Disclaimer : *sulks* All SD-related belongs to him *points at the dancing chibi Inoue*.

Warning : A bit depressing and somehow lousy. Gomenasai.

Authors' Notes: very short

Across Time

by: Asashouryuu



- Chapter 11-

The cramp on Sakuragi's arms awakened him. He tried to move his arms but he can't. He looked up to realize that his hands were clamped against the wall above him. He could hear the sound of the waterfalls and the sound of the water dripping on the ground somewhere within the cave. The cave would have been dark if not for the columns of sunlight that slipped through from above.

Sakuragi grimaced as pain shoot through his body when he tried to move. He shook his head to clear his mind. He didn't understand at all. One moment he had the upper hand when he fought those bastards and then the next he felt weak and then he collapsed the second when a guy behind him injected something into his body. "Kaede" he murmured.

"Hana" he heard someone said it. His head snapped to the entrance of the cave and saw the object of his thoughts standing there. Rukawa run towards him and hugged him.

"God! I was so worried. I thought I'll never find you"

And whatever Sakuragi's reply it was smothered as the raven-haired god kissed him. Sakuragi's eyes involuntarily closed themselves as Rukawa started kissing him. Sakuragi froze and his eyelids fluttered open as something hit him. This lips, this scent, this warmth... he thought. He bit Rukawa's lips, which made the guy drew back and looked at Sakuragi with confusion.

"Who the hell are you?" Sakuragi asked angrily.

Rukawa smiled and started taking steps backward. In front of Sakuragi's eyes, Rukawa transformed to a lady as tall as him, with her silver hair slightly touching the ground and she was wearing a white satin Grecian robe.

"Jiashin" Sakuragi exclaimed.

"You're really something gensui" she said. "I came here to take your memories away"

"Nani?!... but you can't do that!"

Jiashin laughed "Don't tell me you're going to fight me? The liquid that was injected to you was a tranquilizer and at the same time stops you from using whatever godly powers you have"

So that's the reason my body is numb even now, Sakuragi thought.

Jiashin moved towards him and placed her hand on gensui's forehead and mentally he was fighting back which made her gave him a nightmare. But even in nightmare, Sakuragi was fighting back which surprised the girl.

"Stop fighting back" the girl uttered as she increased the intensity of the nightmare not thinking of the consequences.

Sakuragi found himself in a meadow. He could hear Rukawa calling his name and he ran after that voice until he came to a lone tree and saw his lover lying down on his stomach. With every intention of surprising him the redhead moved stealthily. Just one meter away from him Sakuragi froze as he witnessed his lover and another girl reaching the climax of their passion.

"Kaede" he whispered. Rukawa felt his presence and looked at him. "Yo! Hanamichi" he greeted cheerfully and then pulled a pistol and shot Sakuragi. The bullet just graze Sakuragi's cheek but it was enough to make him run away.

Dark clouds started moving in symbolizing the approach of rain. Sakuragi could feel Rukawa pursuing him. He came to a cliff, he looked behind him and realized his pursuer was already near him. Without any choice, he jumped into the dark abyss.

He could feel himself falling very slowly. He looked up to see Rukawa standing on the cliff, looking at him. "Bye-bye Hanamichi. May you rest in peace" Rukawa called out to him and laughed. His words and laughter echoed throughout the abyss until it was gone.

And since Sakuragi was falling so slowly to the extent that it was as if he was not falling at all, Sakuragi sat down on air and embraced his drawn-up knees. "Naze? Doushite Kaede?" he murmured against his skin as tears started falling. Translation:Why? Why Kaede?

In the real world, Jiashin was surprised as she saw the tears falling from Sakuragi's eyes. She looked guilty but she continued taking the memories away.

The sun has set down and columns of moonlight were the ones lighting up the cave.

Without warning, Jiashin found herself being thrown away and her back hit against the wall across Sakuragi. She looked up and gasped to see the real Rukawa standing in front of his lover. His face was emotionless. Rukawa looked at Sakuragi and he could see his almost dried tears.

"What did you do to him?" he demanded.

"I was ordered by Tekken to take his memories which is related to you" she said her voice shaking.

"And?" Rukawa snapped.

"I did but not before..."

"But not before what?"

"He was fighting back so I gave him a nightmare which was enough for his mind to carry and enough for him to collapse in pain. But he was still fighting so I increased the intensity of the nightmare. Letting him see what he fears the most." She stopped as a realization hit her. "Oh god!" she muttered as she fell to her knees. She looked at Rukawa "I overdid it".

"What?"

"He'll never wake up again." she confessed.

"What?"

"I gave him too much nightmare... he'll never wake up unless there is a miracle. He'll be forever running away from this world. I cannot bring him back to this world"

"Then give his memories back" Rukawa ordered calmly.

The girl immediately obeyed.

"It's done" she announced as she stood up.

"You've no right at all to steal anyone's memories especially Hana's" Rukawa said silently "Not at all."

"Gomenasai" she said and was surprised to see tears running on Rukawa's cheeks. "Gomenasai" she said again and this time she bowed, her tears wetting the ground. Translation: sorry

"Get out" Rukawa rasped as he looked at his lover "Just get out".

"but"

"GET OUT" Rukawa shouted and the girl hurriedly left.

Rukawa gently unchained Sakuragi. He sat on the ground with his knees drawn up and he settled the redhead on his lower abdomen as he hugged him.

"Gomenasai" was the first word that came forth from his mouth. "If I didn't play basketball...If I was only there... perhaps things would have been different."

"Ne Hana, I'll make sure no harm will come to you... so please... please... wake up...open your eyes Hana" he continued as he started wiping the dirt and blood from his lover's face.

Please just this once, let him hear my voice... let my voice reach him wherever he is, Rukawa silently begged.

He threw his head back as he continued begging, Please let me reach him. Don't deprive us of happiness. I can't bear to lose him again so please let me save him.Let him hear me calling for him.

He looked at Hana's face and Rukawa's tears dropped on the redhead's face. "Please" Rukawa murmured over and over again.

And Rukawa fell asleep, begging for a miracle, embracing Sakuragi and crying at the same time.

~Tsuzuku