A/N: Now here we go. I updated on time! XD Yay! Thought that'd never happen, huh? Right well I really don't know what to rant about here, so I guess we'll go ahead with it.

This is by no means the end. --; So those of you who are freaking out, calm down. XD We've still got a couple of chapters.

Thank you all of my reviewers. CX You push this story along and inspire me to write for you.

I do not own Xenosaga. *sigh* I never will either ;.;

Conflicting Numbers
Chapter 36
Terms

Energy coursed through his veins painfully, almost causing him to drop his arms. He fought past it and focused on the formation of the link. An invisible mass materialized and he slammed his palms against it. It took shape immediately, surrounding Albedo and Dmitri inside of the circle. Albedo raised his palm to it from the inside, gripping it harshly. Jr. struggled against the constant pulse awakening every slight injury and magnifying it. He focused harder, blocking out pain and emotion. He became the weapon his father designed him to be. Funny how he was using it to kill him. "Good, Mon Précieux. Just like that." Albedo encouraged slightly. He grinned wickedly at Dmitri.

"My children..." the defiant scientist spat, fighting against the weight that was subduing him. "It warms my heart to see you gathered and plotting against me."

"Oh, but my dear father. I didn't know you had one. Stealing Nigredo's doesn't count I'm afraid."

"You kill me, you kill yourselves. Nigredo's not going anywhere. Your foolish attempt will break Rubedo and then where will that leave you?"

Albedo laughed at that comment. "Deception is the way of the snake. It hisses hypnotic seduction as it suffocates its prey. Such a delicious way to live and even now Death is dying of poison constriction. Carrion is his ghost and I'm afraid that since the executioner himself is forbidden to die..." He shoved his arm forcefully into the body under him, causing the doctor to convulse sharply and cry out. He felt an abnormal jump in the link as Jr. shouted against such an action to Gaignun's body. Albedo rolled his eyes. What did Jr. expect of him? Asking the doctor nicely wasn't going to get the job done. "Death himself has become white."

Albedo frowned in his search. Dmitri had indeed been very strong and it was hard to tell where his conscious ended and Gaignun's began. He didn't have too much time to find him either if Jr.'s shudders were any indication of the pain this was causing him. He searched harder but it seemed that every time he'd grab a corner of what he labeled Dmitri it would wind itself around the so "sacred" territory of Gaignun.

Hold still. Albedo growled, shifting around angrily. The man continued to fight him. He gritted his teeth and pressed harder. Nigredo, unless you wish to die with the villain then I suggest you assist me.

His work suddenly became easier then as Gaignun fought his clinging father viciously, but still it accomplished nothing. It was as if Dmitri had been glued to him and Albedo was the ineffective solvent. Ineffective Nigredo? Let us hope that father hasn't become one with you or else my poor Rubedo's heart will shatter beyond repair.

But he was right. This technique was getting him nowhere. He had been hoping this would happen a lot faster. The longer Gaignun's body lie open to the link the more severe the amount of damage. With a dramatic sigh-he really hadn't wanted to waste so much time here-he dove further into him. Dmitri shook and another jump in values warned Albedo that Jr. didn't approve but the former didn't care. He pressed on until he found a corner and pulled forcefully on it. The scientist pulled against his grip, but didn't get very far. Albedo finally gave up and decided that he would have to actually delve into Gaignun's mind. This process was moving too slow. Disgusted at such an idea but finding no other solution he forced his way in.

"Nigredo." Albedo hissed angrily upon his entrance. "Where are you?"

He stomped through the confines. It was so very infuriating that Rubedo insisted on Nigredo's being alive. He was so so picky. "Nigredo." He sighed again, "Soon I will give up on this attempt to find you."

As earlier the moment Albedo threatened to stop in his aid, Gaignun called out to him. Albedo was glad that he was at least making an effort to make things simpler for him. He followed the voice until he found him. He almost laughed at the sight. Dmitri held Gaignun by the wrist, threatening him dangerously. What Albedo found so amusing was the fact that Gaignun had somehow reverted to his child form. The scared little boy he remembered so long ago. Gaignun whimpered in weak anger and pulled at his father, trying to get away. Albedo shook his head.

"That eager to please our demented maker, Nigredo?"

Their heads shot up at his voice and Dmitri's hold tightened. "I will kill him."

Albedo crossed his arms at the information and stared bored at the doctor. "You seem to think that I would care."

The doctor's features screamed angry confusion as he jerked the boy again. "You want him alive."

