I hope you all had a great holiday! I know I did! –Munches on a Ghiradelli eggnog square-
Neo: Yeah, her family is full of psychopaths and eccentric aunts, so…
Hey, who said they were eccentric?
Neo: KOS-MOS rox doesn't own anything in this story but the plot, so stop suing her! That means you, Namco…
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Xenosaga Episode II: Die Kraft der Liebe
Chapter 16: Archangel's Cry
The color gray seemed to consume everything as she scanned the misty horizon, walking forwards cautiously. Her blood ran cold and a sudden feeling of fear and anxiety filled her as she felt someone approach her from behind. "Stop! Don't come any closer!" she cried, whirling around to face her pursuer. Biting her lip when she saw that nobody was there, paranoia took over her mind.
She began to run. She ran as fast as her legs would carry her, even though it felt like someone was kicking her knees from behind. Suddenly she lost her footing and she fell, landing hard on her hands and knees.
Whimpering as her knees throbbed from the pain, she desperately asked, "What do you want from me!" She grabbed her pounding head as tears that she had tried so hard to hold back rolled down her cheeks. The silence in the dead air was her answer, echoing in her ears like a high-pitched buzzer. "I can't take it…" she said, voice shaking. She wanted to scream or kick something, frustration and nervousness trapped inside like kinetic energy. For a few moments, she knelt there, trying to focus on one of the million thoughts running through her mind like quicksilver. Her heart pounded in her chest so quickly that it felt as if it would explode.
Moaning and crying softly, she covered her face with her hands, trying to block the ghastly image of the chillingly familiar graveyard. Through her eyelids, she could see a bright light from above. Slowly uncovering her face, she saw an angelic form above her through tear-clouded vision. Sniffing and wiping the tears away, she gasped as she saw the Vector CEO hovering in midair, floating on wings of blood red, claret eyes glowing. His chest was bare, and a silken, pristine white garment was wrapped around his waist.
"M-Master Wilhelm?" Shion stammered, bewildered at the sight. The man nodded, the strands of white hair falling against his face, a countenance of wisdom apparent.
"That's right, Shion…" Wilhelm said, landing on the cold ground in front of her.
Wilhelm knelt before her, gently tilting her chin upwards so that her eyes were locked onto his. Upon studying her frightened face, he mused, "Shion…you survived a blast from a FAE that destroyed everything around you, and you were touched by a gnosis yet you remain unchanged…and you still do not accept the truth that you are the Divine Form. Why?"
Shion opened her mouth to say something, but noting came out. "Why do you think everyone who loved you died trying to protect you? They knew that you would do amazing things someday. Why did you go straight from high school to Vector? We needed to make sure that you were on safe ground," he told her. "Your hands began to glow when the gnosis were close by…a trademark occurrence in Joachim Mizrahi's creations. That is also why your image is in the Y-DATA."
The woman stared at him in awe as tears streaked down her cheeks. "And probably the most important question is…why did I bring your lover back?"
Shion's jaw dropped as her eyes widened. "Th-that was you?" she stammered, completely bewildered by all that was going on.
"Yes, that was me…" Wilhelm replied. "He is vital to the play's next act."
"What do you mean?" Shion asked, pleading him with her eyes.
"Shion, once before, a girl named Nephilim told you to 'see with your heart'…and you did. You saved someone dear to you," Wilhelm told her, parrying her question.
Shion suddenly recalled that night out of Proto Merkabah, when she waited anxiously for KOS-MOS to come out of the deteriorating behemoth…Nephilim's voice entered her head as she closed her eyes and saw KOS-MOS running to exit. She urgently told Matthews and Tony to move four hundred meters to the port side, and KOS-MOS exploded from the metal wall. Shion grabbed her hand, but struggled to hold onto the weight…then Ziggy helped her to pull the android safely into the ship.
"Well…yes," Shion admitted meekly.
"That is because you have the gift of sight, Shion," Wilhelm informed her. "It is one of the attributes of your powers…you can see into the near future. Mizrahi always said that it came from a genetic anomaly, but…" his voice trailed off.
"Master Wilhelm?" Shion looked up at him, concerned.
