Disclaimer: Je suis triste…Je n'ai pas Shadow Hearts.
Yuri: …you know, that's probably not right, seeing as how bad you are in French.
Well, fine. I'm sad. I don't own Shadow Hearts. Are you happy, Yuri? ::muttermutter:: ::cursecurse::
Yuri: ::rolls eyes::
**
Author's Note: Check out last chapter's Keith/Margarete scene. It has changed, hopefully to be more in-character for Margarete, and the changes will affect another scene.
**
Regina sat patiently as Persephone braided her hair. Although she didn't much like this activity, Persephone seemed to love it, so it was done every so often. Still, she seemed to be going very slowly today.
"Are you almost done, girl?" The 'girl' slipped out thoughtlessly; she was running low on patience. It never had been her forte.
"Almost, Regina."
Her words sounded as though she was distracted, and Regina realized that something was wrong with the summoner. "You didn't have that dream again, did you?"
"What dream?" She knew there was a dream they'd been discussing earlier, and it must have been her own; but she couldn't remember what it was about.
"Never mind, Persephone. But is anything wrong?"
Persephone paused in braiding the silky red hair. "Hyuga…his souls…they seem to be stirred up somehow. I'm not sure."
"Have you checked it out?"
"No, it was just now…"
"Check." Regina turned towards Persephone, the braiding over. If something had happened with Hyuga now, perhaps…
Persephone's face was still for a moment, and then she shuddered. Her eyes grew wide and frightened. "Persephone?" Regina said, bewildered by the change.
"Oh God…the monsters…they're…no!" she screamed the last word, and Regina grabbed her shoulders.
"Calm down, Persephone. What's wrong?"
"The people…where's…"
"No." She had to get the girl focused. Regina held her tightly and looked her in the eyes, making sure she had her attention. "Hyuga."
Persephone only looked at her with wide eyes, like she didn't understand the request. Then she closed her eyes. Painfully, she squeezed the words out. "His…souls, they're trying to…destroy him…"
Regina shook her head as Persephone collapsed against her, breathing hard. No. Why had this happened? She called out for someone to come immediately, panicking.
Syth was the first to come. "Milady, what…Persephone!"
"Hyuga's fusion souls are trying to rebel against him. She's being affected through the link," she explained quickly.
"Then we have to sever the link—"
"No! The only way to help him is through her link!"
"But…yes, Regina."
**
"Yuri!" Alice yelled. The Harmonixer was already running up the stairs and Alice looked at the others, confused. "Something—I think something's wrong with him! I'm going to see!" She started running up the stairs as well.
"I'll help! C'mon Halley," Margarete said, following Alice.
"What should we do?" Keith asked.
"Figure out what else you think we should know!" she yelled down the stairs. They didn't need all of them to chase Yuri. Besides, Zhuzhen wouldn't be any help, and it didn't make sense to just leave him with the clan alone, when Keith was the best to talk with them. "Halley, wait up!" She chased after the young London Rat, cursing as she stumbled on one of the top steps.
Halley was starting to catch up with Alice, but neither of them could catch up with Yuri. He ran at a dead sprint, his eyes wildly searching for somewhere, anywhere he could go to get away from the corpses. But where…where…?
"He's-he's going up in the tower!" Alice panted as he pulled open the door and ran through. Luckily, opening the door had slowed him down, and now they were a little closer to him than they'd been before. Halley began to pull ahead of Alice. "Yuri, stop!"
He didn't even slow down as he stormed up the stairs. He could feel something of Darkness—something that might protect him, and drive them away.
Then, a light brush told him that one of the corpses was too close to him. He turned around, and without any hesitation, kicked it.
Halley was totally unprepared for the kick. For a split second, he saw Yuri's eyes when he turned—and felt a wave of fear that he couldn't explain. Then there was a sharp pain and his neck snapped back. His whole body followed down the stairs.
"Halley! Are you alright?"
Alice stopped, looking at Margarete, who had caught Halley and stopped his fall. The spy looked impatiently at her friend. "Go ahead and catch up with Yuri! Just stay on guard." Alice nodded and then ran up the stairs again. Margarete looked at Halley. He seemed dazed, but he wasn't hurt too badly, so he shouldn't have been… "Hey, Halley! C'mon kid, you're fine. Bloody nose, but that's all."
He still didn't respond. Margarete swore and then slapped him. "Come on!"
This had some effect; Halley stirred and looked at Margarete. "Oh. Not heaven, then."
Margarete rolled her eyes. "You thought you were going to die from one kick?"
"No. I was dead." He got up on two shaky legs and then started running up the stairs. Margarete wondered what the hell he was going on about, then gave a start when Halley suddenly fell.
