A/N: Chapter; Naked (in an emotional sense, silly)

And thus, the plot twist begins.

Thank you so much, guys, for your watches, story favorites, author favorites, fantastic reveiws which always keep my motivation going, and wonderful patience. I know I've been slow. But, here's chapter 8! Enjoy.

SPOILERS for volume two! I advise you to stop reading if you haven't finished the game yet.

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SELFISH

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It was nothing fancy – a small, silver band. Haseo stared at it uncertainly in Ovan's palm, still feeling transformed, different in the little white wedding dress. He felt as if he should say something, or do something, or even think something, but his thoughts all seemed to have turned to dust and his words were dry in his mouth and his body was frozen solid and all he could do was stare.

"You don't have to wear it." Ovan said at last, a touch of amusement in his voice. But Ovan was wearing his, and it glittered innocently against his finger.

"I'm wearing it." Haseo said stubbornly, reaching out to snatch it out of his hand, and the paralysis was broken. Ovan nodded once, smiling softly, watching Haseo observe the ring.

"It's designed like an item as well." he said. "You can store it away if you like."

"I'm wearing it." Haseo repeated numbly. Storing it away – making it just another string of data – that was out of the question. He slipped it on his ring finger quickly, before he could change his mind. It was warm and solid against his glove.

Hesitation. Then; "This really seals it, doesn't it?"

"'Seals it?'" Ovan repeated kindly.

"This." he gestured with his hands to nothing. "This."

Ovan leaned forward and the kiss was more of a brush than a kiss, just the slightest of slight touches, his lips barely connecting with his. "This." he agreed.

Haseo felt himself smile in spite of himself. "They'll have to find out."

Ovan nodded silently.

He sighed loudly. "I don't want to go around telling them, really, but I guess I kind of have to, right? It's only fair."

Red-masked eyes watching him.

"But only on one condition."

"Yes?"

"You have to tell Shino."

Ovan's expression changed to one of honest surprise, then, a tiny smile. His eyes closed briefly. "It's settled, then." he said. "I will let her know."

"Face-to face." Haseo ordered. "Let her know, like…like I tried to do with Atoli. Make sure she's happy."

"As you wish."

"Mm." He leaned his head against Ovan's shoulder for a moment, and it was like a forbidden fruit, quiet bliss to let his weight settle on the gunman. Ovan's hand touched his shoulder gently. "My bride." he whispered.

And for once, Haseo could not think of a snide answer in retort.

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Haseo,

Something has happened with Sakaki. Yata has allowed Pai and myself to go find him. Will you please come with us? I want you to be there when whatever happens, happens.

Sincerely,

Atoli.

Haseo re-read her letter three times before closing his eyes and rubbing his hand absently against his ring finger, feeling the band of metal there. Whatever happens, happens. Sakaki. He thought of the Moon-Tree fanatic himself, smirking with an immobile Atoli floating by his side. Whatever she had heard, whatever had gone on…it must mean a lot to her. Of course he'd be there. Of course.

He warped to the cities, searching for her, and quickly located her and Pai at Dol Dona. Pai was standing with her hands folded across her ample chest, bubblegum hair flowing out behind her, her eyes hard and serious behind transparent glasses. Atoli was standing with her head forward, eyes straight ahead and determined, hands fisted at her sides as if someone had challenged her to fight. Usually she looked docile, but now she looked lived, real, a girl who had pulled through pain and come out as a different person.

Good for you, Atoli. he thought with a smile, and then his mind wandered to the ring on his finger and he quickly hid it behind his back.

"Haseo!" she said lightly upon spotting him. "Thank you for coming! Yata located Sakaki and – and – "

"Yes."

"Thank you." she said again, then gave Pai a half-demanding, half-pleading look. Pai nodded her head gracefully. Atoli took a breath. "Please follow me." she said, and turned on her heel, touching the transport gate.

Things began to pass by in a blur.

His thoughts were racing, his body racing, Pai at his side, following a running Atoli through a dungeon, her gold-lined heels clicking with every step, the tassel on her hat fanning out behind her. Pai's hands curled into fists, moving with her legs as she ran. He kept his hands low at his sides, trying not to think of the ring there. Trying not to think of their reactions when he told them. Trying not to think of Ovan. Pai…Pai would respect him in the end, he thought. But Atoli…she may have already understood, but at the same time, he wasn't so sure. It wasn't an easy thing to accept. This wasn't Shino he was turning her down for, something she could reason away. This was Ovan.

"Here!" she said at last, and they were transporting again.

They were standing in a beautiful yet eerie Lost Ground, with bars lining the single walkway like a giant, dead creature's rib cage. In the distance there was a figure, a tall, solid something with the figure of a stone creature curled around the top. The music playing sent shivers down his spine – a woman's haunting voice, the silence between her notes like sentences to death.