"Never mind," Wilhelm said quickly. "Go on, try it right now…close your eyes and tell me what you see." Shion hesitated, but then reluctantly closed them. A strange, almost ambient sensation flooded her body. She saw a vague image of Jin's kitchen, Allen sitting on a chair and holding her trembling body protectively…
Shion took in a sharp breath of air as she reopened her eyes. "What did you see?" Wilhelm asked softly.
"I…I saw myself asleep in Allen's lap…" she muttered in reply, looking downwards.
"Ah. That will probably become a reality soon…" the man said. Quiet footfalls suddenly brought her attention to her right, where she saw the mysterious teenage boy crouched in front of two tombstones, studying them with intense green eyes.
She turned back to Wilhelm and queried fervently, "Why is everything changing so quickly? Why can I not control my life anymore?"
"Shion, your life will change very drastically, very soon," Wilhelm told her frankly. "But do not be afraid…you will always be happy with the outcome…always…" Shion's heartbeat quickened again as she thought about what else could possibly happen to her.
"Well…who is he?" Shion asked after a few seconds, pointing at Mystery Boy, who was now kneeling reverently in front of the graves. "I see him every night in my dreams, and sometimes when I'm not even asleep."
"He is your everything," the winged figure told her. "He is that whisper in the night that you are afraid of, yet you strain so hard to hear…"
Shion was about to tell him that that didn't exactly answer her question, but his body began to lift into the air, his wings carrying him away. "Master Wilhelm, don't go! You still haven't told me!" she exclaimed.
"That's not my name," Wilhelm said after a second of hesitance. "Wilhelm is my surname. My true name is…Raphael."
"Raphael?"
Looking down at her and smirking, he said, "I figured I would visit you…seeing as how Gabriel already had his turn to do this…"
Shion whimpered and shielded her eyes from the harshly bright flash of light that Raphael disappeared into. She let out a defeated sigh and shifted back onto her haunches, taking a moment to regain her bearings. Slowly getting to her feet, she silently decided to approach the boy.
She timidly walked up behind him, resting beside him. Turning her head towards him, she softly asked, "Whose…whose graves are those?"
The teen looked at her, his dazzling green eyes standing out amazingly against the dull gray background. For a second, emerald irises danced together before the boy said, "See for yourself."
Shion quirked an eyebrow as she looked at the epitaphs. She gasped as she briefly caught the names "Jin" and "Hiroko"…
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Shion's eyes snapped open as she sat rigidly straight in her futon bed. Her hand flew to her forehead, which had broken out in a cold sweat. Taking a few slow, deep breaths, she tried to calm her rapidly pounding heart as she struggled to read the digital red number display of the clock on her nightstand.
"Ugh…2:33…" she groaned, resting her head on her sleeping partner's shoulder. Even in his warm, comforting arms, she felt cold and insecure. Whenever she closed her eyes, the only things she could see were those tombstones…
She whimpered and sat up, hugging her knees tight to her chest. The suffocating darkness of the room was frightening and chilling; so much that not even Allen's presence could reassure her. Not that it helped at all, but the usual silence of Jin's house was broken by a rattling thunderstorm roaring outside of the window.
Shion began to cry softly as a large crash of thunder sounded. Even though storms didn't bother her so much anymore, her nerves were frayed by the dream. Clenching her jaw and wiping her eyes, she swung her legs over her side of the bed and silently headed towards the kitchen.
Jin's home was always ridiculously cold when it was raining, causing Shion, clad in only a beater top and flannel pajama bottoms, hair swept up in an untidy bun, to shiver furiously. Not bothering to turn on any lights, she began to prepare a pot of green tea. Once the water finally boiled, she poured herself a cup and sat down on one of the wooden chairs, resting her head on her elbows. The traditional Japanese table was in the conjoined dining room.
The hot beverage was somewhat soothing to her as she drank it deeply. Jin and Hiroko…The tears started up again as Shion thought about those names. She sobbed aloud as she remembered who they belonged to.
"Why? Why was he looking at their graves?" Shion wondered aloud before another wave of tears came over her. Those graves…those graves belonged to her parents, Jin and Hiroko Uzuki. That's right; her brother was actually Jin Uzuki Jr.
