc Archer. An Acolyte in another corner was fleeing for his life from the MVP Mistress and her pack of bees. A Merchant was reviving a Priest with a Yggdrasil Leaf, begging her to heal him and the Thief next to him. A part of his face was missing, as if it had been butchered off. Every foot in the area was covered in people and monsters, nothing but pure acts of violence.
Kouichi moved a hand to his mouth in contained shock as a bloody Obeanu sailed across his view.
Takuya noticed and wondered. The possessed Kouichi wouldn't have been receptive to blood at all.
" Watch out!" someone cried wildly. The three glanced around on instinct. Kouji's eyes widened.
" Takuya!!!"
Kouji set himself in front of the brunette in a split second. A streak of... _something_ went straight for him. He raised one of his Katar arms and cocked it so that he faced its edge. The streak split right into two as it soared through the Katar. Kouji's eye twitched as something green and gooey landed on his Assassin mask. Green...
" What.. was that?" he said cautiously, refusing to look anywhere but straight ahead of him for the moment.
Takuya, dagger raised in late preparation, stared at Kouji in slight disbelief.
" An Anolian," a nearby Knight remarked before charging out. " Nice kill!" he called back.
At last, Kouji looked to his sides to see the camouflaging green splattered among the grass. He was surprised to see that the sight didn't irk him at all. He couldn't say the same for Kouichi, who was right next to one of the sides.
Kouichi appeared as if he was about to vomit at the sight of the spilled alligator guts. Its mouth hung indolently. The left arm twitched. The tail flopped over the right arm... Both sides reeked of fish. The plush-haired boy's eyes were stalk white.
" You okay, Kouichi?" Kouji asked.
" O... of course."
Kouji blinked. There was something very unusual about this...
" Well... it's nice to have you back," Takuya said out of the blue.
Both ex-servants to Moonlight turned and stood there, unable to do anything. Where was the humor?
" It's nice to be back," Kouji replied after a pause. " Does this mean Moonlight has been..."
" No idea... she might be here," Takuya said, noticing an MVP Osiris slashing through a mass of 2nd classmen. " There're quite a few big ones here... MVPs..."
All three rotated to hunt for their prey, specifically a yellow patch of fur-- Kouichi found it almost immediately.
" Over there!" He pointed for a moment before dropping his arm altogether. " Oh my God..."
Several recognizable figures stood in a large plain where everyone else had dispersed from. This plain was no longer and ordinary spot of greenery and peace. Crimson stained every grass blade in the center. Drenched blots littered the flatness of the area. Drenched blots... of animal parts...
" It's her," Kouichi said emptily, " But those others..."
Two boys remained plotted off-center from Moonlight's gruesome figure, unaware of the stares gawking upon them. The sight sent mousey chills through all of them. Takuya found himself leaning onto Kouji's back.
" Taichi and Yamato..." the brunette murmured, eyes watering. Kouji put an arm around his waist in comfort. He had just come back to reality, and already such atrocities came to face him.
When would the suffering end?
****
*Big, happy grin* Review...?
Splash
gottaito.cjb.net
Where Fate Turns
Chapter 12: To Bring You Back
****
Lemon chapter! Uncensored, full version of this chapter is on the website. It's a little over 2,200 words longer: gottaito.fateback.com/fics/WFT12Lemon.htm
kawaiidark: Hehe, yeah... I'm one of those kinds of people who get all freaked out about releasing short chapters... yet... often, shorter fics get more reviews. Makes me want to shorten my chapters. Who wants that? *hint* Thank you so much for the review! *GLOMP*
Dragi: Yeah, Takuya and Kouji are in this one. And very much of them. o_o;
Sillie: Angst is fun~ x3 I'm thinking of changing the Romance categorizing to Angst...
Crystal Ketchum Darklight: Wow, thank you for such nice encouragement! ^_^ *gogos*
KawaiiKaren: MVP funnage! o.o; If you didn't know, I knew about Rogues long before they came out for any server. I didn't want to put them in because I didn't have any personal experience with them (winging it wouldn't do me very well). iRO is like... the last server to get updates. Rare items are usually about luck, too. XD On the old private server I used to play (drop rates were like... 3-10x higher than usual, which is a good difference, but not an insanely high one like some other private servers have), there's been at least 3 MVPs where I got its card the first time I MVPed it, and several monsters where I got its HB on first try, etc. Probably to make up for all the terrible luck I had on official servers...
