Title: Chinese pendulum.
Disclaimer: I don't own Mankin's characters, but Ren and Lyserg do own each other... =)

Notes: This is my second Mankin fic. I don't know what you guys think about Ren & Lyserg as a couple. But, please, give them a chance! I hope you like it! This fic is dedicated to my best friend Akene-chan and to my sis, for whom I made this story. Enjoy minnasan! *Shuichi*
"CHINESE PENDULUM".

I hear my friends calling my name behind me as my clothes are stained with the dark liquid. I feel sofocated as I try to scream the hell out of my throat. I can feel the thick wire that ran through my chest a few seconds ago still inside my body. The small crystal that seems to brake my soul in hundreds of pieces. I finally can't stand the pain and I fall onto my knees.
"Ren! Are you alright, Ren?! " Yoh says falling next to me. I look at him, everything's burry but I think he's crying. He is crying for me. Horohoro is next to me. He yells at that oversoul's owner , that finally pulls out that painful pendulum that grabs me to my up coming death.
" Come on Ren, you gotta be strong, you idiot! Yoh! " screams Horohoro. Yoh grabs my arm and tries to lift me up. But I can't, it's just too damn painful. The truth is I don't want to look at that guy's face. My killer. My enemy. My old friend. My dearest.
" This is over Yoh, Tao Ren is going to die. This is how it all ends. " " Why?! Why did you do this to Ren?! " yells Yoh. I can't help but to look straight to were he is. He is staring at me. His oversoul still remains but he is broken. He falls to the ground and starts screaming. Lyserg Diethel cries for me as I fall on Yoh's lap. I don't wanna go yet, though. How has this happened? Why did it have to end like this? I use my last bit of life to remember about him... and I still can't get it... Why Lyserg? Why?...
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~" Meeting "~

I have always had this feeling towards people: distrust. Maybe because my family has always been locked in the shdows, hidden, lonely. Interacting with human beings had been really tough for me until the day I met Yoh. That guy didn't hesitate when he took me back to his home, after our fight on the Shaman Fight preliminars. Before that night I've never thought that watching that idiot's trio sleeping peacefully would make me feel so confortable, so relaxed; and I couldn't help but smile at their image...
But hanging around with Yoh's gang showed me much more than that: they leaded me to him. My first impression of that guy was the same as always, distrust. I was sure that, sooner or later, he was going to betray us. After all we were enemies, aiming for the same title: the Shaman King. Then, I couldn't believe that he was hurting the people whom he wanted as comrades. But suddenly, everything changed. I understanded that he really needed us; we all did. That's why, finally, I saved him from those guys. I wanted to fight for him, show him that he wasn't alone anymore. I couldn't tell why, but when he was able to smile again and show that bright face he rarely had, I couldn't help but falling for him. In the end, I was glad that he had stayed with us...
~" Lost in the desert "~

After our adventure in the fairy's woods, we were much more relaxed. Appearently, Lyserg's opinion on Yoh's stength had changed a bit since the day they met. But after that day, he was smiling happily again at Ryu and Horo's stupidity. Day by day, I started liking him more and more. It made me feel uneasy. I had always had strange feelings for Yoh, but these ones were different. I didn't feel calm or happy about them, they made feel uncomfortable and a bit excited at the same time.
We had been lost in the deserts of America for three days now, and we were all getting really tired. Our food ran out on the third day and everyone, except for Yoh of course, was a bit upset about it. We had very hot days, and long and cold nights. Ryu and Horohoro were getting on my nerves again.
On the third day, I stayed up all night. I was sitting near the fire and I had let Bason take a rest; he always wants to take good care of me... Sitting next to the fire we had made, I watched everyone asleep. I layed on the ground and closed my eyes. There was silence all around me. Suddenly I heard noises. I got up instantly and saw Lyserg awake, staring at the starry sky.

- Gomen ne, Ren-kun. Did I wake you up? - he asked me worried.
- Betsu ni - I answered seriously.
He smiled and kept looking up at the sky.
- So, what's the big deal with them? - I asked watching at the stars too.
He got up and came beside me. I became a bit nervous.
- I don't know, what do you think about them Ren-kun? - he asked happily.
On that silent night, under the sky full of stars I just couldn't take it anymore and ran away. I was in love with that guy, but I knew that he wouldn't accept my feelings. I thought that if I had stayed beside him for one more second, I would have done something stupid that I would regret then.
But Lyserg ran after me and when he grabbed my arm I turned around and held him close to me.
- Ren-kun... what's wrong? - he whispered.
- I... I like you Lyserg... - I said softly.
We both fell on our knees and we kept silent.
- Ren-kun... I, I don't know what to say... - he seemed kinda sad.
- You don't have to say anything, this is my fault - I answered still holding him. He held me back.
- What are you saying, Ren-kun? You are not to blame. I just... no one ever told me that.-
I was surprised. I thought he wouldn't care, that he'd be upset. But he did cared, I could see that, just inside his greenish eyes.
- Don't worry about that Lyserg, I don't need an answer. I just wanted you to know that I... I want to stay by your side from now on... Are you okay with that? - I asked a bit worried.
He looked into my eyes and I was stupid enough just to blush in front of him. He smiled and nodded,
- Un, it's okay for me Ren-kun - he said and buried his head in my chest. My heart was running again but this time it felt different. It felt... peaceful in his arms. And we stayed like that for a while.
The next morning I woke up beside him. We were both lying near the others, covered by Yoh's blanket. The following day, we made it through the desert and our friedship grew deeper day by day. I was so happy that I just couldn't stop smiling. And he was always there to smile me back.
~" Meet the X-Laws "~

