Disclaimers: Still don't own anything related to Weiss. I do however own all the other characters that you don't know of. Can you guess which?
My apologies for the very late update. February is the worst month of the year for me to get my writing done and posting new chapters online. The short month coupled with the Chinese New Year festivities and rushed work schedules do not a happy writer make. Besides, I'm currently battling a major writer's block at a crucial point in this fic so that makes for a really 'happy' month… ~__~ And now it's April… Oh woe is me!
But don't worry too much! I do have several chapters already written – it's just cleaning them up and checking for any continuity errors and stuff. After this arc, the future chapters will be updated every 3 weeks or so [depending on my interest and inspiration]. Please encourage me to complete this, your reviews mean so much!
~ Bern.
April 2003.
Thank you to:
Miko Kudou – Huo Long is a character that I'm leaving very open. But I agree that the first impression he makes is somewhat less than 'friendly'. I'm glad you caught the Laby reference! The title came really quickly and all I had to do was to tweak it a little to fit the chapter. I love the J/S pairing [what else is there?]
Larania - *squirms guiltily* Eh heheheheh…. Sorry about the ending. But truthfully speaking, the way it ended was the result of many hours of deliberation. Should I do it this way or another way? Well, your reaction certainly made my day. ^___^
RaTt – Glad you liked the cliffhanger! As I mentioned above, it took some time to decide on it's ending. Hope this chapter makes up for the wait.
GeneWeiss – Aya-chan's a tough gal but Huo Long doesn't like messing about either. I have this thing for opposite sex pairs battling it out. As for when Aya and Ran meeting up – well, read on…
I agree that Weiss & Schwarz have a lot of potential to be allies but then again, they make pretty good rivals. Since I don't subscribe to the yaoi theory, I put it down to personality and character.
Kenneth – Wai! Ken-Chan has finally reviewed after several months. Got you on the cliffhanger didn't I? And you also like the implied 'yaoi' in the fic too, right? Only for you Ken-Chan, only for you. ^__~
Kaisynaya – Glad to hear from you again. So you like the Schu x Aya-chan pairing, eh? Interesting… Stay tuned for the following chapters now!
Yue no Miko – Schoolwork is a bother when you feel that there are more 'important' things to do. But I'm glad that you still left me a short note to keep it going. So let me extend the same sentiments to your fics. Ganbatte!
Chapter 13: As the Memories Take Hold…
Schwarz and Weiss watched dumbfounded as she went sailing through the air before crashing through the stack of heavy wooden crates. The now unstable structure tottered and began to tumble down in a sickening crash that resounded throughout the warehouse. It threw up a thick cloud of dust and debris that obscured the moonlight and caused several of them to cough at the irritation. As the dust settled, Huo Long approached the rubble to check on the Hunter's situation. Raising his hands, he began to summon his power of pyrokinesis.
Nagi noted that the man's action was similar to his when about to release his powers. After witnessing all that happened earlier, Nagi was now clear about where he stood with regards to the Hunter. He too, raised his hands and called upon his telekinesis to aid him. The power flowed through him and he focused it at the man. As he released it, he suddenly realised that something was wrong. The invisible force had flown towards the man but before it could blow him off his feet, it parted and flowed around him. Blinking in surprise, he saw the man turn to stare at him impassively.
Crawford stiffened as another wave of visions assaulted his already overstrained senses. Clutching his head, he fell to one knee gasping in pain. Weiss stared at him in surprise and Schuldig winced as he felt the overflow from Crawford. He hissed as the pain sped through his mind and forced his weakened telepathic shields to block them out. Ran had tightened his hold on the telepath but Schuldig did not care. He had other things to worry about - like retaining his sanity. Meanwhile, Huo Long had resumed his stance and his hands appeared to catch fire. As the flames arched towards the pile of ready tinder where the Hunter lay, something long and sharp flew through the air at him.
The flames immediately dissipated as he took defensive action by leaping aside. The spear however, managed to catch his sleeve tearing the cloth. The spectators turned to stare into the shadows and saw a slender figure stepping out. Unlike the Hunter, she wore no mask and her eyes remained locked on Huo Long. Nagi gasped and clutched at Crawford's arm. The remaining people simply stared in amazement.