"Hey kid! That kick didn't scramble your brains or something, did it?" Margarete put her hands on his shoulders. "Kid, you're shaking like crazy—"
Halley ignored her and began to sprint towards Alice and Yuri. At the same time, he had to suppress an urge to turn around and run the other way, a part of himself that told him it was much wiser to stay away from any Harmonixer. Margarete stared at him and then remembered to follow.
**
"No," Yuri said. "No, no…stay away…"
The longer Alice stood in the doorway, the more he backed away from her, towards the circular wall. "Yuri, it's me," she pleaded. "Don't you recognize me?" She didn't dare come any closer, or else he might attack her in his panic. But still, she wanted to embrace him, reassure him that there was no reason to be afraid. "It's me, Alice."
"Alice…" He shook his head again, that repetitive gesture of denial. "I didn't do it…right…?"
"What didn't you do?" she asked.
"But then…how did you…"
He's not making any sense. "Yuri, you didn't do anything bad. I'm fine…see?" She took a few cautious steps towards him, but it still caused an outburst.
"Don't come any closer!"
She stopped again. The plain fear on his face…this wasn't natural. The only time she'd seen this before was on Father Doyle's visage, because he'd sold her and her father to Albert Simon. The fear and guilt that came from having a hand in someone's death. But why would Yuri be so afraid?
Father Doyle had thought she hadn't been herself though, that she had been taken by the devil. Maybe Yuri thought the same thing…
"Look at me, Yuri. You know it's me. I'm fine."
"Fine? You're…dead…"
She froze. Dead? What on earth was he talking about? Alice stepped closer, this time ignoring his yells at her to go away. He had to be hallucinating, but if she could just convince him that she was alive…
He stopped yelling. It was obvious now that the corpse would not leave him alone, no matter what he said. He looked around him…behind him was the grave, open to accept him. Nowhere to run. She seemed to be gloating over this fact as she approached. Left with no other options, Yuri put up his fists, ready to fight.
This stopped Alice. She couldn't fight him, even if he was hallucinating. There had to be something else she could do.
"Alice!"
She turned and saw Halley and Margarete at the doorway. Halley was a mess, with his nose still bleeding, but he ignored that. "Let me try something first."
She nodded. As long as it could prevent a fight, she was fine with it.
Shit. Yuri backed up more, seeing Margarete and Halley join Alice. It'd be hard enough against one person, but three? It was impossible.
Yuri, calm down.
For a minute, he looked at the corpse suspiciously. Why was he using his telepathy? But as the voice continued, he began to realize that it was coming from Halley…who was alive. He slowly became aware that the corpses weren't real, that the people standing in front of him…all of them…were alive.
**
Persephone could also hear the voice. In her feverish state, she could hear many voices, some panicked, some screaming in pain, but this one was beautifully calm. It spoke to another, not her, but still, it was enough to listen.
"Pers?"
She looked up at Kain, her vision slowly coming into focus on his dark blue eyes. "Wher…Regina…?"
He sighed and then spoke to Regina, who was talking to Pan. "Hyuga must be getting better. She's…" Then he turned back as Persephone cried out and knew he'd been wrong.
**
"Good job, Halley," Margarete said, seeing Yuri slowly put his fists down.
Alice began stepping forward again, feeling relieved when Yuri didn't panic. He seemed puzzled though. "Yuri, is anything wrong?"
"Alice? What-what happened?"
"It's alright. You were just hallucinating, I think."
A hallucination? Then the corpses had never been there…it was just a dream, didn't he remember that? Just a nightmare…nothing real… "Everyone's fine?"
"Everyone's alive. You've done nothing wrong."
He hadn't done anything to them. They were all alive. Yuri leaned against the wall and closed his eyes, reassured that nothing was wrong.
Nothing? Haven't you seen them?
They're dead!
Yuri's eyes flew open. He was back in the Graveyard, the three corpses again swarming around him. No. This was just a hallucination.
You wish it was. You wish it wasn't real.
But you are responsible for all of their deaths.
They weren't dead though! He'd just seen them…
And what if that was the hallucination?
"Yuri?" Alice shook him, trying to snap him out of it. He'd just fallen onto his knees suddenly. "Yuri, what's wrong?!"
He didn't look at her, instead staring at the ground. "The fusion souls—But they're just monsters—"
Just monsters?
Look who's talking—the son of one!
You're worse than we are…
…For your very birth was sin.
"Shut up! Shut up, shut the hell up!"
"Yuri!"
"Halley, can't you do anything?"
"I'm trying!"
"Yuri, don't listen to them. Just shut them out, alright?"
"I…can't…"
Alice held her hand on his forehead and began casting a healing spell. She had no idea if it would do any good, but he was in such agony…she had to try something…
"Ally…" Alice looked at Yuri, who leaned against her. "Ally and foe…Hypocrite and guardian…Traitor…" He shivered.
