A/N: Finally, the last part of Fai's memories is done. A big Thank you to everyone who reviewed and left suggestions in their reviews last chapter. I'll be asking those questions at the end once again since the whole story will unfold in this one, so I would ask you all to leave your suggestions one more time, this time keeping in mind what happens next.
Enjoy!
"Yuui Valeria, am I correct?" the newcomer said, taking off his glasses to reveal stormy, grey eyes. Tucking the specs into an inner pocket of his jacket, he smiled. "Kyle Rondart." He grinned, offering his hand for a shake.
"Why did you want to meet with me?" Yuui asked coolly as he downed a shot and waved at the bartender to bring him another.
"Your brother spoke very highly of you." Kyle answered with a grin.
"Fai?"
"Yes, Mr. Fai Flourite was working with our company on a top-secret project."
"So you're part of that bastard's team."Yuui dug into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out a few coins. Dropping them on the counter, he got to his feet. "I'm not interested in listening to your crap."
"Fai was caught in an accident in our lab a few months back." Yuui froze a few steps away, "We've been giving him the best treatment so far, but…"
"You…" Shaking with rage, the blond turned around to face the man. Kyle simply flashed him a smirk before taking a sip from his drink. "You fucking bastard!" The glass shattered as it fell to the floor, the cubes of ice and shards of the broken container flying every which way as the drink splashed across the floor and the lower part of the counter. The chatter around the bar died down as heads turned in their direction.
"Careful, now," Kyle said silkily as he made to pry the blonde's hands from his shirt's collar. "We don't want your actions to affect your brother's health, now, do we?" The veiled threat seemed to take the fight out from Yuui as he let the man go. "That's much better. Now, how about you buy me a drink, hmm? Seeing as you made me spill mine…We can discuss the business proposition in a more private setting."
"Tch… is everyone in your company so stingy?"Yuui said acidly as he motioned for the bartender to come over. "Get him a drink, Poison, if you have some."
The bartender looked over to Kyle in surprise who merely grinned back. "He means Boizon. And make it two."
"I'll pass." Yuui told the man before he could turn away, "Just get him one."
"Now, now," the bespectacled man laughed, "I'd appear extremely rude if I was only one that's drinking. Get him one too." He told the bartender who nodded and made a move to turn.
"I said," Yuui said forcefully, glaring at Kyle through narrowed eyes, stopping the rotund bartender in his tracks, "I'll pass." The man nodded once again, about to go retrieve the order when Kyle stopped him. "But I insist."
"I'm the one that's buying it." Yuui grit out, stopping the exasperated bartender yet again. "And I. Don't. Want. Any."
"No, really-"
"Can you two lovebirds make up your mind already?" the bartender burst out angrily, "I have other customers to tend to as well you know. I'll leave you to settle your tiff at your own accord. Call me back once you've decided."
"Just one Boizon, thank you," Yuui flashed the red-faced man a thousand-watt smile as he slammed a considerable amount of money on the counter top. "And if we could have a private booth, perhaps?" The man looked at the two suspiciously for a while before taking the money. He signaled one of the waiters over.
"He'll show you to the booth." The bartender told them, still giving them the suspicious eye, "But I'd prefer it if you don't do any funny business in there. Your drink will be with you shortly."
The memory faded around Touya before solidifying once again into a pleasantly lit booth. A poison-green curtain separated the cubicle from the rest of the bar.
"Your brother didn't want us to approach you when he signed the contract with us." Kyle seemed to be saying, "I can't really understand why, though. You're a powerful and rather talented mage, from what I can tell. The hue of your eyes is even stronger than your brother's, so I would bet that your magic is stronger than Fai's. We value our employees very much, however, and since he wished for it to be that way… We would have left you alone too, had it not been for his accident." Kyle added. "He was a valuable asset to our organization. Just like his adoptive father. I'm really sorry about Lord Ashura, by the way. A little late for condolences, but-"
"Cut to the chase." Yuui interrupted the rambling man, "we both know your act isn't fooling anyone."