Just steps away stood Sakaki.

He turned as they approached, Atoli in the lead, walking with sure, even steps and yet appearing so hesitant and scared. He tried to get his thoughts across from her, tell her she was doing all right, tell her she was brave. And she was brave – so brave. He was proud of her.

"Atoli." Sakaki said. "Atoli. I'm going to create our world, the world you always wanted. I'm going to make it, Atoli, my ideals will become a reality. And you and I…we'll be the center of it all. We'll be the rulers of a perfect world. Come with me, Atoli. Come with me…"

He turned around.

Haseo felt his body tense. Sakaki's eyes were crazed, different, but at the same time, sane. He knew what he was doing, what he was ready to do. He understood completely, and that was exactly what made him so threatening. Atoli wasn't moving. Her silence said something, something he was afraid to interpret. The woman's eerie voice fell over them like a spell, singing, singing…

"No, thank you!"

Sakaki moved, his lips parted, stunned. His key pawn his denied him.

"I want to live in a world with pain!" She shook her head once, blood hair swaying, her lips pressed together in a thin line of determination. "I want to live in a world where we get hurt every day, and we cry! We cry because we're human!"

"Ato-"

"But then we look back on all the hurt and the pain and we laugh about it!" she continued over him. "I want to live in a world where you can hold your best friends hand – and believe in them, and have the believe in you! I want to struggle, and fight, and find out who I am, and who I love!"

Her head turned suddenly toward Haseo, her eyes brimming. "I want to live in a world where we can say 'congratulations' to someone we really love, someone whose found what they've been searching for…I want to live in a world where our hearts get broken and mended again, where we can learn to be happy for someone no matter what they want or who they fall in love with!"

She paused, taking a deep breath, and then, eyes fixed on Haseo, her pink lips trembling slightly, mouthed out the words 'I'm sorry'

Her round face turned back to her target, alive, undaunted. "Who needs a perfect world, Sakaki?"

There was silence. Sakaki looked stunned, his white skin paler than usual, staring at Atoli, who stood frozen with her knees pressed together and hands balled into fists at her sides.

Then, he began to laugh.

"Traitor!" he said between breaths, his eyes wide and crazed. Haseo sensed danger and felt the familiar course of hot blood through his veins. "Betrayer!" he cried, his long ponytail swaying as he moved. "All who betray me are my enemies! All who betray me must die!"

He lunged at Atoli.

And before Haseo could react, she threw a hand out to stop him, drawing out her weapon and thrusting it hard into Sakaki's stomach. He saw the pain underneath her mask of determination, the feeling of wanting to hesitate, of not wanting to hurt someone who meant so much to her, and yet she pulled through it, drawing her staff up again and bringing it down over his head with a sickening crack.

Sakaki's hands reached to draw out his weapon, and Haseo quickly wielded his scythe. Then;

"No! I want to do this! I want to fight him!"

Her eyes were burning. Slowly, Haseo lowered his weapon.

Atoli brought the blunt end of her staff down on Sakaki's wrists before he could touch his broadsword. He hissed in pain, jerking his hands away, and for a moment Haseo thought he was going to pounce on her with his hands around her thin, fragile neck, but instead he turned his back and drew the weapon out regardless, large and deadly in appearance, almost a big as Atoli herself.

But she didn't stop. "You hurt me!" she cried, whirling her staff around and slamming it against his knees. He fell to the floor, propping himself up with his weapon, and she quickly took out the other leg. "You hurt me, Sakaki, but I forgive you! You know why?"

"You bitch!" He screamed at her, the cords standing out on his neck.

"Because you're human! Because everyone deserves to be forgiven! Because even the darkest – " another slap – "foulest – " a third, this one to his ribs – "most evil thing in the world has a heart, deep down inside, and I know you still have a heart, Sakaki! I know you still want to live in a world with pain!"

Sakaki drew his weapon up above his head. It came crashing down where Atoli stood, and she quickly jumped to the side, but not without the blade grazing her elbow. A voice beside him cried 'repth!' and Atoli breathed, rejuvenated. Haseo realized, then, that this was all he could do.

"Repth!" he cried, strengthening her. Then again, as the battle moved by in a blur; "Repth! Repth!"

Atoli's breathing came hard and fast, her eyes alight like two twin fireflies, glowing. Her knuckles were white around the length of her weapon, continuing to ram it into Sakaki, hitting his vital points. Haseo knew she was no wizard at fighting, knew her strength was healing and healing alone, and through he was impressed with her spunk and strength, he couldn't see how this battle could end in her favor. Yet, he'd revive her again and again if that meant she could pull through. After Ovan, he owed her that much, at least.

