Chapter 5: Blues

Chapter 5: Blues

Cautiously, Aerith sighed, making sure not to disturb the boy. She recalled finding Xander half buried in the rubble he used to call "home". Apparently, the place burned down, but she had found not one burn on him. After allowing her foster mother to inspect him, they had found his concussion. It had been almost four days now, but she said that it might be a while before he comes out of his sleep.

Right now, Aerith sat at his side, watching and waiting. It almost felt like she was his sister. She really didn't fear if he woke up or not, but she was worried how his personality would change. Surely this would imprint a scar into his mind. She had went all through his sector last night, asking if anyone knew what caused fire, but all that was turned up was a gas leak, and that was only a guess. Perhaps if Xander did wake up, she could get her answers, but that might not be the wisest decision to make at the time.

Again she sighed. Keeping watch over her "little brother" was starting to take its toll on her. Her eyelids drooped, but snapped open and drooped once more. This cycle was just repeated in the next few seconds until finally she fell into a deep sleep.

Something was warm and fuzzy, but what? Before she opened her eyes, she tried to recall what she last remembered. That's right, she was watching Xander when she had fallen asleep, but she hadn't slept in the bed. Mom wasn't home either, or she wasn't when she was last awake. Letting her eyes take in her surroundings, she noticed that she was correct in being asleep in a bed, but this was the guest room, were Xander was supposed to be. Even though Xander was asleep here, he wasn't resting there anymore.

Getting out of the bed, she tipped toed around, making sure he really wasn't there. Aerith branched outside the room and searched all of the upstairs rooms, continuing to the kitchen. The only room left was the living room, yet she hadn't heard a single sound. It seemed that the closer she came to the very last room, the more of a foreboding creped inside her stomach.

Just around a last corner now, and she would be there. Slowly peering over the side, she caught a glimpse of something. With her breath caught inside of her, she quickly jumped from the hiding spot. Dispersing her carbon dioxide through the room, she nearly cursed in the fact that Xander was yet to be found.

She began to go back to the kitchen but a hand was preventing her from moving about. Drawing in another breath sharply, as that certain feeling of apprehension came to her again. Gradually, memory reminded Aerith of this particular hand her muscles loosened. "Xander," She breathed out. Turning over to face Xander, her anger pumped in her veins ripping away from his grip. "What's wrong with you? You nearly gave me a" Aerith stopped her berating abruptly. Staring back at her was Xander all right, but his eyes gave off a totally different aura then the rest of his body. Daring a step closer, she looked deeper into the spheres. That normal look of friendliness was replaced with… something that almost resembled torment and guilt. She put a soft hand to his face. "Little brother, what's happened to you?" She whispered.

Responding differently than Aerith expected, Xander backed off and let more of that frightening chill seep into his eyes. In a shaky tone that mirrored hate itself, he spoke. "Don't call me that."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm not your brother. Don't ever call me that!" He snatched his head in his hands and screamed out in a pain that Aerith had never before experienced. This madness was beginning to take hold of him, like a disease.

Once again she approached her best friend she had ever had, this time taking notice of the sword he clutched as well as his head. He had that sword since she dragged him in the house. Although it was still sheathed, she took great caution. "Just calm down, everything will be fine!"

Letting go of his head, he looked back at her. "Fine? Fine? Nothing's ever gonna be fine! They are dead! My parents are gone and they won't ever come back! I have no family, and I don't want a new one!" The spinning madness was overwhelming. While he was knocked out, Xander, had another dream, but it was different this time. This time it was more disturbing.

He was trapped. All around there was only fire. Except that didn't make sense. Nothing was burning, just fire out of nowhere. In desperation, Xander tried to pass through the fire, but that was no good. It seemed that an invisible wall was boxing him in, but letting the fire pass through. He tried around for an opening, but it was the same everywhere. No escape, no escape. But like a light, a passage opened, out of the blazing darkness. Going through it, the lad saw his surroundings. This time it was only black, no fires.

Voices started to pop from every direction suddenly. Louder and louder they rose, pushing Xander over the edge, until they all stopped except one. This one was calm and soothing. Little by little, he was recognized the voice. Yet he distinctly didn't remember hearing the voice. Listening to the single strew of words, he couldn't believe what they were saying.

"Rise up Xander, and claim your rightful title. Rise up and become what you once were before. Rise up and quell the fires. Rise up and receive your personage. Rise up and reign over all champions. Rise up until you become the X once more!"

Over and over the voice chanted the words. None of it made sense but he still understood. And thus he was trapped in the cage for an eternity, until he finally awoke. Now here he was, with an identity crisis plaguing his mind. What had become of him, this X, this Xander? Who was he?

Aerith just watched on as Xander stood there, seemingly in deep thought. Things had indeed changed.