The Beginning of the End of the World

By the lovely and talented Ryuko-chan

Chapter Four: To Borrow Eternity, To Deny Miracles



~Dearest Student Council Members~

I was pleased to hear that you have begun preparations for bringing about the revolution of the world.. The duel between Miss Arisugawa and Mr. Kaoru was described to me, and I am pleased. Soon will come the day when the castle will come down, and the person who is ready will be rewarded with eternity. I promise that whoever it is will be given all the power of Dios, and they will be my chosen. The victor shall be chosen soon, in a battle that will change everything. I hope to see the bells ring for my favored.

Sekai No Hate... The Ends of the World

Juri sneered at the letter in her hand. She threw it down on the table, stalking to the window.

"Tripe. Absolute foolish fantasy. Castle, eternity, power of Dios." She said, her voice dripping with skepticism, "It's all the fantasy of some fool. Some absolutely powerful fool, who thinks he can screw around with five people's lives." She bitterly opened the shutters to her window, looking out onto the night, "Fool," she said, frowning.

Saionji read the same letter with a smirk, "It will be me." he said, dropping the letter on his bedside table. He sat down, covering himself with his sheets, "Even Touga can't take that away from me. Never." He closed his eyes, and idly fingered his signet ring. He smiled as he drifted off to sleep.

"Soon, I will be better than him." Saionji said.

The sun was just rising as Saionji's slumber was disturbed by a memory.

"Father? Will you teach me some more?" asked a young boy with tousled green hair.

"No." a man responded with authority, "I am much too busy to supervise your play. Go and play with your little friend. He's better than you, anyway. Maybe you'll learn something from him." The man went back to a stack of papers, grumbling.

Saionji walked dejectedly away, then saw a woman with tight curls walk out of the kitchen. He ran up to her.

"Mother, mother! Will you ask Father to play with me?" he said.

"No, Kyouichi. Your Father is a busy man. I'm just taking him his dinner, and then I'll leave him alone. His work isn't going very well, honey. We all have to be patient." She said blandly.

Kyouichi looked chastened, "Of course, mother." He said. She nodded, and walked into the office.

Saionji heard her distant voice, "Here you are, dear. Your supper."

"Fine. Fine." His father murmured. Just then there was the sound of a rustling of papers.

"Oh, oh my god, I'm so sorry." His mother said.

There was a long pause.

"Do you realize how much work that was?" Saionji's father said in a voice that was low and tight .

"I.. I didn't.." His mother murmured.

"You.. You horrible woman!" His father shouted, and there was a sharp slap. Saionji jumped.

His mother ran out, sobbing.

"Dirty whore!" his father shouted, "Get out of here!" Saionji stepped backward, hand to mouth.

"Mommy." He said plaintively. Her wild eyes turned to him.

"Kyouichi.. Kyou. Don't worry.. Your father just became.. a little angry. I forgive him. I forgive him, so shall you?" she asked. Saionji's eyes filled with doubt, and he reached for his mother's cheek. She turned away.

Kyouichi's eyes filled with tears, and he shook his head violently, and ran from the house. He didn't stop running until he got to Touga's house. Touga was playing in the front yard, helping his little sister sit up.

Saionji ran up and fell into Touga, wrapping his arms around him.

"Touga.. Touga.. I don't want to become like my father. I don't want to be like my father." He sobbed.

Touga blinked, "Saionji, don't worry. You're nothing like your father." He said. Even at a mere five years old, he was cool and collected, "I know that you'll never become like your father."

Saionji awoke with a start. Touga's assertion at age five was true, of course. He was much more like his mother, a person who kept all of their pain and emotions inside. Someone who went off for hours and just sat, or did some repetitive task when they were made angry or upset. His father had been a loud, angry man who was prone to outbursts every day. When he was happy, he was very kind, but when he was mad, he was furious. Saionji had always been like his mother, strained even when happy, someone who could never quite deal with their own emotions. He had inherited his father's quick temper, however, and there was nothing he could do about it.

This was nothing to think about today, though. Today was the second most important duel. After the duel with Touga, of course. Nothing could change that. Saionji sat up, running cold fingers through his hair. He threw his legs over the side of the bed, and stretched his arms. His muscles were still a little sore from his first duel, and he couldn't imagine how Miki's felt. Well, lucky for the waif-like boy, he wasn't going to have to duel again for a while.

Saionji was about to walk into the bathroom when he heard the knocking at his door. He looked up, standing.

He reached the door, opening it, half-expecting to see the courier girl with another letter. That wasn't the person he saw before him, though. Saionji blinked, eyes slightly wide, as the person he saw before him was Anthy, in the normal school uniform. She looked blankly into his face, smiling.

"Hello there." She said.

Saionji blinked again, and then remembered that he was still in the clothes he slept in, which was just a pair of long cotton pants. He frowned and gritted his teeth.

"Ah.. wait one moment." He said, and ran into his darkened room.

I'm hardly dressed. Rrrr. Saionji thought, as he filtered through his clothes and tried to find something decent to dress in. He ended up quickly dressing in a t-shirt, and walking back.

"Um. Hello?" he said.

"Hello." Anthy said, smiling blankly.

"Do you need something?" Saionji asked, trying to conceal his nervousness.

"I was just told that you were to duel today." Anthy said.

Saionji paused, "Yes I am." He said, somewhat nervously.

"I merely wished to express my hope that you will be the victor." She said with a bow.

Saionji's eyes widened, "Thank. you." He said, surprised.

Anthy bowed again, and said, "Good day." She said, shutting the door behind her.

Saionji sat upon the bed again, and ran his hands through his hair. He shook his head, and frowned, "I'd better get ready.." he said needlessly.

Meanwhile, Juri rolled over in bed and opened her eyes slowly. She frowned. There was a noise grating on her brain. A knocking. She frowned again, and rolled out of bed.

Sprucing up her hair very quickly, and tightening up her frilled robe, she threw open the door. On the other side, looking very like a deer in the headlights was Anthy, with her arm raised to knock once more.

"Arisugawa-sempai.." she said with a smile, "I just came to wish you good luck in the-"

"Save it." Juri said, "I don't even know what I'm fighting for."

"Arisugawa-sempai." Anthy said, looking down.

Juri was struck by inspiration, "You tell me." she said to Anthy.

Anthy blinked, "What you're fighting for?" she appeared to fight a rapid battle, but it was blurred as if viewed from through a frosted glass. Finally it seemed the two sides had reached an agreement, "If I had to choose, I would say that the reason is either for love, or for something eternal.." she said.

"Eternal?" said Juri, raising an eyebrow.

Anthy nodded, smiling. Of course she was only repeating what previous duellists had stated as their reason.

Juri frowned, "Well, I don't mind telling you that the only reason I'm doing this is because I have nothing better to do." She said, "Now, good day." She said, and shut the door.



Saionji: A promise I made to myself! I would be able to do it.. Only if..

A-ko: I don't know if I can stand it anymore!

B-ko: But he's a boy, and you're a girl.

A-ko: That's not the point!!

Miki: That's the very thing he wants, isn't it?

Nanami: I don't care!!!

A-ko and B-ko: Next time on the Beginning of the Ends of the World: To Borrow Eternity, To Deny Miracles..

Anthy: The dawn of the absolute destiny apocalypse!