I really thought I would have posted the third part of that trilogy with this but instead you all got this. This is the only one with unedited (aside from grammar) content and no summary. DPshadow thanks. I'll probably write the spinoff, just no clue when. Clozzie, which Akito are you talking about? Manipulative or broken? I will get back to the others. Again, no clue when. I'm really not sure people will like this one. Oh well. Try to enjoy.

Fragmented

12. Anew

Three.

He couldn't feel anymore. He couldn't move. You watched him struggle, eye glowing with determination, furious with himself. Eventually he collapsed, biting his kip to keep the tears at bay. You did not go and comfort him. He didn't want that. He wanted to know what's wrong. He wanted to know why. You knew why. You kept silent in all aspects. You knew how to fix it. You knew exactly what needed to be done. But today was not the day. The day was coming. Just a little longer. Just until then, you would keep fighting.

You were jolted back awake. The bird was watching you with worry. You must have stopped paying attention while he was speaking. You wondered why he worried. You did that often enough. You were going to it more. The world didn't matter. You said nothing, simply turned away and headed to your bedroom.

It was almost 11o'clock. Your body needed its rest.

Two.

You have prepared for what is to come. The battle that the world had been waiting for was tomorrow. There was nothing to worry about, in your opinion. The kings were a cinch, the team was strong. All that was worth feeling troubled about was timing and you had mastered that at a young age. You packed the toolkit away, absently hearing his deep breathing as he slept inside your mind. He had been sleeping more and more, a surefire sign. You thought about how different he looked asleep. It was almost paralyzing, how similar you looked when the differences you normally had were so obvious.

You slipped out the window, deciding to practice one last time. You could easily envision it, the opponent you would soon be slicing apart, and the blood that would be splattering over walls, floors, and ceilings. Just the mere imagining of it caused a fiery lust to burn your brain. The wheels began to turn, spinning too fast to be made out. You took off at a run, smirking and laughing as your imaginary opponent's eyes widened briefly in fear, as flesh slowly began to be torn…

One.

It was victory. On all sides at the top of the Tower that every rider dreamed on, you stood alongside all of those who were true kings as your best was crowned. The bird was grinning his familiar smile. He, alongside you, was nodding. This had to be. This was something the bird deserved. Just as this was something he deserved. You closed your eyes as the crowning ended, willing forth the black that had tried to suck you in so many times. You saw his face, the pure youth in it all making you smile as hidden tears fell from both eyes. He was confused and afraid. He had no reason to be. Everything would be all right.

Zero.

"Agito… just as the Regalia was a present to me, I am giving a present to you. Nobody but me knows this date, knows why this is so special. I never told it to you because to you it wasn't important. I never told it to Onii-chan because he didn't care. I didn't tell it to Udou-kun because he wouldn't understand."

"I wasn't sure what to get you for this. Today is so special and so important, something ordinary wouldn't do. So, with what was wrong with you, I decided that this was a perfect thing."

"Agito… thank you for protecting me. Thank you for answering me five years ago when no one else would. Thank you for never leaving, for doing your best on things you didn't have to. Thank you for letting me comfort and scold you, for letting me make us both laugh when all we wanted to do was cry. Thank you for putting up with Onii-chan's mood swings and scary temper and smiling when he patted your head. Thank you for being Udou-kun's friend, when everyone else turned their back on him, when he turned his back on you."

"Agito… this last thing is so important to me. Thank you for being born. Happy birthday, little brother. Now please, for everyone's sake, but for yours most of all; please live."

"I'm going to miss you Agito. Goodbye, my other half. I'll always…."

…

"Akito? Where'd you go?"