Every event in Shion's life now seemed to be moving horribly turbulently. That boy was making everything so complicated. Tears of rage poured down Shion's cheeks as she thought about how she was different. Now she knew how the variant U.R.T.V.s felt…she just wanted her life to be normal…
Meanwhile, in Shion's room down the hall, something caused Allen to stir out of his sound sleep. Not bothering to open his eyes, he sighed and shifted his positing, expecting Shion to groan something inarticulate before cuddling against him again. When he didn't feel the warmth of her slender body, his crystalline blue eyes slowly opened. Arching an eyebrow and surveying the dark room, realization hit him like a sack of bricks.
Falling back to the soft surface of the bed and sighing, he muttered, "I wonder what happened now…"
Yawning and stretching, he stood from the bed. He wore one of Jin's old pajama bottoms since he hadn't yet had the chance to collect his belongings from the East side of the city. Allen slowly and tiredly slid open the Japanese-style door and started for the kitchen.
The soft sound of footfalls behind her caused her to quickly wipe her tears away. "Shion?"
Expelling a sigh of relief, she turned to see Allen, rubbing his eyes. Her own squeezed shut as more tears spilled from the corners. "Allen…" she sobbed, resting her head on her arms.
"Whoa, Shion, what's wrong?" Allen asked while sitting down on the chair opposite her, his voice filled with extreme and genuine concern.
"I-It's nothing…it was just a dream…"
"No, no, Shion…don't say that," Allen whispered, gently stroking her slender fingers with his thumb.
"Don't worry, you didn't die in this one," she reassured him, and he cracked a small smile.
"Can you tell me what it was about?"
Their eyes met in the darkness for an instant before Shion looked downwards at the tabletop. "I…I don't want to talk about it…"
"Okay." Allen sighed quietly. "Can you tell me what's bothering you?" Shion hesitated for a moment before she spoke.
"It's just…everything is happening so quickly. I'm not in control of my life anymore," she managed to say even though it felt as if she had an orange lodged in her throat. "I feel like something unusual is happening, something that I should be aware of but I'm not!" she told him, emphasizing the last word by pulling her hands from his and pounding her fists against the table. She collapsed into another fit of tears, her head throbbing so hard she felt like it might explode.
Allen quickly regained his hold on her hands, grasping them more tightly this time. "Well…is there anything I can do to make you feel better?" he asked softly.
"Could you…could you hold me?" Shion suggested in a small, scared voice.
"Of course," Allen replied as Shion nodded and walked around the table, settling in his lap. Allen protectively wrapped his arms around her, rocking her gently, trying to calm her. "You're freezing," he muttered, holding her trembling body close to his in an attempt to warm her. A few stray tears fell from Shion's eyes as she rested her head on top of his, inhaling the sweet aroma of his tawny locks that had come from their shower earlier that day. Yes, I said their…you read it perfectly. Don't be running off to see your optometrist.
Shion moaned softly as Allen nuzzled the area behind her ear. "Listen, Shion…" he murmured, sending a chill up her spine. "I never want you to be afraid to tell me anything."
"I know…" Shion sniffed. "This is just something I have to keep to myself. This is my cross to bear. You shouldn't have to suffer with me."
"Shh…" Allen hushed her, placing a gentle, lingering kiss against the soft skin of her neck and resting his head on her shoulder. His heart was breaking at the sight of her, so afraid and depressed… "For now, try to sleep."
Shion's crying slowly subsided as Allen gently rubbed and patted her bottom, as if trying to calm a restless newborn. Shion closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, savoring the feeling of his body against hers. Her hands softly gripped onto his bare chest. Slowly, she heard her own moans growing more and more distant as she finally fell asleep.
A few moments later, once Allen was certain that she was asleep, he carefully lifted her into his arms as to not wake her. Carrying her back into the bedroom, he gently laid her down on the bed. He gingerly settled beside her, pulling the blanket over the two of them. Stroking her cheek softly with the back of his hand, he studied her sleeping form. Her pink lips were slightly parted and her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm…
"You're so beautiful," Allen breathed, pressing a tender kiss against her forehead. He moved closer to her, wrapping his arms around her small body. Reassuringly, he whispered:
"Shion…I know you're asleep, but I just want you to know that I'll always protect you. I know that a lot of tragic things have happened to you, but I promise to do my best to make sure that you're always safe and happy. Because I love you…so much…I promise…"
And with one last kiss, Allen allowed the sweet hold of the night to take him.
