Disclaimer: No, I don't own Shadow Hearts. Tissue alert!
Part 16
"Other than that, there's not a thing that I can do about it." And now, watching as Yuri and Kurando walked quickly ahead, their voices raised in heated argument, then breaking down into sudden laughter, Karin wondered at the strength of Yuri – to face each danger as it came, to live life to its fullest, even knowing the outcome and not fearing its results. She wondered if she'd have the same strength to face her fate – or to change it. For change it she must, she felt. Yuri's memories, his life, depended on her. If she could change fate somehow, redirect it along another path - then Yuri wouldn't need to lose his memories, and she wouldn't need to... She stopped her thought there, refusing to wrap her mind around it.
Just ahead, the others reached the transport pad and were whisked away, leaving Joachim, Lucia and Karin to follow. Lucia was still walking shoulder to shoulder with her but, looking over at her, Karin saw Lucia's glances toward Joachim. The dancer was attracted to the big wrestler and Karin hoped Lucia would find her happiness, but Karin felt that her own happiness, what she wanted for herself, had withered to dry ash. She had not dreamed that, when she started this assignment, she would meet two men who would fascinate her so. Nicholai, with his good looks and charming manner – his voice, even when he was angry, was a caress. She missed him. She knew she could have fallen for him so easily.
Am I that desperate? she thought.
They stepped onto the transport and the vessel warped around them, taking them back to the floor below. Yuri was waiting for them, one hand on his hip.
"You trying to get yourself killed or something?" he asked, giving the three lagers a hard inspection.
"Joachim's here. And I can fight," Karin said defensively and then mentally kicked herself. I sound like a petulant child – worse than Ana. Next to her Joachim posed, his broad chest pushed out and his equally broad arms raised.
"I'll protect them," he said and Lucia giggled. Karin looked from the frowning fusionist to the posing wrestler and shook her head.
"I'm surrounded by comedians."
"You'll be surrounded by monsters if you're not careful. Don't fall behind," Yuri said and then turned away, heading down the long pathway to the next transfer point.
"Ah, he's no fun," Lucia said and then sighed.
They were attacked half way to the next transfer point. Two large lion-type monsters pounced out of the shadows, their manes green and their tongues red and lolling. One leapt instantly onto Kurando and bit his arm, huge fangs dripping poison and the young swordsman screamed in pain. Joachim threw himself at the beast, beating it with his weapon, a thing like a skyscraper, while Lucia pulled the young warrior aside. She quickly used a combination of oils to combat the poison, and then a crest to renew his strength. By the time Kurando was back on his feet, the fight was over, Yuri knocking away bits of monster flesh from his claws and Karin sheathing her sword.
"Is he going to be all right?" Anastasia asked. She had abandoned her camera and egg at the side of the path, and had knelt beside Lucia as she ministered to Kurando; but it was Kurando himself who nodded once, giving Anastasia a brief squeeze of her hand before sheathing his own sword.
"He'll be fine," Lucia said and looked around at the remains. "We do seem to make a mess wherever we go," she said. Gepetto, catching the lunacy of the comment, chortled softly to himself as he picked up Ana's things. Together he and Blanca ambled slowly toward the glowing transfer point while the others followed behind.
They wound their way back along the narrow walkways to the control console on the next floor and fiddled with the controls again, moving the floors around and opening up other possible pathways.
"Yeah, that's how it's done," Gepetto said and led Cornelia off, dancing on the end of her strings. Karin watched the doll, dressed in a short blue skirt and a blue ribbon in her hair.
"Yuri, is that from a picture you drew?" she asked, remembering what Gepetto had said earlier.
Yuri came up to her as they walked down the pathway and the clink of his belts was soothing to Karin's jangling nerves. She could smell his leather and the tang of sweat.
"Yeah," the fusionist responded quietly. "It's what Alice used to wear. I – I kinda liked the dress," he said and Karin caught the look of subtle embarrassment before he rubbed it away with a gloved hand.
"It's pretty," Karin offered and then fell back a few paces to walk with Lucia and Joachim, letting Yuri catch up with Gepetto and his cousin, Kurando.
The next transfer point let them out in a dark corner, but ahead they could make out the last control console and the path leading up to Takamagahara. They simply had to alter the pathways, and then confront Kato. Would that it would be that easy, Karin thought and watched as Yuri and Kurando hurried ahead. Joachim moved past them and Lucia stayed at her side, pulling Karin's arm into her own, holding her close.
"Karin, you've been so quiet. Is everything all right with you? Are you feeling ill?" the dancer asked, her almond-brown eyes looking through long lashes at the young swordswoman. But Karin turned away, shaking her head.
"I'm fine," she said, "I've just got a lot on my mind. We're almost there now." Karin looked up at the nearby control tower and the others ranged around it, waiting for them. "We'd better hurry," she said and pulled free of Lucia's grip and ran ahead.
With a nod, Yuri moved the last row of controls, shifting the pathways once again and the last transfer point moved into position.
