Sayuka: _ _+ Okae…let's see if we can actually *FINISH* a piece…

Tsuki: ^^; pfft…that'll be a miracle!

Sayuka: ! So much confidence…

WARNING: There IS some *yaoi*

::Disclaimer:: I do not own MK, even if I wanted to.

Akuen

::Evil Destiny::

"Garu, how are you…feeling?" Leena looked in quietly at her partner. Silence. She was worried about him. He couldn't just stay like this…

"Leave me…alone," came the short response. It sounded muffled and a bit teary, which was odd for someone like Gareas.

Leena frowned. How could he yell at her like that? She was only trying to help him. "Garu, you can't just mope around."

"GO AWAY!" Obeying silently, Leena shut the door behind her. She felt a little angry that Garu was yelling at her like that, but she had to respect his wishes. She knew how terrible he felt after…Ernest…

"How is he?" Tune asked timidly as her friend stepped out from the room. All she wanted to do was cry too. She loved Ernest just as much as Gareas did…but it seemed that Ernest only loved one. That one…was not her…

"Not any better," Leena replied sadly. "I've never seen Garu like this before…it's…scaring me… He's got me so worried. Garu…"

"Why won't you two say anything?!" Rioroute's loud voice could be heard from down the hall. He sighed, throwing his arms up. These boys were in their teens and they probably haven't spoken more tan a paragraph in their entire life.

Erts looked away, not muttering a word. It was like a living nightmare for him to be here. He did not want anything to do with fighting. He had not even wanted to become a Candidate. But then…he had to remember what he had said to Zero before he left GOA. He would fight…for his brother was with him… Yu and Kazuhi stood beside him quietly. He enjoyed their company. They were quiet and reserved…a little like him.

"Come on! Tell me what's wrong?" Rio pestered before getting hit in the head. "Ow! Phiiiiillll! What'd you do that for? I was just trying to help!"

She crossed her arms. "Leave them alone, Rio. Your 'help' isn't exactly the greatest, you know."

In a sudden jerk, the floor shook violently. The Top appeared in the doorway, only for a moment. Reluctantly, Erts followed the other pilots out the door. He hated this…but he'd do it…

Feeling the urgent rumble, Gareas jumped up out of habit before slowly sinking back to the floor. It was his fault…his fault that Ernest is gone… It wasn't fair. Why did Ernest have to die? Why didn't he die instead?

Leena pounded on his door. "Garu! Come out here! You have to!"

Gareas stared blankly at the door. He didn't want to move. He didn't want to get up. But then…he did…he wanted to kill those bastards that killed Ernest…!

"GARU!"

He finally stood up, still showing an unreadable expression on his face. He walked by Leena as if she were not even there. It was his fault…entirely…the only one he could be angry with…was himself…

"I'm hungry," Rio complained to his partner. He didn't mean to annoy her. He just felt like speaking his mind. He grinned cutely at Phil.

Phil was trying to contain her frustration. Rio was so annoying, so frustrating…so…so…cute… "Rio, get inside that cockpit right now!"

He grinned lopsidedly at her. "All right, sweetheart. Anything for you!"

She raised her eyebrows, getting ready to kill him. "Go before I strangle you!"

Laughing hysterically, Rio jumped into the cockpit of his Goddess.

Erts watched from a side. Rioroute seemed happy…would he ever be happy again? With so much pain and struggle in his life, but he promised…and he had to keep that promise. He knew that his brother was watching him, always, but he still felt lost. It was so hard to fill his brother's place.

"Erts…" Tune knelt down slightly and placed her hand on his shoulder. She flinched slightly, but tried to keep her hand still. She didn't want Erts to be frightened of him… "Can you…battle?"

"I'll do what I must," he said quietly. He could feel eyes on him. He turned to see Gareas standing there, simply staring at him. It made him feel uncomfortable. He stared down at his feet. That feeling coming from him. The confusion, the hurt and pain…it was so much that his delusion was taking over.

Tune stepped protectively in front of him. She promised Ernest she would look out for his younger brother at least as a way to show that she loved Ernest. "Garu, is something wrong?"

A slight grin appeared on Gareas' face. "Oh, I'm fine now."

Tune was surprised by how cheerful he sounded. Something was wrong.

Gareas practically skipped off to the Eeva-Leena. He had a slightly mad look on his face. Ernest wasn't dead! He had just seen him…talking to Tune. So his prayers had been answered…

"What's with you?" Leena demanded. "One minute you're sad and moping and now you're skipping around like you just turned twelve!"

