AUTHOR'S NOTE- I managed to get this chapter out, thank gosh. It took me a while for this one. I couldn't figure out how to show Angel's intense hatred and envy without spoiling her character. Agh. Then I couldn't decide if I wanted Angel to die. Agh. My mind. Too much thinking.
***Teito***
I felt the burning in my throat and my I felt the wet trails the tears left on my cheeks. I tasted the salt from my tears. I grasped Angel tightly.
'Mikhail, please. Help. Somehow.'
'Master, I don't have enough energy to repair her…She's dying…'
"OUKA! OUKA PLEASE!" An explosion drowned out my voice and I screamed louder, "OUKA! HELP!"
Then Ouka appeared next to me. She kneeled down next to me and felt Angel's pulse.
"If I heal her, Teito, I won't have enough energy to heal you. Are you willing to accept the possible consequences of that?"
I didn't need to think, "Just save her. Please."
Ouka nodded and bent over Angel. Her hands glowed a soft blue color. I heard a snapping sound and watched as the blood that had drained away on the floor slowly creep back into Angel's wound. Then Angel jerked awkwardly and her neck twisted grotesquely. Her body rose off the ground and then she dropped back to the floor. Her head was rolled off to the right, her breathing soft and regular. Her eyes fluttered open and her eyes focused in on me. She smiled and then tried to get up. Ouka placed her arm in front of her and barred her from moving.
"Rest," Ouka ordered. Her tone brooked no argument and Angel dropped back down. Ouka then got up and headed away, back towards the burning laboratory.
I squeezed her hand and she squeezed back.
"Hey," I said, my voice hoarse.
"Heh," She grinned, "Hey."
Then she looked around and back at me. "The Emperor?"
I looked up and saw him clutching his chest, haggard looking. I looked back at Angel and she understood. She nodded at me. I stood up and Angel's hand slipped out of mine. I stalked over to Wolf Barsburg.
Then a small clink caught my attention. A small bottle fell from his grasp. I picked it up. Inside was a thin purple liquid. I looked at the Emperor and his face was wide with panic.
"Uah…uwwwaa…are, are you going to kill me? Stay away from me!" Wolf cried out.
I watched the pitiful man scramble away from me. I felt pity and sadness for this fallen man.
"No. I won't kill you," I answered. Wolf's eyes stared into mine. "No, you have to atone for yourself and Ouka…and all those who became sacrifices in this dispute."
All of a sudden Wolf reeled back and clutched his head in agony.
"NO! STOP IT! DON'T POINT THAT LIGHT AT ME!"
A midnight colored shadow crept out from behind the Emperor who was writhing in agony.
'What is that? That shadow…'
"That shadow is what has become of my brethren after the ruin, Teito Klein."
I whirled around in surprise to face the owner of the gravelly voice. Before me stood a hooded form, the black cloak covering the white skeleton hidden inside.
"Ea…"
***Angel***
"You have done great, Teito Klein. You successfully broke generations of brain washing on the Raphael. You really do have unpredictability and courage," Ea complimented. Ea stretched out his boney finger and a symbol appeared on Teito's arm with a hiss. "Even had it back when I half-killed you." Ea saw Teito's confused look and continued, "When you tried to escape Chairman Miroku's estate, I was impressed by your overly courageous behavior when you tried to bite me."
Teito's face blanked from shock, "Eh?" Teito's face paled as he sputtered out, "Miroku's Estate…? Escape…? Half killed…you said?...Eh? You…KAL?!"
The ghost shifted from his ghostly form to his bodily form. He was a taller, built, black haired man. White bandages covered his eyes, implying he was blind. A long cream and gold overcoat covered the black and white uniform underneath. He smiled a half smile.
"I always protected you at the mansion. Although I was quite rough on you…" He smiled at Teito and then continued, "There was an urgent need to train you, who held Pandora's box." Kal folded his arms and leaned back on his heels, "Of course I had to do all this without anyone noticing."
I glanced at the floored Teito. He was shaking with rage. He then exploded and hopped up from the floor, fist shaking.
"W-W-WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?!"
Kal replied, calmly, "The risk increases with you knowing."
Teito grinded his teeth angrily. Mikhail's bone fragments appeared next to Teito spelling out, "Master, I did want to kill him once, but…"
"So finally the time came for you to know." Ea turned his head to face Ouka, "Hello Raphael."
Ouka nodded and her eyes closed. When they opened they were no longer violet, instead they were a rich blue.
"Doctor Nanase jumped into the fire before I could stop him…killing himself…" Raphael carelessly dusted a feather off of Ouka's silver hair, "The punishment was much too lax for toying with my master."
I got up slowly and stood behind Ouka. Teito's eyes had also changed and were a blood red.
"Seriously Raphael. I was thinking of allowing him to taste living hell for his deed of toying with my master," Mikhail stated, as if he was talking about lunch. I shivered slightly.
'Then again it is Doctor Nanase…'
I refocused on the conversation of the two angels once more. Raphael smiled and curtsied nicely.
"Morever, Mikhail-sama, it has been a while. I'm so happy to see you!"
Mikhail's face turned stern and he flicked Raphael's head. Her head shot back from the sheer force of the blow. "Wahhh!" Raphael cried out.
"It's not "awhile"! Geez…to be manipulated by that scum for more than 10 years. I'm sure even the Chief of Heaven is disappointed."
Raphael held her forehead a meek expression on her face. I couldn't help but smile a little at the expression.