"Oh god, he's starting to babble, isn't he?" Margarete pointed out, coming over to them. "Kiddo, you do realize you're not making any sense, right?" Although she tried to hide it, everyone could hear the concern in her voice, except for Yuri. He was too lost, his consciousness returning to the Graveyard. Suddenly his head fell forward and his body became limp. He'd fainted.
Then Alice felt his body getting hotter against hers. Startled, she gently put him on his back and saw a red glow from his chest, so bright she could see it through his shirt. Was the Flare Brooch doing something to him?
**
"Are you going to destroy the corpses?" Kain asked.
Regina shook her head. "That's not wise."
"Why not?" Syth asked. He glanced at Persephone, who was now sleeping. Occasionally she murmured odd things that told him she was having the dream again.
"The corpses are made from the fusion souls. Destroying them might destroy the souls."
"Wouldn't that be best then?" Syth said. "They're trying to destroy him. And, he would still have the other two fusion souls, which are the strongest."
"No. Depending on his reaction, the situation might become much worse. I'm going to lead him to a safe point in the Graveyard."
"A safe place? Where?"
"Shut up and let me concentrate!" she snapped at Syth, and then closed her eyes.
**
Alice was the first to attack. None of the corpses had weapons, so Yuri didn't have to worry about physical attacks, but he quickly figured out being dead hadn't affected their magic. He barely avoided her Blessed Light before being attacked by Halley's Air Shot. He was blown backwards, yet somehow stopped himself from falling into the grave.
Hyuga, follow me.
"Regina?"
Alice frowned. "Regina? So, you've taken her side already."
Yuri shook his head. "I haven't done anything like that! But you're…you're definitely not Alice!"
A small fire appeared in the air above. It might have been because of Regina's animosity of Alice, or it might have been some other reason, but she was the one attacked first. It rushed at all three of the corpses, not enough to seriously harm them, but enough to make them retreat and clear a path for Yuri to run through. Grateful for the help, Yuri did follow the fire as it went towards the cluster of Earth, Fire, and Water. He almost panicked when he saw both Zhuzhen and Keith ready to attack, but understood as he saw the Gate of Self. He pushed it open and the flame consumed itself, having done its job.
He closed them, watching the corpses slam up against it and then try to reach in. He easily stepped out of their reach and sighed. He was safe here. They couldn't open the gate. Only the masks could, and they probably wouldn't…if they did, he would give them one last beating before he died.
Alice stepped forward as the others slunk away, looking back and scowling. She smiled sweetly. "You think you're safe?" Her remaining eye seemed to flash as she whispered, "Look behind you."
He turned and then swore, realizing he'd left himself wide open to a magical attack. But when he looked back, she was gone. He could only stare at the place where she'd once been.
Then, hearing a growl from behind, Yuri realized Alice's warning might not have been a trick. He turned again and saw a large fox crouching near the familiar tree. The fox growled again as it approached, its tails swishing against the ground.
What on earth was a fox doing here? The fox definitely wasn't a normal fox—it had at least four tails—a kitsune? Even then, it shouldn't have been able to get in here…
Yuri pushed the questions aside and put up his fists. He'd had enough of being attacked today.
"No! Stop!"
The fox's head swung towards the voice, his ears perking. A small boy dropped out of the tree and embraced the fox while glaring at Yuri. "Stop it!"
His piercing eyes, bright and at the same time dark, startled Yuri. Then he shook his head. "What are you talking about? That fox was growling. It was going to attack me."
As he spoke, the fox began snarling. He looked at it and then realized that the fox's eyes were very familiar. They were his own.
"Fox…Face?" Yuri shook his head and laughed. This was unbelievable. "What, now you're a real fox?"
The fox growled and suddenly Yuri found himself on his back with the animal eyeing his throat. His reaction was to punch him and then throw the fox off of him.
"Stop it! Stop hurting him!"
The Harmonixer stared at the little boy. He was only about eight, but still… "What's wrong with you? He attacked me!"
"Only because you rejected him again!" His small hands clenched into fists as he stood between the two. The tension in his muscles was visible. Then his expression began to soften. He lowered his fists. "You…you wouldn't know though. You've never been rejected. You've never known what it's like to be treated…like you're just some dumb beast, like you don't deserve…to even exist…" The boy wiped at his face with his sleeve.
"Well…he's
not really supposed to…" The fox was
not at all pleased with this and voiced his disagreement with a bark. Yuri glared at him. "…Besides, I thought I did accept
him. So why's he here? And who are you, anyway?"
"I'm no one. No one of importance. And you did accept him, but…" He turned to look at the fox as it got up. "I suppose you learned about your lineage."