And then a larger, broader hand caught Sakaki's wrist, and his weapon came tumbling out of it, hitting the floor with a loud smack. The man's shadow fell over them, looming, and Atoli took a step back, her raised weapon falling, staring up in stunned silence at the person who had interrupted her battle.

"O…Ovan?"

"Forgive me, Atoli, for cutting in." he said smoothly as Sakaki stared up at him in horror. "But I believe it's time we got rid of him for good, don't you think?"

"…no…" Sakaki whispered.

"Yes." Ovan said simply, and in a blur of electric color, Sakaki faded with the familiar sounds of warping. Ovan let his hand fall back to his side calmly as Atoli stared up at him, lived.

"Why did you do that?" she asked softly. "Where did he go?"

"Somewhere where we're likely to never have to deal with him again."

Atoli hesitated visibly, unsure of what to say. And then Ovan turned to Haseo.

"I would have gotten here earlier, but some old friends held me back." he said smoothly, and beneath his shining glasses Haseo couldn't read his expression. For some reason, his blood began to run cold. Something was wrong, something more than just Sakaki.

"Atoli." he said numbly. "Stand back."

He heard the clicking of her heels hitting stone as Atoli obeyed.

"I'm sorry, Haseo." Ovan said softly. "I think it's about time you learned the truth."

"The truth?" he asked softly, his hand finding the silver band on his finger again. His eyes found Ovan's ring and fixed on it.

"Yes. Do you not finally wish to understand it? The truth about everything – about Tri-Edge, about Shino. The truth."

Haseo tore his eyes away from the ring and stared up at him, dumbstruck. "You know?" he whispered.

"I do."

"Then – tell me! Why haven't you told me, Ovan! All those times – " he said quickly, unsure of what was going on or what they were saying. All those times they were alone – shouldn't he have said something if he really knew? His mind wandered back to the fields, to the cathedral, to the little hints in the air like new winds, and to Ovan, to Ovan…

"Come here."

Haseo stepped forward, forgetting Atoli, forgetting Pai, and Ovan snaked a hand around his waist. His arm felt cool and soft against his back, strange, though, somehow strange, and then he realized all at once – Ovan wasn't just hugging him. He was reaching around him, reaching around to touch his imprisoned arm, to touch the lock, to let it crumble, fall to the ground…

And in an instant something white-hot and bubbling was pressed against the back of is neck. A blade. AIDA. Ovan's face just inches from his. Two hands, now, two hands on his back, one of them clenched around a gun, the other one fused with a weapon he knew was there but couldn't see. Distantly, he heard Pai's loud gasp, Atoli's strangled scream. Trapped against Ovan's chest. Just let me remember you. His hands rose, clutched unto his light scarf, fisted the material under his fingers. "Ovan." he whispered, and was surprised to hear the fear in his voice. "Ovan…"

"I love you."

Haseo felt his body freeze up, his blood run cold. No. No. It couldn't be. Not Ovan. Not him.

"Yes." Ovan breathed, as if reading his very thoughts. "I am Tri-Edge. I put Shino into her coma. It was me, all of this – all of this is my fault, Haseo."

"Ovan." he whimpered. It seemed to be all he could say.

I love you.

I love you, too.

The blade was hot and ominous against his neck.

"Let me go." he said softly. "Ovan – let me go." The world around him seemed to be spinning, and he locked his eyes on Ovan's scarf, on his white-knuckled fingers entwined with the fabric, on the bottom of Ovan's face showing just out of the corner of his eye, a mouth that was neither a smile or a frown, just existing. Real. "Let me go." he repeated dimly.

Slowly, the blade fell away from his neck. Ovan's hands reluctantly released his waist. Haseo stumbled backward, seeing, really seeing Ovan for the first time. AIDA seemed to consume him, branching off his shoulder, sprouting like a sick, black aura all around his body. Dimly his brain registered the weapons in his hands, but his eyes were fixed instead on his face. An unreadable face, soft mouth, that glare from his glasses, hiding his eyes from the world.

He couldn't move.

And then threads of azure light began to work around Ovan's head, traveling up his body as he began to fade away. Warping. No. No –

"Don't leave me!" he cried, rushing forward, away from Pai, away from Atoli, into the spinning circles of light. Ovan's mouth changed – a smile – a frown? And then he was gone, and they were alone, and before he knew it, he had fallen to his knees.

"I can't…believe it." he whispered as the last traces of elusive blue light transported themselves away. "You…"

He felt Atoli's hesitant fingertips brush against his shoulder fearfully, Pai's looming shadow appearing over him as she rushed to his side…

"…you made me love you…"