Me: And Here's TU59!
April: -nods head- yes…here it is.
Me: You sound sleepy.
April: And you aren't? -looks at clock- it's past 12 o'clock at night and you stayed up the night before until 1AM trying to finish TU58…
Me: Eh-heh-heh…that's true.
To Understand: Part Fifty-nine
I hate Interruptions
By Harmony283
Reviews:
Alaia Skyhawk-Yes Pronyma's officially dead. But the hard part isn't over yet (as you'll see by this chapter). I'm glad you liked the last chapter and here's the next one, enjoy!
Lyurii-Yes Pronyma died...finally. And I think I did well enough on it (though like I said I didn't like the middle part). But yeah, I'm glad you liked the last chapter, here's the next one, and good luck with the commissions.
Viaroura Fox-Yeah Genis killed Pronyma. Don't worry, I'm not going to make anyone else die, especially Mitosu, Jiniasu, and Seiji. They're too important (at least in the sequel) to kill. As for what the Older Feral will do next...you'll see in this chapter. So, yeah, enjoy!
Dawnstarshine-Well when I say I'm going to update fast...I guess I really mean it. The only reason I wouldn't update only a day apart would be for reviews. I get more reviews if I wait. And yes Pronyma is finally dead. After...58 chapters...really, I think I extended her being alive a bit longer than I meant to originally but -shrugs- it doesn't matter now. Here's the newest chapter of TU--enjoy!
LittleLinor: Heh, something told me you'd like that part. And I'm glad you like the older Feral. And yes there're only 3 more chapters (well 2 if you don't count this one, and 1 if you don't count the epilogue) so unless if what I have planned for the next chapter gets to be too long then there will offically be only 61 chapters in TU. And then I can work on the sequel.
April: Ah, the title's interesting…
Me: It is isn't it? Don't worry you'll see why it's named that soon.
April: okay. Well, Harmony283 -yawns- well she doesn't own what she doesn't own and she does own what she does own…so there.
Authors Note: Nice and simple disclaimer. Hmm, well, in this -yawn- err, excuse me. -cough- in this chapter You get to hear a bit of an explanation around why Genis was chosen to be Feral's seal--and everyone else in the group will realize/be told that Genis is his seal. Then it's time to make a pact. But what's this about a payment? And what happens when Mitosu, Jiniasu, and Seiji interrupt?
April: Hence the name of the title
Me: -nods head-
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Raine's POV
I-I didn't know what to do when I saw Genis being sucked into that…that…I wasn't even sure it was an actual mirror. But I almost went after him. Mithos got there before me, though. I would've gone in after them, but…but…
Then she came out.
She was, to say beautiful wouldn't really describe it. Yes she would fit the description nicely, she had white hair, startling blue eyes, pale skin and a wonderful figure, but…she was also scary. Her eyes, though a beautiful shade of blue, held some sort of hatred for someone, I wasn't sure who. They also had the glint of someone who had murdered many people. Her skin being pale was from the obvious lack of sun.
Her scyth-like weapon was what scared me the most. When she first appeared she used it--sweeping it across the floor--and no one had been prepared enough to dodge the invisible attack. Then, somehow, there was blood on the blade. I didn't know where it was from, but for a second I thought it was Genis', that she had run into him and…and killed him.
But that fear had been quickly snuffed out when Genis, being carried by Mithos, fell back through the mirror. I hadn't expected anything else to happen after that. But that woman, the Summon Spirit of Death that Maxwell called Feral, she seemed so interested in Genis and why he had escaped. She talked about another Feral. A Feral she had tried to hurt, but that had gone against her orders of keeping them locked in the mirror.
Why?
And why did Genis have angel wings? Did Mithos give them to him? Or what? But the other Feral, the younger one, had explained that…that somehow he had a Cruxis Crystal mixed in with his Exsphere. When had that happened? When had Genis been in contact with this Feral before? Why did Feral give him the Cruxis Crystal--their master's Cruxis Crystal--in the first place?
I got that answer when the Older Feral told us, in a voice that was as cold as always, and yet it was laced with shock and almost fear.
"So you are Kloitz's son."
It was a statement. Not a question.
But Kloitz…that was…that was our father's name. The name on that tomb stone Genis had found in Exire. Was this the same Kloitz? What was…? My thoughts were cut off when the Summon Spirit spoke again.
"You are Kloitz's son. I never knew Kloitz had a son." She looked at her other self accusingly.
The younger Feral just shrugged, 'Because you were asleep when he told me. And…' she looked at her feet before continuing, 'And do you know when he told me?'
The Summon Spirit's eyes narrowed, "No. When did he tell you?"
'The day…'
"You were sealed away." Genis finished. This caught me off guard. How did he know…?
