GVS2: Battle Revolution
Conceived By: Lone Wolf SIX
Written By: Lone Wolf SIX
Disclaimer: Lone Wolf SIX doesn't own Guilty Gear or any of the games, anime, movies, books and the like that are the property of other people. All original characters in this story are his creations and property. All insert characters are copyrighted or owned by their respective represented real-life entities.
Attention! Starting from Child of Chrono arc, all the related chapters will contain mostly flashbacks and dialogues with little or no fighting scenes (definitely not likeable for most fighting fans out there). But Lone Wolf SIX must states that all the unsolved mysteries written in this story must be solved with all costs. And Lone Wolf SIX isn't very good in flashbacks and dragging dialogues, gomen.
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Chapter 24: Child of Chrono part 1: Confession
"Yes, I know. But do we still have to deal with the agents? I understand how harsh the situation you're facing, but… alright. I'll entrust you to take care of them. Call me if anything happens."
Zofeah lowered the hand holding his handphone and breathed out. Both Terry and Chidori looked at the organizer, who later shrugged and walked toward the two. "Well, any news from your buddies?" Terry asked.
"It seems that the NESTS possess no more threat," Zofeah uttered, "or so I've heard."
Terry's eyebrow arched upward. "Oh?"
"Somebody has taken one step ahead of us," Zofeah spoke, "in defeating the NESTS warrior."
"Eh? So that means Kusanagi #102796's no longer threat to the tournament?" Chidori uttered.
"Yes. However, one of the agents sent to the location where the battle occurred reported," Zofeah continued, "that the time space surrounding the area is disturbed by an unknown force. I have yet to be reported about the occurrence, but I have been requested to return to Kiev as soon as possible."
"Oh? Why would you do such thing?" Terry spoke.
Zofeah gave out a long breath. "It's my hometown. Not the kind of city one would expect to return in time like this."
"Then what are you upset at?" Terry insisted. "You could've been happy by going back."
"No, it's not like that, Mister Terry," Zofeah spoke later on. "But the place… sigh, it brings a memory I shouldn't remember."
"Aw, just get over it, okay?" Terry insisted.
Zofeah sighed and corrected his suit. "I fear it won't be as easy as you think. But I think I'll consider your suggestion, Mister Terry."
x-x-x-x-x
Yuuki was speechless. Before her, laid three items she never expected to see: a note with the word 'REVOLUTION', a scroll and a ring; all of which were given to her by Ky while visiting the couples at the mansion. She didn't get the chance to meet Hikki who stayed with them, as he already left. Yet it was neither the ring nor the note that interested her, though the note did give her some hints of the link between the organizer and Lone Wolf SIX. It was the scroll that gained her attention. Since it was written in an ancient language, she would have to take her time translating all the inscriptions.
More importantly to her was the condition of Hikki. She could have sworn that his amok was caused by overstress, yet other observations showed that it was somehow related to the time-distortion effect during the battle with Kusanagi #102796. She suspected that the Chrono magic was behind the showdown, but that have to wait, she thought. The scroll must be encrypted, first.
"Anything new, Yuuki?" Zero asked as she took a break from the code-breaking task.
"Not yet," Yuuki spoke. "Gah, it would take a whole day just to translate one of the texts. I haven't done this kind of thing before."
"You could ask Ciel for help," Zero suggested. "She can search the database for information related to the scroll."
"I'd really appreciate it," Yuuki uttered and corrected her eyeglasses. "But I'm still concerned of one thing."
Zero breathed out. "It's about Hikki's unknown force. I know, I've been bothered by that since I came here. Ciel and I have been searching through the entire database for its information. So far…"
"You two haven't found anything, right?" Yuuki added. Zero merely nodded. "You're not alone in this matter, Zero. You're not."
x-x-x-x-x
Hikki was alone, walking down the path and ignoring the scenery of the city park. Still troubled after the incident onboard Mayship, he decided to take a quick stroll at the park as to ease his rioting soul. He took a very little notice of the people at the park, as well as some romance-struck couples who were spending their private time together. He did not take attention of the people around them. Why should he do so?