"I don't." Albedo said, pointing to himself. "Rubedo does. Personally, I hate both of them. It is by our mutual hatred of you that I find myself here."

Nigredo looked toward him questioningly. "Madness draws a man to do things he'd otherwise not. I hate BOTH of you."

Dmitri knocked the boy beside him down and onto his back. He placed a foot on his chest and pressed down hard. Albedo continued to stand where he was, eternally bored. "If you hate them why are you helping them?"

"Promises are promises. More importantly why do you care? Come, father. Spend time with your failure. Maybe together we can fix my flaws."

Albedo outstretched his hand almost invitingly, a smirk along his features. The professor shook his head angrily. "If I go, he goes." He shoved his foot into Gaignun harder and pulled a gun from his pocket.

"Ah, desperation." Albedo sighed, his hand balling into a fist. "It's such a glorious thing." With a sharp twist of his wrist the scientist collapsed to the floor, his eyes wide and his breathing heavy. "And coming from you, dear loving father." Albedo continued, making his way over to the fallen man. "It is artistry rivaling that of Michealangelo and his beautiful chapel."

"How are you...?"

"This power is not yours," Albedo continued, nonchalant. "You're simply being seduced by that power as I once was."

Albedo bent down, gripping the professor by the collar of his uniform and pulling him up. "You are wasting our time. We have an engagement with Oblivion. Consider yourself lucky as such a mistress is not usually so patient."

Dmitri struggled frantically one last time, raising his gun to him. Albedo knocked his hand away, slightly amused. He could break him so easily, but doing that wouldn't accomplish anything. He had to seperate the two.

He jerked the weak man along with him and looked down at his brother. "Executioner..."

"...Albedo."

"I hate you."

Gaignun's eyes hit the floor. "Thank you."

"Make it worth my time."

Albedo's eyes snapped open and he was back in the ring, crouching over Gaignun's body. Jr.'s shudders were becoming harder and he shook painfully from every pulse. Albedo was thankful he was almost done. He waited until the color of Gaignun's hair darkened and he opened veridian eyes before he began to retract his arm.

"Now let go, Nigredo. If you don't hurry I'll send you away with us."

He was almost free. His arm was visible to the wrist when Gaignun pulled it back down. Surprised, Albedo pulled back harder only causing another reverse action from his brother. "What are you doing, Nigredo?" he hissed, trying to jerk his way out.

"Don't hide your true feelings, Albedo."

"Nigredo." Albedo said, still shocked. He tugged uselessly at his arm.

"We both know that..." Gaignun gripped Albedo's arm, holding him in place. "You were never a good liar."

Jr. saw movement out of the body on the floor. He couldn't convince himself to look away. "Gaignun!" he shouted, trying to keep his hold on the link.

Gaignun ignored him and stared determined at Albedo. "I demand that you let go of my body!" he snarled.

"Gaignun! What are you doing?!" Jr. yelled, desperate now. He could tell something was wrong.

"Why did you come back here?" Gaignun asked, holding onto him harder. Albedo didn't answer, just continued to pull fruitlessly.

"Gaignun!" Jr. cried out again.

"Don't, Jr. Don't stop the link. It's alright."

Jr. frowned but nodded, surprised at how calming the sound of his voice was.

"Nigredo, release me!" Albedo shouted. He yanked again and again against the strength of him. "Why are you doing this? Rubedo needs you!"

Gaignun chuckled sadly at that, " 'Executioner'."

"Rubedo!" Albedo screamed. He could still do it. He didn't have to separate himself completely from Gaignun. He had Dmitri and that's all he needed. "Sever the link! Now!"

"No, Jr.!"

"Do it!"

"Don't!"

"Why are you doing this?" Albedo shouted again. "I order you to relinquish my arm. Now!"

"Sorry, Albedo. I don't like to follow orders." Gaignun smirked. His eyes locked with Albedo's, a sharp and disturbing sadness in them. "Go back to Rubedo."

Albedo's own eyes went wide and he struggled to get away. "Stop this! Nigredo!"

Thunderous strength hit him as if from nowhere and he was knocked from his body straight through the circle of energy and into Jr.'s. The force of the impact knocked the boy away from his position and flung him backwards towards the stairs.

"Nigredo!" he called out before slamming against the floor. His vision went white at the painful impact but he didn't care. He pushed himself up in a desperate attempt to make it back to his brother. He felt Albedo with him as he moved. The younger twin absolutely shocked into speechless immobility. Gaignun winced painfully from the exertion but turned his head to watch Jr. He smiled at him, trying to force the tremble in his lips to stay still. "Nigredo!" Jr. whimpered, forsaking his alias again.

