Girl in Gaea: The Untold Story
By Brenli and AmetrineButterfly
Chapter 13
Kitsune didn't want to believe that what Dilandau was saying was true, and yet she knew that it was so. The Black Guardian had possessed Okami's body and was now using her like a flesh puppet to finish what she had begun.
"This fight isn't over yet… Hurry! You're the only one who can stop her!" Dilandau urged her to fight.
Kitsune let the words fill her. It was too true… she was the only one who stood a chance. She felt the weight of fingers lacing with her own, and she locked eyes with Dallet. She immediately hated that look on his face… so full of fear for her and longing to keep her back… She hated that she had no choice in the matter, and she stood, finding it hard to look him in the eye. She didn't have to do so in order to know what he was thinking…
'Please don't get hurt…'
She couldn't promise him anything, and that was the worst part about it. Then she looked at Dilandau and read into the torn look on his face… wanting the Black Guardian's rampage stopped… but wanting Okami safe. Could Kitsune possibly succeed in getting rid of the Black Guardian and keeping Okami alive?
… Would it be safe to try?
She gave the two men before her a confirmatory nod and began to approach the Black Guardian temporarily posing as Okami. With each step – or hop or scramble, depending on what mess was suddenly thrown in her way due to the general chaos – the fear inside her grew and grew… She didn't even really know how to fight her…! All she had right now was a sword and a fan…! And a weak, lacy fan, at that. Good for summoning up her Spirit, but would summoning her Spirit be enough? She'd have to try. All she could do was try something, ANYTHING.
She heard the shifting of debris behind her and saw that Dallet was being foolhardy enough to follow her. She held out her hand to stop him. "Don't."
Kitsune watched him stop in his tracks and give her that same worried stare. Offering him a small smile and shake of her head, she told him, "Stay, puppy." She couldn't resist the joke, and at that point in time, they both really needed it. He was worrying himself half to death, and nothing major had even happened yet…!
Dallet frowned at her, but obeyed, progressing no further. The annoyed look left his face, however, as the Black Guardian suddenly turned her heartless grin towards Kitsune and began to go after her.
Kitsune was quick to summon her Spirit, but before she could send Daedalion after the Black Guardian, she was blinding by an outstanding white light, full of warmth.
"I am afraid it does not work that way, Kitsune."
Kitsune couldn't see who was talking to her just yet, but the voice sounded calm, motherly. She squinted her eyes in an attempt to make out a form in front of her.
"Your eyes will adjust, dear. Don't force it." The voice continued. "I have stopped time for now, but only to explain what you ought to do…"
"… Who are you…?"
The voice laughed. "Why, I am the White Guardian… The previous Light Star."
"Why are you here?"
"Wherever Daedalion goes, I go… for we are one, now… That is the fate of all Light Stars, once they pass on. But I did not appear for idle chit chat. Kitsune, there is only one way to defeat the Black Guardian, and it is not by sending Daedalion to do the work for you… You must defeat the Black Guardian with your own hands."
Kitsune blinked rapidly. "W-what? I… I can't…! That is Okami's body…! Okami's still in there…!"
"I know, child…" The figure before her was becoming clearer. "And Okami's soul is so kind at heart… but she is a hurt girl, and hurt girls are easily manipulated. I am afraid that there is no other option… You must sacrifice her soul to save Gaea."
Kitsune let the words wash over her and make her ill. "… Not… not true! There HAS to be some other way…!"
"There is none. How do you think I passed on? I sent Daedalion after her, and it was not enough… Daedalion went out, and took all of my life energy, too." The figure stepped forth, and Kitsune was amazed to see that the previous Light Star looked a great deal like her. She was expecting someone taller, more graceful, and most of all: LIGHTER.
"Were you expecting someone who would live up to her title?" The White Guardian smiled. "I am, indeed, your elder, through blood and through title. The people chosen for the position aren't usually blood-related… but I decided to deviate from the norm. For you have a pure soul, Kitsune… A pure soul who needed so desperately to face an ordeal like this."
Kitsune looked up into the face of the White Guardian with wide, worried eyes. "… You WANTED me in this position?"
