Vandread Fanfic - Until the End
Special Chapter - The Will To Go On (Part One)
Rating - G / Romance / Sci-Fi
Author's Note - This chapter is all about Rick's painful past.
The sun sets and a new day comes
Repeating is one change
Don't avert eyes from differences
Your nerve and soul to the limit
Go forward now
Charcoal Filter - Tightrope - Gensoumaden Saiyuki Ending Theme
"What...what have I done?"
The little boy is in an abandoned house and is surrounded by half a dozen of dead bodies. His hands are bloodied. Moments ago, he was tortured by the killers of his family. Then, everything went black.
"What have I done?" he repeated those words.
"Why...you killed them of course." a voice coming from deep inside him.
"Who are you?"
"Oh, I don't have any name just yet. But you can call me Erick. I'm your...dark persona. An evil version of you."
"You...used my body and killed them."
"You're catching up real fast. Actually, it's our body. You and I are the same."
"Why did you kill them?"
"They slaughtered our family, remember? You didn't plan on staying here, aren't you?"
"I will not allow you to use my body again."
A bubble like barrier formed around Erick.
"Urghh...you...how do you knew about the 'conscious barrier'?"
"I've read your every thoughts. You planned on sealing me inside isn't it?"
"As long as I exist within you, you'll never have a complete control over this body."
"Maybe. But it's better this way."
With that, Rick sends Erick deep inside his subconscious, sealed in the conscious barrier.
Rick left the house and wanders around the backstreets of the third class area. He sleeps whenever there's a suitable place for him. Sometimes all by himself and sometimes with the other homeless people. Like the homeless, he ate any leftovers that he could find. His life goes on like this for almost a year until one day...
Rick was wandering around a workshop looking for food. He was searching among the trash when an old man came to him.
"Hey kid. What do you think you're doing?"
Rick didn't reply. But the grumbling stomach gave away.
"You're hungry huh? Let me give you something to eat. Follow me."
Rick followed the man inside the workshop. The place was full of old vehicles and machineries.
"I used to be a mechanic. But now I'm just an old geezer strummin' an old guitar. So, what's your story?"
Again Rick didn't reply. Tears flowing down his cheeks. Then, he broke down and cried.
"UWAAAAHHH!!!"
"Oh man. Don't cry little guy. Here, have some food."
Rick takes the food and eats silently.
"Did it make you feel better?"
Rick nodded.
"I'm Joe Nathan. But people around here called me Joe. So, what's your name?"
"...M...M...Maverick...Xero..."
"Maverick Xero eh? So I'll call you Rick then. Is it okay?"
Rick nodded once again.
"Grandpa, who are you talking to?" A girl with blue hair approached Joe. Then, she gives a skeptical look at Rick.
"Oh, Sara. This is Rick. Rick, this is my granddaughter, Sara."
"Hello. Nice to meet you." Sara extends her right hand.
"Um...nice to meet you too," Rick shook her hand. Suddenly, Sara steps backward.
"What's wrong, Sara?" says Joe after he saw Sara's reaction.
"Look...at his arms..." Sara stammered.
Rick looked at his arms that full of scars and scorch marks. Then, he turned and runs away from them, crying.
"Ah...hey...Look what you've done. You upset him." Joe scolded Sara.
"But...I've never seen something like that..." Sara defended herself.
"Neither do I. But you don't have to say it in front of him. You better make up to him right now."
"Aww...do I have to?" Sara protested.
Joe gave a stern look at her.
"Now."
"Okay, okay. I'll do it." Sara gave a grunt and walks out of the workshop.
Rick was running as fast as he could. Running away from everything. Reality, people around him and his own mixed feelings. He found an old building and went to the roof, crying all by himself.
"Dad, mom, Lynn, Mary. I can't go on living like this. I've lost the will to live..."
"Rick?" Rick turned around and sees Sara coming towards him.
"What...are you doing here? I thought you hate me. Go away."
"I'm sorry about what I just said. I never seen anything like that." Sara points at Rick's arm.
Rick remained silent. Then, he opens his right palm and a ball of electrical current appeared. This somehow shocks Sara.
"Hey, how'd you do that?"
"Umm...this? I don't know. I've been able to do this since I was little." Then, the ball disappeared.
"Listen, I'm sorry about just now."
"It's okay. I've already used to it. You can leave me if you want."
"I...you've been alone all this time?"
"Yes. I've been living on my own for a year now."
"How about your family?"
"I...don't have any family..." Again, Rick started to cry.