"Rubedo," Gaignun responded weakly, "That is your true form. It was the way you were always meant to be." Jr. forced himself to stand through the pain. "You see, I was created to observe the two of you. The only reason why I existed was to kill you. I tried to abandon that duty but that would have meant I was denying my own existence."

Jr. forced himself to run, making it back to the link and attempting to touch his palms against the circle. "And I have been denying it for a long time. I don't think falling in love with you was part of my natural design."

A thick, sharp, invisible wall rose to block Jr.'s hands. He panicked and pounded on it. "Nigredo!"

"No," he cringed, "Perhaps it was. The age-old cliché of seduction to tempt you into trusting me."

Jr. slammed against it, pulled a gun from his pocket and fired useless rounds of ammunition against it. Albedo was silent, drinking in everything his most hated person was saying. "Albedo knew from the beginning that I was nothing more than a danger to you. I know that I never should have existed in this world to begin with."

That earned a response from Jr. as he cried out, devastated, "That's not true! That's not true!"

He pressed himself against the wall, begging Gaignun's attention. "We were friends, remember? We're brothers! Lovers, Nigredo! I love you! You can't do this!"

"I don't want to exist," Gaignun sighed, closing his eyes. "If it means destroying you."

"You couldn't if you tried, Nigredo! Nigredo!"

Gaignun opened his eyes to the image of Jr. struggling against his barrier. A small tear rolled down his cheek, surprising himself and his older brother. He blinked and closed his eyes.

"Sometimes 'Goodbye' is 'See you later' in disguise." His breathing shallowed and he turned away from his brothers. "How does that sound, Rubedo?"

Jr. pounded viciously against it. "Nigredo!"

Albedo snapped out of the strange trance he was in in time to send urgently to Jr.:

You can still stop this, Rubedo. Cut the link. Cut it immediately. Do it now!

Without thinking or anymore encouragement Jr. collapsed the entire structure. Albedo's body disappeared, taking a trapped Dmitri with it. Gaignun's remained still and motionless, even as the circle of blue vanished wtih his father. Jr. ran to him and dropped to his knees in front of him. "Nigredo," he whimpered. "Nigredo."

He pushed against the body but nothing happened. He broke down, tears streaming his face. "Nigredo! Nigredo!" He pulled his head into his lap. "Nigredo. Open your eyes. Open your eyes." He said sternly, as if scolding him.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. "Come on. Come on. Please. Please. Don't do this. Nigredo, wake up. Wake up you bastard!"

Rubedo...

Jr. got up from his position, ignoring Albedo and running to the other side of Gaignun. Desperately he tried to lift him. He whimpered and strained against the weight. It wasn't the weight itself that was giving him a hard time. The fact that Gaignun was so tall and he himself so short was what was causing him to struggle. He had to get him out of there though. He had to get him to a hospital or to someone who could help. Jr. tried again to lift him only to have to place him back down.

"Albedo." he cried out painfully. The apparition was there the moment he was summoned, crouching beside his twin. "Albedo, please. Please help me."

Albedo didn't say anything. He simply nodded. He bent down, sliding his arms underneath Gaignun and stood up, holding him delicately.

"Rubedo, you have to lead me. We are...one now."

Jr. stared strangely at him. "How...?"

"Does that matter, Rubedo?"

Jr. shook his head. "We have to get him to the bridge. I'm not sure if the infirmary here is still functional or not and since chaos and MOMO were already on their way there I'm sure it's the safest place on the ship right now. She can at least try to help..."

Albedo nodded. "Albedo...will he be ok?"

Albedo looked down in his wavering arms. "Rubedo...we must go."

Jr. looked up at him, tears still spilling over and sliding down his young face. Albedo smiled comfortingly at him, trying to make him calm down. Thinking straight was what Gaignun needed. Jr. agreed, nodding. Without another word, Jr. and Albedo made their way to the bridge.

A/N: CE412, I know you're not happy with this. XD As you don't like Albedo being in Jr.'s body at the end of X3, but unfortunately I liked it and already had this planned. So forgive me for going against your wishes.

Albedo's Jerusalem, you liked the idea and I think you're going to squeal over it.

The Original Oxymoron, I don't know how you're going to react...but Albedo's still alive! *points*

Ganon XDand the rest of Team Gaignun...I hope you don't murder me. Same goes for Team Albedo. --; Why did I ever start teams? XD

Reviews are my muse so inspire it up, people! C: