Chapter XXIX: A Failed Reconciling
Dominick left Shihebi's body on the leather couch. The Snake's memories left him and were transferred into the debris. Dominick felt them all. He saw Shihebi being enslaved as a child, he saw Courione, he saw Detombe, and he saw Axita and Shihebi laughing together on that couch. He felt Shihebi's pain when killing his best friend. He saw the two of them. Happy. He started crying, and he didn't know why, but he couldn't stop himself. The memories were flooding in too fast, and the emotions were too much.
After he was able to calm himself down, he walked outside of the building and took another look around there was really nothing except the glass he was on and the Universes in the distance. For some reason, he wanted to change that. He wanted to build more. He imagined the future, and what he would do here. He constructed an entire floating city in his mind, directly below the glass. It would be a safe haven for those in danger, with him on top of the glass watching over everyone. He smiled at the thought. Maybe it would be better to make a representative republic...with a delegation system, where each Universe would get a say…
Dominick shook himself out of his thoughts. As his adrenaline was finally wearing off, the scrapes on his face began to sting more, and his muscles began to weaken. He began to stagger. I have to get back...I wonder...which one of those dots out there...is my Universe… "Maybe coming here wasn't such a good idea…" He chuckled. "Damn...I'm really dizzy…" He glass below him suddenly seemed as if it was rolling like the waves in the ocean. His eyes couldn't keep themselves open any longer. His knees buckled and he fell to the floor. Only after he was on the ground did his hair shorten and return back to it's normal brown color, and red fur retracted back into his body. He had been in Super Saiyan 5 form this whole time. He must have forgotten at some point.
Dominick woke up in his room. It was night, and he couldn't see anything. His whole body was aching. He felt weak. It took him a little bit before he realized where he actually was. "Why...am I back?" He murmured to himself. He tried to sit up. He succeeded in doing so, but struggled the whole way.
"Dominick, you're awake." A familiar voice said.
Wait, that voice- His mom flicked his bedroom lights on. She was standing in the doorway with Ichimei behind her. "Mom...Ichimei…" He started. "Wait, how did I get back? Why are you here-"
"I felt your power level disappear." Jeannie said. "That was three days ago. You were brought here in Kibito Kai's arms this morning, unconscious."
"We had no idea where you went." Ichimei sniffed. "After you went to fight with Shihebi, we saw him grab you by the head and drag you off in the distance, and we didn't see you anymore, and then we saw that black explosion… and then they said your power level disappeared along with Shihebi...and then…I was so scared that you were…" She buried her face in her hands.
Jeannie crossed her arms. "So you went and got yourself involved with the Divine...Dominick, that's a steep path. You should be careful."
"Since when were you so knowledgeable on things like this?" Dominick asked, rather sincerely.
"Since I was a kid." She replied. "My parents...knew an Angel from the Organization. It was our Angel, from Universe Seven, actually. Enryu Kenshin was his name. He visited our home quite often. But the Organization was never as clean as it was made out to be. There was corruption, and my parents got caught up in it after I moved out. My father's brother, who had made a name for himself among the Angels through past heroic deeds...got his hands on the Power of Divinity, given to him by Enryu. He was jealous, and demanded he receive the same. He was desperate, led on by Enryu. He actually gave his soul to Enryu in order to obtain this Divinity. He proceeded to kill his brother out of spite. His conscience had been long eroded by the Angel's seductive promises. Enryu returned to my old house and killed both of my parents." She shook her head. "Once you get involved...it's very hard to get out. But you're really strong, so I trust you."
"Mom...the Gods and Angels are all dead."
Her eyes widened. "Are you being serious?"
Dominick nodded. "I killed the last God of Destruction three days ago."
"Well, it's not that big of a deal, I guess." She said. "According to my parents, there were only a couple that actually did anything. The rest were just more like figureheads. Those few, though, I guess were loved by the others, and even the mortals who knew their names. Deis and Shihebi."