"Not this exact position. But you needed a chance to break out from your small world… it was keeping you caged into a life you did not need to lead. That… and you needed to meet the sort of man who would treat you right." The White Guardian smiled at her in a motherly manner. "… Oh, and I said I would not give you idle chit chat! Kitsune, you must do this yourself. You have a sword, after all… And Daedalion will not be able to do it…"
"If Daedalion can't, what makes you think I can? What makes you think your theory about why you lost is true?"
"Because together, the Light and the Dark Star are purely indestructible. And once they turn against each other… the only thing that can stop them IS each other. Not the Spirit you summon, dear… You."
"I… I…" Kitsune couldn't swallow the words or push any of her own out of her mouth. "… I can't…! I don't want to kill Okami…! I wouldn't be able to live with myself…!"
"Kitsune…" The White Guardian's motherly tone seemed to grow tired. "Heed the word of your elder, child! This is a necessary step! Don't make me-"
"Make you do what? What are YOU going to do? I can't, and I won't, kill Okami! She is… She is the only TRUE friend I have! Asking me to kill her is too HEARTLESS of y…"
The world became too bright again, and soon Kitsune couldn't speak… and then she wasn't even Kitsune, anymore. Her flowing robes had changed into the mirror-image of the cloth-like armor on the Okami's frame, done up in the milky shades of white, and her sword transformed, as well. It became noticeably sturdier, though it retained the same samurai blade, and the formerly pearly handle was now shining silver, accented in diamond jewels. Two wings spread widely behind her, so bright it nearly blinded Dallet for a while. He had to blink a couple times to notice that her wings were, indeed, shaped like a bat's. "… K… Kitsune?" Dallet called out, and yet he knew that this was no longer Kitsune before him.
The possessed Kitsune looked down at her garments before looking back up at Okami and murmuring to herself, "I'm sorry, dear… You were being so stubborn…"
A swell of dark energy pushed the White Guardian off of her feet. "I knew you would show up, Kagami. Here to lecture me again?" The cloth of her armor billowed as the Black Guardian's boots touched the ground. She walked towards her with a devilish smirk on her stolen features.
"… I'm going to ignore your question, Kaiya… Stop this. You KNOW it isn't right." The White Guardian known as Kagami tried to speak calmly, rationally, as the Black Guardian's footsteps brought the two closer together.
"Hold your tongue. What right have you to tell me what's right?" Gripping her sword with white knuckles, the Black Guardian, Kaiya, brandished her weapon and glared. "Let your sword do your talking, Kagami. Fight me, make our parents weep, sister!"
Kagami's eyes narrowed. "How dare you wish for our parents' sadness, little sister…! You know that I do not want to fight you. And neither would they! Stop this madness, little sister. What do you have against this world?"
Kaiya's answer was in the form of an assault. She tried to bring her sword down on the head of her older sister, but Kagami expertly blocked and spun out of the way, dodging a wave of deadly energy. The ball of black fire hurled past Kagami and struck yet another occupied building. It fell apart, killing its screaming inhabitants.
Dilandau scrambled out of way as falling debris struck all around him. He watched with sadness in his eyes at the woman he loved so much, her beautiful face contorted by such anger and blood-lust. He knew that it really wasn't Okami controlling that shell, that the Okami he knew was lost somewhere deep inside of a prison created by the Black Guardian. Knowing that he couldn't reach her, and couldn't help her, tore him up inside.
He saw Dallet once again making his way through the debris towards the two battling Guardians. "Dallet!" Dilandau yelled, and pulled an unwilling Dallet back and out of danger.
"Dilandau-sama! Let me go!"
"Dallet, shut the fuck up!" Dilandau barked in his true commander-fashion. "You are to stay away from the falling debris, and that's an ORDER, understand!"
"B-but-"
"I said SHUT THE FUCK UP!"