'So that was what that dream was about.'
Genis shook his head, "If I could remember, I would tell you. I just kinda figured it was then anyway. You were the one sealed away in the mirror, that day was the day I was born, the day he gave you his Cruxis Crystal and the day he threw you--or rather the piece of mirror you were sealed in--into the…into the waters in Ymir forest." Genis looked really sad now. But also serious. Mithos, who had somehow made his way next to him, placed a hand on his shoulder.
'Well you figured correctly.'
"That still doesn't really explain anything you know. Why was I chosen?"
Both Feral's looked at each other, and then back at Genis, "Because." The older Feral started, "The heir to the seal has to be the one more willing to accept the task." She paused and shook her head, "Normally the more willing one to accept anything would be the younger sibling. And you were younger."
Genis grimaced, "So it's just because I was younger?"
The younger Feral shook her head, 'No. Not necissarily. Though it's true that you would want to stand out in some way--since your sister seems to be important in her own right, it's because you understand death better than your sister.'
Well It definitely felt odd to be talked about when I was in the room. And what--
"What?"
The older Feral sighed, "She means what she means. You understand it more. You aren't afraid of it are you?"
Genis shrugged, "What's to be afraid of? I'm more afraid of getting hurt and having to suffer through the pain than dying. There's nothing scary about death. Dying, yeah it's scary depending on how you die, but death it's self isn't."
Both Feral's smirked at this, but the younger spoke, 'You definitely have…a way with words. See, I knew you understood it better. Dying is scary, death is not. Being dead is not scary, but getting to death is the scary part.'
"Yeah."
"That…makes sense?" Mithos asked, looking a bit startled.
And why wouldn't he be? Has Genis…always been like this? Ever since the journey started I never really noticed.
'That does explain why he's so careful not to get hurt though. That explains why he's so afraid sometimes. He hates the thought of dying. But so far he's gotten hurt more than any of us. He must be so afraid now…'
"Yeah it does. Think about it, Mithos and you'll get it." Genis smiled, "You might not even realize it, but you aren't afraid of death, are you?"
Mithos blinked a few times, looking a bit taken back by the question, "Well…death itself? I wouldn't want to meet with death so soon. But…I suppose once your dead you don't really need to feel afraid because you can't die again."
Genis nodded his head, "Yeah. That's right."
The Older Feral stepped forward, "Yes," some how her weapon had disappeared and now her arms were crossed over her chest, "that's right. Absolutely correct, no errors in that at all. But let me ask you something. Something…just to make sure…" she teleported in front of Genis, touching his Exsphere gently, "did anything unusual ever happen to you in your life? Anything…you know for a fact isn't normal?"
Genis looked scared for a moment, but then he calmed down and nodded, "Yeah…a few things."
"Tell me them in order."
Genis nodded his head, "W-well…" he looked over at me and then gulped, "the one thing I can think of that was really odd…was that I-I could see someone…who was already dead."
The Summon Spirit's eyes narrowed, "I see. Anything else?"
"You mean besides the fact that before he came here he only had half of his Mana Signature?" Mithos asked before Genis could even open his mouth, "how is that possible?"
Both Feral's shrugged, 'It's a side effect of being the heir to our Seal.'
"So that's…what…what Genis is?" I hadn't even meant to speak that out loud, but both Feral's were nodding their heads.
"Yes he's apparently our seal."
'That's why he's the only one I'll listen to now. He wanted to be let out of the mirror so I agreed.'
"Yes, it makes sense. When I was awakened that one time, I'm not sure where we were but I have a feeling it was close to the place we were sealed away, you were able to suppress me back into my seal." The older Feral smiled softly, "Only our former Master could do that that perfectly. And…it was your first time encountering me."
'And then the most recent.' The younger Feral said, 'was when you killed Pronyma. I'm sure only you noticed Genis, but the attack was the same.'
Genis grimaced again, "Yeah…dark magic. Is that what it's called?"
'Yes.' Feral nodded her head, 'You controlled it, made it into a visible form, and killed Pronyma.'
Everytime she said 'killed Pronyma' Genis flinched. Now I was getting worried.
"Yeah well I didn't want to use your power that way. I'm sure we could've…gotten rid of her another way. Or Mithos could've."
Mithos shrugged, "That was what I was planning on doing. But she was about to awaken…you," he nodded his head at the Summon Spirit, "again and turn you," He turned to Genis, "Against us. You had every reason to want to kill her right then and there."
Genis looked down at the ground, "Ah…I guess."
A few minutes of silence passed before the Summon Spirit spoke up, "Now then, I believe you have a pact to make with us, Genis?"
Genis flinched and looked up at her, "I-I guess I do, don't I? What…what do I do?"