XDDD~ FMA~ Envy hasn't really changed from manga to Anime, which is good. With Winry and just about every other girl, they've added a lot of... yah. Thanks for the Japanese site D It didn't work for me ... o.o; A lot of the Japanese Digimon art sites I went to do FMA art now. ^^ Thanks for the review! *glomphuggletackle*
Lady Moon3: Lol, did you forget that Taichi's using the Doppelganger bow? Even if he had a normal bow, it's not impossible for him to kill Moonlight. Dop's just a symbol of support.
For this chapter and the next chapter, the events at the beginning occur before the end of the previous chapter. Each chapter will continue the story, however.
Kind of a strange chapter in general... but I hope you like it still. ^^;;;
Additional notes:
Warp portals can't lead into dungeons, but they can be used inside dungeons.
****
~Nothing happens without effort~
****
The brunette was still mumbling in his disarrayed state. His mask was not fully off, showing slightly parted lips that occasionally flickered to the boy's vocal chords.
Kouichi had still not returned from his " walk," much to Kouji's curiosity. And Moonlight was off in... who knows where. Actually, he had not felt this much privacy since he could remember...
Nor had he ever been alone with someone who moved him so much that it scared him. Not that he could remember much. Or maybe... something was hidden. Just like an Assassin hides in the dark corners for tactile situations, perhaps Moonlight had some kind of hold on HIM... But how could that be possible? He used to tell himself... he needed no other memories than what he had... this was his personal survival. He owed his life to Moonlight. That was all that existed to him.
No... why was he getting these feelings, these instincts? The Horong who instinctively stalk intruders, the Munak who bounce in suspended air eternally, the Nine Tail who obey their master without question, with silent understanding... Why couldn't he be like them? Why was he even aware? He was no machine... he had weaknesses... and he felt ashamed of it. He knew he was human, and he wasn't sure whether he should be grateful or not.
And this... this boy, this single, particular boy who changed everything he thought about. Kouji sat next to him, crossing his legs and sitting with natural pride.
Kouji swallowed deeply, realizing his saliva was building at a faster rate. That usually happened before he ate... peculiar. He stared at the ground as if it were a stranger. He glanced around himself. Everything... strange. Unfamiliar, he really didn't know how he ended up here... he had no personal memories before knowing that he owed Moonlight. His instincts... or the instincts Moonlight gave him?
Well, he could change, couldn't he? He didn't have to stay the same for the moment. No one else was around to see any folly. He could let himself go just this moment. He was curious... so curious. He had to know... perhaps it would be better for everyone in the end. Better for Moonlight, for Kouichi, for the boy, for himself. Just this once...
" No... come back..." the brunette mumbled. He shifted as if some nightmare had him captive, although he wasn't asleep. Kouji pulled his Pirate bandana off and tucked it into a side bandage for safe-keeping, then he retied his ponytail. He inched closer to the other Assassin, waiting for his presence to be noticed. He stared for a good five minutes with no progress.
That boy sure liked to have illusions.
Kouji didn't want to have to talk to the boy, either. He wasn't much of a talker, being an Assassin. He was careful in the past to have Kouichi to do it all, as Kouji was concerned that he would say something out of line. The taboo meant risking his life. Was it worth the risk...?
The brunette's eyes flickered upon, and ever so slowly... he spotted Kouji. There was a native sign of confidence in those eyes, one that gave him an intangible message.
' Yes. It will be worth the risk.'
" Boy," he said, barely letting the other hear him.
The brunette seemed to avoid his gaze all of a sudden, causing a little muscle to hurt inside Kouji. He pretended not to notice. ' Just the adrenal glands...' Then he realized that the boy was looking to see if there was anyone else...
" Why is it... just you..."
Kouji could sense the weakness in that voice, stimulating another foreign feeling in him...
" The others are busy at the moment," Kouji said shortly.
" Oh..." Barely moving, the boy resigned to lying lifeless. Kouji wondered if he had spent all his energy twisting around (umm...). He waited some more; He waited as a lion waits for his pride, with patience that still held a firm notion of dominance. He was trusted to keep in charge, after all.
He needed to move on, however. There was no knowing when his comrade would return, or if Moonlight would drop by.
Still, it was difficult for a person of silence to shift to one of conversation. He went through the thoughts in his mind again, reflecting on past events. He found something and voiced it before it could be lost.
" Do you know me?" the pony-tailed one asked.
Kouji was opening doors to a dangerous world, much more dangerous than any MVP could render.
