Author's Note: Alright, this is a fic for the NejiTen AU Contest held by NF's NejiTen FC… For those who already read my previous fics, as you all expect, this fic contains my signature action/adventure thing. This one is kinda darker than usual though… and without my wonderful proof-reader, Shiranui The Brave, I'm sure my grammar sucks. (T.T) Gomen, ne! Anyway… This fic is dedicated for my beeeeeeeest friend Meooow-chan! Hehehehe… ;p Enjoy… Unya!

This is the future

This is thought.

This is past.

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The Cold and The Dark

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We want to become adults, so please grant one of our selfish wishes
For a short while stop the time that binds us day or night
We're worthless, but at least don't cut down the fruit of our freedom
It's okay if we wait for it to ripen redly, right?

Chiwata Hidenori: Scab Kasabuta

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I didn't know… when did I arrive in this place… This cold, dark, and enclosed place. Every inch of this room felt as if it was ready to engulf everyone in its suffocating darkness. A dark, big monster waiting in the shadow… looking for the time to bare its fang.

"Number 103 has come back."

The door in front of her suddenly flung open, revealing a laboratory filled with various equipments that she didn't understand… but one thing that she knew, it was not a good sign.

"Finally… you come here, 103," A white haired man with glasses turned to look at her. She didn't remember anything of him… but his existence made her blood turned cold

He had seen me before, I knew… He must've known everything about me… or perhaps he was the one that made me forget everything… Everything, except the painful fact that she was a captive here in this overpowering room.

"Tie her."

"What?!" She tried to struggle against all the gloved hands strangling her. Fear started to creep inside her as a voice deep in her head screaming desperately. I've been through this before… I didn't remember anything… but her body did. It refused… it was terrified… and now her heart felt the same… "Let me go! Lemme go!! Let…"

SLAP! The burning sensation imprinted itself on her cheek. One of the masked guards shook her hard then threw her to the seat. He tied her firmly, ignoring her shouts and screams. A device was strapped on her head. A high pitched ringing sound was heard when the guard activated the tool with a click. She was scared… Her body tensed. This was it. There was no way out… and she knew, the hell would show itself in front of her.

"Turn it on."

A painful jolt hit her head. She gritted her teeth as she struggle not to scream… And her effort was a futile… when the white haired man opened his glove… and touched her skin with his bare fingers…

Her brown eyes widened… and the scenes stormed right in.

"Aaa… aaa… AAAAAARRRGGGHHHH!!!!"

"The calculation won't match…"

"… The device is not working! Her mind is leaking! She is…"

"… Count it from the start of…"

"… Bring the gun!"

"… Kill him! Don't let him…"

"What are you…"

"Whip! Bring the co…"

"… Don't m…"

"… There! Running be…"

"TRAITOR!"

ZAP! And everything just stopped. Sweats dripped from her chin, her eyes were unsteady. Her body stiffened because of the sudden wave of pain and her head throbbed like it was going to blow. The white haired man released her hand. He turned around to face a wide screen then emotionlessly said, "She's still a broken tool. Threw her to her room. We will examine her later."

Underneath the pain and suffering… slowly her mind recollected itself... A piece of herself that she was able to find again… only a piece…

"The future will reveal itself… simply by your touch…"

The future… was what she had already just seen.

X

The room was cold and dark. She was the only living thing in there… Bind to the wall with a chain like an animal… Crouching alone on the floor without any light…

Who… am I?

"Number 103, go and do your job."

Why am I here?

"She's still a broken tool."

Why… Why can't I remember anything?!

"Number 103."

A cold voice rose from behind the door. She shifted a little; making the chain that bind her feet grazed the hard floor. Her cocoa brown orbs flew towards the iron door. Her torture was coming once again.

Click.

The sound made her fully conscious. She didn't turn her head but her eyes looked intently as a pair of black boots stepped into the room in a careful, agile step. She didn't move a bit as the guard that walked inside bent down and unlocked her chain from the wall.

"Move."

His voice was hard and forcing. There was an empty hollow in his tone, covered by layers of ignorance. It surprised her to see that she was actually feeling attracted to the guard. Her heart felt like… she had known him before…

"I've told you to move."

He was getting pissed. She still stayed by her place, somehow enjoying the existence of someone other than her in that cold place.

"If you wish for me to call you with your real name, your effort is in vain. I don't know your name."

He told her the truth… and he guessed her right. She slowly lifted her head to look at her guard… and how shocked she was when she saw a pair of glassy white orbs gazed impassively to her brown ones.

"You…"

She knew him… her heart knew him… but… but who was he? Who? Did he know her too?

"Number 103," said the guard monotonously. "Follow me."

He turned around but she quickly shouted, "You know me, don't you?!"

He stopped. His glare was piercing as he glanced back at her.

"I know you as much as you know me now."

Don't ask anything. It was his eyes' words. You'll hurt both of us.

Then suddenly she knew… he was the same as her.

They were both brainwashed. And now nothing left in their memory for themselves to keep.

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To Be Continued

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