Gareas still had that mad glint in his eyes. "He's here, Leena. He's not gone!"

Leena was confused. "Who? Who's not gone? What are you talking about, Garu?"

"Ernest!" Gareas replied happily before stepping into the cockpit.

Leena stood there, completely baffled. What was he talking about? Ernest was…dead…

~*~*~*~*~*~

Erts sat alone quietly, fingering his bandaged arm. He had sprained his wrist. He suddenly was aware that something shiny sat next to him. A mirror. He cocked his head and studied his reflection. For a moment, he sat there, looking into his own eyes. Erts…Ernest… The color drained from his face. He looked…he looked like just him… Why did it hurt? Why did it hurt to look into that shiny glass? Was it because it portrayed a ghost in his reflection…?

He looked up when he heard the door open, breaking his trance. Tears felt like spilling over, but he fought them back.

"Erts, how is…your arm?" Tune asked quietly. She had been so scared when Erts had been wounded in battle.

"It's fine, thank you," Erts responded politely, his face still pale. He shivered at her warm touch on his arm.

"May I see?" Tune examined his wrist and ran her eyes up and down his slender, white arm. "Does it…hurt, Erts?" She tried to smile for him. Pretending it wasn't that bad…

"No, I'm all right," he reassured her. He was slightly surprised when she leaned over and hugged him. It felt good to be hugged…

"You're so young. I know you hate being here, Erts."

"I see no point in killing," he muttered softly. All her feeling of concern and worry flowed into his head. "Please don't worry about me."

"How can I not?" she whispered, sniffling.

"Go to sleep, Tune."

"What? Why? Won't you be lonely in here by yourself?"

"I'll be fine… You should go to sleep. You'll feel better in the morning. I promise."

Tune looked at him, obviously still concerned about him. "What about you?"

"I'll just be a little longer," he said. "Goodnight, Tune."

Tune stood up reluctantly. She didn't want to leave him here, but she knew he wanted to be alone. "Goodnight, Erts. Take care of yourself…" With that she slipped quietly from the room.

Erts avoided the shiny glass on the mirror at all cost. He didn't know if he could handle it. He might slam his fist into it. Watch the scarlet blood pour slowly from his knuckles…that would be comforting…or maybe it was just the medicine getting to his head.

He heard the door open once again. He was surprised to find Gareas walking towards him. "Gareas? What are you doing here?"

The older pilot sat next to him and took his bandaged wrist. "What's happened to you? You're injured again…because of them…"

"What? I…"

Gareas turned to face him. "How could you leave, Ernest? How can you do this to me? I swear I was ready to kill myself…"

Erts paled. "Er…Ernest? No, Gareas, I'm…"

Before he could say another word, Gareas pushed him down and kissed his neck hungrily. "I missed you so much…"

"Gareas!" Erts gasped. He tried to push him away, but the green haired boy's strength was much greater.

"I never told you did, I?" Gareas muttered between kisses. "Never told you… Are you reading me, telepath? You want to get inside my head?"

Erts was paler than a sheet of paper. "No, please don't…"

"I loved you, Ernest…I'm sorry. It's my fault you went away. But you're back now…"

Erts had never felt fear like this before. Tears stung his eyes. "I'M NOT ERNEST! GET OFF OF ME! I—" His words were interrupted by Gareas' lips.

"Mm…you talk too much."

Erts swallowed a sob. "STOP IT! LEAVE ME ALONE!" He had never yelled at anyone in all of his life.

"Don't you like it, Ernest?" Gareas tore slowly at the younger pilot's clothes. Erts tried to pull away.

"Stop it, stop it please, Gareas…" he begged weakly, tears streaming down his face.

"I won't hurt you, Ernest…never again…" Gareas pinned him down.

Tune halted at once. She could have sworn she heard Erts scream.

"Erts?" she whispered fearfully. "Erts!"

She ran back down the hall, crashing into Rioroute and Yu.

"Tune! What's wrong?" Rio asked, helping her up.

Tune was near tears. "Erts…I heard him scream…"

"What?! Where?" Rio panicked for a moment then charged off in the direction Tune pointed out shakily.

Yu fumbled with the door. "It's jammed…"

~*~*~*~*~*~

Sayuka: o.O; Maybe that's not such a good place to leave off.

Tsuki: *sweatdrop* _ _+