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The next morning, Shion awoke to the feeling of slight pressure on her upturned cheek. She moaned as her eyes opened, the light causing her to squint. When the dull throb in her head subsided, she was greeted by the image of Allen lying next to her, stroking her cheek. He was fully-clothed and cleanly shaven, a small smile on his face. "How are you feeling?" he asked softly.
"Better," she groaned as she flexed her back. "Although my head still hurts…what time is it?"
"About 7:30," Allen replied. "Would you like an aspirin or something?"
"Mmm…please," she sighed, rolling onto her back. Allen nodded and exited the room, heading towards the bathroom where Jin kept the pills. Shion let out a quiet moan as she tried to sit up, but then fell back to the bed. Allen returned shortly with the medicine and a glass of water, which she downed quickly.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Allen asked concernedly, narrowing his eyes and feeling her forehead with his hand. "You look really pale…"
"I'm fine," Shion replied. "Just…tired, that's all."
"If you're sure," Allen said, kissing her gently. "Go back to sleep for a while. Don't forget, we're going to watch the fireworks tonight."
"That's right," Shion remembered. That night the city was having a fireworks display on account of…well, not being destroyed. Most of their group was going to come from the Durandal or Kukai Foundation to meet them and watch it together.
"Okay. I'll wake you up a bit later, alright?"
"Sounds good." Shion let out a loud yawn before pulling the warm blanket up to her chin again. Allen sat on the bed and rubbed her back for a few moments to make sure that she was deep in slumber. He stood up and walked into the hallway, and out of the corner of his eye he saw a dark blur speeding towards him…
THUD!
Allen yelped in surprise and pain as he felt the six foot tall samurai smash into him. "Oh, sorry Allen, didn't see you there," he said, untangling his limbs from the Vector engineer's.
"Where were you headed in such a hurry?" Allen asked him.
"I was on my way to see if Shion's alright," he replied matter-of-factly. The other man shook his head.
"I wouldn't interfere if I were you," Allen warned him. "She's going through something right now…she won't even talk to me about it."
"But…I'm her brother."
"I know," the tawny-haired man told him. "Don't worry…she'll open up to you eventually. Trust me. You just have to wait until she's ready."
Jin watched in respect as the man who could make his sister so happy walked out of the hallway. Still, jealousy bit at his heart and soul…he only wanted to be close to his little sister.
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Beep beepbeep!
Beep beepbeep!
Beep beepbeep!
"Rggh!" Jr. grunted, jerking violently and tossing his blanket off. He pounded his chirping alarm clock with his fist, reading the digital display. When it finally registered in his tired mind that it was 7:45 AM, he gave that trademark cocky grin.
"Alright! Perfect timing!" he whispered enthusiastically, not wanting to disturb Albedo. The white-haired U.R.T.V. was asleep on the couch on the opposite side of the room in Gaignun and Jr.'s private chambers.
Stretching and yawning, he stood and trudged into the bathroom. He slipped off his sleeping bottoms and boxers, and took a moment to study himself in the mirror. He flexed his arms, delighted when he saw the lean muscle. He was fit to the same extent as Allen and Tony, with a tone and smooth chest. He gave a satisfied smile when he touched the small silver rings handed from his nipples.
Oh, yes. I went there.
Jr. turned on the shower and stepped inside of the stall, wincing slightly as the water hit his new piercings. He whistled a happy tune as he squirted some shampoo into his hand. He ran his hands through his hair, scrubbing his scalp and his blood red locks clean. AS he rinsed his hair, some suds ran into his translucent blue eyes, and a string of profanities poured from his mouth. Once his eye-opening (oh, I'm terrible…) experience was over, he grabbed the slippery bar of soap. Making his washcloth nice and foamy, he rubbed it all over his body.
Suddenly, he was inspired to sing.
"I wear my suuuuunglasses at night…I wear my sunglasses at night so I can, so I can keep track of the visions in my eyes!" he sang. His raspy voice actually didn't sound too bad!
Jr. picked up the shampoo bottle and sang into it like a microphone. "While she's deceiving me…it cuts my security! Has she got control of me? I turn to her and say:"
He began to do some fancy footwork, only to stop a few seconds later when he almost slipped. It would have been hella embarrassing if someone would have caught him slipping on camera. But then again, who would be recording him in the shower? No, no, Jr. fangirls, that was meant to be a rhetorical question.