"There, that should do it. We can go straight through now," he said. The group moved ahead, Kurando taking the lead and Yuri lagged behind to stay with Karin. "Lucia, do you mind? I wanna talk to Karin a minute," he said to the dancer and the Italian beauty smiled warmly, waving with one long-nailed hand as she skipped ahead.
"What is it, Yuri? The others will get too far ahead," Karin said and moved off but Yuri reached out quickly, snagging her elbow with his gloved hand.
"They'll wait. Karin..." he looked down at the radiant redhead and Karin could feel his breath on her face.
"Yes?"
Taking a quick glance toward the transfer point, he pulled her closer, looping one arm around her waist.
"What's wrong? I thought ... I know how you feel, remember?" he said and his voice send shivers down her spine, the deep timber of his voice wrapping around her like one of Lucia's perfumes. He bent slightly and ran his lips over her cheek, whispering into her ear: "I wish we hadn't been interrupted."
Karin stiffened, her whole being held with her breath at his words. He wished they had not been interrupted. He wished they'd actually consummated their feelings. He wished... she wished... Karin looked down, blinking the quickly forming tears from her grey eyes and seeing the steady rise and fall of his chest, the ripple of muscles as he drew her closer still, hugging her gently.
Oh Gott how can you do this to me? she thought. He's here, I love him, I want him... he wants me. She closed her eyes and slipped her arms around his hips, the cuff of one sleeve catching on his belts and holding her there, half-embracing. She let her cheek rest against his chest, feeling the roughness of the material as it abraded her soft skin, the warmth that radiated from him, and wanted nothing more than to be away from here, back on Earth, anywhere but here in this Vessel of Yamato.
"Hey you guys!" Anastasia called from the transport point. "Come on you love birds!"
Yuri's sigh was part breath and part growl, his hard hands coming up to grip her shoulders, pushing her back.
"I could kill her some days," he said softly.
Karin shook herself, pulling her cuff free of his belts, feeling suddenly very cold and naked in the semi-dark of the pathway.
"Oh, you know how she is," she replied and straightened her blouse. "I guess we'd better go now," and she moved ahead toward the glowing platform. Once they were all together, the group stepped onto the glowing blue circle. Light wrapped around them, warping them upward to the next floor and they landed on another stage, one lone path leading away toward a circle of pillars and beyond, the entrance to the Field of Takamagahara.
They arrived dizzy and breathless, as if the transport had spun them around before landing them in the rarified atmosphere of the upper floor. Karin put her hand to her throat before realizing that Yuri was face down on the floor. She quickly knelt at his side and touched his shoulder, shaking him gently.
"Yuri? Yuri?" But Yuri did not move. Ahead, at the pillars, one of the others spotted movement and Joachim pointed.
"We better wake him up – someone's coming," he said. Karin nodded and shook Yuri's shoulder harder.
"Yuri!"
Yuri moved slowly under Karin's hand, pushing himself up to his knees. He looked up at her, his eyes blurred around the edges.
"What's happening? Why are you yelling?" he asked, climbing slowly to his feet and rotating his shoulders.
Karin sighed. "You didn't wake up. Are you all right? What happened?"
Yuri looked at her before turning to catch the concerned glances of his companions. He rubbed the back of his head, grinning.
"Yeah," he said and looked at her. "I just said my final farewell."
Karin felt her chest constrict, her breath caught in her throat. What could he mean? her mind screamed at her and she struggled to speak.
"Fi – final farewell?" she finally asked, her voice a mere squeak.
"To Jeanne," he said and, when she didn't speak he continued, "We were smiling when we said goodbye. So, now I've got no regrets."
Karin, one hand clutched at her chest, felt the pressure beginning to break at his words. Oh, he means the little girl, the one in his soul. But, but why would he say farewell... did she finally move on?
"Oh," she said and looked down at the ground, a glowing blue pentacle at her feet. She toed the inlaid white star in its center, the glints of light sparkling in her eyes and she blinked back tears. Yuri had moved away, gathering the others into a closer group. She could hear him speaking, his voice sure, with nothing of his usual cockiness. She looked up to see the others looking at him with affection and respect.
"I'm not sure how we're going to manage it, you guys," he said, "but let's make sure we all get out of this alive, okay?"
That was it. Plain, simple words from his heart and the others, warm smiles on their faces, eyes bright with determination, nodded and spoke their own agreements. But Karin, standing behind him, could only look at his back, the strong muscles sheathed in the black leather of his jacket, and wonder why he was suddenly so calm.
As a group, they approached the last platform leading up to the Field of Takamagahara. It was blocked by a force field and the platform itself was surrounded by scarlet pillars. At first Karin thought they were stone, but their rough edges were revealed as machinery, circuitry embedded in some metallic material. And standing in the center, were two of Kato's created creatures: Raiden and Hien. The taller, thinner man, Hien, sporting his long, curved blade, stepped forward to meet the group and shook his head, blocking the way.
