The Thin Line Between Truth and Trust
Prologue
Notes: The epic known as "Thin Line", co-written by Karei and the author FKA Princess Mimi (now Princess Keia), is being re-posted under my name, being that Karei has decided to bow out. I know there are some who read this when it was in it's beginning stages. I am posting the original chapters, and then will add to what's left, since I am forced to undertake this alone. *Sighs and mumbles something incoherently, to the affect of that it might not go as well as it originally was intended to*
…
Water trickled down his face as he struggled to climb to the top of the tower; the rain had matted his hair down and soaked his clothes thoroughly. Were it not for the ferocious determination in his ocean blue eyes, he would look quite like a wet cat. He kept his body close to the sheer metal that composed the frame of this forty-foot tower; at the top lay his ultimate challenge.
His hand finally met horizontal surface, and he propelled himself onto the roof; as he caught his breath, a shadow fell over him. He looked up to see that familiar silhouette; although weighed down by water, it's owner was unforgettable, a very unfortunate thing for him. The shadow's voice had an utterly cool edge to it:
"Hello, Matt."
The warm blue oceans in Matt's eyes had frozen over in an icy glare as he spoke:
"Hello, Tai."
"Why did you come here?"
"I think it should be rather obvious, even for a thick-headed lout like yourself," Matt smiled. "I'm here to stop you."
"I believe it's already too late for you to stop anything." Lightning crashed dangerously close to them, illuminating their faces for a brief moment; Tai's face was calm, with a knowing look of victory spread across it, while Matt's face resembled the eye of a hurricane, eerily tranquil and just about to begin storming.
The thunder that followed was deafening.
"I can't stop it from happening, that's true. But I can stop you from succeeding."
"Why would you stop me? He was totally right; we saved this miserable place and almost died, for nothing. Worthless ingrates." He spat the words out bitterly, looking out over the city lights.
"I have to stop you; I feel a certain camaraderie for these 'worthless ingrates'. It takes courage to care about those who don't deserve it."
The word made Tai flinch. 'Courage,' he mused. 'What does he know about courage?' "Either way, you're too late," he laughed.
"Never." Matt shot past Tai, pushing him down onto the roof; his goal was to reach the lightning rod first.
Tai reached out, catching Matt's ankle with his hand; Tai sent him sprawling and quickly scrambled up, making a break for the lightning rod. "I know your plan, Ishida! It won't work!"
As he spoke, Matt suddenly tackled him. The two men fell hard onto the ground as lightning cracked overhead once more. The wind picked up, flinging the rain at them like bullets. Matt flipped Tai over, punching him in the face; Tai countered by elbowing Matt in the stomach. The two men clawed at each other, two wet felines ferociously fighting forty flights high. Lightning sparked once more, the static crawling across the clouds like spiders; energy was collecting over the tower. Matt looked up and saw that the moment was coming. He couldn't let Tai make it.
In a surprising show of strength, Matt leapt from the fight and sprinted towards the rod. As his hand met it, the lightning crackled overhead, and the dagger of electricity plunged down, striking Matt.
The force of the shock electrified the whole tower and sent Tai flying off the edge. Mere seconds later, the energy had passed, and he clutched the tower with all his might. He struggled to make it to the top, but he knew it was too late, as the clouds had already begun to disperse; small patches of starlight came through. When he made it back to the roof, he found himself alone.
He stared up at the stars, the fury building up in him; his shoulders trembled in rage as he realized what had happened. "You've won this round, Ishida," he growled, "but I promise you, the next time we meet, I'll kill you." Frustrated, Tai began his descent.