Dominick had already known in his heart that it was them, but his stomach still twisted a little bit when he heard their names. Ichimei knew better than to say anything as well.
Then, his mom ran to his bedside and embraced him. "I'm so glad you're okay."
He wrapped his arms around her as she did to him. "You've been so strong, both of you. Thank you so much."
"The mother part of me wants to tell you not to fight ever again...but with your strength, I know it's impossible." She said. "So just be careful for me, okay?"
"I will."
Jeannie stepped back. "I'll leave you two alone, now." She said as she exited the room around Ichimei.
Ichimei shut the door behind Jeannie. "Are you okay? Does it feel different without your Black Sclera?"
Dominick nodded. "I feel...weaker, somehow. Like I'm missing a part of myself. I'm hoping it's just because he's been a part of me for so long, but I don't really know."
She caressed his cheek. "I'm so glad you're back."
He sat silently for a couple of seconds, then said, "Ichimei, something's bothering me about what my mom said earlier."
She cocked her head, squatted down, and looked up at him. "What about it?" She asked.
"She said that Enryu killed her parents after she moved out." Dominick said. "But she's not even 50 years old yet. So she would have moved out roughly 30 years ago. But the thing is, Deis and Shihebi left the Organization 50 years ago."
"Maybe they hadn't been tracked down yet…" Ichimei suggested. "Mesui said that the bodies turned up over the course of the 50 years, right?"
"He didn't specify." Dominick replied. "When you felt my power disappear, it was probably when I left with Shihebi to the Center of the Omniverse, the Headquarters of the Organization. I guess when Angels and Gods die, their souls return to that site, and I could sense them. I was also able to pick up the general time frame of when the souls returned relative to each other. There were ten souls that all died within 5 years of each other. Three more had died fifty years later, and then Shihebi."
"That's really strange."
Then, Dominick seemed to freeze. "Wait...but there was one...sometime in the middle...about 25 to 30 years ago. It felt...different than the others, too."
"How were you able to tell how long ago these deaths were?" Ichimei asked.
"I don't really know." He responded. "They were almost like windows into the past."
"How was that other one different?"
"I don't really know how to explain that one either. It just felt...older. It felt isolated from the others. Like it was excluded, as if it's soul wasn't supposed to return there, but ended up there out of nostalgia...I don't know."
Ichimei smiled at him. "Try not to worry about it too much." She said, gently rubbing his arm. "It's all in the past."
"I wonder if Shihebi would have known him…" Dominick trailed off.
"You seem to be all friendly with Shihebi, now, don't you?" Dalton stood in the doorway exactly where his mother stood before him. "I saw you carrying him princess-style as you walked into that portal."
"Glad to see you too, Dalton." Dominick said sarcastically. "He was dying, anyway. As a fighter, I didn't have it in me to deny him of his last request. He had submitted; he was no longer a threat."
"I also saw you say something to him that gave him quite a grin, too." Dalton claimed. Dominick knew what he was talking about right away, but elected not to tell him what he had said, and only averted his eyes. "Ichimei, can you leave us alone for a little?" Dalton asked in the most gentle tone he could manage.
She nodded, understanding the request completely, and promptly left the room.
As soon as the door closed behind her, Dalton immediately walked up and grabbed Dominick by the shirt. "How did you achieve that form? Tell me now." He demanded.
"What are you talking about? You have to know as well as I do that I have no idea. I probably couldn't do right now if I tried." Dominick said defensively.
Dalton gave an irritated smile and shook his head. "Oh, please." He sneered. "It was that black sclera thing, wasn't it? He gave you the power, didn't he? Tell me!" He tightened his grip. His eyes were flaming.
"What's with you?" Dominick said, pushing him away. "I've been trying to get rid of that thing for my entire life."