"Where's your master?" Yuri asked, moving a pace ahead of the group.
Raiden, the larger man answered. "Behind us, on the field of Takamagahara." Karin looked up past the barrier and felt her blood freeze. There was a path leading up to another opening but the pathway, the opening itself, seemed to be a part of some great beast; four skeletal dragon heads snaked back and forth across the pathway, long fangs, longer than a man's body, threatening any who crossed the path. Yuri took a step closer to the two waiting men and Karin could tell he was ready for a fight.
"I suppose you won't let us by," he asked, his voice already sounding like he knew their reply and he wasn't disappointed. Hien gestured with his long-bladed weapon.
"The Mutant Apes live and die, along with the Master. If you want to fight him, you have to get through us," and Hien's voice ended on a sibilant note.
"No problem," Yuri muttered and took a defensive stance as the others ranged themselves behind him. Hien and Raiden moved back, their bodies suddenly blurring and changing. In another moment, they stood changed, their bodies growing larger, taller, and more powerful, and Karin could feel butterflies in her stomach.
"Watch out!" she called out. "They're not human anymore."
"If they ever were," Gepetto said from beside her. Karin pulled her sword and ignited it, sliding to the side to summon the Phoenix of Fire. Meanwhile Kurando had leapt in with quick sword strokes, slicing into the arms of the biggest of the two, Raiden. Yuri donned his claws while Blanca leapt in to worry at Hien's feet; the giant moved swiftly, slicing down with his scythe-like blade but it didn't connect as Karin's fire slid under him and exploded upward.
"Screw this," Yuri yelled as he saw how little damage had been done by the others and his grin was feral as he yanked on a fusion. Instantly his body was enveloped in light and Karin, moving back from her fire attack, could see that Yuri's fusion was not one she'd seen before. Instead, it looked remarkably like him in body, but very pale and…
Oh my goodness… he's naked, Karin thought and swallowed her grin. Two pair of large black wings rustled behind him and suddenly the fusionist leapt skyward, soaring up to the dark recesses of the Vessel. Karin looked up and saw light building in Yuri's hands and she reached out, grabbing Anastasia and Lucia by the elbows, dragging them back.
"Look out!" she yelled just as the energy left Yuri's fists and plunged down to slam into the two, Hien and Raiden. The energy pummeled them, pounding them to their knees before letting up as Yuri swooped down to land in front, a self-satisfied smirk on his black lips. Then, with a hiss, he slipped forward to slap Hien in his face, the blow a resounding crack.
Karin saw Gepetto in the shadows as he adjusted his strings and then caught Cornelia dancing forward to work their combined magicks, and just in front of him, Kurando slid his katana into its sheath and she knew he too was going to use a fusion. Seconds later the small Japanese man changed, hunching over, his skin becoming dark and his hands filled with a huge weapon. Karin had seen it in action only one other time, and she knew that, in spite of Kurando's diminutive size, the little oni could pack a wallop. And just beyond them all was Joachim, his weapon... when did he get a submarine, she wondered... pounding and smashing into Raiden, who used his own weapon's electrical generators. Not to be outdone, she moved up, ignited her sword once more, and leapt forward to slash at Hien.
Lucia, drawing her metal fan, moved in also and Karin could hear the dancer's bells jingling. After her final riposte, she glanced over quickly and saw her friend dance in with a quick slash and then twirl away, a smile on her face. The momentary distraction cost her. Hien had recovered from her flaming attack sooner than she expected and slashed downward with his own blade; caught off guard, Karin swung up her sword to block, and was instantly hit with an explosion. She could feel herself being lifted up by the force of the blast and she could see Raiden below as he moved in next to Hien to attack the others, and, as her sword slid from her limp fingers, she saw nothing else as the vessel faded into darkness.
Karin felt the darkness around her like a great cushion, soft and inviting. She didn't want to move, did not want to think or feel. She just wanted to lie there and not be. She contemplated that for a moment, letting the mere idea of not living anymore tumble around her mind, tasting it like a hard candy, testing its sweetness. But then something impinged on her solitary being. A sound, faint, distant like the sound of a seashore in a conch shell. She opened her eyes and listened, letting the black velvet caress her. The sounds came closer and closer, a voice, and something wet. Where was she? What happened.
Ka-rin. The voice, a man, was calling her name over and over and she felt long tendrils of pain suddenly grab her, choking her and squeezing the life from her. Explosion. There had been an explosion and she was dead. Ah, ah, over so quickly, she thought and then felt a wrenching as more pain exploded over her, then slowly trickled away with the long wail of grief that carried down to her. She could hear the voice calling, and wailing and... no, wait. It wasn't a wail of pain and grief. It was a wolf. Blanca.
Slowly she opened her eyes, pale in the dark recesses of the Vessel, and saw a white snout nosing her eyes, a long tongue sliding out and wiping wetly across her face. Next to the white blur that was Blanca was a black blur that moved closer, lifting her up and cradling her in strong arms smelling of leather and musk and sweat.