"I'm sorry..." Sara apologized.
"It's okay..."
"Do you...have any friends?"
"No. I don't have any."
"Okay, let me be your very first friend." Sara held Rick's left hand tightly.
"You...want to be my friend? Why?"
"You seem nice. That's why. Besides, I don't have any friends either."
"It's...okay...I guess."
"Okay, it's settled then. C'mon. You can stay at my place. I'm sure grandpa wouldn't mind." Sara dragged Rick away.
"Ah...hey..."
Nine years passed quickly. Rick and Sara's relationship was getting closer by the day. Joe taught Rick all about mechanics and even taught him on playing the guitar. After Rick thought that he got enough skills and with Sara's help, he re-opened the workshop and business was going smoothly until one fateful day. Joe falls ill and Rick is forced to close the workshop.
"Grandpa, please hold on. The doctor will arrive soon." Sara was sitting beside the bed. Rick was standing beside her. Joe coughed.
"I'm sorry Sara. I think my time is almost near." Joe held Sara by her hand.
"Please Joe. Save your breath." Rick said.
"Rick, you've been with us for nine years now. I always look at you like my own grandson. Thank you for bringing happiness to Sara and me."
"Thank you Joe. But I think I'm still not worthy to be your grandson." Rick looked away.
"Whatever happens, you always be my grandson. I don't care what you are thinking."
"...Please Joe. Hang in there."
Joe coughed a few times.
"My time is almost up. Goodbye Sara, Rick. Rick, please take good care of Sara for me." Those were Joe's last words before he closed his eyes and had an eternal sleep.
"Grandpa...no..." Sara bursts into tears. Rick remained silent. Tears started to form in his dark eyes.
"Don't worry, Joe. I'll take care of Sara. I promise."
After they settled everything, including Joe's funeral, Rick and Sara decided to move into the second class area with the money they made from the sale of the workshop. They bought a small apartment and settled there for a while.
"What're we gonna do now, Rick?"
"I've been thinking about trying out at an audition. Who knows I might be a star or something."
"Oh, you're going to sing?"
"Nah, I'm not good at that. Maybe I'll be a guitarist. After all, Joe taught me everything about guitar."
"I'm going with you. I'll be singing then. "
"Huh? You don't have to..."
"Rick, I wanna do this."
"Okay, okay. You better get ready then."
"Yeah. You too. You're not going to dress like that, aren't you?" Sara referred to Rick's outfit. He's wearing a white shirt and a pair of worn out jeans.
"Huh? What's wrong with this? I think it's okay."
"No. You're not. Here, try this. It used to be my father's." Sara hands out a set of long, black leather coat, a black shirt, a pair of black gloves and a pair of black boots.
Rick tries out the outfit.
"See? It's a perfect match with Grandpa's black guitar." Sara looked at Rick from head to toe.
"Yeah, I guess."
"C'mon, let's go. We're gonna be late," Sara pushed Rick out of the apartment.
"Hey...stop pushing."
When they arrived at the record company's audition area, they saw an awfully long queue.
"Man, not only us were thinking about to be a star." Rick gave a sigh.
"I'll go and take a number." Sara pointed at a machine that hands out serial numbers.
"Yeah, okay. I'll be waiting here."
Rick was sitting on a bench when two men come up to him.
"Hey man, is this seat reserved?" said the one with spiky hair.
"Well, no. Please help yourselves." Rick replied.
"Thanks. We really appreciate it." says the other one with black shades.
The two men take their seat beside Rick.
"Say, you're a guitarist?" the spiky haired one says.
"Yeah. Sort of." Rick replies.
"Spyke. Where's your manner? You should introduce yourself first. Forgive my brother's impoliteness. I'm Zack and this is Spyke," said the one with the shades.
"It's okay. I'm Maverick Xero. Nice to meet you two." Rick shook hands with Zack.
"I'm a bassist and he's a drummer." Spyke said.
"Hahaha. We can make a band but without vocalist, it's useless." Zack said.
"Actually..." Rick's reply was cut off.
"RICK!! Why you didn't reserve a seat for me? I queued like hell over there and you sit here, giving away my seat to these two." Sara screams at Rick.
"I'm so sorry..." Rick said apologetically as he scratch his head.
"We apologize on his behalf. Please, take my seat." Zack stands up and offers his seat.
"Hmmph. I don't want it. Maverick Xero, if you want me to forgive you, let me sit on your lap." With that, Sara sit on Rick's lap and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Hey, hey. This is too close." Rick protested.