"You can keep telling yourself that, but I know the truth. You've been feeding off of it. Constantly thirsting for more power. It's the only reason you were able to keep up with me all this time. Keeping it subdued this whole time, acting as a parasite to the being living inside of you. And it's all because you couldn't get enough of that taste of power you felt when you used it to kill our father."
Dominick punched him in the face after that last comment, sending him flying head first into the wall of his bedroom. His body was lodged in the wall down to his elbows. "Don't ever say that again. Do you hear me?"
Dalton broke another portion of the wall while freeing himself. He glared up at his brother, and his brother back at him. His eyes might as well have literally been on fire at this point. Dominick lost the glare after a couple of seconds. Those eyes weren't like Dalton. Something was seriously wrong.
Ichimei and Jeannie busted into the room after hearing a crash, but as they saw the two brothers standing off like this, they decided to remain quiet. Dominick and Dalton simultaneously flicked their heads over to the women as if being brought back from a trance.
Dalton then stood up and walked out of the room pushing his way past Ichimei and his mother. His eyes seemed to singe their skin as he passed them.
Both women chose not go after Dalton, and he left the house without a word to either of them. They both walked over to Dominick. "What happened?" Jeannie demanded.
Dominick sat back down on his back and covered his eyes with his palm, resting his elbow on his knee. "I don't want to talk about it right now."
"That won't fly with me." She replied. "Your brother was just inside your bedroom wall. I want an explanation."
"Just leave me alone with my thoughts for now." He said. "I'll talk it out with him eventually." Dominick turned to his window opposite from his door, then looked back down. He then put two fingers to head forehead, and disappeared from his room, leaving Ichimei and Jeannie with only guesses as to what was on his mind.
Dalton found himself flying aimlessly at night. Right, it was still night. He couldn't think of anywhere to go except for that overlook by Sakumi's school. It was his school too. He had forgotten. He hadn't been in so long, but it now felt like he could never return. He didn't belong in this world. That's what it was. It had to be that.
Sakumi was sleeping on the bench at the edge of the overlook. For some reason, Dalton realized that he had come in hopes that she was here. Her presence calmed him a little bit. Her legs were folded so that a third of the bench was vacant. He carefully tried to sit down without waking her up, but she was awake before he made contact with the bench. "I knew you would come tonight." She said.
Dalton didn't question her. He simply sat down in the empty space. She shift around to sit up. He couldn't bring himself to look straight at her, so she took the liberty of making it so he had to. She stood up in front of him and gently held his cheeks in place. "Look at me." She said. "I want your eyes to pierce my skin. They look...especially beautiful tonight."
Dalton darted his eyes. "They may look that way, but they hold a darkness I don't want to expose you too."
"What if I want to be exposed to it?" She asked. "What if I want to be exposed to all of you?"
"It's dangerous." Dalton responded.
"I'm not afraid." She said, letting go of his face and doing a little graceful twirl in front of him. "I'm feeling especially brave tonight." She danced too close to the edge for Dalton's comfort. He stood up, and when he did, she turned around and kissed him. When she pulled back, he sat back down. She sat down next to him, resting her head on his chest. "Let's run away." She said.
Dalton didn't know what to do. "Sakumi...I swore to myself that I would protect you. I may love you like I do...but I must never be with you. That would put you in immediate danger."
"I told you I'm not scared." She said. "I'll face any danger if it means being with you. I'm stronger than I look."
"It is still a promise I made to myself."
"Well, there's a difference between putting me in danger and not protecting me."
Dalton looked up, trying to avoid her gaze.
"If you want to protect me, my prince," she said as she lifted her head and ran a finger down his chest, "I guess you'll just have to become strong enough to do it while having me by your side."
Dalton's heart jumped at that last part. To protect her. He knew now that he loved her. And now he knew he needed the power to be with her. And he knew...in order to do that, he would have be able to defeat Dominick. He would do anything to achieve that, now. Then he came to a decision: one that finally ripped a torn tapestry in two.