"Yuri," she said softly, her voice cracking slightly.
"Karin," Yuri said, "Thank God. Blanca was able to get to you in time." Yuri looked over at the white wolf and smiled. "Good dog," he said and Karin watched with blurry happiness as Blanca's ears fell sideways and he snarled.
"Good... wolf," Karin said and then sighed, letting the sudden cessation of pain leave her floating in a comfortable haze, Yuri's strong heartbeat thudding in one ear as she rested her head against him.
"She'll be all right," Lucia said and Karin felt warm, sweet liquid dribble past her lips and down her throat. She had the sudden urge to cough but then it passed and she blinked, opening her eyes to see them all waiting for her, Blanca sitting at her knees, tongue lolling as he panted. She smiled
"Thanks everyone. I'm sorry to cause trouble," Karin said and felt Yuri's strong arms pulling her to her feet. He leaned in close as he did so and whispered something into her ear and Karin felt a flush suffuse through her.
"I'd be really pissed if anything happened to you," he had said.
Karin brushed herself off, and gratefully accepted her sword from Kurando.
"Where to now?" she asked, and Yuri pointed at the opening ahead.
"There. He's waiting for us." The others had gathered around him and Karin saw they were a wall of support; Gepetto and his marionette Cornelia, Lucia with her fans and oils, Anastasia and her handy camera and flashing eggs, Joachim with his submarine and his ready smile, his cousin Kurando, so much like Yuri and yet so different, and ...
Me. We're all here because of Sapientes Gladio, and because of Nicholai and because of Kato. But mostly we're here because of him. Her eyes met Yuri's as the fighter looked back at her and her heart fluttered.
"Everybody ready?" he asked. "Then let's go."
The gateway led up a stony path past the giant skeletal dragons, their sharp fangs still threatening but not attacking as the party passed by. Finally, they climbed the last few hundred feet to a great plain of gray stone. Looking around, Karin wondered why it was called a field when nothing grew there; huge boulders seemed to lie haphazardly over the plain, with winds rushing and scouring the surface, raising dust clouds to swirl around their legs and burst up, brushing dirt into their faces. Above, the sky was a roiling mass of grey and black, a huge reversed funnel directly overhead with black sky and twinkling stars.
Yuri moved forward, toward the tall man standing alone on the plain. Masaji Kato, once his friend and now… Karin could not, in her mind, call him an enemy. Yuri did not want this, had said so before. If Kato would back down, change his mind, then everything would be all right. But, looking at the tall, muscular man, his black hair in disarray from the winds, she doubted he would. Kato had struck her as a solid and stolid individual.
Yuri stopped a few paces away from the ex-naval officer and waited, watching as Kato looked up at the hole in the sky above them.
"Can you see it? The other side of time?"
Yuri glanced upward, then back down to Kato, a mere gesture of acknowledgement.
"Well, then..." Kato moved back, and instantly a maelstrom of wind and light burst from the roiling sky; lightening and thunder crashed, the bolts striking the ground beside Kato and three shadows appeared for a moment before solidifying into objects: a sword, a shield and a jewel. At the same time another shadow descended from the heavens and surrounded Kato, blending with him until he was gone, instead replaced by a god-sized creature. Kato took up the sword and shield while the jewel floated like a beacon before him and the battle was begun.
This was not a melee like the other battles they had fought. This one they had planned for, that last night in Inugami. Around the supper table, they had discussed strategy – what Kato might throw at them. Yuri had not thought strategy against Kato, an ex-military man, would be worthwhile, but Kurando had disagreed.
"We cannot attack him without knowing his weaknesses, his strengths and our own," the young samurai had said with passion.
"Look, I ain't never planned a fight I been in ... not even against Simon and his God. I don't plan on losing, so I won't."
"A little planning might be helpful, Yuri. It might have come in handy against Nicholai and his soldiers too," Gepetto reminded him and, involuntarily Yuri's hand went to his chest, fingers bunched in a fist over the spot where the Holy Mistletoe had pierced his heart.
Karin bit her lip at Gepetto's remark, but knew he wasn't blaming her.
"We should make sure of our crests," she suggested. "And our supplies."
"That's taken care of. We need a plan of action," Gepetto insisted.
"All right, why don't you plan it out, cousin. I'll tell you what I know," Yuri offered and Karin was relieved until she saw the fatigue in his eyes.
He's hurting. He won't admit it, and he's tired... but we're all tired.
But it appeared that Kurando's strategy was working. Joachim donned his Grand Papillon mask and, together with Gepetto and Anastasia, worked at being distractions – Joachim slamming his submarine, even his own body - into the shield, forcing Kato to pay attention to him while Kurando and Yuri fused. Kurando became the little oni swinging his huge weapon and Yuri used that black-winged creature again. Karin, wished for a moment she'd thought to ask the thing's name, but knew it was too late now.