"The God of Cosplay, Kokurabuji Hikki, right?"
His steps halted. Curiously Hikki turned around and saw a woman in robe standing under a mulberry tree. "Yes? How can I… how the heck did you know my name?"
The woman slowly moved away from the tree and walked toward Hikki. "There are some questions I would like to ask you, Hikki-san. Or should I say… Chrono Falken?" she uttered and pulled the hood down. Hikki stepped back in shock as the woman fully undid the hood, revealing her face. "What's wrong? Why are you very surprised to see me… little brother?"
"Sonna…" Hikki gasped. "M-Mriya-oneesama? Is that… really you?" Then, in a sudden, a flashback emerged in the very depth of his memory. The very flashback of a woman kneeling in front of him, hands and face stained with the blood of human. The flashback of a tragedy…
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"O-oneesama?"
"Gomennasai… I'm a failure as your sister… gomennasai…"
"Oneesama, your hands… your face… your clothes… they're bleeding. What happened to you, oneesama? What…?"
"My precious Chrono… gomennasai… I…"
.
…he supposed to forget.
"IYAAA! YAMETE!"
Hikki fell onto his knees, shivering in horror. "Onegai… don't make me remember… Onegai…!" he begged, holding his head and shaking uncontrollably.
"What's wrong, little brother?" Mriya slyly asked. "Why are you shivering and trembling like a weakling? The kind of act only sickens me to its root."
"No… I thought… I thought you were dead… I could've sworn you're dead!" Hikki cried. "But how did you…!?"
"My, my. Our little cry-baby is still asking such foolish question," Mriya spoke. "You have no right to earn the answer from me. You are not even worthy in my eyes." She, then, knelt beside Hikki and reached his chin, staring deep into his emerald eyes. "Look at you. Pretending to be alright, but in reality hates and despises everything around," she uttered and lifted his face close to hers.
"Oneesama… why are you…" Hikki voiced, still trembling in shock.
Mriya frowned at him in disgust and roughly threw him back to the ground. "Foolish. Still asking me this and that, as if I'm going to listen to you?" coldly she spoke and stood back. "I have no time for the likes of you. Of course you still owe me from that time, but that can wait, for now I am assigned to end this once and for all."
"Oneesama!" Hikki called as he got back on his feet. "Why… why are you here? Please tell me, oneesama! Oneesama, onegai!"
Mriya turned around and glowered at Hikki. Her emerald eyes were burning with passionate hatred and evil. "Why am I here? Why are you asking such pointless question?" In a sudden, she waved her palm at him and pushed him away with a gale pulse. Hikki crashed on a nearby tree and, since he hadn't fully recovered, suffered from more injuries. "Hmph. Pathetic." The woman, then walked away from Hikki before she halted. "Hikki… no, Chrono, your oneesama is dead. You can never, and will never, refer me to the dead woman." She resumed walking down the park, leaving traces of distorted gale and the trademark faint cross.
Hikki still didn't move. His emotion became more twisted than ever. Even more twisted and more agonizing than the time he suffered from Chrono force's after-effect. Again, tears formed in his eyes' well and streamed down his bruised cheeks. "Nande… at this time…? Nande?"
.
"It's about time," Ky uttered as Rock and Hotaru returned from the market. "Are you two loitering again, Mister and Miss Howard?"
"Gomen, gomen," Hotaru spoke and giggled. "We kind of strayed away while going back. Ne, Rock?"
"Err… yeah, we strayed off," Rock replied and laughed silly.
Ky merely shrugged in amazement. "Alright. You've bought the groceries, right? Dizzy and I will cook tonight's dinner. Any suggestions?"
"Yaay! I want fried chicken!" Goku shouted.
