-
Shoot Me Up, Shoot Me Down
-

Xenosaga Short Story Project - - R u b e d o

-
Shoot Me Up, Shoot Me Down
-

"Hah, look Nigredo!" the redhead boasted before his younger brother, completely oblivious to the fact they had their new names to be used now. The younger didn't mind however, after seeing the excitement plastered across his older brother's face: something that was a rare sight after the Miltia incident those months ago that still loomed in their minds like deep scars. That one day they both lost something important to them, something that had been part of their life and the redhead took it hardest. That day he had lost the other half of his soul and being the youngest, Nigredo was able to notice it better then anyone else but the twin could. During the years of being left carefully in the background, he got to observe the activities of his brother not only on a mental way like them, but on a psychical one too. Unlike Rubedo, Nigredo could sense emotions through body actions, something his older brother was completely oblivious to. And when he lost Albedo, Nigredo could see a lot of psychical emotions that Rubedo didn't even know.

But that day, rather then having his head hung as low as it could be, with his lips as straight as a pin across his face and dry to the look, it was the complete opposite. Bells chimed in Nigredo's mental link as the redhead excitedly bounced around what could be called their apartment Helmer had given to them. It was a relatively small home, but big enough for two brothers to live in, with one bouncing around like a maniac with a bright piece of weaponry in his hand. The weaponry reflected the plain light of the bulb above their heads in the small front room, flashing silver rays to dart about on the white walls.

Sinking deeper into his book, Nigredo tucked his nose into the pages, relishing every word that was absorbed by his eyes in an attempt to block off his brother. It was joyous to see him in such a happy mood, but when he had a gun … Nigredo just took it upon himself to leave him alone and stay out of the way. Yeah, Rubedo could fight but his aim was still something that could be improved …

Drastically improved.

If it were up to him, he'd have left the room to let his brother begin to mindlessly pull the trigger, aiming the barrel at random places in the room. Nigredo knew it would be better to leave the apartment altogether, but something in him wanted to stay with his brother. He wanted to relish the happiness emitting from his brother as much as he wanted to relish the words in his book. The mental link felt light as he sat there, his legs curled under his body uncomfortably on the soft couch, and his back bent as he leaned foreword, stealing a glance at Rubedo with his childish green gems.

"Bang, bang you shot me down!" Rubedo laughed as he pulled back on the safety button with a large clip to echo through both the young boys' ears. Looking up, Nigredo raised a black brow at what Rubedo was aiming at; the little pole in the apartment by the black window. If he missed, he'd hit the window with the bullet, getting them both into trouble by Helmer.

Finding his voice, Nigredo spoke up, not able to return his eyes back to his book until Rubedo changed his target. "Jr. should you really be doing that?"

"Come on, live a little Nigredo!" Rubedo laughed though he pointed his new gun somewhere else.

"That's the point … I do want to live …" he muttered quietly to himself, dragging his eyes back down to the book. "How did you get your hands on a gun anyway, Jr.?"

"Captain Mathews," Rubedo grinned, pulling down the trigger. A defining bang ran through their ears, obviously not disturbing Rubedo but the sudden noise sent Nigredo's body into a slight convulse as he jumped from the sound; his ears ringing for a few seconds afterwards. His eyes darted to the left of him where he had seen the bullet fly straight past him, shooting through a couch pillow. Beautiful white feathers hovered around in the air, taking their time to settle down. Nigredo watched the feathers, seeing Rubedo in the corner of his eye, who still had the gun pointed up; his finger caressing the trigger of the silver weapon.

Giving out a long sigh, Nigredo had no idea of how to react to his older brothers sudden nuisance and turned his stern emerald eyes back to his book within his palms; hoping the words would pull him from his brothers noise; not even fearing the weapon within his hands. But suddenly, just as the words; "My lover shot me down," escaped Rubedo's mouth; falling from his tongue in a singing tone, the words in the book blurred with one another in Nigredo's vision. A pain, something he had felt once before in his life, emitted from the right side of his chest; spiralling throughout his body in jagged jolts; refusing to stop as a liquid splattered from his mouth; staining the once perfectly black and white pages.

His detached heartbeat thudded within his ears as he fell against the sofa; the world becoming horrifically blank to his once sharp eyes. The crimson blood spurted from the gap in his chest; warm against his simple clothing and olive skin yet burning against the sheer pain that thudded with every heartbeat. His breathing was dying, fading into slight gasps as he became still; unnaturally still; deathly still. The world about him stopped moving as he lay there, unsure of life's events falling about him. Nigredo curled in discomfort, unable to process words trying to enter his mind as the world disappeared from his consciousness.

I was five and he was six,
We used to ride on horses made of sticks,
He would always win the fight,
Bang bang; he shot me down,
Bang bang; I hit the ground,
Bang bang; that aweful sound,
Bang bang; my baby shot me down . . .