" I thought I did."
" ...Do I know you?" he asked slowly.
The boy opened his eyes at last. " That's something only YOU would know."
Kouji tilted back visibly, taken from the sudden stance. The boy seemed angry at him.
" I... I am not aware... This is why I ask."
The brunette stopped his sulking position and sat more upright. He had his wake-up call.
A serious gleam clouded the area in the dungeon, darkening the already hidden haven that Kouji called home. This was his moment of truth.
" You choose who you want to be," the boy muttered, " I tried. I killed Moonlight, thinking it would set you free. But... now, I don't know what to do."
Kouji heard this, but the meaning behind it was still vague to him. He had thought that there was no possible way to set himself free. " I do not need freedom. I owe my life to Moonlight. I'm not enslaved."
" How could you possibly owe ANYTHING to Moonlight?" the boy asked, thoroughly juxtaposed.
Kouji hesitated. What... " When all of mankind is extinguished, only the MVPs' servants will shall remain among the humans. Moonlight is my savior."
The boy sighed in exasperation. " You sound worse than the Acolytes who come to Morroc to preach Thieves..."
Kouji looked at him with empty eyes. " That was my mishap... I... I just want to get this plaguing feeling off me."
" What feeling?" the boy said distastefully.
Kouji turned over so that an arm was on either side of the boy. " The feeling that resonates when I do this."
The boy looked at him, seemingly nonchalant with a stern face.
Kouji kneeled in closer, so close that he could feel the other's breath on his cheeks. With a complacent expression, he lifted a hand to the boy's face. " The feeling that overcomes me when I touch you..."
The brunette visibly blushed, but he refused to give in to the temptation... This wasn't what he wanted... not all of it...
" The feeling that I DO know you," Kouji said when he observed the boy's (lack of) response.
" I wish..."
They remained still, Kouji patient for a full response.
Takuya opened his mouth to speak again, then stopped. His heart was beating so heavily. Beating so heavily that it clouded his mind... he couldn't think straight. Did he even want to?
The brunette Assassin allowed himself to be swallowed in Kouji's gaze with his last words, remembering past events. The days before they left Morroc... the brunette often found himself longing for the other boy to stay by him... he was afraid that some day they would be separated, but more afraid that they would separate because one had DESIRED it... when he first became aware of Kouji's returning emotion, he thought he would be set. He trusted their connection too much; he was overconfident that nothing could stop them as long as they had their feelings for each other.
He had been ashamed after he found out the reality. How could he be so naïve? How could he be so inattentive? He wanted to repent for his failure by retrieving what he had lost with his own skills, but even that failed. So many things he needed to know as well....
This person in front of him was Kouji. Even if he wasn't complete in memory and mind, it was still Kouji. Takuya could tell simply by his presence that his entity had not changed. He was just... how could he say it... lost? Kouji was lost... lost and confused. Yet, he was still willing to show his weakness in front of Takuya. Did he unconsciously trust Takuya that much? Even in their situation, Kouji still trusted him?
And it came to him. He could find out now. He could find out if he could make up for all of their lost time. It was all lying in front of him, accepting, waiting. Better yet... another bird to kill...
What an opportunity.
Pacingly, he reached over Kouji's back and brought himself closer. Already, he could see a part of Kouji that had been held back since Moonlight appeared. He could release it now...
Kouji's lips had never felt so tender before.
It was like his life had been renewed. He was given something very special. It was a new chance...
Kouji moved his lips against his softly, hesitant for lack of memory in such a field...
" K...Kouji..." he said softly as he pulled back slightly, " I'll not leave your side again."
" What..." the pony-tailed Assassin was still somewhat lost, but he was clearly aware of the emotions that were surfacing within him. " Boy..."
' You know who I am... you must,' Takuya thought with need, ' Please.'
The brunette leaned back to the padded ground, bringing Kouji with him. He brought a dexterous hand to the shoulder covering on the other's body. No words were exchanged as they got a close look at each other with guises that were suddenly unfamiliar and new. A few clicking batterings ensued, and the shoulder coverings fell to the ground. Kouji let them drop.
Kouji, in his still mindset, found similar objects of obstruction on Takuya, and he proceeded to take them off.
Takuya ran his hand with feathery touches on Kouji's bandaged torso and unraveled them one strip at a time. This was it...