"Whatever is fine with me," Sanzo mumbled.
"Hmm, a dinner cooked by the cute ribbon girls," Gojyo pondered.
"I'd just have potato soup, Hotaru-san" Hakkai spoke.
"Haii!" Hotaru replied and happily walked to the kitchen. "Dizzy-chan, let's make the best meal for tonight's dinner. Shall we?" she spoke and took her hand.
The door opened, and Hikki unsteadily entered the house. Everybody looked at him who was heading toward the staircase. "Okaerinasai, Hikki-san," Hotaru greeted, but received no answer from him. He ignored the people and continued his staggered footsteps up the staircase.
"Hikki-san, daijoobu desuka?" Hakkai asked.
Hikki stopped, though he still didn't looked at them. "Daijoobu… tte…?" he half-whispered and walked again.
"I think he got screwed up again," Gojyo suggested, much to Dizzy's dismay. "What? Did I say something wrong? Grouse, I thought I could do something better in this house."
"As shutting your sorry mouth?" Sanzo demanded and pointed the Colt revolver at Gojyo.
"Ettou… let me talk with Mister Hikki," Dizzy uttered and followed him to the upstairs.
"Eh? Why must she?" Gojyo demanded and stared at Ky. The French Holy Knight merely cackled and had a grin carved upon his face. "What are you smiling at? She's your dearly wife, don't you get it?"
Again, Sanzo aimed the spirit-ascending gun at Gojyo's head. "Urusai."
.
Dizzy knew something wrong happened to Hikki, as the Korean didn't respond to her calls. She was anxious of whether he was getting stressed again, from the way he walked and reacted to the surrounding. Yet she wanted to know what really happened to him, and gathered enough strength to catch his shoulder. Hikki turned around to respond to the grab, and stared at her with sorrow-laden eyes. "Mister Hikki, are you alright?" asked the Gear.
Hikki frowned. "I'm not… alright…" he answered. He seized Dizzy's hand and held on it very tightly. Dizzy was startled because of the strange coldness seeping out from his hand. "I'm not alright at all… I'm not…" he whispered and tightened the grip.
"Mister Hikki?" Dizzy spoke, holding his hand in return.
"I… I should talk with everyone," he spoke. "Can you ask them to come over, Dizzy? It's really important, I need to tell it right away."
x-x-x-x-x
"Chosen One?" He was startled from his daydream when Aurora called him. "You're daydreaming again, aren't you?"
"Aw, you're interrupting my delusion," he mumbled. Aurora merely giggled and sat beside him, leaning against the cherry blossom tree. "Now what?"
"Nothing," Aurora replied and laid her head on his shoulder, and took a hold on his hand. "It's just that I'm very grateful to be at your side."
"Oh." He breathed out and leaned against the tree trunk. "Aurora."
"Yes, Chosen One?" Aurora replied.
"About the nightmare I had," he spoke and held her hand in return. "I have this strange feeling that it's actually some kind of prophecy. Meh, I don't know what the heck I'm thinking of right now, but…"
"I know what you want to tell me, Chosen One," Aurora spoke.
He sighed and held her hand even tighter. "But, Aurora…"
"Yes?" softly she asked.
"But how long should I stay here? I mean, how long should I wait?" he uttered. "I still have my responsibility out there, and… sigh, I know I shouldn't disappointing you, Aurora, but I can't stay here much longer. If I do…"
"I understand, Chosen One," Aurora spoke. "I'm sorry."
He looked at Aurora in bafflement. "What are you sorry at, Aurora?"
Aurora merely giggled and rested herself on his shoulder. "Nothing. Chosen One, you looked so cute when you slept in my arms."
He blushed. "Err… I am? Well, I don't look very cute, you see."