"This is getting too damn freaky," Yoji muttered, his thoughts starting to drift back to the various fights with Schreiend. He shuddered and felt his hands clench around his looped wires.
"She's alive? But I thought, that time back in the manor…" Ken stuttered almost lacerating himself on his bugnuks as he unconsciously tried to run his hand through his hair.
"Tot…" Nagi murmured, his grip on Crawford tightening further.
Crawford looked up from his crouched position and almost wanted to laugh at the situation. It was like a weird parody of past and future clashing with the present to create this pantomime. He felt Nagi's uncertainty and shock in the teenager's unrelenting grip and tried to pull his thoughts in order. The visions were coming at an alarming rate and he began to wonder how much longer he would be able to handle them. Sooner or later, they would literally be the death of him. Unfortunately, it seemed that the most approachable person to answer his questions lay buried under a ton of rubble.
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As the Baron sat in the backseat, he thought back to his meeting with the young Hunter. She appeared inexperienced but had apparently made an impression on the leader of Schwarz. Idly stroking the pale strands of the unconscious Majel, he deliberated upon the next stage of his plans. Huo Long had requested to remain behind to challenge the Hunter, failing which he offered to leave the organisation permanently. The man had too much pride and seemed to measure success on his abilities to outfight his opponent. But that was what made him valuable; the man was pure bodyguard material.
Kanta glanced into the rear view mirror and caught the Baron's eye. Smiling slightly, he brought the witch's hair to his lips. Returning his eyes to the road, Kanta wondered at what had transpired within the building. Despite his incredible size and strength, he was the least crucial member of the Baron's retinue. He only learnt things when either the Baron or Michiko told him. Other than that, he played the chauffeur and butler and occasional bodyguard when Huo Long was otherwise occupied. He had no complaints, sometimes it made things a lot easier to handle. Kanta rarely voiced his thoughts but he was very aware of the people around him.
"Baron, the lady Michiko requested that I pick her up before heading home. Shall I drop you and the lady Majel at the house before fetching her?" he asked.
"No, I won't mind the drive. Besides, the night is rather lovely and the roads are empty," Rothschild replied casually. "Besides, I want to know what my pretty witch has been up to while we were otherwise engaged with the Hunter."
"As you wish, Baron."
The car took the turning into the highway and headed back in the direction of Tokyo. A minute later, the bright glitter of the metropolis appeared in the distance as Kanta accelerated towards it.
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Huo Long took in the slender female standing between him and the fallen Hunter. A movement caught his eye and he realised that she was not alone. A tall, lean man stepped up and Huo Long frowned at the added inconvenience. Knowing that the situation was no longer in his favour, he glanced at the people around him once more before leaping back into the shadows. Nanami was about to dash forward after him but stopped when Seki called out.
"We need to get her out."
"Who are you? And who was that person?" Ran's gruff voice cut through.
After watching the events unfold before his eyes, the Weiss redhead could not keep his curiosity in check. There was also something about the masked girl that had been troubling him - the way her eyes caught his before the impact brought the crates down about her. He narrowed his eyes and shoved the still bound Schuldig into Yoji's protesting arms. Striding forward, he ignored the Schreiend girl and faced the man. Gods, but this guy reminded him of Crawford with his white outfit, short hair and glasses. The only thing that separated the two of them was the gentle warmth within his strangely luminous green eyes.
"Everything will be explained," Seki said before turning his gaze to Crawford. "You too, Crawford-san and all of you."
Looking at one another uneasily, the members of Weiss and Schwarz wondered at what other 'surprises' were going to be sprung on them. It was at that moment that a loud shuffling noise broke through the heavy atmosphere. Staring at the crumpled mess where the Hunter lay buried, they saw the wooden beams and planks being pushed aside. A soft grumbling was also heard as a hand popped out and waved for some assistance.
Nanami reached for it and helped tug free a very dusty and somewhat disgruntled Hunter. She was clutching her side and the others wondered if she had broken any of her ribs. Scrambling down and through the wooden bits, she turned to look up at the people looking at her in varying degrees of amazement mixed with concern. Releasing her grip on Nanami's hand, she slowly walked up to the Weiss leader.
