Hi there! Back again for another chappie! I don't have much to say up here, I think I'll say it all at the end, so on with the Disclaimer, then story!
Disclaimer: If I owned Xenosaga, Jr. would be MINE! MWAHAHAHA! Nice thought, anyway, but I don't. Hey, life sucks, doesn't it? :/
Chapter 3: Déjà Vu
Jr. said nothing as Scott led him down to the lab. His mind was racing, and he kept wondering how so much could go wrong in such a short time. His heart leapt up to his throat when he saw Shion lying on what was once a maintenance bed, now being used as a sick bay bed. "Shion!" He ran over to her.
"Jr…?" She asked weakly, opening her glassy emerald eyes to see him. "Allen…? Shelley…?"
"They… They're fine," he lied, not wanting to put any more stress on her.
"Come on, boy," the Professor said, leading him out of the room. Once out, he asked, "So tell me. What's wrong with the girlie?"
"She is sensitive to U-DO waves," Jr. replied, clenching his fists. "Every time she comes into contact with it, she gets weaker. And this place is swarming with them."
"Hm… that blondie spoke of the same thing, when she first brought her in. She also mentioned something about you once using your powers as therapy for someone who'd been incapacitated due to U-DO once a long time ago," the Professor said. "She said you'd be able to better explain it."
Jr. shook his head violently. "I can't do that. I have no control over my powers. I could just as much kill her as help her. It's been so long. And…" he looked away. "I couldn't even save her that time." He stood there for a while sulking.
The Professor took the health book he was holding and whacked Jr. over the back of the head with it. "You idiot! That may be the only hope the girlie has of living now! As she is now, she'll be dead within a matter of weeks if we do nothing. She is losing consciousness fast."
"You don't get it, do you?!" Jr. shouted. "I couldn't save Sakura that time! What makes you think that I can save Shion?!"
"Rubedo, that's so unlike you", a familiar voice sounded in his head.
Albedo?! Jr.'s eyes widened in surprise at hearing his twin's voice. It's you! What-?
"In fact, the cowardice that you display before me tends to remind me of that lovely day on Miltia where you left me and all of the others to U-DO," Albedo continued.
That was… that wasn't what happened! Jr. protested.
"Oh? I thought you chickened out during that connection mission. Just as you are doing now, leaving the girl you keep professing your love for to suffer by U-DO as well," Albedo countered.
Jr. gritted his teeth. "Fine." He hissed to both Albedo and the Professor. "If it's the only way, I'm gonna try it. But I want Shion's okay, first."
"Of course," the Professor said. They re-entered the room, and he shooed everyone else out of the room to give the two their privacy.
"…Jr…?"
"Shion… I want to protect you. I swear if you let me, I'll do whatever I can to save you. From that bastard U-DO if that's what it takes. Hell, I'm supposedly the anti-existence of U-DO! I guess I need to start acting like it. But, what I'm gonna try, it's the same as I did with Sakura. I want-no-need to know if this is what you want. I'm going to have to dive into your subconscious to fight U-DO back…" Jr. took Shion's hand.
She tried to smile. "…It's…all right…Jr…please. I…trust you…" Her slight grip on his hand loosened and a machine beeped a warning.
The Professor and Scott ran back in. "Hm… She's comatose. It's happening faster than even I predicted. So, what's your decision, boy?"
The U.R.T.V.'s eyes didn't leave Shion's still form. "Hook me up," he commanded. As soon as he was hooked up, Jr. lay back, and turned to face her. The last thing he remembered before losing consciousness himself was Shion's beautiful face. Hang on just a little bit longer, Shion. I will save you, I swear!
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Daring to open his eyes, Jr. took in his surroundings. "What the-? Labyrinthos! I'm on Miltia? What the hell am I doing here?"
"Hello!" A happy voice greeted from behind him and he turned around. "Are you here to visit someone, too?"
The red-head turned only to find himself face-to-face with a young girl, wearing a blue dress. She had long brown hair and glasses which seemed too big for her face. She did sort of look like a nerd, but still, the girl was adorable in every way. Jr. knew there was no mistake. This was young Shion. "Um, hey, there. My name's Jr. What's yours?" He asked lamely.
"Shion, silly. But…" She leaned in closer. "You already knew that, didn't you?"
"H-huh? Yeah, I guess so." He scratched the back of his head nervously. Just what the hell do I do now?
"Poor, poor, Rubedo, completely lost without me, aren't you?" Albedo appeared beside him. "It looks like you took me along for the ride, eh? Next time, please ask my permission first. I detest having my afternoon naps interrupted."
"What the hell are you doing here?!" The red-head exclaimed. "How is this even possible?"
His brother smirked. "Hmph, I wonder," he said. "Need I remind you that we are no longer in the physical realm anymore? And you so charitably invited me," he added sarcastically.