Later, later we'll have time, she thought and then turned her focus onto the combat. Lucia was busily mixing oils beside her and Blanca, his tail bushed out, was hunched and ready to pounce at the first opportunity. Suddenly he saw movement in Kato's sword and, with a growl, leapt away. He pounced on the blade with his weight, then ran up the off edge, landing with scrabbling claws on Kato's hand and bit with his sharp fangs. Karin nodded at Lucia.
"Well, here goes. Wish me luck," and she drew her sword, igniting the blade with crimson flames and leapt in to battle. Behind her, she heard Lucia's blessing and smelled the oils she had mixed as a slight breeze brought them to her. She smiled, remembering that last time they had fought together, against Astaroth. Suddenly her mind snapped to focus on Kato, seeing his every move clearly, as if in slow motion, and she felt energized. Lucia's oils. Thank Gott. Now all I have to do is concentrate of fighting him.
The combat dragged on for long minutes while Yuri, Karin and the others did their best to wear down the monster that Kato had become. For himself, that same monster was dishing out as good as he got, slicing through the party more than once with the giant sword, injuring Anastasia, who was trying to snap a picture and Gepetto who was rescuing the silly child. Lucia was using her oils and, as soon as one batch had worn off, she was already at work on another, the bitter smells of nutmeg and clove mixing with her moon oil, and the sweeter scents of honeysuckle and rose and the woodsy smell of pine. Karin moved back, taking a moment to chew on a bit of mana root to recoup her mental strength, and leaned on her sword next to Lucia. But they both stopped when there was an explosion ahead of them. Looking up, they both gasped.
Kurando, in his fusion of the little oni, Jutendouji, had summoned his strongest magic, sending shockwaves through the very ground of the battlefield and shaking everyone else to their knees. He then leapt high above the monstrous Kato and pummeled him with his war hammer, pounding him a dozen times before finally leaping away. And, not to be outdone, Yuri had called on his fusion, the one Karin had seen just a little while before and he was sending shafts of dark energy down onto the enemy, siphoning life-force from him and giving it to everyone else. To the side, Anastasia found herself instantly recovered, and leapt up to sling her metallic egg at Kato: it struck with a resounding din of metal on metal and, surprisingly, the shield cracked.
"I'll get it," Karin cried and ignited her sword once more, sounding the summons for fire that she had learned just a few days before. "Ich rufe Sie, Phoenix zusammen!" she cried finally and a blaze of fire erupted from her, body and blade, traveling the short distance to Kato and the other combatants. Kurando and Yuri moved back, Yuri's black wings lifting him above the ground, and a circle of fire formed under them all. A blazing inferno formed under Kato, and then a cry of wing and fire as it suddenly exploded upward, a force of nature, a bird of fire, rising on the hot flames and bathing all within its light, and especially Kato in its flames.
"Madre grande di misericordia e di luce!" Lucia exclaimed from behind her and Karin turned to see a look of mixed awe and respect on her dear friend's face. "You have gotten so powerful, so grand," Lucia cried.
"Oh, please," Karin remarked, embarrassed, but then the ground shook again and Karin tumbled to her knees, Lucia beside her. Ahead, Yuri had risen on black wings, twin balls of energy in his hands and Kurando's fusion had just cracked the earth again with a minor earthquake. In another moment the energy left Yuri's hands and slammed down onto Kato – the ground exploded around him sending boulders and dust everywhere. Karin and Lucia hunched down, covering their heads with their arms, lost in a cacophony of sound and vibration that refused to subside.
For a moment only, she squinted through her arms to see the battleground and was tempted to leap up in shock. A few yards beyond where she and Lucia crouched, the earth had exploded upward, dust and rocks lifting on a breathless energy of wind and leaving a deep pit in which stood a shaken and tottering monster. A moment later Kurando landed with his blade, pounding the blunt weapon into Kato's head and causing blood and bone to scatter in the cacophonous aftermath of Yuri's explosive power. Karin quickly covered her eyes again, closing them in prayer. Whatever the fusion was that Yuri was using, it was as dangerous - no more so - than anything Kato had become. What kind of man is he, she thought, to conquer and hold such raw power? And how is it that he hasn't been corrupted by it?
Finally the dust and dirt settled, the air clearing in the wind, and Karin looked up. The pit had filled in and Kato lay on top, his body crumpled, broken and wholly human. To one side she caught Kurando releasing his oni fusion and, just in front of her, she watched as Yuri floated to the ground, his double black wings fluttering in the aftermath of the energy winds before Yuri too released it and returned to human. Karin climbed to her feet at the same time offering a hand to Lucia and the two of them watched and waited. Behind her, she heard footsteps and the soft shuffle that was Gepetto.
"Is everyone all right?" she asked over her shoulder and Gepetto grunted.
"Yes. We survived," the old man said and fatigue was heavy in his voice.