Ran tensed as he watched the black-clad female make her way towards him. There was something so familiar and yet so alien about her that Ran couldn't make up his mind. Stiffening at her sudden proximity to him, he hadn't realised that he had been unconsciously holding his breath. He tried to force his usual cold mask but something within her eyes arrested that intention. He could feel his heart pounding and a strange exhilaration flooded his body.
'No, it can't be…'
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Aya regained consciousness quickly and winced as she felt the broken rib protesting. She could hear some muffled conversation and realised that her back-up had finally arrived. For a moment, she gave in to annoyance at their lateness before the memory of what she had last seen caught her attention.
'That man looks like 'Nii-san!'
Mentally shaking her head at the thought, she tried to reason it out. Ran was dead, his own superior had said so, hadn't she? Doubts and hope began to cloud her thoughts and Aya decided that the only way she could put her brother's memory to rest was to face that man. Only then would she be certain about it. Aya had to know, if only for her own peace of mind.
Bracing herself against the pain in her side, Aya shoved at the offending wood covering her. Despite her fatigue, the adrenaline still coursed through her and she made short work of clearing enough away to pop a hand free. Feeling Nanami's slender hand grip hers, she used it to pull herself out. Aya still could not get over the fact that the older girl was much stronger than she looked despite not being a Guardian.
As she stumbled over the broken wood, she could feel the eyes of everyone on her. Ignoring them, Aya focused her sights on one man who stood a little away from the rest. As she walked towards him, she took in the clear amethyst eyes, the red hair with their signature twin eartails and the fair skin uncharacteristically cloaked in a dark leather trenchcoat. Each step towards him brought back flashes of memory of her brother and Aya swallowed the sudden lump in her throat.
Finally they stood facing each other. She could see the emotions flicker in his eyes, the swell of hope and the fear of disappointment chasing each other within their depths. Aya wondered if he could see the same within her dark indigo depths. Barely realising her actions, she felt her hand reaching up to grasp the edge of the mask. For a moment, she paused as if uncertain at her intention but then her resolve strengthened and she pulled it off.
All around her gasps sounded but Aya was only interested in the reaction of the man before her. His eyes were now wide open and his mouth slightly parted as though about to say something. Aya felt her eyes blur and barely realised that her tears spilling down her cheeks. Ran stood there dumbfounded, his thoughts scattered and fleeting. Of all the people in the world, how could it be her? Without knowing it, he breathed out her name, his soft voice deafening in the dead silence about them.
"Aya…"
Hearing her name was a catalyst for Aya. Choking back a cry, she threw herself into his arms. Gripping his trenchcoat in her hands, she allowed the grief, pain and worry that had plagued her since her awakening and her new role come pouring out in great heaving sobs. Vaguely, she felt his arms come up and hug her close, the pressure pushing against her broken rib. She ignored the pain and simply buried herself deeper in the embrace she had yearned for since waking up.
Seki and Nanami smiled at the touching reunion while the others stood about confused and surprised at the sudden turn of events. Ken and Omi looked like they were about to cry while Schuldig and Yoji shared a look of glazed bemusement. Crawford was taking in the scene with a slight frown as though in deep thought about the whole affair. Farfarello had reappeared beside Nagi but remained impassive. Only his sole amber glittered with an unknown emotion.
Nagi's surprise quickly wore off and he looked towards Nanami. Could she be Tot? If she was… Nagi felt his heartbeat speed up at the thought. The last time they had met, she had been killed before his eyes by Farfarello. The memory brought the still barely healed emotions to the surface. He stepped away from Crawford and tentatively approached the blue-haired girl.
"Tot…?"
Looking into the teenager's eyes, Nanami felt a surge of sympathy for the hopeful Nagi. A part of her wanted to acknowledge the name but Tot had died a long time ago together with Schreiend at the mansion. She could feel Seki's eyes on her as she tried to think of her answer for the pale youth. Deciding that it was for the best, she held out her right hand for an introduction.
"Hi, my name is Nanami. I take it you're one of the Guardians?"