Aurora giggled again and playfully poked his cheek. "Silly. Even she will say the same thing if she's in my place."
x-x-x-x-x
The air was silent. Everyone inside the mansion, including the people onboard Mayship who was asked to come to the house, waited anxiously, as Hikki seated at the single-seating sofa. They were uncertain of what Hikki would reveal, as they knew that the Korean was usually of the ignorant and happy-go-lucky type who wouldn't even bother of sharing their past.
"Anou, Hikki-san," Hakkai voiced, "I think you can start speaking."
Hikki breathed out and looked at the ceiling. "You're right. I shall tell you everything you want to know about me. But first, I shall let you know of one thing."
"What is it, then?" Yuuki asked.
Hikki breathed out and frowned. "I met oneesama yesterday."
An abrupt ad lib occurred among them, as if they couldn't believe what Hikki had said. "Y-your sister?" Dizzy asked in surprise.
"I must apologize for not telling that to you all earlier," Hikki uttered, "but yes. I met her."
"Then how come you look so messed up?" Gojyo questioned. "Good grief. You know you should be grateful to be reunited with your relative, Hikki."
"How can I, Gojyo?" Hikki asked back in sombre voice. "How can I be happy when oneesama is dead? How can I?"
Hotaru gasped. "Sonna! But you said that you met your oneesama, right?"
"I did, but…" Hikki again frowned. He tried to gather his strength before he resumed speaking. "Oneesama… oneesama is the only person in the world I put all my trust and hope on. Oneesama's always there when I need her the most."
"Who is she anyway, Hikki?" May inquired.
Letting out a long breathe, Hikki looked at the Jellyfish pirate. "Mriya, Mriya Falken."
"Falken?" Zero spoke. "Then the name you have… it's adapted, isn't it?"
"Yes," Hikki answered. "I know it's not the right time, and I know I don't want to revive the painful memory behind it… but I will now reveal who I really am." He took a deep breath and began. "I am Chrono Falken, the second child of the Falken House, and younger brother of Mriya Falken."
Yuuki's eyes widened in an utterly shock. "Chrono? You mean the forbidden Chrono magic?"
Hikki nodded. "Yes, Yuuki. My original name represents the forbidden magic of Chrono, and only the member of the Falken Clan is granted to inherit it."
"Then," Yuuki uttered and gave him the scroll, "do you know anything about this scroll? Ky gave this to me while I visited them."
Hikki took the scroll and unrolled it and read its texts. He later put it back on the table. "This… I'm sorry. I wish I had the knowledge, but this scroll is unreadable."
"But you said your family inherits the magic. How can you-"
"How should I know, when the name brings me nothing but pain!?" Hikki exclaimed. "Damn it! For 10 years I have been haunted by the name, and it sickens me very much. Do you realize how much I have taken to get rid of the curse? Do you realize how much I must take to heal my broken heart? Do you?"
"Absolutely no one in the family wanted to acknowledge my existence," he continued. "They thought that I'm not worthy of becoming the family's heir and continuing their legacy as the renowned Warrior of Time. I was dumped and treated like a lowlife. I was locked inside the house and never had the chance to go outside. I had no one to rely on; okaasan and otousan died when I was still in cradle, and I was given to the clan leader for custody. I felt that I was the most unfortunate child in the whole world, until she came into my life."
"Mriya, right?" Hotaru asked.
Hikki just nodded. "Like what I had told you earlier, she was the only person in the entire world I put everything on. She was, like, my saviour in the sense that she's my precious sister." Tears began to flow down his cheeks, as he stopped talking and continued. "At that time, I didn't care if I was isolated by the rest of the clan. I didn't take a damn of it if I was rejected by the clan. As long as I was with oneesama, it was enough for me. I loved her with all my heart, and I was hoping that we could live together for eternity."
"Then how did she… died?" Dizzy asked.
Hikki tsked and clenched his fists. "It was the elders' fault… they selected oneesama for their scientific research on Chrono magic's time-manipulating property. I can't forgive them for what happened to oneesama…!"
.