The stress in the commander's voice and actions was all too evident, so Dallet reluctantly followed his commander along with a line of fleeing citizens. He could hear what sounded somewhat like Kitsune's voice yelling, though he could not fully make out the words. He wished that he was able to understand just what Kitsune was s- Well, it didn't seem quite like Kitsune, anymore. Her voice flowed with a lower, more womanly tone to it, as though she had suddenly matured a great deal. She sounded almost otherworldly…
Kagami had finally had enough and held up her sword menacingly, as though she were preparing for an attack. "KAIYA! This WILL stop!" She cried angrily. "Wait!" She suddenly yelled with the heavy tones of fear dripping from her voice, and Kagami froze.
"… Stop it… stay back…" She spoke harshly and under her breath.
The crimson lips of the Black Guardian curled into a lazy smirk. She was panting slightly from the ensuing fight, but her face was bright, like her greatest dream was finally coming true. Balancing her weight on one hip, Kaiya laughed her sickening laugh and tossed Okami's flaxen hair. "Can't keep your Star under control, Kagami? You should give MY methods a try." She tapped Okami's temple. "Make her own mind her prison, works every time."
"Never. Those methods are sick and wrong. If you must possess a person you should at least give that person some sense of freedom! You've already taken over their body. Why take over their spirit?"
"You have me there, big sister. Okami wasn't being a good enough puppet, so I took matters into my own hands."
"….What? What do you mean?" Kagami asked suspiciously, still holding her sword in a protective stance.
"Don't pretend like you don't know. Our fuel is the emotions of the ones we choose to follow us. I chose Okami because her emotions are easily… manipulated… She's so consumed by her hatred for this world… It's delicious. The perfect device for destruction, like an indestructible flame. But despite all her anger, Okami does have the capacity to forgive." The malicious grin faded to a disappointed frown. "That's where I made my mistake. But my mistakes are easily rectified. We already are a part of them, I just took it a step further. Get it now?"
As the Black Guardian spoke cruelly, Kitsune's tears began to run down what was temporarily Kagami's face. "… That's pure evil… Let me fight her… But, Okami is… This must be done!" And so, even as Kitsune's tears dripped off Kagami's face, the White Guardian flew at the Black Guardian with her sword slashing the air.
X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Okami had no idea where she was. All she felt was the cold steel of the shackles binding her wrists and neck. All she could see was an endless stretch of white, and the chains binding her vanishing into the white void. She knew what was happening, and it made her sick. She knew how to stop it, and that only made it worse. But it had to be done.
A form appeared in front of her, a dazed and confused girl peering frantically around her. "Kitsune…" Okami said, her voice cracking.
Kitsune madly swiped at the tears raining down her. By now, she was angry and SICK of fighting. She didn't want to do this… not with Okami. It didn't matter if it was the Black Guardian at this time, somewhere inside that body Kagami's sword was striking was the spirit of Okami… a RELATIVE of hers! She could never strike a family member… She would never want to strike Okami!
But now the fighting was over! At least, she wasn't watching her sword cut the air. "… Oh God… what the fuck, now?" She muttered miserably.
"I don't know where we are Kitsune… all I know is that it's the Black Guardian keeping me here… As freaky as that is, it's not the point. Kitsune I don't have much time… I need to ask a favor of you."
Kitsune's watery eyes blinked rapidly as she rushed to Okami, dropping to her knees. "Oh my God, Okami-chan…! What happened here…?" She asked with confusion wrinkling her brow. She shook it off. "I… I need to get you out of here!" Kitsune gripped the chains that bound Okami. "We're gonna go home…"
Frowning, and with hopeless tears rimming her eyes, Okami gently took Kitsune's hands. "It's too late, Kitsune… It's too late." A deep helplessness resonated in Okami's hazel eyes. "Kitsune you HAVE to kill me."
Kitsune blinked. She simply could not register those words. "… Nani? No… Come on… we're going home…" She continued fiddling with the chains. "We're gonna go home… 'cause this isn't real, anymore…" She sniffled.
"Isn't real? Isn't real? Kitsune how can you say that? Are you crazy? You know that this is how it has to be. Which do you prefer? Me to destroy all of Gaea and die anyway?" Okami sighed. "I'm lost Kitsune, no matter what happens I'm going to die anyway. Just get it over with before my body destroys any more lives!"
Kitsune threw the chains down in anguish. "I CAN'T! You are asking me to kill my true friend! I can't do that!"