"Nanami…" Nagi mumbled the name as he took in the girl before him. She looked so much like Tot that he could have sworn she was. Her hair was arranged differently although it bore the curls reminiscent of Tot's. He could feel his heart breaking as he began to accept the fact that Tot had in fact 'died' that night after all. Nagi wasn't blind and as much as he wanted to scream his protest, the girl before him had made it very clear. Tot no longer existed, only Nanami – and Nagi wasn't ready to accept the familiar stranger standing before him.
"I'm sorry," Nanami began but bit her lower lip before she said anything more. Nagi's eyes looked deeply wounded and she felt the guilt weighing on her conscience. It should not be like this but there was no choice in the matter. The past was gone and Nanami knew that her future now was very different from that formerly with Schreiend. Tot had needed the protection of Schreiend to survive, while Nanami was confident with standing on her own. Even if it meant hurting the one person who had made her feel special and loved aside from her 'sisters' and 'father'.
Seki had meanwhile approached Crawford and was speaking to the Schwarz leader in low tones. Farfarello listened with what appeared to be amusement on his face as Omi and Ken gravitated closer to the two. Yoji idly shoved the still dazed telepath as he made his way to the blue-haired stranger. He noticed Ran observing the two men despite his attention being focused on his still sobbing sister. Schuldig turned to glance at Aya once more before making his way to Crawford. Unsure of the situation, the telepath remained silent and kept his thoughts to himself for once.
Satisfied that both Weiss and Schwarz had gathered around without lunging at one another's throats, Seki formulated his thoughts into a suitable presentation for the rest. After speaking with Crawford, Seki realised that the man had reached a point in this situation that made him more receptive to listening about what he had to say. The strain was telling on the American and Seki doubted that the man would be as accommodating if he had recently enjoyed a good night's sleep. Turning to Yoji, Seki asked the lean blonde if he could release the pale telepath.
"And the reason would be?" Yoji drawled out but his eyes held more than a sharp glint of distrust about the proposition. Damn it but the wily German was a catch that Kritiker would give their Swiss bank accounts for. Plus, thhe man had caused all of them more grief than even Yoji could begin to tally up.
"Please, Kudou-san," Seki pressed. "Schuldig is a member of Schwarz and at this point of time, both Weiss and Schwarz have to work together to get the situation under control."
"I don't like this," Yoji began before realising what the man called him. "Hey, how did you know my name?"
Seki gave him a solemn smile. "I know all about Weiss and Schwarz. I am not interested in the organisations you work for but the individuals. Your roles in this affair have taken on a greater significance since the Three Elders defeat about a year back. It was because of the failed summoning that has resulted in the current demon infestation."
"You make it sound like we're in charge of pest control," Yoji grumbled desultorily as he roughly tugged the wire off Schuldig's bruised wrists. His entire evening had gone from bad to almost good before tumbling back down the scale to utter arse luck. The loss of the hoped for bonus was now a very sore point with the lanky blonde. And he had had such wonderful thoughts about how to spend it. Schuldig was tempted to reply to the man's thought but Crawford's warning frown pre-empted the German's intent.
"Here is not a good time nor place to discuss such things," Seki said as he reached into a hidden pocket. Pulling out a couple of cards, he passed one to Crawford and the other to Yoji. "Please come to the address stated here at 7 pm. We will be expecting you then."
"Hey, wait! Who are you?" Ken called out suddenly. The others blinked at the most obvious question they had not thought to ask. Trust the soccer player to hit the nail on the head at the right time.
"My name is Seki. And until 7 pm tonight, it is all you need to know."
Nanami rejoined him at his side and together they stepped back into the deep shadows surrounding the warehouse. However, before they disappeared, Seki called out to Ran.
"Your sister needs you now more than ever, Ran. But you must realise that she has a heavy responsibility to bear and that you cannot take that role away from her. Be her Guardian, Ran, as well as her brother."
Frowning at the words, Ran continued to cradle the precious bundle in his arms. Aya had by now calmed down and was now quietly accepting his comfort. As he held her, the questions started to pop into his head and he wondered how to get the answers he needed. The time that Seki promised to reveal all was too far away in his opinion. And the only other person who probably had those answers was now sniffling softly as she dried her tears. But Ran had no intention of forcing anything out of his sister given her current state of distress.