"Oneesama!" little Chrono cried and tried to enter the chamber, before several guards seized him. "Let me go! Let me go! Oneesama is in trouble!"
"Don't let him approach the cube!" the leading scientist ordered. "The process mustn't be interrupted at all costs."
"What are you doing to oneesama!?" Chrono demanded, struggling to flee from the guards. "Let her go! Let her go!"
"Fool of you," the scientist scolded, "do you realize what future awaits us? With the Chrono magic fully exploited, the Falken clan will become invincible and shall rule the world. If this experiment succeeds, our continuity is guaranteed."
"I don't care about the experiment, but let oneesama go!" Chrono shouted. "Don't hurt her! Onegai!"
The scientist ignored the young Falken and approached the glass cube, where inside it Mriya was writhing about and crying in pain. "Soon, the world will acknowledge our existence, and they will soon kneel before us!" he declared and broke into a mad laughter.
"Oneesama! Let oneesama go! Oneesama! ONEESAMA!"
.
"And before I knew it," Hikki continued, "oneesama suddenly broke through the glass box and attacked everyone inside the facility. I was lucky for hiding under table, but I didn't know what happened to oneesama or the people inside the building. When I peeped out of the table, I saw dead bodies everywhere, and… oneesama… she stood near the scientist, holding something that looked like a head."
Everyone gasped in horror. Dizzy covered her mouth, trying not to reveal her disgusted reaction. Hotaru was too scared that Rock had to console him. Yuuki, however, remained calm despite the uneasiness feeling inside of her. "Please continue, Hikki. We want to know what happened after that," That Girl spoke.
.
Cautiously, Chrono approached Mriya who remained still near the now-destroyed glass box. "O-oneesama? A-are you alright?"
Mriya looked at him and dropped the scientist's head off her palm. "Gomennasai… I'm a failure as your sister… gomennasai…" she spoke, tears flowing down her cheek.
Chrono was startled. "Oneesama, your hands… your face… your clothes… they're bleeding. What happened to you, oneesama? What…?"
Mriya approached him and knelt before him. She cupped his cheeks with the bloodstained hands and stared into his emerald eyes. "My precious Chrono… gomennasai… I…"
"Oneesama…" Chrono spoke, taking a hold of her hands, "why are you crying? Please, don't cry. If oneesama cries, then I will cry, too."
"Gomennasai, Chrono… I…" Mriya fell onto the floor before she could finish the word. Startled, Chrono knelt beside her, trying to wake her up. It was a futile effort, because he realized that Mriya had passed away. The child broke into tears and cried, ignoring soldiers who later stormed in the facility.
"Hey, kid!" a soldier called Chrono who still cried beside Mriya's deceased body. "What happened to this place? Do you know anything about his place?" Chrono stopped crying and was silent, taking no notice of the soldier who was calling. "Hey, kid! Are you listening to me?"
"Kisama…" he growled and lifted his head, revealing a pair of emerald eyes full of hatred and anger. "OMAE WO KOROSU!"
.
"I had lost my memory of what happened after that," Hikki uttered, "but what did I know that after the incident, my only relative was taken away and transferred to here, in Ukraine. I found myself running away from the house, and heading to nowhere. And before I realize it, I arrived at Magnolia Village, where I met Yuu for the first time. I was afraid that she and the villagers might reject me because I was a member of the Falken clan, but instead they openheartedly accepted me and offered me to stay with them." The, he broke into tears and cupped his face. "Everyone… everyone is so nice at me… but… I don't want to be their burden. I don't want what had happened to oneesama to happen to them… I don't want to let Yuu involved in this curse…"
Dizzy embraced Hikki and softly rubbed his back. "It's alright, Hikki. Everything's fine now," she whispered.