"Alright then," Kyle's smile turned cold and sadistic. He reached for something in his coat's pocket. "If that's how you want it." Climbing to his feet, Kyle threw a small info-cube at Yuui, who caught it. Downing the rest of his drink, the man adjusted his spectacles before continuing as he set the glass on the table. "The details are in there. Meet me at the given address next week. We can discuss everything else then." He turned to leave, stopping by the curtain, "Thanks for the drink by the way."
Yuui pocketed the device, grumbling under his breath as he too climbed to his feet. Touya strained to hear what he was saying as the memory began to shift.
"… -cking stingy prick had to pick the most expensive drink on the-…"
"You do realize this is a top-secret project," Touya found himself standing in a rather rundown type of bar this time. He might have guessed it to be someplace on Infinity as he took in the sight of various touch-com tabletops placed around the settlement. The only thing that made him think otherwise wasthe crimson bat insignia decorating various objects in the place. Bars in Infinity carried the insignia of an obsidian butterfly. This establishment belonged to Fei Wong Reed.
"I know." Yuui's voice sounded far too soft and it made Touya feel surprisingly angry. The voice belonged to a person who seemed to have given up and resigned himself to his fate.
"So you know we won't be letting you in without a proper initiation." The bespectacled man pressed on.
"I do." Again, the same despondent voice greeted Touya's ears.
"Good," Kyle nodded, appearing satisfied and somewhat smug. "That's good. Wouldn't want you complaining about not knowing what you were getting into later on, would we now?"
"Of course," Yuui acquiesced, turning his head to the right to signal a barmaid over to their table for some drinks.
"So you have no problem in submitting yourself to Lord Fei?"Kyle confirmed, his grey eyes closely observing the blonde for any signs of rebellion or resistance.
"If that is what I must do," Yuui responded as the maid returned with a couple of bottles. His answer seemed to have satisfied Kyle who grinned widely, grabbing a bottle and twisting it open.
"Wonderful." He held it up to Yuui as a toast. "Lord Fei will be personally testing you the day after tomorrow in that case." He informed the blond as he got up. "I'm afraid I have to run now." With that, he left, leaving Yuui sitting alone at the table, clutching his drink. Touya expected the memory to change once again as the blue-eyed blond lowered his head in defeat. Yet he was proven wrong. There was nothing but silence all around them for a long while as the memory refused to change, making the hunter suspect that maybe the spell had malfunctioned somehow. He was proven wrong once more when the bottle in the blonde's hands shattered into millions of tiny pieces, spilling the beverage inside all across the tabletop. A barmaid hurried towards him but Yuui waved her off with a bleeding hand as he left the bar. It seemed to be raining full blast outside, but the mage did not seem to care as he walked right out into it. He kept on walking for a while before turning into an alleyway. The force of his punch nearly made a hole in the brick wall as Yuui's magic crackled all around him, the rain hissing and spluttering as it came into contact with the powerful aura.
"Fai…" he whispered harshly, "You fucking idiot!" A garbage can to their left exploded, "Signing away your life to protect mine…" Yuui continued as thunder crackled across the sky, another trash can exploding further down the alley way. "Did you forget I'd do the same in a heartbeat for you?" Yuui slumped to his knees, letting out a heart wrenching cry as he let his magic run wild, wreaking havoc on the world around him, letting everything feel his inner turmoil. The memory finally changed.
They were standing in a wide, open courtyard. It appeared to be an obstacle course of some sort. One that had been completely decimated using magic. The sky appeared to be overcast with dark clouds, occasional flashes of lightning and the rolling thunder heralding an approaching storm. Perhaps this was a memory from Yuui's time of initiation?
"Impressive, very impressive," Touya heard a rough, gravelly voice that despite having heard only once before in his life, at the time of his initiation into the ranks of the hunters, Touya had come to hate above all others. Lord Fei Wong Reed.
"I'm glad you approve," Yuui's voice depicted nothing but serenity and composure. None of the inner turmoil that Touya had witnessed in the last memory showed through. This man was a brilliant actor. Heck, even as Touya looked into the blonde's eyes-the very mirrors to a person's soul and true feelings, Touya could not tell anything. Yuui bowed politely towards the Bat Lord before straightening up, carelessly dusting his clothes as he did so.