Crawford eyed the pair as he too shared the same thoughts. However, he did not feel all that unwilling to prying some answers out of the girl. The shock having worn off, it now allowed him to take stock of the situation. But he also realised that the only way he could satisfy his burning curiosity was to go through Weiss. And except for Farfarello, the others were not up to it. Nagi was depressed after seeing Tot's supposed reincarnation and Schuldig was still recovering from his earlier injuries and the recent fight with Bombay and Balinese. He too, was forced to admit that he was suffering from near exhaustion. Indeed, the Powers-That-Be were really dishing out the cursed luck!
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Aya had by now remembered herself and pulled back from her brother's arms. For a moment, he seemed to tighten them about her but then let go. Unsure about the situation, she couldn't help but briefly fume at Seki and Nanami leaving her behind to deal with her Guardians. Well, soon-to-be Guardians that is. And even then, if they choose to accept it. The memory of her unsuccessful fight with that Chinese man made the situation even more unbearable. A heated flush covered her cheeks and she looked at the ground in embarrassment. This was not how she intended to impress them. Aya suddenly wanted the ground to open up and swallow her whole. And it didn't help matters that she could now feel their eyes on her.
That left her with only one solution that Aya felt was available to her. It wasn't fair and as much as she wanted to be with her brother, she couldn't handle the disappointment of her failure. Taking in a deep breath, she turned to look up at them before forcing the words out of her mouth.
"I'm… sorry."
Before Ran could reach out for her, Aya turned to sprint off towards the exit. She could hear her brother's cries as well as those from a couple of the others but she blocked them out. Allowing her superior abilities to carry her away, she almost flew through the warehouse. Leaping over the broken crates and other assorted obstacles, she managed to avoid those who tried to follow her.
Bursting through the flimsy wooden door of the warehouse, she ran towards her motorcycle. Pausing to brush the tears from her eyes, she slipped onto the seat before ramming the helmet over her head. Twisting the ignition key, she felt the engine rumble to life. Kicking down on the gears, she revved the throttle before releasing the brake. The power propelled it forward and in a couple of moments she was accelerating through the backyard of the warehouse.
As she sped past, she saw the rest of them staring after her. Ran was frantically calling out to her but she forced her eyes back onto the road and opened the throttle further. The Suzuki roared and in sudden burst of speed, she was soon a dark speck in the distance. As she sped off in the direction of Tokyo, Aya couldn't help but wonder if she had done the right thing by abandoning her brother after the all too brief reunion. Either way, she had until seven tonight to sort through her emotions before facing him and the other Guardians.
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Author's Notes: This chapter certainly took its time in coming. So many debates about what to write and whom to write about coupled with a case of writer's block. No wonder I tend to produce several chapters ahead. I don't think I can handle production upon demand very well. ::sighs:: And as I said in the beginning, things weren't going to plan with regards to this story's production. Looks like it's time to go back to watching Weiss and reading some WK fics. Yeah, it's time to stop indulging in Ranma ½ and Inuyasha…
I think the reunion scene came out a little too sob-waffy. For goodness sake, I was almost teary-eyed as I wrote that scene. I hope it works though. I'm not all that good with extreme emotional stuff, I like to write more contemplative pieces or action scenes. On reflection, I can't help but wonder if I didn't over-melodramatise the thing. Other than that, I think I'm stretching the chapter a little. Now the headache of editing it will come into play.
I know this fic's quite popular judging from the number of hits I get but I really want to know who the readers are and what they think. Pretty please with Ran on top? ^____^ v
PS: This is the last full chapter and I'll be posting the Epilogue next. I'll probably try appending it with some of my thoughts on various things related to the story and other stuff. For those of you who actually read the rubbish at the end of each of the chapters, I'll be providing answers to some of the more persistent questions and anything else, my reviewers wish to ask. Yeah, time for a Q & A session.
So please, leave your questions in the review box below and I'll do my best to answer them. But without spoiling the story for those of you who are anti-spoiler.