Hello! Thank you so much for the reviews, Hikari No Aijou, Merel and Barako! LoL is so under-appreciated, so I'm always glad to get some reviews and positive feedback! :)

So, in this chapter, there's some slight character development that stems mostly from Songi finally being released from the influence of an evil Ra-Seru and thinking, "Oh God, what have I been doing?!" But don't worry; Songi will be back to his normal, douche-bag self that we all know and love after the next chapter - at least until the next batch of character development. :D Despite everything that happens in this chapter, I really hope I made Songi in-character enough.

EDIT: Thanks once again to Hikari No Aijou for pointing out a mistake I made. I misspelled Soren as 'Soran.' xD Since I'm sure the name comes from the Japanese word for sky, sora, I must've thought more of it went into the name than it really did. ^^ Oh, and thanks to Barako for pointing out that I misspelled 'recognized.' Damn typos. xD

Chapter 4

Panic engulfed Gala, and for a few seconds he could barely think straight. He got to his feet shakily and ran from the room, stumbling a little as his body struggled to wake up with the rest of him.

'I never should've gone to sleep. I never should've gone to sleep,' Gala thought deliriously as he made his way through the house and towards the front door.

He couldn't see Zalan or Pepe anywhere, and he briefly wondered if they'd gone out. It'd certainly explain why no one had woken him when Songi had escaped. How many hours did he have on him, Gala wondered furiously as he pulled open the door and ran outside. He could be miles away at this point, and Gala had no way of knowing where he might've gone.

What would Songi be doing now? Terrorizing and murdering more helpless people, or bleeding to death in a gutter somewhere? Gala honestly didn't know which option frightened him more, but he did know that he had to find him before either of those things happened. And if Songi was killing more people, was doing more of what Gala never would've once thought possible of him to begin with, then it would be his, Gala's, fault for preventing his former friend's death in that sacred dimension, wouldn't it? His fault, his...

'Don't panic,' he told himself firmly as he looked around the immediate area outside Zalan's house. 'He's injured, badly. He can't have gone far.'

He spotted a pair of young girls, no older than six or seven, playing in the streets just a few meters away from him, and he forced himself to smile in a friendly way as he approached. If they'd been here when Songi had run off, surely they must've seen which way he'd gone. And even if they hadn't, someone else in the village would've. Definitely.

"Excuse me," Gala said politely, trying not to sound too abrupt. He didn't want to scare them.

The girls looked at him with mild curiosity, no fear in their expressions. With some embarrassment, Gala realized that they probably recognized him as one of the Ra-Seru heroes who had saved Jeremi and the rest of the Sebucus Islands. He flushed slightly, then remembered what he was supposed to be worrying about, and said:

"Did you two happen to see anyone come out of Zalan's house in the last few hours, besides Zalan or his son?"

One of the girls giggled and looked shyly away, as though awed by Gala's presence, but the other beamed and piped up straight away:

"Yeah, we did! Just a little while ago. A muscly guy with spiky red hair and a big white bandage came running out of the house."

Gala only just managed to stop himself from sighing out loud in relief.

"Did you see which way he went?" he asked instead, trying without success to control his rapid heartbeat.

"Yeah, I think he was going towards the tower. You know, the big one at the end of town."

Gala nodded. He knew the place. He, Vahn and Noa, along with their Ra-Seru, had traversed that tower not too long ago. At its top was a beautiful place called the Sky Garden, which housed one of the many Genesis Trees he and his companions had managed to awaken on their quest.

Stopping only to mutter a hurried thanks to the two girls, Gala sped off towards the tower.

ZzZzZzZ

It didn't take Gala long to find him, huddled up under a small, tight arch at the foot of the tower, his head in his lap. The space was so tiny, barely a meter and a half across and wide. It certainly wouldn't be a good spot for claustrophobics. Gala tried not to let his utter relief, mingled with a dull kind of rage, show through as he approached. When he was only a few feet away though, the brunet noticed something about Songi that, for a moment, he couldn't quite comprehend.

The young man's powerful shoulders were shaking violently, and his breaths were coming in wavering, broken gasps. He was covering his face hard with both arms, which were pressed up against his knees.

Songi was crying.

Gala, in some kind of daze, got down on his knees beside him, hesitantly reached out a hand and laid it on his shoulder. Songi hadn't cried in years. Even despite the Biron Monastery's strict outlook on men - even children - crying, Songi had always been a tough person who had preferred to solve his problems with fists rather than talking or sobbing. He probably hadn't cried in over eight years, at the very least.

Songi drew in his breath sharply as he felt Gala's hand on his bare shoulder, but he didn't lift his head, and it didn't take very long for his breathing to break up into choked, sporadic sobs again.