The Summon Spirit smiled, or at least attempted to, and said, "Really it's very easy. You know how to control me. Maybe not fully yet, but you will learn. All you have to tell me now is what you want."
'What he wants…? That…that should be easy enough.' I almost sighed in relief, 'this is turning out to be much easier than I thought it would be.'
"What I want?"
"Your reason for wanting to make a pact with me." The Summon Spirit shook her head, "It can be as simple as 'I want to use your powers'. That was your fathers excuse of a pact. But he did use our powers…accordingly."
Genis' eyes narrowed, "I'm wondering what you mean by accordingly." He muttered, and really, I was wondering too. From what I had read in my diary it didn't seem that our father used the powers for something evil.
"Well your father was only sixteen at the time, it's not like he really knew what he was going to do in the world. After all he was a rich noble," Feral shrugged, "It's not like he really needed to do anything. Of course he went into service for the King and ended up in good favor and…well…then he met your mother and you'll learn the rest. Now hurry and make your pact, I'm getting anxious."
Genis nodded his head, "O-okay. Um, well…I…I want to use your powers also. But for right now We--I--want to use your powers to revive a woman named Martel."
The older Feral mutely nodded her head, "I see. You do realize that reviving someone comes with a cost, don't you?"
Genis gulped audibly, "Y-yes I know. I don't know what it is, but I--"
"--we're," Mithos butted in, nodding his head at Genis to continue.
"--we're willing to risk it."
The Older Feral's eyes narrowed, "So this woman is of importance to you both? Is she the same Martel you call a goddess?"
Genis nodded his head.
And the Older Feral looked like she was about to laugh, "Oh god…and you two are together right? How old are you?" she asked, looking at Mithos.
"Why does it matter? But if you must know I'm 4000 years old…exactly."
Feral looked like she was about to laugh, "And you're dating…really…? Heh, I'd call you a pedophile but you look like a fourteen year old."
'Not like either of us should talk. We're much older than we appear to be.'
The older Feral nodded her head, "Yes, I suppose we are. If you want when we were split we'd be twenty four now, but if you want when we were created we're just as old as Old Man Maxwell."
"So Maxwell was created first?" Sheena asked and both Feral's nodded. Sheena shook her head, "No wonder he looks so old."
"He's the Summon Spirit of Birth. Naturally he'd be created first. When we were one, at the beginning, we would've had to be created at the same time. Since birth and death are technically equal in their own rights." The Older Feral nodded her head, as if agreeing with herself.
"Then why were you split?" I asked. Now I was really fascinated by this.
Both Feral's turned to Genis, 'You can tell her can't you?' The younger Feral questioned and Genis just nodded.
"Yeah sure." He smiled at me and pointed to the older Feral, "You're the side of death that is caused from war or…other violent…um…things that happen during life. And you," He pointed to the younger Feral, "Are the death that comes naturally or by disease. You both were together once because you really didn't need to be separate. Because I guess the world used to be peaceful. As odd as that sounds now."
The older Feral nodded her head, "Yes that's true. Only recently we were able to split because our former Master allowed it. His Great Grandfather before him suggested against it in his will that he left him, but he went against it. And I'm glad he did." She smirked, "It's hard making sure people actually die my way when I'm arguing with half of myself over if it's right or wrong."
The younger Feral scowled but said nothing.
It still didn't take away from the fact that this whole…conversation…was interesting. I never once doubted that my father was a great man. I knew--or rather read--that he was a smart man. That he had won over the kings trust, and had gotten into Heimdall without a problem. But I never knew he controlled such a power. Though I was against him not telling mother…I doubted it would've helped if she had known.
I shuddered. She could have, out of desperation, ki--
I shook my head. No. I would not think about that. Our mother…wouldn't do that. Genis…Genis is here and is alive. And what's more, he has a purpose in life now. I won't think anything differently of it. After all, 'what if's' didn't get anyone anywhere.
"Now are you sure that's your pact?"
I snapped to attention when the older Feral said those words. So Genis was now making his pact official? What would happen after that?
Unfortunately I didn't get to find out. For just a few seconds later--which really felt like minutes since everything seemed to move in slow motion--a powerful surge of black magic hurled towards Genis just as he almost said yes.
"Watch out!"
Genis was pushed aside as Mithos got hit by the blunt of the attack.
"Mithos! Are you…are you okay?!"
Mithos nodded his head as April rushed over to heal him. I turned around quickly only to see Mitosu and Jiniasu standing in the doorway.
"You really thought we would just leave you alone?" Mitosu asked with a smirk on his face. His eyes, I noticed, were turning from an amber shade to…to red. Did they always do that before he went into battle? What caused the change?