"So, you two are lovebirds?" Spyke said teasingly.
"Well...errh..." Rick mumbled for an answer.
"Yeah. That's right. We're lovers. Right, Rick?" Sara said cheerfully. At the same time, a slight blush appeared on her face.
"Err...yeah. Right." Rick answered reluctantly.
"That figures. So, you're a vocalist, I presumed?" Zack asked Sara.
"Yup. That's right." Sara replied.
"Hey, why don't we form a band? Things will be a lot easier." Spyke suggested.
"Yeah. He's right. Even if the two of us is chosen, the record company still has to find a vocalist and a guitarist." Zack added.
"How about you, Rick? I'll agree whatever you said." Sara said, still clinging on his neck.
"...Yeah. Okay. Glad to join you guys." Rick extends his right hand.
"No. It's our pleasure," Zack shook hands with Rick.
"One thing remains...A music band should have a name, right bro?" Spyke chipped in.
"Uh...yeah. But I can't think of any right now," Zack said as he scratches his head.
"Umm...How about 'Project T'?" Spyke suggested.
"What's that 'T' stands for?" Rick asked.
"Err...Beats me. I just like the sound of it." Spyke replied.
"That complicate things," Sara sighed.
"How about you, Rick? Any ideas?" Zack asked.
"Nah. Zilch. Zero." Rick replied.
"That's it!! How about 'Project Zero'?" Sara suddenly jumped from Rick's lap.
"Yeah. I like it. How about you, Spyke?" Zack looked to his brother.
"I like it too. It's so...mysterious." Spyke replied.
"Isn't that a little too close to my name?" Rick complained.
"Aww, c'mon Rick. It's not actually your name, it's 'Zero' and not 'Xero' Sara said.
"It's fine by us." Zack said. Spyke nodded.
"Tch. Fine." Rick reluctantly agreed.
"Okay!! It's settled then. 'Project Zero." Sara said cheerfully and spreads her arms wide.
"Project Zero." Zack said.
"We're...'Project Zero." Spyke smiled.
"Hmm. Suit yourselves." Rick said as he look up at the blue sky.
(Joe)
baby make up your mind
follow your dreams until the night is over
baby make up your mind
follow your heart and do it like a dreamer
Wain L - Make Up Your Mind - Initial D 2nd Stage
Special Chapter - The Will To Go On (Part One)
Rating - G / Romance / Sci-Fi
Author's Note - This chapter is all about Rick's painful past.
The sun sets and a new day comes
Repeating is one change
Don't avert eyes from differences
Your nerve and soul to the limit
Go forward now
Charcoal Filter - Tightrope - Gensoumaden Saiyuki Ending Theme
"What...what have I done?"
The little boy is in an abandoned house and is surrounded by half a dozen of dead bodies. His hands are bloodied. Moments ago, he was tortured by the killers of his family. Then, everything went black.
"What have I done?" he repeated those words.
"Why...you killed them of course." a voice coming from deep inside him.
"Who are you?"
"Oh, I don't have any name just yet. But you can call me Erick. I'm your...dark persona. An evil version of you."
"You...used my body and killed them."
"You're catching up real fast. Actually, it's our body. You and I are the same."
"Why did you kill them?"
"They slaughtered our family, remember? You didn't plan on staying here, aren't you?"
"I will not allow you to use my body again."
A bubble like barrier formed around Erick.
"Urghh...you...how do you knew about the 'conscious barrier'?"
"I've read your every thoughts. You planned on sealing me inside isn't it?"
"As long as I exist within you, you'll never have a complete control over this body."
"Maybe. But it's better this way."
With that, Rick sends Erick deep inside his subconscious, sealed in the conscious barrier.
Rick left the house and wanders around the backstreets of the third class area. He sleeps whenever there's a suitable place for him. Sometimes all by himself and sometimes with the other homeless people. Like the homeless, he ate any leftovers that he could find. His life goes on like this for almost a year until one day...
Rick was wandering around a workshop looking for food. He was searching among the trash when an old man came to him.
"Hey kid. What do you think you're doing?"
Rick didn't reply. But the grumbling stomach gave away.
"You're hungry huh? Let me give you something to eat. Follow me."
Rick followed the man inside the workshop. The place was full of old vehicles and machineries.
"I used to be a mechanic. But now I'm just an old geezer strummin' an old guitar. So, what's your story?"
Again Rick didn't reply. Tears flowing down his cheeks. Then, he broke down and cried.
"UWAAAAHHH!!!"
"Oh man. Don't cry little guy. Here, have some food."