"It's not like I asked you here on purpose!" Jr. snapped back.
The little girl giggled. "I'm so happy you've come to help me! You see, I want to see my Mommy and Daddy, but…" She looked downcast. "It won't let me in. But with you here I know I can get past it. You will protect me, won't you? Please?"
"Yeah," Jr. said, taking the little girl's hand. "Now let's go see your mom and dad, okay?"
She led them to a familiar corridor. Jr. recoiled a bit when he saw the bodies lying in the hallway with the broken window. This place… He grimaced, glancing down at the girl worriedly. Surprisingly, she still held a pleased smile on her face, skipping along as if she hadn't noticed the terror around her.
"Well now, I assume this is part of the girl's memory," Albedo remarked. "Such a wonderful place. A reminder of the poetic beauty of mortality."
They stopped in front of the door. When Jr. opened it, he stepped back. There was Shion, as he knew her now, being held up in a choke hold by one of the berserker realians. Her green eyes fixed on Jr. in horror. "A…trap…" She whimpered hoarsely. "Don't trust her…!"
Jr. whipped his head to the smiling girl next to him. He tore his hand from her grasp when he saw the waves surrounding her. "You-!"
"I wonder, can you save her?" The girl's eyes began to glow a crimson red. "Well, anti-existence? Can you save her?" She transformed before his eyes, into a form which caused Jr. to tremble. "You will have to kill me to save Shion," the girl said with a dark smile.
"S-Sakura?!"
"Yes, Rubedo. It's me. I want you to choose right now. Are you going to kill me, Rubedo, to save that girl over there? A girl who most likely doesn't return your feelings such as I do? Or stay here with me forever? You will be happy with me here. I have always loved you. I will always love you, Rubedo. Can that girl over there bring you that kind of happiness?" She approached him and rested her head on his shoulder.
"Rubedo! Now's your chance! Kill her!" Albedo shouted, making a move to attack Sakura.
He moved in front of Sakura to block Albedo's attack. "Don't you dare lay a finger on her, Albedo…" He growled, his Red Dragon mode beginning to activate. His now red eyes glowed dangerously at his brother.
"J-Jr…" Shion's voice wavered pleadingly.
"Oh, Rubedo, you don't know how much this means to me," Sakura cried happily, hugging him tightly.
"S-Sakura…" Jr.'s arms tightened around her. He relished the feel of his arms around Sakura. He didn't want to let her go again. Not ever. This was almost too good to be true…
"H-help…please…" Shion's voice became weaker. She was obviously losing the struggle.
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"Professor, Shion's vitals are dropping, fast! What should we do?" Scott was panicking.
"That idiot boy," the elder man grumbled. "Can't he do anything right?" He glanced over at Jr.'s body, and gasped. "Assistant Number One! Look at this!"
A red aura was surrounding Jr.'s body, as he started to toss and turn. "I wonder what exactly is going on?" Scott asked.
"It's that anti-U-DO power of his that he's using right now," the Professor said, studying the sight in front of him curiously. "As much as I don't like it, it really is up to that pea-brain. I just hope he gets his priorities straight soon, or the girlie doesn't have a prayer."
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"So this is the extent of your devotion to her, is it, Rubedo? Pitiful!" Albedo was laughing. "Well, I'm sorry, my dear, but it seems my imbecile brother would rather be lost in an illusion with his first love for the rest of his life. Please don't take it personally."
A red aura glowed around Jr. now. "S-Sakura, I-" He was at a loss. What could he do? Shion was there dying right in front of him, but there was his beloved Sakura…
"Rubedo…" She smiled sweetly up at him. "Now let's go together, okay?"
"…Forgive me…" Squeezing his eyes shut painfully for what he knew was going to happen, he unleashed the powerful Red Dragon wave full force at Sakura, flinging the girl away from him into a wall and he sank to his knees, shuddering with suppressed sobs. "Sakura… would never have asked me to allow another to die for her," he rasped. He knew that she wasn't Sakura. He'd known it, but he still hesitated. It tore him apart inside to cause harm to one who held Sakura's appearance. Perhaps that was why U-DO chose that form?
Meanwhile the shockwaves from his powerful attack had blown the wayward Realian backwards into the wall, and Shion was dropped to the floor, coughing and breathing raggedly.
"Shion!" Jr. raced over to her side. "Shion, are you okay?! I'm so damn sorry! Because I lost control, I almost broke my promise to you! Damn it… I'm such an idiot!" In that moment Jr. was sure he had never hated himself more. How could he have any right to claim to love this beautiful woman, when he'd almost killed her himself? He shook his head, violently banishing the thoughts away for now. What mattered was the promise. He was going to protect Shion.