"I do," Lord Fei nodded, no doubt pleased with what he saw as he motioned for the man to follow him. Turning around, the Bat Lord walked out of the courtyard, Yuui right behind him. "You will make a fine servant. Kyle," It was then that the hunter noticed that the bespectacled man from the previous few memories had joined the other two, "I would like to oversee his initiation myself."
"Of course, my Lord," Kyle bowed low.
"I have some free time on my hands," Lord Fei spoke, looking over at Yuui who had a pleasant smile plastered across his features. This blond bastard was a very good actor indeed. Just hearing Fei's voice was enough to set Touya's teeth on the edge. He knew, had he been in that position, he'd never even have been able to pass a constipated smile towards that man, let alone grin like that idiot was doing in the memory. "Why not initiate Yuui here right now?"
"As you wish, my Lord," Kyle bowed once again before leaving. No doubt to make preparations for the initiation.
The memory changed to that of a dark room. Touya heard the rain pound against the glass windowpanes, occasional flashes of lightening illuminating the room enough for the hunter to make out the shirtless silhouette of a hunched-over Yuui sitting on a bare bed. Touya saw the tattoo of a phoenix inked across the mage's back, marking him as a descendant of the now near-extinct royal line of Valeria. On his shoulder, overlapping with the wings of the phoenix, was another tattoo. A tattoo Touya was all too familiar with, the tattoo that Fei Wong used to control mages. So this was how the pilot had sold himself off into servitude to that bastard.
"Don't worry, Fai," the blond whispered so softly, it was a wonder Touya heard him against the battering rainstorm in the first place. "No matter what I have to do, I swear I'll get you out of this place."
The answer to this 'no matter what' arrived in the form of the next memory. It was a cold room, roughly rectangular in shape that was partially enshrouded in darkness. In the middle of the space was a raised metal platform. The brown haired brat that had offered Touya water on his first night aboard Little Dragon was strapped to the table top. He did not appear any older than thirteen cycles at most, but he was struggling furiously, shouting angry threats at the other men present in the room.
"I did not know that the subject was just a child."Yuui remarked in a slightly surprised tone which managed to somehow mask the anger that shone in his brilliant blue eyes. The only way the other two men missed it was due to the fact that they were too busy observing the young boy as he futilely struggled to free himself.
"Will that be a problem, Yuui?"Lord Fei turned to scrutinize the blond, who had by then put his brilliant acting skills to use and formed an indecipherable mask to hide his feelings.
"Of course not, my Lord." Yuui shook his head, managing to even pass an apathetic smile to the despicable man, "I have no personal ties to the boy." Behind him, Touya heard Kurogane swear angrily and it was then that he realized that he wasn't the only one viewing these memories.
"Good," Lord Fei grunted, seemingly satisfied with what he saw. "Let's begin, then." Handing the blond a fragile-looking, jagged-edge knife he motioned towards the brunette strapped to the surgical table, "You can start with the first part of the seal."
The memory changed as Touya heard sounds of violent retching.
"Oh God," Yuui moaned as he leaned against the toilet bowl, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He appeared somewhat sick, his features gaunt and drawn, his eyes haunted, the pale skin stretching over the bones of his cheeks appearing waxy in the brilliant light of the fluorescent tube overhead. "I wish I could free that child…" He breathed out weakly, making no move to get away from where he was. "I wish I could... but if I must choose… oh, Fai… this is what you had to face every day… Oh God! I had been such an idiot!" He punched the toilet bowl, the ceramic cracking underneath his fist. "All this time… I never even tried to check up on you… blinded by my own bitter resentment… I had failed to see it back then…" He turned a bit away from the toilet to lean against the wall, hitting the back of his head against the ceramic tile, emitting a dull thunk. "You only said those things to protect me… from this." Another thunk. "But now… I'm here anyways." A couple of tears leaked from his eyes as the blond clenched them shut, hitting the back of his head against the wall. "I wish I could save you both… But that isn't a possibility, is it?"
The memory faded away, along with the sickly looking Yuui.