Lucia tapped her shoulder and pointed around at the field. The damage done by the earthquakes and explosions continued; great chunks of rock, boulders the size of mountains, were breaking away, being sucked up and into the whirling darkness overhead.
"It's the end of the world," she said softly and Karin knew just how she felt. She began to move back, to stand with Joachim and the others a few feet away, but Lucia shook her head.
"Stay with him," she said and moved away on her own. A moment later Kurando slid past Yuri as he knelt at Kato's side. Their voices were heard even over the winds and Karin, standing behind them, listened. Kneeling at Kato's shoulder, his back to the waiting group, Yuri took up Kato's head, resting it on his bent knee.
"Kato," he said and shook his head, his hair in disarray and blowing into his eyes.
Kato opened his eyes and stared up at Yuri, a brief smile playing on his lips.
"It's good, that it ended, this way," he said with a gasp and his eyes looked up at the vortex. "Soon, Takamagahara, and the Vessel, will disappear into the time warp. Once you set foot here, you can't return to the present."
Yuri looked up and around, his crimson eyes taking in the continued destruction. "Yeah, looks that way"
Kato looked up at Yuri with a last determined stare, his dark eyes capturing both Yuri and Karin's attention. "You must pray," he said.
"What? Huh?"
"Pray as hard as you can for the world... the world you want," Kato said and Karin could see he was having trouble breathing, his chest heaving with the effort to talk. She reached down into Yuri's pouch and took out a small handful of medicines, kneeling to offer them to the defeated Japanese officer. But Kato shook his head.
"The world I want?"
"Yes," he said. "The best one you can imagine. Then -- you can return..." Kato's voice faded on him and he stopped, looking from Yuri to Karin. He smiled, his eyes seeing something far away and Karin thought he was no longer seeing them, but something – or someone – he loved in the past.
"Kato!" Yuri said, shaking him gently to get his attention. A moment, and then Kato's eyes focused again, taking in the young harmonixer.
"Thank you, my friend," he said and closed his eyes, his strong body suddenly collapsing in on itself as all life and spirit fled. Yuri laid him down on the dirt and stood, moving away as the body, caught in the energies of Takamagahara, was reduced to sparkles of light that quickly spiraled upward, disappearing into the vortex overhead.
Karin reached out a tentative hand, realizing it still held the medicines. She crumpled the dry leaves in her fist, tossing them to the swirling winds.
"I'm sorry, Yuri. I know how much he meant to you, as a friend."
"Yeah," Yuri said, then, lifting his head and straightening his shoulders, he crossed the little distance to the others.
"All right everyone, you heard him. Let's pray for a better world to return to. We can do it, if we really try," he said and the others nodded their assent. Karin came to stand before him, looking into his carmine eyes. But Yuri looked down, hiding his eyes beneath his bangs and Karin nodded to herself, knowing that he too was praying.
Beside her, Karin felt the warmth of Blanca and she looked down to see the wolf pushing his way in next to Lucia and Gepetto, his bushy tail brushing against her legs. What would Blanca wish for, she wondered. What does a wolf think of as a best world? She looked up to see Anastasia stealing a glance at Kurando and knew what Ana would wish for. Would Gepetto pray for his daughter? And Joachim – would he pray to be a hero? He already is that, she thought. And what would Yuri pray for? She looked at the fusionist, his head down, his eyes shaded and knew: he'd pray for Alice. So, what does that leave me? she wondered. What do I pray for? What is my best world?
What is it you wanted when you traveled with Yuri? What is it you were looking for in the army or with Yuri? And have you found it? Was it just pride? Or honor? Or was it something else? Like that day in Nihonbashi – at the park...
Yuri and Karin had wandered away from Mukyo-an and settled on a park bench outside Nihonbashi. The others, specifically Joachim and Anastasia, had gone shopping. Yuri had laughed when they announced their shopping trip and, when queried by Karin, had admitted he carried the money purse and Joachim hadn't a penny to his name. Karin had frowned but Yuri defended:
"It's not because of Joachim it's because of the spoiled brat with him! She'd spend it all on stupid eggs!"
Karin sighed and sat beside him on the bench, looking down at her feet. She felt happy to be spending these few quiet moments with him, before the others could intrude, and there was so much she wanted to ask. Naniwa Kawashima had revealed he knew Yuri's father, had in fact been a teacher and mentor to him, and suddenly Yuri's world was spinning. She had watched his shock turn to pensiveness and wondered just how much he had been upset by it all.
"So, Yuri, um, are you thinking about your father?"
Yuri, sprawled at the other end of the wooden bench with his arms over the back slat, was staring up at the sky. "Yeah. I can hardly remember anything from when I was a boy. The funny thing is, I can still hear the sound of that old ship; the one that took the three of us to China."
Karin looked over at him, seeing his eyes unfocused but seeing visions of the past in the late afternoon clouds. "Your father died while fighting this wizard who was planning to destroy all of Japan – is that right?" she asked.
"Yeah. I was ten years old."
"And your mother?"