"It's okay, Jr." Shion was trying to reassure him as she reached up and hugged him. "Thank you… I never lost faith in you. You're doing this for me, aren't you? When you didn't have to…"
The red head shook his head. "Of course I would do this for you, Shion. I made a promise to you, right? Nobody's going to get hurt. I can't break my promises to my friends." He helped her to her feet. "I have to use my powers at the source of the problem. We have to find it and fast. Stay close to me, okay, Shion?"
"Yes." She nodded.
"Albedo, when we find the source, form the link with me," Jr. ordered.
"Hmph, as you wish, Rubedo. It's at least nice to know that you're not putting that girl's memory over everything else now," Albedo said.
That comment stung and it was meant to. Jr. pressed on, doing his best to ignore what his twin had just said to him. He knew that he almost killed Shion due to his own stupidity. So why did Albedo have to remind him of that? He would deal with that problem later! All that mattered at the moment was getting Shion out of this predicament.
Just then, the world around them shook and Shion doubled over in pain as if in response to it. "No!" She cried out.
Reaching out to steady her, Jr. demanded, "What's wrong?!"
"I-It's near!" She trembled beside him. "No… Not this place…"
They were in a lab, and over on the floor lay the dead body of one Kevin Winnicot. And glowing red behind it, was a crazed KOS-MOS. Jr. growled through clenched teeth. "That's it, all right. Damn you, U-DO! Albedo! Now!" He shouted.
Albedo stood beside him. Together they formed a link and Jr. pushed the U-DO infected KOS-MOS back from them. "It seems this isn't enough. The girl is going to have to finish it off," Albedo observed through gritted teeth.
"Just like last time," Shion murmured. She spied one of the pistols on Jr.'s waist. She raced over and grabbed one, pointing it at KOS-MOS. "I'm so sorry…" She closed her eyes shut and fired the shot. Then everything faded to white.
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The world around her seemed hazy at first. But finally, she managed to open her eyes. "What in the world happened?"
"So you're awake? What is it you always said to KOS-MOS? Oh yeah, that's what it was! Good morning!" Jr. chuckled.
"Good morning," she replied uncertainly. "What happened? I can't seem to remember what happened since I saw Allen and… Oh! Allen! Shelley!" She frantically searched the room for a sign of either of them. She noticed the uncomfortable expressions that Mary, Scott, and the Professor were giving her. "They're on the bridge with the others, right? Right?"
"Shion," Jr. had turned serious now, putting both hands on her shoulders, as one would do to calm a child. "What I'm going to tell you, don't panic, okay? They disappeared. We've been searching for them for a few days now. We're sure as hell not gonna stop."
Not needing a cue, the three extra people in the room left. After an awkward silence, Jr. turned to leave. "Uh, get some rest, Shion. 'Night." He left the room, wanting so much to say more, but the feeling that he'd betrayed her to Sakura's memory weighed heavy on his heart. He didn't even deserve to be in her presence right now. Not after what he had almost done.
"Yeah…" She trailed off. Following his advice numbly, she lay down, back to him. She heard the door open and close, finally signaling his exit. That was when she felt safe enough to cry out her tears of guilt. Guilt over what had happened to Allen and Shelley right in front of her, and guilt over not being able to do anything. But no guilt struck her more than the guilt of knowing over the past month Allen had tried to get closer to her. She had his love, and she knew he deserved her love. But for some reason, she couldn't bring herself to love him. Sobs of remorse rang out, pushing back the silence.
Little did she know, Jr. had stopped just outside the door, and was leaning against the doorframe, deep in thought. She also didn't know that he was listening to every single anguished wail that she cried out.
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Author's note: Okay this was a really weird chapter if I do say so myself. Sorry if it confused any readers. I hope the angst streak is over for awhile. So now Shion is awake with no memory of the dive to save her life, and is only now dealing with the loss of Allen and Shelley and the guilt that follows. I'm sorry if they all seem OOC. I will attempt to put a cap on that as well in the next chapter. I guess this is what happens when I write at 4 a.m. LOL I gotta put a stop to it. Anywho, review and let me know how it was for you. I really do hope you liked it, because as I sit here writing it at 4 in the morning I feel so giddy and proud of myself. Teeheehee…
Jr: Okay Hallie, right now you are beginning to scare me with that creepy laugh.
Shion: And what are you, homicidal, when you stay up all night or something? Why are you trying to kill me? WHY?!
Hallie :*sweatdrops* UH… right… Well maybe it's 'cuz you kinda ticked me off at the end of Ep. III, Shion… With your stupid little fling with Kevin? Don't worry, you won't die! Jr. won't let you.
Jr: Damn straight I won't! *death glare at Hallie*
Hallie: O.O! Um… I think this is my cue to leave now! *runs away for dear life* Good night, dear readers!!!!!! –Hallie (Atoli)