"Yes you can! You HAVE to! There IS no other way!" Okami gasped, falling forward like someone was smothering her.
"Okami-chan!"
"There's not much time… She knows you're here. Listen to me. I don't have much strength left, but I have enough to take back control of my body for a short time. Do it then, Kitsune."
Kitsune couldn't utter her weak reply before she found herself back in Torushina, holding her sword above Okami, frozen, as Okami stared back with wide eyes.
The people below them murmured in confusion, a split second ago they had been going at each other, then they suddenly froze, both with that shocked look on their faces.
"Do it, Kitsune…" Okami whispered, and let her sword drop to the ground with a clatter, standing straight with her arms slightly spread, her chest wide open, her eyes pleading.
Kitsune's sword was shaking in her hand… she couldn't believe that this had to be the only way… she didn't want to believe it. She tried to vocalize her rejection just one more time, but the only thing that would leave her lips was air. She could only shake her head and blink back her tears, and drop her sword as well, leaving only her short, silver dagger.
Okami's jaw set. "Fine." Her voice was low, determined. "Then I'll have to persuade you the hard way." Raising her arms, a ball of black fire swelled between her palms, her eyes darted to the left, at the foolish man steadily making his way towards them…
"Dallet, yamatte…!" Kitsune's call did nothing to prevent the flames that struck the irrational and foolhardy soldier down to the ground. "NO!" She cried and rushed toward him. "Oh my God… Dallet…! Dallet, get up… onegai…" Her voice grew strained as a whole new march of tears tracked down her face.
Meanwhile, inches away, Dallet felt miles away, and that the distance was growing stronger as the seering pain of dark fire burned down into his shoulder, reaching its way into his chest. His ears picked up the slurred Japanese words of Kitsune's, but he could pick out bits and pieces of things she had taught him, "…not happening… get up… onegai… open your eyes…!"
His eyes weren't open? He thought he could see blurry spots, though…
"Onegai…! Dallet…!" Her voice was cracking on a sob, and it broke his heart. He struggled to perform the difficult task of opening his dark eyes, and he realized that they were indeed closed. As they slid open just slightly he could make out some shapes… a curtain of ebon hair slipped over a tan circle of a face, the strands softly passing over his left cheek. "This isn't real, that's not real…! Please get up…!" It felt very real… this pain running through him like poison… a tear landed on the fresh wound and stung like the beating of his aching heart. It made him draw a breath, though a shallow one.
"No…" He muttered weakly. It felt a lot like he was dying… No! He couldn't die! He couldn't go out like this… If his life had been without this girl from the Mystic Moon… well, sure. Fine. That's what he gets for being such a fool. But it's funny what happens… when a soldier falls in love. Even a soldier could become a grade-A idiot, if he was that madly in love. … And Dallet was. "… I can't go out…"
"Dallet…!" Kitsune cried in a choked up whisper. She watched as, of all things, a smile crossed his face, but it was a bitter smile, a sad smile.
He was laughing in this bitter moment. "This is… a bit unfair… I can't go out without telling you… how much I love you…"
Kitsune attempted to blink back tears but all they continued to roll. "You're not going out… Oh, no, no, Dallet, open your eyes…!"
He couldn't. He wanted to. He needed to see that cute face of hers, even if it was blurred, just one last time… And he couldn't open his eyes! Unfair. Truly unfair. So he drew as deep a breath as he could muster, and smiled that signature smile of his… that smile that made Kitsune feel better about life… and said, "I love Kitsune… Kitsune the Light Star… the girl who always blushes and bows…"
And then Dallet could say no more.
And Kitsune could only stare at the gaping wound that started from his shoulder and traveled inward to his chest, and that suddenly peaceful, calm soldier-face of Dallet's. "… Doushite…?" She whispered brokenly. "… Dallet… doushite…?" She stood with an iron grip on her silver dagger, and glared up with a newfound hatred for the woman floating before her. What made it all worse was that Kitsune knew that this was not the Black Guardian's doing. It was purely an action on Okami's part! Was she so heartless? "… DOUSHITE?" She screamed angrily and went after her, slashing with her dagger, and for a moment, Okami was blocking defensively. "I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DIE! YOU FUCKING BITCH! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?" Kitsune cried and lifted her dagger once more, and noted the look deep within Okami's eyes. She was lonely looking and scared, yet she seemed to be steeling herself for Kitsune's next blow.