"But how I can be fine now?" Hikki replied between his sobs. "Soon afterwards, everyone in the world heard of the incident and began to hunt me down as bounty, with the PWAB being the most persistent among them. I didn't commit any crime, so why would they constantly disturb my life? Why can't they understand the 10-years of sorrow I have to carry along? If only… if only Lone Wolf is here…"
"Of all people, why Lone Wolf?" Ky questioned.
"He's the only person who recognized the potency behind the Chrono magic," Hikki continued. "He's the only person who treated me fair and square, when everybody practically ignored me. Though I can't trust people anymore after the tragedy, he's won my belief and respect. He understands the pain I have to endure, especially after he heard the news of oneesama's death."
"Then he's the one who taught you martial arts, right?" Rock asked.
"Rock, he's the reason why I'm involved in this fighting world," he answered, letting Dizzy rub his back. "Reppuken, Double Reppuken, Crest Counter, Faint, Chrono Install, he taught me everything."
"But, then, he should've known the risk Hikki has to take in using the power." The son of Geese insisted. "Why wouldn't he just get rid of the Chrono magic for good?"
"If he knew how to seal the magic, he would've done so while teaching me martial arts. There's nothing we can do about the magic, Rock," Hikki told him. "It's permanently embedded into its owner's bloodline by generations of heritage. Both oneesama and I possess the magic, so it's just impossible…"
"Didn't you say Mriya is dead? Then how come you said that you had met her? Are you trying to fool us with your fantasy, Hikki?" Iori demanded.
May glowered at the Yagami fighter. "Oniisan! Hikki's telling us the truth. Why don't you believe in him for once?" Iori just snarled and shrugged.
"May-chan's right," Dizzy whispered and looked at him. "Hikki, you can stop here if you don't feel like continuing it."
Hikki looked at her and nodded. "I understand. Gomen, for making you worried at me. I'm such a lousy brat for acting like a child."
x-x-x-x-x
Dizzy stood outside the room. The thought of Hikki being the only survivor of the deceased Falken clan and the owner of the forbidden magic of Chrono didn't disturb her much; it was the fact he had to endure so many sorrows and pain that ached her gentle heart the most. She could never imagine a person as cheerful as him would keep a painful memory and carry it along his life.
"You okay, Dizzy?" Dizzy was startled and looked at her left. "I thought I might come here to have a look at Hikki. How is he?"
"He's sleeping, Mister Ky," Dizzy told him. "Ne, Mister Ky…"
"What is it, Dizzy?" Ky asked.
"I… I kind of understand how Hikki feels," the Gear spoke and put a hand on her heart. "He's lost the only person he loves, and I happened to be in the same situation. Mister Ky, you understand his feeling, don't you?"
Ky just sighed and nodded. "For most of the part, yes. It's kind of coincidental. The three of us, losing the most priced treasures. Maybe it's what God calls fate."
"But I didn't get it," Dizzy spoke afterwards. "He said that Mriya died a long time ago. Then why did he tell us that he had met her?"
Ky shook his shoulders. "I have no idea, Dizzy."
"Souka…" Dizzy half-whispered. "Mister Ky, Hikki asked me a favour."
"He did?" Ky asked.
"He asked me whether we could take Hibiki and Yuu over to this place," Dizzy said.
"Come to think about it, I almost forgot about Hibiki and Yuu and Cassandra," Ky uttered. "I can understand if it's Yuu; maybe she's Hikki's girlfriend or something. But why Hibiki?"
Dizzy shook her head. "He didn't tell me why. He just wants to see her; I guess."
x-x-x-x-x-x
Konnani daiji na hito ni
Doushite meguri aetano to
Itai hodo tsunagu yubi de
Sabishi sa kieme yume wo miru no
Sayonara Solitia…
(Sayonara Solitia, Saeko Chiba, Chrno Crusade. God, Lone Wolf loves this song so damn much!)
P/S: Lone Wolf SIX hasn't been sleeping for two days this recently, due to his commitment to this story. So if readers notice that the chapters lack the usual force, please spare Lone Wolf SIX for his unawareness.