"You better thank us," Mikhail pointed at me then back at Teito, "for waking up your master."
"I'm very sorry…" Raphael began as tears began to fall.
Mikhail shook shocked and his hands flew around. "D-don't cry!" He said flustered.
"If I may interrupt, I need to talk to Roseamenelle Ouka Barsburg," Ea said with an amused smile.
Mikhail nodded, "Indeed."
Both angels closed their eyes.
"Ea…You are one of the 7 Ghosts aren't you? Raphael said you had something to tell me, what is it?" Ouka asked.
Ea's eyes focused on Ouka. "It's true that your body was artificially made, but your soul, the nobility and ability to charm people, it is unmistakably the soul of a real princess. For at that time when you died, you were not supposed to have met your end yet. However since the original vessel had been lost I had to transfer the soul to another vessel, you. Although the scientists said you moved because of the Eye they could never explain why you had sprouted a self-consciousness."
I watched Ouka as she buried her face in her hands.
"Thank you…" She said as she cried.
"…It is too early to say thanks. We still have to deal with the evil," Ea said as he pointed at the shadow behind Wolf, "That is the brother I have been searching for and at the same time, he is the one who holds your truths." Ea looked at me this time as well.
"Urrggg…."
"Speak Emperor, what did that black shadow bring you?" Kal interrogated.
"Ah, yes. The shadow…right, that guy…he got it back for me…the one I loved…"
"The one you loved?" I asked him, "I thought that you had Dalia?"
"No…I loved…Millea Klein. Not her…"
I glanced at Teito. Teito's face was blank and his eyes were wide.
"Millea, she choose that guy. I couldn't have that…until I met him…and I realized he was better for her…I couldn't give Millea that kind of happiness...in the Barsburg family all that awaited her was pain."
"Then what changed?"
"The black shadow. He came…with an alluring voice, like he was pulling you into the abyss. I couldn't resists him… or his orders, and so…the world, it was thrown into chaos. He promised me Millea and he gave her to me…just once I had her…what had changed? Nothing…only that I had just killed the people she had loved. She would wake and look at me…eyes full of hate…Even…with this…watching her every day was my only happiness." He looked up his eyes full of pain and slowly held out his hand. "That is the way to save her…and even then I knew I wasn't the one who would give it to her. I couldn't keep that radiant women happy…I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," Wolf said as he stepped up to the door. He placed his hand in the lock and the door slid open. Ouka followed after Kal and Teito looked ahead.
A completely steel covered room was revealed. Inside the room was one tube with a thin women resting on the bed. Her hair was a beautiful gold and her skin a flawless cream. I studied her face and turned away as I realized who she looked like. A face I want to forget. I stopped thinking before my mind wandered into painful memories. I returned to studying the woman called Millea. She was connected by wires to the tube and a small repetitive beep echoed in the room. Surrounding her were beautiful flowers of all colors. I glanced at Wolf-dono. He quickly looked away. My heart throbbed slightly at the reaction but I steeled myself.
'Remember who he is…Remember what he has done.'
I shook my head as Teito stepped forward. He moved aside the red chair next to Millea and unwrapped the bottle, his hands shaking in anticipation. He removed the clear mask from Millea and carefully poured the liquid into her mouth.
"Mom..." Teito said, as if testing the word. He then repeated it, "Mom…I'm home…Today my friends came…and she came too…I'll introduce you after all this…" He grasped her thin hand in his shaking hands. He held their clasped hands up to his face and whispered, "That's why…mom…you have to wake up." He kissed her hand and closed his eyes.
Then a clear voice rang out, "Tia…she? Are you crying?"
Teito's eyes flew open.
"Oh my…without me knowing it…you've grown up to be this big…you're the spitting image of Krom-sama…"
Teito's eyes filled with tears and he choked on his words.
"…sk…Mom…m..om...da..d..is…no…longer…no…he'll be happy…he has been…waiting…for mom to wake….up…dad…father…everyone…" Teito struggled to say between sobs, "they…"
"Tia..she. Mom saw a long dream…when I climbed up these long stair…there was this pretty meadow…there I said goodbye to a lot of people…Mark-san..Karan-san..Agas-san..and the other guys…everyone…..and Krom-sama. I heard about you too…" She tried to smile but the tears began to well in her eyes, "You've endured well…you did great…Tiashe….you live on…"
I watched as spectral forms surrounded Teito. Three soldiers, a blonde priest, a calm man who bore a striking resemblance to Teito. They all watched Teito silently. Teito cried and held her hand to his cheek.
"These hands…they are awkward and full of scars…but they have grabbed a lot…that I won't let go…they are the proof of life…Mom…until the end."
I stepped up behind Teito and crouched down next to him.
I couldn't say anything. I sat down on the floor next to him and leaned against the bed.
I watched as Ouka healed her father.
"Ouka! What are-?"
"You still have to atone yourself to Millea and Teito…and you tried to kill me because you couldn't support Millea once I was Empress could you? But to me…you are my important father…" She explained.
"Ouka…forgive me…What have I done? I haven't even looked at your honest face properly…What a precious thing I've lost…" He said as he hugged her close, "I'm sorry."
Ouka shook in his arms and cried, endlessly.
'All these happy endings…even for him…but what about…? Have you forgotten already…?'
I watched the elder and a hideous black emotion consumed me. Memories from my past flooded in and I watched Ouka and the Emperor in envy.
'Why only them? Why do they get the happy end?'