Rick takes the food and eats silently.
"Did it make you feel better?"
Rick nodded.
"I'm Joe Nathan. But people around here called me Joe. So, what's your name?"
"...M...M...Maverick...Xero..."
"Maverick Xero eh? So I'll call you Rick then. Is it okay?"
Rick nodded once again.
"Grandpa, who are you talking to?" A girl with blue hair approached Joe. Then, she gives a skeptical look at Rick.
"Oh, Sara. This is Rick. Rick, this is my granddaughter, Sara."
"Hello. Nice to meet you." Sara extends her right hand.
"Um...nice to meet you too," Rick shook her hand. Suddenly, Sara steps backward.
"What's wrong, Sara?" says Joe after he saw Sara's reaction.
"Look...at his arms..." Sara stammered.
Rick looked at his arms that full of scars and scorch marks. Then, he turned and runs away from them, crying.
"Ah...hey...Look what you've done. You upset him." Joe scolded Sara.
"But...I've never seen something like that..." Sara defended herself.
"Neither do I. But you don't have to say it in front of him. You better make up to him right now."
"Aww...do I have to?" Sara protested.
Joe gave a stern look at her.
"Now."
"Okay, okay. I'll do it." Sara gave a grunt and walks out of the workshop.
Rick was running as fast as he could. Running away from everything. Reality, people around him and his own mixed feelings. He found an old building and went to the roof, crying all by himself.
"Dad, mom, Lynn, Mary. I can't go on living like this. I've lost the will to live..."
"Rick?" Rick turned around and sees Sara coming towards him.
"What...are you doing here? I thought you hate me. Go away."
"I'm sorry about what I just said. I never seen anything like that." Sara points at Rick's arm.
Rick remained silent. Then, he opens his right palm and a ball of electrical current appeared. This somehow shocks Sara.
"Hey, how'd you do that?"
"Umm...this? I don't know. I've been able to do this since I was little." Then, the ball disappeared.
"Listen, I'm sorry about just now."
"It's okay. I've already used to it. You can leave me if you want."
"I...you've been alone all this time?"
"Yes. I've been living on my own for a year now."
"How about your family?"
"I...don't have any family..." Again, Rick started to cry.
"I'm sorry..." Sara apologized.
"It's okay..."
"Do you...have any friends?"
"No. I don't have any."
"Okay, let me be your very first friend." Sara held Rick's left hand tightly.
"You...want to be my friend? Why?"
"You seem nice. That's why. Besides, I don't have any friends either."
"It's...okay...I guess."
"Okay, it's settled then. C'mon. You can stay at my place. I'm sure grandpa wouldn't mind." Sara dragged Rick away.
"Ah...hey..."
Nine years passed quickly. Rick and Sara's relationship was getting closer by the day. Joe taught Rick all about mechanics and even taught him on playing the guitar. After Rick thought that he got enough skills and with Sara's help, he re-opened the workshop and business was going smoothly until one fateful day. Joe falls ill and Rick is forced to close the workshop.
"Grandpa, please hold on. The doctor will arrive soon." Sara was sitting beside the bed. Rick was standing beside her. Joe coughed.
"I'm sorry Sara. I think my time is almost near." Joe held Sara by her hand.
"Please Joe. Save your breath." Rick said.
"Rick, you've been with us for nine years now. I always look at you like my own grandson. Thank you for bringing happiness to Sara and me."
"Thank you Joe. But I think I'm still not worthy to be your grandson." Rick looked away.
"Whatever happens, you always be my grandson. I don't care what you are thinking."
"...Please Joe. Hang in there."
Joe coughed a few times.
"My time is almost up. Goodbye Sara, Rick. Rick, please take good care of Sara for me." Those were Joe's last words before he closed his eyes and had an eternal sleep.
"Grandpa...no..." Sara bursts into tears. Rick remained silent. Tears started to form in his dark eyes.
"Don't worry, Joe. I'll take care of Sara. I promise."
After they settled everything, including Joe's funeral, Rick and Sara decided to move into the second class area with the money they made from the sale of the workshop. They bought a small apartment and settled there for a while.
"What're we gonna do now, Rick?"
"I've been thinking about trying out at an audition. Who knows I might be a star or something."
"Oh, you're going to sing?"
"Nah, I'm not good at that. Maybe I'll be a guitarist. After all, Joe taught me everything about guitar."
"I'm going with you. I'll be singing then. "
"Huh? You don't have to..."
"Rick, I wanna do this."