"Don't switch the blade on the guy in shades, oh no…don't masquerade with the guy in shades, oh no…" he sang loudly, pouring his heart into the lyrics. "I can't believe it! 'Cause you got it made with the guy in sha-"
"Jr.! Keep your day job!" Albedo hollered from the other side of the bathroom door. Jr. abruptly stopped singing.
"Oi! What are you doing up so early!" Jr. asked Albedo in a yell, trying to make his voice louder than the running water.
"I need to take a shower! Gaignun is already in his!" the man replied. Jr. almost strained his ears trying to hear him.
"What'd you say!"
"Turn off the water so you can hear!" Albedo instructed.
"What!"
"Turn off the damn water!"
"Hang on, let me turn off this water so I can hear," Jr. said, turning the knobs. Silence filled the room as his voice echoed, "I'll be out in a sec!"
About ten seconds later, Jr. exited the bathroom with a blue towel wrapped around his waist. Albedo tapped his foot impatiently. "When are you supposed to meet Momo?" he asked, glancing at the clock which now read 7:53.
"Eight o'clock," Jr. replied in a chipper voice. "Wait, you know what I just realized? Why were we shouting at each other when we could have spoken through our mental link?" Albedo shrugged. Jr. dropped the towel (Albedo quickly turned away) and pulled on a pair of briefs. He rubbed his hair with the towel vigorously, drying it. Albedo suddenly snorted with laughter as he saw Jr.'s new rings.
"Christ!" The younger pulled at one of the rings, causing Jr. to screech in pain.
"Ow!" Jr. cried, clenching his jaw. "Watch it, man! That hurt!"
"I couldn't resist," Albedo chuckled. Jr. grunted and picked up a comb, rearing back to strike Albedo with it. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he instead ran it through his locks, combing his longer bangs over his left eye. "Hey, Jr., don't you think that the people of the Kukai Foundation will notice your change?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Eh. No way. They're all idiots anyways," Jr. replied. "They'll just think that I had a growth spurt or something."
Jr. grabbed his black jeans and put them on over the tightie whities (LOL HAHA), but lost his balance and fell flat on his face. Albedo began laughing hysterically as Jr. struggled to stand. Finally the redhead got to her feet and buckled his belt. "You know, it frightens me that we come from the same gene pool," Albedo said jokingly.
"I'm sorry, I don't know what you're talking about," Jr. said, trying to forget that he had just made an implant of his face in the thick, luxurious carpet. He grabbed his blue and white sweater and put it on, saying, "Ah…the best time to wear a striped sweater is all the time."
"One with a collar?" Albedo asked as Jr. put on his socks and boots.
"Turtleneck. That's the kind," Jr. grinned and pointed at the fabric covering his neck. Putting his arms through his leather vest and his Makarovs in their holsters, he continued. "Because when you're wearing that one special sweater-" His eyes trailed off to the clock. Its red numbers glared the time 8:01 back at him menacingly. "Oh, shizzle, I'm late!" he yelled, dashing to his bedside table, snatching his earring, and frantically putting it on.
Albedo pressed the button to open the door for Jr. "Thanks, man!" Jr. exclaimed before sprinting…into the wall just to the left of the door.
Jr. lay dazed on the floor, staring up at the white ceiling. Albedo laughed uncontrollably, gripping at his sides and rolling around on the floor next to him. "Ah, man, I think my skull just caved in primarily around the foreheadular region…" Jr. groaned. "Am I bleeding?"
"Nope!" Albedo answered, hopping to his feet and helping his older brother up.
"Oh man, I almost forgot!" Jr. dashed over to his nightstand and pulled a small can of Axe Essence out of the top drawer. "Just givin' it a try," he said, spraying himself. He grinned and sprayed a quick spurt right in Albedo's face. He coughed violently, purple eyes watering.
"All right! Gotta go!" Jr. jogged out of the bedroom door, then out of the main door to the hallway. "Sayonara, baby!" he called over his shoulder to Albedo. A genuine smile spread across Albedo's face as the door closed with a swish behind the redhead.
"I think I'm going to like it here."
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A/n: Wowsorrz! That was a long one! I'm sorry it took so long…I was so busy with school, and then I got sick. I actually had more written on this chapter, but I decided to split it in half.
Hmmm...so Wilhelm's real name is Raphael, eh? Interesting...
Only two chapters and an epilogue left!