I never thought that the good moments that we spent together would last so little. The following evening we met them, the X-Laws, and although they only spoke nonsense for me, Lyserg seemed totally amased. Those guys didn't hesitate and killed one of Hao's comrades. We were all shocked.
Since that day, Lyserg changed drastically. He was usually distracted and he used to be mad at Yoh's attitude all the time. I didn't know what to do, he didn't pay attention to me anymore and was always serious. He didn't show his smiling face anymore. I became depressed and started to feel something strange inside. A burning rage...
We arrived at a small village and stayed on a small hotel for travellers. I didn't feel like hanging with the guys so I decided to take a walk. I needed to think. Why had things changed so much in those last days? I got to a small park and there, sitting down a tree, was him, with his eyes lost in some spot on the setting sun. I didn't say anything and just sat beside him. He didn't even look at me and just rested his head on my shoulder. I was surprised, we had barely talked on the last days and now he had this attitude... He was pissing me off...
- Do you really like this? - I asked upset. He finally looked at me, he looked sad, lonely.
- I do like it Ren-kun, I really do... - he said in a low voice.
- You're a liar, why do you do this to me?! I thought you didn't hate me! - I yelled.
- I'm sorry Ren-kun, I didn't want to hurt your feelings... but I just... - he started but I didn't let him finish. I grabbed his arm and forcefully kissed him. I thought he might... but he didn't. He didn't break it. Now I wanted him more and more. I held him tighter and he pressed his body against mine.
It wasn't long enough. When we parted, I didn't want to let him go.
- Is it okay if we stay like this for a while? - I asked. I wasn't angry anymore, he had taken everything away with that kiss.
- It's okay, Ren-kun, tonight we are staying together, but tomorrow... we're parting... I'm sorry... - he whispered.
I understanded, after all I was right. Lyserg was leaving; they were taking him away from me. But for that moment I just wanted to hide under his white wings... Until the break of dawn...
On the next day, we encountered those guys again, and without saying anything Lyserg left with them; leaving a crying Ryu and my heart broken into hundred pieces...
~" Metamorphosis "~

After Lyserg was gone, I didn't feel like doing anything. As he had taken all my sorrows away the other day, he had brought them back now. And each time I closed my eyes, I could still feel his breath on my neck and his arms around me, his wings covering me. I didn't smile anymore and the only one who noticed this was Yoh.
- Will you be okay Ren? - he asked. I nodded,
- I guess... do I have a choise? - I asked sarcastically.
- It'll be alright Ren, you are strong. I'm sure Lyserg is going to come back someday, he might be even thinking about you at this moment, you know. I belive in him -.
- I don't care, he chose them instaed of us. It was his own decision - I answered. Yoh put his arm around me,
- I'm here for you Ren, don't you ever forget that... - and he couldn't finish speaking. I threw my arms around his neck and buried my face in my chest, just as Lyserg used to do with me. I tried to hold it back but failed. I started crying softly... Yoh held me back and I cried there for a while.
Some weeks later we met them again. The X-Laws were standing in front of us with Lyserg in the middle. He was wearing the group's uniform. I was shocked . He wasn't the Lyserg I used to like anymore. He had obviously changed. He was staring at me coldly and motionless. I wanted to run towards him and grab him back with us again.
They were asking us to join them, like they always did. But this time was totally different, Lyserg was supporting them and I couldn't stand that. I turned my back to them and left. I heard him yelling at me, but I didn't care. I didn't want to stare at him like that. It made me feel sick.
He had finally betrayed us...
~" Final battle "~
That night the guys told me what the X-Laws had communicated them: " If you're not cooperating with us, we're killing you ". I couldn't belive what I was hearing. It was something that their leader would say, that Marco guy, but I wished from the bottom of my broken heart, that it hadn't been him who had threaten them.
- Did he... was Lyserg? - I tried to say.
- Yes Ren, it was Lyserg who said it - said Yoh. I was furious, he wasn't joking.
- We'll fight him back, then - I whispered.
- But Ren! - they complained.
- I don't care what you say. I'll fight against him if he wants to and I will defeat him no matter what, no matter what! - I yelled.
That was a very depressing day. No one would speak, no one would say a word about the X-Laws. But we had to face it, the battle against them was coming. And it wasn't going to be a nice one...
That battle, I don't want to remember. I couldn't even get close to him. He really seemed to hate me, he really did. And I couldn't do anything about it. Even when he told me I was gonna die, I didn't make any move because I would have never ever hurt him. So I didn't see it come. That crystal weapon that would finally release me from my pain...
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Everyone is crying and I can't remember anything else. I let my mind rest a bit and I take a last look at him. He comes beside me, ignoring Horo and the rest of the guys' yelling, and he is cries his heart out. I don't wanna see him cry, so I close my eyes. I can feel my life disapearing little by little.
- I've always loved you Ren, I'm the one to blame - he whispers and leans over me. He places a soft kiss on my lips and I'm finally released... He has killed me... He has saved me...
~ Owari~

*SHUICHI'03*


I hope you guys liked it! I think it's so cute that they are together!!!! =)
Need some proove?? Mail me to shuichi_tensai@yahoo.com.ar
Please, reviews! I love to know mankin fans from all around the world.
Ja ne, and thanks for your time! *Shuichi*

~ Shiawase negau yo ~