"How'd you know…"
"Fox Face is a personality composed of the parts of yourself you reject. He's a kitsune right now." Yuri looked at him in surprise; he had stopped talking like a child and now, like an adult. "You've rejected that you could be a monster. You're repulsed by the very idea. So not only has Fox Face been revived, he's been changed to accept what you rejected. To accept that he is…and you are…a monster."
"No I'm not!" He snapped.
The fox started to charge at him but the boy grabbed the fox, trying to hold him, screaming, "Stop it! This won't help anyone! Please Yuri, he has to stay alive!"
Yuri tensed, but it seemed like the fox was slowly calming down, although it continued to give him a murderous glare. When it seemed like he wouldn't try attacking again, Yuri spoke. "…Yuri?"
"He's Yuri, just as you are. You're both Yuri. Haven't you learned that by now?" He paused to whisper in a soothing voice to Fox Face, while stroking the dark brown fur. "But instead you called him by that false name. What if he gave you a false name?" He stopped again and pressed his face against the fur, as if listening, and then laughed. "I like that name. It suits him."
"What was it." Yuri's bet was on something like 'idiot', or something equally degrading.
So he was surprised when the soft reply was, "Ego."
"Ego?"
"Yes. Now go away." His voice became harsh. "You have no place here."
The gates suddenly opened, and Yuri looked out of them, unmoving. "They're waiting for me out there."
"No they aren't. They'll rest now."
"How do you—" Yuri's question was broken off by Fox Face's snarl and the boy's glare. "Fine then! I'm going."
He walked out of the gate and saw it close behind him. But looking around, all the graves appeared to be undisturbed. The boy had been right, it seemed.
Who was he, anyway?
**
Yuri felt two arms beneath him, and he kept moving up and down. "I'm awake, put me down."
"Are you sure you can walk?"
"Dammit, put me down Keith."
As per his rather rude request, Yuri was lowered onto the ground by the vampire. In the darkness, he could make out that they were in the forest, and the others were there as well.
"Are you sure you're alright?" Alice asked.
"Sure."
"…Try to walk."
He got up shakily made two strides before he had to lean against a tree. His legs felt weak. His whole body felt weak. "What the hell…"
"Well, from what we can tell, the Flare Brooch did help you," Margarete said. "But it probably took some of your own energy to do that."
"Let's just rest here then," Alice said. "Halley, want to help me set up the tents?"
Halley shrugged. "Sure."
"Oh, great," Yuri complained. "Helps me out but sucks me dry…feels like…" He trailed off as he saw Halley's face, still covered with dried blood. "What happened to you, Halley?"
"You kicked me and broke my nose," he said simply.
"I did…" Oh. He did remember doing that, when he'd thought they were zombies. "…Sorry."
"At least it healed fast, but I guess it's still showing then." He grabbed his canteen and poured it out over him, letting the water wash the blood away.
"I'll get a fire going," Zhuzhen said.
"Eh, I'll just go to sleep," Yuri said, and sat down against the tree to sleep.
**
Persephone walked through the hallways of the tower, searching for Regina. She'd seen her an hour ago, and was wondering where she had gone. Instead of finding her though, she ran into Syth. He looked her over.
"How do you feel?"
"…I feel alright," Persephone said. "Where's Regina?"
"Talking with Pan. They're trying to figure out why Hyuga's souls tried to rebel. Why are you looking for her?"
Why does he want to know? she wondered. "I wanted to ask her if I should keep the link with Hyuga open."
"Well, you'll have to wait. It seems like they'll be a while." She looked down at the floor, disappointed. "Persephone, when you were asleep, did you dream?"
She looked up at him in surprise. What an odd question. "I think I did…but I don't remember what it was about. Why?"
"It's nothing important."
"Fine, then…" Persephone turned and walked back to her room, knowing she couldn't intrude on Regina and Pan's meeting.
Syth shook his head and sighed.
"Why did you even try asking?"
He glared at a blank space of wall. "Kain, if Regina ever catches you eavesdropping like that, you'll get quite a lashing."
"Hey, give me credit. I'm not stupid enough to try eavesdropping on her." The illusionist dropped the disguise, smirking at his friend. "So…you were quite worried about her, weren't you?"
"Shut up," Syth hissed. "She's not even of age."
"But what if her father's blood doesn't take in her? Then she'll be good for only a few years. Might as well have her now."
"Kain!"
"Fine, fine. But why don't you at least try? She will be of age in only four years. What then?"
"Then…nothing." Syth shrugged. "Didn't you just hear her? The only person she cares about is Regina. There's nothing I can do to change that."
Kain shook his head. "You were always into the odd ones. And the hopeless ones. And the—"
"Kain."
"Shutting up."