"I've been here for almost a cycle. I think I have earned the right to finally see Fai." Yuui growled angrily, his eyes narrowed into slits as he glared at Kyle. The blond mage had the other pinned against a cobblestone wall in what was probably a corridor that led to the dungeons of the facility. The room where he had seen the two along with Yuui and that brunette had to be a dungeon.
"You're still in a rather volatile state of mind, Yuui." Kyle said in that infuriatingly calm tone of his, "I don't think seeing your brother's state would help you any. Especially with our project entering such a delicate phase recently."
"How do I know you're not lying?" Yuui hissed venomously, his aura beginning to form a visible blue glow around his body, making it steam. Touya knew how the seal worked. The restrictive design made it impossible for the mage having the seal to use magic unless it was for something that Fei had commissioned. If somehow a mage was able to do so despite all that, it was designed to burn whatever part of the body the magic originated from. For it to form a visible aura around the blond, that must hurt like hell. The steam was proof of that. But Yuui continued glaring at the other man like it was nothing. "How do I even know you bastards have Fai? For all I know, he might not even be here."
"You can feel it, can't you?" Kyle answered with a sly grin. "Magical auras, especially ones as strong as your brother's, are impossible to fake. And with you being his twin, you would have been able to tell if it wasn't the real deal, no? Fai is receiving the best possible care that our doctors have to offer. I've told you already. He is a valuable asset to our project. We can't afford to lose someone like him."
As Yuui dropped the bespectacled man, the memory hazed away and reformed into a solid dungeon. Yuui stepped through the magical barrier preventing passage of unauthorized personnel, to approach a curled-up form in one of the corners of the dungeon.
"Hello, little one." He said softly, digging into the pocket of his jeans before revealing a bar of chocolate. Slowly approaching the boy that seemed to curl even more into himself, Yuui sat down a few feet away from him. "How are you doing today?" he said, unwrapping the bar before setting it down on the floor halfway between him and the brunette. "That bastard, Kyle…" he said quietly, watching as the boy raised his head to take in the sight of chocolate. His previously dull amber eyes conjured a small spark of life as he hesitantly reached for the treat. "He refused to let me go see my brother again." The boy quickly snatched it away from the floor, as though afraid it would be taken away if he wasn't fast enough. But the time it had taken him to retrieve the confection had been enough for Touya to take in the sight of the dark, wing-like tattoos marking the inside of the boy's arm.
"Sad…" the boy said softly as he bit into the chocolate, once again sitting with his back pressed against the wall, "You… sad…" he said, observing the blond through those big eyes of his. His hair was a shaggy mess atop his head, his skin somewhat pale and sickly looking, yet for some reason, his body appeared well fed and rather strong.
"You can tell, huh?"Yuui laughed mirthlessly, leaning back with the palms of his hands pressed against the floor. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. The seal allows you to feel emotions after all."
"…" The boy only took another bite of his treat.
"I wonder what that princess was like. The one who that magic belongs to." The blond mused quietly, "She must have been a nice girl, ne?"
"…He feels sad too." The brunette told him all of a sudden. "Alone… Helpless…Dead."
"No…" Yuui gasped breathlessly, staring at the boy, but he was once again busy nibbling at his chocolate. Hastily stumbling to his feet, Yuui raced out of the dungeon, the memory phasing and shifting as he left the cell.
A muffled yell followed by the dull thud of a body hitting the floor alerted Touya that something was amiss in this memory. A second later he saw Yuui dragging the unconscious body of a guard across the pristine floor of what appeared to be a medical ward and into a closet. Touya followed after the blond just like he had done in the previous memories when Yuui had moved from one place to another and found himself standing in a dully lit room. A red glow emanated from the floor below them, illuminating what appeared to be a solitary, cylindrical tank in the middle of the room. Bubbles floated up from the bottom of the tank towards the top, casting strange shadows across the features of the body floating inside the transparent liquid. Glowing red runes circled around the tank as two discs of gold twisted on their axis in the opposite directions above and below the floating tank. A rectangular screen projecting various charts and percentages was visible on one of the side walls of the room. But Yuui's attention seemed to be focused on the cylinder.