Yuri looked down, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. "After my father was killed, monsters attacked at our house. They were sent by Dehuai, that wizard. They killed my mother. Fate's a strange thing. My father gave his whole life to save Japan, and I'm doing everything I can to try to stop it."
They sat in companionable silence and Karin looked up to see a blackbird wing across the distance from tree to power pole. She thought about Yuri's past, his father and mother, the tragedy of their murder. She looked at him briefly before turning back to study the grass at her feet.
"I think – I understand him," she said.
"Huh?"
"Your father. It wasn't for Japan. Your father was actually fighting... for you. And he was fighting for your mother as well."
Yuri looked up at her, staring at her so hard she could feel his eyes boring into her.
"For me and my mother?"
Karin nodded, finally looking up at him.
"I told you my family was poor but that we were once nobility in Munich, right? Growing up, I worked harder than anybody else to keep the honor of our family name. If I succeeded in the army, I thought that it would reflect well on my family. I didn't do it for my country, I did it for my sick, bed-ridden grandmother that I left at home."
Yuri seemed to think about what she said a moment, then nodded, a breathy "Oh," his only comment.
"But you see, I don't have a home anymore; it's been destroyed by those Sapientes Gladio bastards. That's why I really think that your father did what he did for the wife and the son that he loved."
"I'm sorry," he said and Karin realized how her words had sounded.
"No, I don't want that," Karin protested, shaking her head. "I'm fine. It doesn't help to blame fate. It just makes you sad and bitter. Live every moment to its fullest and the future starts to look brighter."
Yuri looked over at her, appraising her words and Karin caught his eyes.
"You're a strong woman, Karin."
Blushing, she looked down at her knees. He thinks I'm strong, she thought. Well I am strong – I've had to be. "Ah ... That's right. You better remember that!" she exclaimed to cover her embarrassment and then laughed at her sudden vehemence. Beside her, Yuri chuckled, relaxing against the bench. Karin scooted over to sit closer, their legs brushing and Yuri looked at her, startled, before shaking his shoulders and leaning back.
"Do you remember your mother?" she asked.
"Of course!" he said with a look that spoke volumes. "She met my father when she was in Japan and it was love at first sight for her."
He loved her a lot. "Was she pretty?"
Yuri thought about that for a moment then shook his head. "I can't remember hr face that clearly."
"What was she like?"
"Why all these questions?" he suddenly asked, looking at her and she could tell he was resisting – not wanting to talk about anything personal. That's so like him; he hides everything behind some silly look, behind eyes that say how dangerous he is, or actions that scream how stupid he is... but he's not! He's hiding again, she thought and reached out, punching his arm gently.
"Come on – I just wanna know."
Yuri rubbed his arm, looking annoyed at Karin for a moment before sighing. "We moved around a lot after we got to China. Finally, we settled in Mulan. But because my father was away so much, my mother and I got to spend a lot of time together." He paused, his head tilted to one side, his eyes unfocused and she knew he was seeing her, seeing their home in China and wished she could see it too. "She was a strong woman, but she was lonely too... Is that enough?" he said with irritation. "This is embarrassing!"
"No way! You're not stopping right now." I've got to know. I don't know why, maybe it's because I'm drawn to you, or maybe it's because I love you. I just want to know.
"Please. Come on." She grabbed his elbow and began to shake him gently until he brushed her off with a look that screamed 'annoyed'. She smiled. "Please." He sighed.
"All right," he said. "She had a hard time growing up, but she was happy in Japan with my dad. Of course, after we moved to China, she would sometimes complain about how her life went. Then she'd always say she'd be happy no matter where she was as long as she had me."
"Oh..."
"But whenever I heard that, I became furious at my father for having left us."
"Naturally." They were very close, his mother and him. And his father... no wonder he doesn't talk about him. Did he think his father left him on purpose?
At her side, Yuri laughed softly. "It was my mother who named me Yuri."
Karin looked up, seeing the childlike grin on his face and the joy the thought of his mother was giving him. I'm jealous! she thought. "How did she pick that name?"
"I guess... that was the name of her first lover," and he laughed at his own joke. Karin giggled too and wondered for another moment at her own brass. Why am I asking so many questions? This has gone on too long, but – I really like getting to know him. She bit her lower lip and thought about all the times on this trip where Yuri had said something or done something that got her wondering 'where did that come from?' and now, here in Japan, the opportunity to explore more than the city was presenting some very tempting ideas. If I can get to know him, just a little more, then maybe I'll know how to handle him – to tell him... Finally, she turned, looking at the young man sitting next to her, his warm leather-clad knee brushing against her bare leg and she suddenly realized the smell of him was always warm leather and musk with a tang of blood. Did he smell this way before? she wondered. Did she ever notice how he looked or smelled?
"Yuri, may I ask you just one more thing?"
Relaxed against the bench, watching the evening birds flit from branch to branch, he shrugged. "Yeah, I guess so. You might as well."