It reminded Kitsune of Okami back when none of this was real to either of them. When their lives consisted of volleyball and painting. When the Mystic Moon was Earth, and wasn't mystical at all.
It made her falter. Suddenly that anger within her was gone and replaced with a sharp pang of sadness. She didn't want this. She wanted so bad to just stop and go home… because as of right now, all Gaea had given her was heartbreak… "… Why is this happening…?" She asked no one in particular, the grip on her dagger loosening just a bit.
Kitsune's heart suddenly froze inside her chest as the next horrible, yet crucial event befell her. It seemed so slow to her and yet she could not prevent Okami's hand snatching at her own, and she could not stop the blade of her dagger being forced into Okami's chest.
Both girls' eyes widened, Okami's out of pain, Kitsune's out of shock. Kitsune pulled away, leaving the dagger in Okami's heart. Okami's hand still clutched the handle. "… Okami…" Kitsune said, just above a whisper, and watched Okami fall.
There was loud and mighty cry that rose around Kitsune, who was still locked in her own world, apart from everyone, filled with anguish. She vaguely heard the cheers, celebrating the death of the Dark Star. To them, that was all Okami was. But Kitsune knew the girl behind the title. Okami was dead. Okami was dead! And they smiled!
"ENOUGH!" Kitsune cried angrily, her arms swinging out violently to silence the ignorant crowd. "HOW DARE YOU CELEBRATE THE DEATH OF A HERO? YOU SEE AN EVIL WOMAN, BUT I KNEW THE GIRL UNDERNEATH ALL OF THAT! SHE WAS BRAVER THAN I… NEVER BE HAPPY FOR THE DEATH OF A WOMAN AS BRAVE AS SHE WAS!"
That was all Kitsune needed to say to make the crowds below her stop their celebrating. They stood looking up at her with wide, cautious eyes, and Kitsune opened her mouth to say more, but a hand clamped onto her shoulder prevented her from further unleashing her pain and directing it at them.
"You don't need to say anything else." Dilandau's voice was uncommonly quiet as he spoke to Kitsune. Her arms fell down to her sides and she blinked aside the tears that rolled down her face. "… Dallet is still breathing." Dilandau said softly, knowing that it might offer some small piece of happiness for Kitsune.
"… Nani…?" Kitsune said weakly, looking over her shoulder at him, and then looking at Dallet. She could see him struggling to take breaths as Gatti and Shesta went to take him away.
"… Go." Dilandau said quietly, and Kitsune left, still crying, rushing after Dallet.
As the crowd gently dispersed below them, and the grief-stricken cries of families mourning their dead rose into the night sky, Dilandau stood stock still. His face was blank, yet an array of painful emotions created a storm inside of him. He didn't want to look, he couldn't find it in himself to look. Looking down at Okami's dead body would only solidify the pain in his heart.
He had to look though, he had to live in reality for once. So he did.
His gut immediately twisted at the sight of her just laying there, her curly blonde hair spread out gracefully around her. Dilandau squeezed his eyes shut, fighting the tears as they welled up in his eyes. Dropping softly to his knees beside her, he brushed some stray hair away from her face, staring down at her eyes as they remained softly open, staring away into a place Dilandau couldn't see.
She was the only woman Dilandau ever wanted to have by his side… forever. And yet, her destiny had cut their time together short. "Okami…" He whispered, his voice shaking. "… you stubborn bitch…" She seemed to weigh nothing as he pulled her still frame into his arms, clutching her close to him. "God… how could you leave me like this…" He wanted to hate her. He wanted nothing more then to hate her now. Hate her because he had let himself fall in love her. Hate her because she was kind to him. Hate her because… she was gone now. He didn't care who saw him, he didn't care who heard. He didn't care about his reputation anymore, he didn't care about the Black Dragon Clan, he didn't care about war…
He cried, holding her close to him, until every last tear was gone.
To be continued…