"No…" he gasped yet again, taking a hesitant step towards the tank. As Touya stepped closer, he realized that the person floating inside was an exact replica of the one standing before it, with the only difference being that while Yuui's face was stricken with grief and panic, the other's was relaxed in sleep and unconsciousness. Something appeared to be wrong with the tank though. Looking back to observe the vitals charts that were displayed in the far wall, Touya realized what it was. "No…No…" Yuui repeated, his cry growing increasingly hysterical the longer he seemed to look at the tank, "No!"
Touya looked back at the charts.
Metabolism: Stable
Heart rate: Stable
Breathing: Stable
.
.
.
.
Magic: Stable
Extraction rate: 95%
.
.
.
Brain activity: None
The person floating inside the tank… Fai… was not in a coma. No. There was always a chance of a person recovering from that. The chances only improved for mages. But a human being that was brain dead, even a mage… there was no coming back from that.
Apparently, Yuui had come to the same conclusion as he collapsed on his knees, breathing raggedly as tears streamed down his ghostly, pale features. His whole body shook with suppressed rage, pain, and anguish. He sat there unmoving with his fists clenched so hard Touya could see blood seep from between the blonde's fingers, staring at the living corpse of his twin. It was a fate worse than death. These bastards had somehow killed his brain yet kept his body alive in this life support tank to have a source of powerful magic. They were using Fai like a magical powerhouse. A…a thing to generate magic.
Fai was an important asset to their project indeed.
So this was why they had refused to let Yuui see his brother.
"F-forgive me, Fai…" Yuui whispered harshly as he climbed to his feet, his right hand outstretched before him with the forefinger and the middle finger sticking out and the rest of his hand clenched into a still-bleeding fist. Blue runes danced in the air as his fingers traced their patterns, glowing violet as their caster's aura clashed with the crimson one surrounding the tank. "I couldn't save you…" The spell completed, latching onto the red runes before eating through them. An alarm began to sound, but Yuui had already traced another spell to take care of that. A third spell, one that Touya recognized to be a local transportation spell, took Yuui out of the room just as it blew up in a brilliant explosion.
"Let's get out of here, Little Wolf." Touya heard Yuui say, his blue aura crackling around him menacingly, making Touya wonder yet again just how exactly was it that this blond was turning the impossible task of using magic against the suppression seal possible. Yuui grabbed hold of a cowering Syaoran before tracing out another transportation spell, this one, surprisingly enough an interplanetary spell. Behind him he heard Yukito gasp out the word "Impossible". Yet the hunter saw it all turn possible right before his eyes as the magic took effect and they all vanished from the cell, arriving in a grassy meadow. The brilliantly shining sun was blotted out by dark clouds and for some reason Touya did not find himself surprised to know that the blonde's volatile magic had just influenced the weather to match his emotional state as lightening flashed across the sky and it began to pour violently.
Yuui's scream of anguish would have no doubt been heard for miles as the memory began to fade away and Touya felt the spell finally end.
A/N: My favorite parts in this chapter were where Yuui tried to order poison for Kyle, then there was the one in the bathroom and finally the one where he had to kill Fai. Oh, did you like that little twist by the way? Who saw that coming? Fai was still alive in a way but poor Yuui had to kill him.
So now that you guys know what happened, I'll ask one more time.
What should happen to Fai now that he's done showing them the memories? What should Kuro's reaction be like? And Tomoyo's? What about Touya?
And they're probably gonna go meet Sakura in the next chapter. How should Sakura react to seeing Touya once again? And vice versa.
CHALLENGE!
Oh. Here's a little challenge for all my readers.
I want you guys to write a short scene where Touya finds out about Sakura kissing Kurogane (refer to first chapter where the two meet). You also need to write his reactions (aka accusations) to Kurogane and anything else you can come up with to make it funny.
You guys can PM me the link once you put up your snippet. The winner's work will be included in the next chapter of Shattered Secrets. They will be given full credit for their work of course.
The deadline for this challenge is until next month i.e. 1st September 2011.
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
I will soon be changing my penname to 'Obsidian Butterfly'.