****
A petit bird ventured near the dark-haired Priest as he sat on the fence outside Payon Dungeon. For some reason, he found himself not minding the isolation from the babbling parties relaxing nearby. Their chatter had no affect on him as he stared at the grass with dull interest. The pain inside him was constant now. He was getting used to it, but it still worried him. The bird lifted active legs to inch closer, tilting its head from side to side.
Kouichi took notice of it and offered a hand. The bird accepted. As he moved the head-cocking bird to his lap, he asked himself, " What am I doing?"
His will to live... he had questioned Kouji's before leaving, but he wasn't too sure himself. Would there be a point if the only humans living were servants of the MVPs? What would that do to the future? " Where should I fight?"
He stared at the bird, envying its freedom. The bird continued cocking its head, unaware of the human's distraught feelings.
How had he ended up this way? Something seemed so empty... not only the pain swelling inside him, but his mind felt cluttered, as if memories were struggling to crawl out, but something was holding them back. For now, he could only think...
Then the battle in Payon Town began.
****
Kouichi touched his kneading forehead... something unpleasant was developing. The pain inside him grew more fierce as if some beast had been released to prey upon his every being. Whatever was going on in the town, he didn't want to get involved in his condition. A nearby female gave him a concerned look. He smiled weakly at her to get her to smile back courteously before jumping off the fence. It took him great willpower to walk into the dungeon normally with the pounding in his insides. He wouldn't surprised if some monster burst from within his stomach...
As soon as the battlers in the cave camouflaged his actions, he began to teleport deeper into the cave. His breathing became ragged as he found it difficult to find oxygen. Something was happening to his comrade, to Kouji...
" S... shit..." he murmured, evoking a strange glance from the Blacksmith with the Romantic Leaf casually hanging from his lazy mouth. He teleported again and felt relieved to see the familiar temple walls. He needed to see someone familiar...
He cringed openly now. The pain was growing so heavy, he couldn't hold back if he tried, anyway. He leaned against the wall for support.
' Kouji... what is going on...'
Casting spells on himself had absolutely no effect. No. He had no time to even think about casting spells. He just had to find Kouji.
" Teleport."
Over and over, teleporting, getting closer to the corner of the shrine area where Kouji and the boy were. He wasn't completely sure why he was going there, but it was the most rational thing on his mind. He didn't feel much sanity left in him, anyway. With all the strange occurrences involving humans and Moonlight... He KNEW something was missing, but he couldn't put a finger to what it was...
He encountered a flash of a soft, pink taint... then turned away. He could not bring himself to look further, as even the short glimpse of the scene now behind him brough him a queer feeling in his gut.
The view of Kouji and the boy's naked bodies entwined together in deep slumber would not disappear from Kouichi's imagination. Legs crossed over each other, arms bearing each other's backs, lips pressed against sweet skin...
The banging in his mind became more intense. How quixotic... how painful... Suddenly, a bright flash of yellow slashed through his consciousness and sent him on the ground only several feet from the others.
A small girl sparkled in his vision, clad with soft, plush paws and a bell-stick. She drifted away like a sand-painting blown by a heavy wind, falling apart particle by particle. In place, a pony-tailed boy who looked similar to him and a brunette with such a gentle expression materialized. And all Kouichi could do was watch and wonder.
Who was she? Who were the boys?
Kouji.
Takuya.
' And I am... Kouichi. This is I. I'm... a Priest? ...Sweet...'
****
Raspberry brown eyes opened peacefully in the silent cave. Takuya felt strangely fatigued, then he remembered what had happened. He could have sworn Kouji had cried out his name during their intercourse. Was it just his longing imagination?
" Mm... Takuya..."
No... It was true.
" Kouji..." he cupped the pony-tailed Assassin's cheek and stared more intently, " Are you..."
" What have I been doing?" Kouji said creackingly, glancing all around Takuya.
" Moonlight possessed you, but you're back to normal, right? I'll not leave you again..." Takuya nuzzled his nose against Kouji's chest, sincerely loving his presence. He folded his eyebrow in worry when Kouji didn't answer. He backed up and looked at him.
Kouji held his forehead, abruptly wincing.
" Why do I remember all of these things..." he grumbled, " ...but I don't remember DOING them?"
Takuya gaped. " You remember..." What else could he say?
" Kouichi's here," Kouji added.
Takuya turned to where the other had turned his head. The Priest was lying flat on his stomach not far from them. Kouji quickly covered himself and crawled over to the Priest. He turned the Priest over and bringing his eyes open as he did.