I shook my head to clear these thoughts. He was our enemy. I couldn't think about things like that. I couldn't let my interests get in the way in battle. I readied my staff and glared at them. Everyone else around me got into fighting stance as well.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Lloyd shouted, "You already lost. Genis just made the pact."
"We can still try can't we?" Jiniasu stated with a shrug, "I mean, we can just kidnap Genis and it'd all be over with." Then he smirked, "After all I'd like to get to know my other self a bit better."
I glanced back at Genis briefly and saw him glaring daggers at his look-alike.
His look-alike just laughed, "And he's fiesty too!"
"Neo would get sooo mad at you if you're really implying…what you're implying." Seiji cried out, running up behind the two boys. She had a black chain around her arm. Wait…that was Pronyma's…
"Well it took you long enough to get rid of the body, Seiji." Jiniasu stated, now smirking at his sister.
She scowled, "Well decapitating her was fun. And I needed the practice since I haven't had the chance to train with my rightful weapon in a while."
So those chains were originally hers? Then how did Pronyma…?
"Let's cut to the chase and get this over with." Mitosu said, "which means you two stop talking and you hand over your…boyfriend…" his expression immediately turned to a sickened one.
But Jiniasu only smirked, his one good eye glinting in a way that made me wonder. What exactly had happened to make them both know about Mithos and Genis being together? Come to think of it--no! Thinking wasn't as important as protecting my brother!
"Hell no you aren't getting Genis!" Lloyd shouted before rushing towards the two.
His attack was easily deflected though, as Jiniasu held out his pendant-like weapon. The bat wings were spread like they had been that one time back in Exire, but this time the…the cross on the shield was glowing.
"Heh, physical attacks like that can't penetrate this shield. So sorry, you'll have to try another--OWW! Shit Mitosu why'd you hit me?!" He glared at the dark haired teen next to him, rubbing his head as Mitosu shieled the…flame…like…sword he had in his right hand.
"That's for talking to much."
"Wha--?"
"RAY!"
I flinched and whirled around in time to see Mithos cast the spell and, turning back around to face Mitosu and Jiniasu, I saw the beams of light crashing down onto the shield. It didn't look like it affected the shield but Mitosu looked worried.
So the shield was weak against magic. That was a good sign for us. But how much longer could that shield hold up? I was still weak from being hurt…and I couldn't waist my energy on magic casting. April didn't know any techniques except healing ones--that I knew of anyway.
So all that left us with in terms of light magic was Kratos, Zelos, Mithos, and possibly Genis since he could use that one light attack.
This was wonderful…really it was…
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Genis' POV
I leaned in closer as Mithos whispered in my ear, "I know of a combination attack we can do! I'll use Ray and you can use Eruption, or any of the other attacks like that!"
I nodded my head, "O-okay…" I never really did a combination attack before. But if Mithos said it was possible then…why not?
I closed my eyes, mumbling the words for the eruption spell under my breath, hoping that the others would block me--which they did--and suddenly, right no time, we both shouted out our attacks.
"RAY!"
"ERUPTION!"
Then…something…happened. Mithos grabbed my hand and smiled at me. I felt the swell of mana in my body and his flowing out…and then we both called out at the same time--Mithos raising his free hand and me raising my Kendama:
"PRISM STARS!"
And, in a flash of light, millions of stars came crashing down into the shield. I…I didn't think it would work. But to my surprise…
It did.
"Shi--"
Mitosu whacked Jiniasu on the back of the head again.
"Oww crap!" he closed his eyes again and his weird pendant thing lit up again.
"Dammit get the pendant away from him!" Someone, I'm not sure which one of us, shouted.
'Genis?'
I jumped when I felt Feral's hand on my arm. I turned to her and she smiled, 'May I be of assistance?'
I gulped, "Wh-what are you going to do?"
She smiled, 'I'm not as bad as my other self,' she pointed to the other Feral who was looking quite bored, 'but I can do at least a little. For instance I can break his shield easier than you can with that attack. After all we don't want you running out of mana.'
I nodded my head, "Y-yeah okay. Anything that can help get this fight over with is appreciated."
Feral nodded her head, 'Yes that's…that's so true. And you know?'
"Huh?"
She smirked, 'I really hate interruptions.'
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Me: -yawn- you…really do have a sense of humor.
Feral: Ha-ha very funny.
Me: Well you do.
Feral: -grumbles-
April: -yawn- oh? D-Did I fall asleep?! What happened?!
Feral: An interruption.
April: -blink- huh?
Me: Don't worry about it. Well, anyway here's the chapter…you see the review button…so please review! Now I'm going to bed. -yawn- I'm surprised my dad didn't get mad at me for staying up till -looks at clock- 1:30 AM…yikes…