"Okay, okay. You better get ready then."
"Yeah. You too. You're not going to dress like that, aren't you?" Sara referred to Rick's outfit. He's wearing a white shirt and a pair of worn out jeans.
"Huh? What's wrong with this? I think it's okay."
"No. You're not. Here, try this. It used to be my father's." Sara hands out a set of long, black leather coat, a black shirt, a pair of black gloves and a pair of black boots.
Rick tries out the outfit.
"See? It's a perfect match with Grandpa's black guitar." Sara looked at Rick from head to toe.
"Yeah, I guess."
"C'mon, let's go. We're gonna be late," Sara pushed Rick out of the apartment.
"Hey...stop pushing."
When they arrived at the record company's audition area, they saw an awfully long queue.
"Man, not only us were thinking about to be a star." Rick gave a sigh.
"I'll go and take a number." Sara pointed at a machine that hands out serial numbers.
"Yeah, okay. I'll be waiting here."
Rick was sitting on a bench when two men come up to him.
"Hey man, is this seat reserved?" said the one with spiky hair.
"Well, no. Please help yourselves." Rick replied.
"Thanks. We really appreciate it." says the other one with black shades.
The two men take their seat beside Rick.
"Say, you're a guitarist?" the spiky haired one says.
"Yeah. Sort of." Rick replies.
"Spyke. Where's your manner? You should introduce yourself first. Forgive my brother's impoliteness. I'm Zack and this is Spyke," said the one with the shades.
"It's okay. I'm Maverick Xero. Nice to meet you two." Rick shook hands with Zack.
"I'm a bassist and he's a drummer." Spyke said.
"Hahaha. We can make a band but without vocalist, it's useless." Zack said.
"Actually..." Rick's reply was cut off.
"RICK!! Why you didn't reserve a seat for me? I queued like hell over there and you sit here, giving away my seat to these two." Sara screams at Rick.
"I'm so sorry..." Rick said apologetically as he scratch his head.
"We apologize on his behalf. Please, take my seat." Zack stands up and offers his seat.
"Hmmph. I don't want it. Maverick Xero, if you want me to forgive you, let me sit on your lap." With that, Sara sit on Rick's lap and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Hey, hey. This is too close." Rick protested.
"So, you two are lovebirds?" Spyke said teasingly.
"Well...errh..." Rick mumbled for an answer.
"Yeah. That's right. We're lovers. Right, Rick?" Sara said cheerfully. At the same time, a slight blush appeared on her face.
"Err...yeah. Right." Rick answered reluctantly.
"That figures. So, you're a vocalist, I presumed?" Zack asked Sara.
"Yup. That's right." Sara replied.
"Hey, why don't we form a band? Things will be a lot easier." Spyke suggested.
"Yeah. He's right. Even if the two of us is chosen, the record company still has to find a vocalist and a guitarist." Zack added.
"How about you, Rick? I'll agree whatever you said." Sara said, still clinging on his neck.
"...Yeah. Okay. Glad to join you guys." Rick extends his right hand.
"No. It's our pleasure," Zack shook hands with Rick.
"One thing remains...A music band should have a name, right bro?" Spyke chipped in.
"Uh...yeah. But I can't think of any right now," Zack said as he scratches his head.
"Umm...How about 'Project T'?" Spyke suggested.
"What's that 'T' stands for?" Rick asked.
"Err...Beats me. I just like the sound of it." Spyke replied.
"That complicate things," Sara sighed.
"How about you, Rick? Any ideas?" Zack asked.
"Nah. Zilch. Zero." Rick replied.
"That's it!! How about 'Project Zero'?" Sara suddenly jumped from Rick's lap.
"Yeah. I like it. How about you, Spyke?" Zack looked to his brother.
"I like it too. It's so...mysterious." Spyke replied.
"Isn't that a little too close to my name?" Rick complained.
"Aww, c'mon Rick. It's not actually your name, it's 'Zero' and not 'Xero' Sara said.
"It's fine by us." Zack said. Spyke nodded.
"Tch. Fine." Rick reluctantly agreed.
"Okay!! It's settled then. 'Project Zero." Sara said cheerfully and spreads her arms wide.
"Project Zero." Zack said.
"We're...'Project Zero." Spyke smiled.
"Hmm. Suit yourselves." Rick said as he look up at the blue sky.
(Joe)
baby make up your mind
follow your dreams until the night is over
baby make up your mind
follow your heart and do it like a dreamer
Wain L - Make Up Your Mind - Initial D 2nd Stage