"Were you in love with Alice?"
She suddenly knew it was the wrong question. Yuri stiffened, as if for battle, and then doubled over in pain. Well, she knew he wasn't in pain, but he pretended and he staggered away, leading her a merry chase through the park while looking for a bathroom.
That was when she knew she had to tell him, and having told him, she could be happy. That's the way it was supposed to be. But for Karin, it didn't work out that way. Saying 'I love you' to Yuri had not been easy, and their abortive attempt at sex in the kitchen... What was I thinking? she thought. She looked up to see the others, praying, their eyes closed, their thoughts and feelings building to create their perfect world. What kind of world would Yuri pray for? she wondered. Will he go back to be with Alice? Will he fight against the Mistletoe and return with me to... to where? The world is at war – where could we go? I want to be with him. To love him. But...
"Don't you understand, no matter how much you love him, his heart belongs to another woman." Nicholai. His words. "Don't you understand how important you are? He'll never be able to give you what you need – warmth, comfort, love. Karin, I can give you all the love you want and need..." That dream, she thought. Was it a dream? A wish? Or a temptation? His words were true, as it turns out. He does love another, but I love him too. Pray for the best world you can... She closed her eyes and prayed, prayed for love, for passion, for cool mint lips kissing her, firm hands caressing her and touching her in delectable places. Nicholai's breath, like a cool breeze over her parched and burning skin and his body, young, firm, needy, pressing against her own soft flesh. A fire ignited in her, burning from the depths of her and coursing up her veins and arteries, igniting her in a fire of passion and lust. She would pray for Nicholai, pray to be with him; together they could ride the winds of passion and fulfill their every desire, sate every need under the sun with their fiery lust.
A rustling sound caught her attention and see dragged herself away from the images of her and Nicholai, to see the others beginning to rise on the winds. First Joachim and Lucia, and Karin reached out a hand to wave goodbye to her friend. Lucia smiled back with love and understanding and Karin wished, for just a moment, that Lucia had stayed or that she had gone with her. Then Blanca yipped beside her and rose on the winds. Yuri nodded at the wolf and Blanca, tongue lolling in anticipation, disappeared into the rift. Next was Gepetto and Cornelia – the old man's wispy beard floating upward and he grinned toothily, waving goodbye. Finally Kurando began to rise, and he snatched quickly the hand of little Anastasia. Arm in arm, together they rose on the winds and Kurando smiled. Karin felt happy for them. But now, that left just the two of them. She turned to Yuri and gasped.
There was a glow of silver light from his chest and Yuri gritted his teeth, fist clenched over his heart.
"Looks like time's up. It's the mistletoe's curse. I knew I was living on borrowed time," he said and Karin felt her heart reaching out to him. No! This isn't fair! It's not right!
"Are- are you scared?" she asked.
He shook his head. "No."
He's so calm, she thought. He's been calm since before we fought Raiden and Hien. "I just said my final farewell," he had said and claimed it was to Jeanne. But that's when things changed between us. When he was suddenly so calm – as if he'd made a decision."Other than that, there's not a thing that I can do about it." His words at the shrine, as if it were inevitable. As if his father dying, and his mother being killed, was inevitable. As if loving, and losing Alice, was inevitable. As if loving him and losing him, was inevitable...
"Will, will you lose your memories too?" she asked.
Yuri shook his head, "Never," but he hid his eyes from her and she knew...
"Yuri..."
"Don't look at me like that. I'll see you soon."
"Please, promise me...I - I don't want to lose you forever." Forever. Never ending. The end of time. The end of life. The end of love.
"Yeah," he said and her heart clenched. "He'll never be able to give you what you need..." Decision time, she thought, and felt the winds rising around her, her body growing light. She began to rise up but suddenly Yuri stretched and caught her hand.
"Karin!"
She looked down at the man she loved and lost. "What?"
"Thank you," he said and she saw tears in his eyes. Tears – for me? For him? For us? She realized then, that though he loved her, it was not the love he had for Alice, nor could it ever be. "But you plan to fight for him, don't you?" Saki's words came back to her suddenly, rising there on the wind. Of course. Resolve filled her, erasing the fiery lust that still coursed through her blood, the smell of warm leather replacing the cool touch of Nicholai's hands. "It was my mother who named me Yuri... after her first lover I guess..." His mother... who died... his mother.
Karin suddenly felt new strength in her as Yuri's hand let her go, the winds carrying her upward. She looked down for the last time, on the man she loved. On the man he had become through trial and hardship, and then accepted her fate.
Reviewer:
Only two!
Puffy, I didn't wear rose coloured glasses here: I used canon. Some of it, I admit, is canon you'd only find on special side-quests. About the only thing I personally added was the armor. Oh well, can't please everyone. hehe
Aegis: What? You need it translated? ... um, well, dig out that dictionary girl, because there's more coming in this one.
For the rest of you, and I know there was a small handful reading this, thanks for coming. I hope you enjoyed the ride.