" What... what happened..." he said at first. The others waited while he gained some focus. The Priest lethargically observed his surroundings, first noticing Takuya dressing in the back. Eventually, realization dawned on him. " We should get out of here. It's too dark here."
Kouichi put his hand to his hair for a moment as if he wanted to scratch his head, but he merely kept it there. " Take... a warp portal..." He lifted a hand and hesitantly, but surely, he said, " Warp Portal!"
Kouji and Takuya hopped into the pillar of light he created. Kouichi glanced at the shrine one last time, somewhat confused, before following the other two.
" So..." Takuya's words broke the five-minute silence outside Payon. The sun was shining brightly on them, illuminating their sweat-drawn bodies. The area outside Payon Dungeon was eerily empty. " Where is everyone?"
Kouichi stared at his robes. " I think they all moved into the city... something's going on there."
Kouji stared at his Katars. " Let's check it out."
Without another word, they headed out. Kouichi and Kouji moved fluidly; Takuya found that he had to take extra strides to keep up with their natural walk. Moonlight's influence remained in them, but they were different people now. Even if whatever control that was on them was off... they were still different.
Takuya swallowed. Was this the best he could do? Was this the best option?
They crossed a straight path and over a hillside to look into the city. Nothing could have prepared them for what they saw... Bodies were everywhere, bodies of humans, monsters, unrecognizable beings. Some were obviously dead, while others struggled for life. A male Alchemist desperately tried to heal his leg while fending off arrows from an Orc Archer. An Acolyte in another corner was fleeing for his life from the MVP Mistress and her pack of bees. A Merchant was reviving a Priest with a Yggdrasil Leaf, begging her to heal him and the Thief next to him. A part of his face was missing, as if it had been butchered off. Every foot in the area was covered in people and monsters, nothing but pure acts of violence.
Kouichi moved a hand to his mouth in contained shock as a bloody Obeanu sailed across his view.
Takuya noticed and wondered. The possessed Kouichi wouldn't have been receptive to blood at all.
" Watch out!" someone cried wildly. The three glanced around on instinct. Kouji's eyes widened.
" Takuya!!!"
Kouji set himself in front of the brunette in a split second. A streak of... _something_ went straight for him. He raised one of his Katar arms and cocked it so that he faced its edge. The streak split right into two as it soared through the Katar. Kouji's eye twitched as something green and gooey landed on his Assassin mask. Green...
" What.. was that?" he said cautiously, refusing to look anywhere but straight ahead of him for the moment.
Takuya, dagger raised in late preparation, stared at Kouji in slight disbelief.
" An Anolian," a nearby Knight remarked before charging out. " Nice kill!" he called back.
At last, Kouji looked to his sides to see the camouflaging green splattered among the grass. He was surprised to see that the sight didn't irk him at all. He couldn't say the same for Kouichi, who was right next to one of the sides.
Kouichi appeared as if he was about to vomit at the sight of the spilled alligator guts. Its mouth hung indolently. The left arm twitched. The tail flopped over the right arm... Both sides reeked of fish. The plush-haired boy's eyes were stalk white.
" You okay, Kouichi?" Kouji asked.
" O... of course."
Kouji blinked. There was something very unusual about this...
" Well... it's nice to have you back," Takuya said out of the blue.
Both ex-servants to Moonlight turned and stood there, unable to do anything. Where was the humor?
" It's nice to be back," Kouji replied after a pause. " Does this mean Moonlight has been..."
" No idea... she might be here," Takuya said, noticing an MVP Osiris slashing through a mass of 2nd classmen. " There're quite a few big ones here... MVPs..."
All three rotated to hunt for their prey, specifically a yellow patch of fur-- Kouichi found it almost immediately.
" Over there!" He pointed for a moment before dropping his arm altogether. " Oh my God..."
Several recognizable figures stood in a large plain where everyone else had dispersed from. This plain was no longer and ordinary spot of greenery and peace. Crimson stained every grass blade in the center. Drenched blots littered the flatness of the area. Drenched blots... of animal parts...
" It's her," Kouichi said emptily, " But those others..."
Two boys remained plotted off-center from Moonlight's gruesome figure, unaware of the stares gawking upon them. The sight sent mousey chills through all of them. Takuya found himself leaning onto Kouji's back.
" Taichi and Yamato..." the brunette murmured, eyes watering. Kouji put an arm around his waist in comfort. He had just come back to reality, and already such atrocities came to face him.
When would the suffering end?
****
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