"You scared the life out of me," Gala said gruffly, though not quite as gruffly as he would've liked. He didn't want to yell or snap at the crying man. Not just because it might scare him off, but also because he was so subdued by seeing Songi in such a state that most of his anger had disappeared for the moment. There was no reply.

Gala, without taking his hand from Songi's shoulder, moved forward and crawled into the arch beside him. It was a surprisingly warm and cozy place, enclosed on the top, bottom and three of its sides by sturdy stone. Its one open side, thankfully, was facing the opposite direction that the somewhat chilly afternoon breeze was currently blowing in.

There was enough room inside that the two didn't have to scrunch up together but not so much room that they could avoid touching altogether. Gala found his right side pushed up against Songi's left, the same side as the shoulder he was still touching.

Gala moved his hand forward a little so that his entire right arm was wrapped around Songi's shoulders in a loose half-hug. He didn't really think about what he was doing; less than twenty four hours ago, the idea of touching this man in any way would've disgusted him to his core, but now it didn't really matter. He hated to see Songi cry. It wasn't like him at all, and the fact that he'd recently narrowly avoided death and was still in a pretty critical condition made it all the more disconcerting. It only seemed to confirm that he really had changed and would never be the same again.

Gala would never forgive him for betraying the Biron Monastery, but Songi had been such a great friend to him, practically like a brother. He'd protected and stood by Gala where no one else would. He'd understood and shared the trivial, mundane problems kids and young teenagers often had. He'd shared the pain of losing loved ones in that horrible massacre so many years before. There'd actually been times when Gala had sought his advice or help over Maya's and Master Zopu's.

In some ways, Gala had even admired Songi, appreciating his independence despite being annoyed by it at times too. Songi's bravery and loyalty had awed Gala more times than his laziness and insulting ideas of humor had, and despite the red-head's fondness for taking shortcuts in his training, Gala had often been rather impressed by Songi's strength and skill.

"Are you crying because you betrayed the monastery?" Gala asked softly.

He was usually a little more delicate in the way he spoke, but he didn't see a reason to be right then. If Songi had been a girl, Gala probably would've softened his words by holding him with both hands, but he obviously couldn't do that. As it was, he knew Master Zopu would be ashamed if he could see them both now. They were supposed to be grown, strong men who had been trained perfectly in the ways of Biron, yet here they were: Songi bawling like a toddler, and Gala consoling him like he was a woman or a young child.

Not that Gala really blamed him. If he'd done what Songi had done, he probably would've been crying too. It was just good to know that he really was sorry.

Songi must've been cold, since he wasn't wearing anything above the waist aside from the bandages, and it wasn't exactly a warm day. He didn't appear to notice the cold though. With his terrible wound and fatigue, it was a wonder he'd been able to run out here the way he had, let alone be sobbing so hard. Then again, Songi had always had an impressive amount of energy and endurance - probably to compensate for his lack of patience.

Gala had no idea how long they sat there for, crouched together under the arch while Songi cried his heart out and Gala did his best to comfort him without getting too feely himself. Finally, after what must have been at least ten minutes, Songi took his hands from his face and raised his head, but he made a point to keep staring in the other direction.

"I-I didn't know," he said. His voice was hoarse. "That Seru Jedo wasn't normal. It made me stop caring and just... act. It made me hate you more than I already did. I... I didn't know it'd do that."

These words were so like Songi, Gala might've laughed in relief if the situation were a little different. Songi had always tried to avoid blame when they were younger, insist that things weren't his fault even when they were. On the few occasions that he really acknowledged his mistakes, he did so with a certain resentment and sulkiness that often lingered for days afterwards.

Now though, Gala was too irritated to find Songi's words a relief. If the space they were in hadn't been so tight and he hadn't been half-scared that Songi would spring up and try to run as soon as he let go of him, Gala probably would've pulled his hand away.

"Oh, so this isn't your fault at all, Songi?!" he snapped. "Someone else made you put on that evil Ra-Seru, and someone else convinced you that you're a god who deserves to rule the world?!"

He'd half-expected an angry retort from Songi, perhaps a failed attempt at extricating himself from his grip and fleeing, but instead all he got was a shaky, half-choked sigh.

"It is my fault," Songi said. He still wasn't looking at Gala. "I didn't care about anything except beating you, and once I had that damned Seru on my arm, even though I didn't care who I hurt, I told myself several times that it'd be better if I just took it off again. But all I could think of was beating you and getting stronger."

"This all might be very moving, Songi," Gala said, his voice cold, "if all you were apologizing for was stealing a honey cake, or lying to Maya about copying my homework, or... drugging me at the Transmigration Festival's tournament, but this isn't good enough here. You killed people! You almost wiped out Vahn's entire village! You betrayed the Biron Monastery! You killed several of our friends! If Noa and Vahn hadn't stepped in, Maya and Master Zopu would've been killed too! Your own family, Songi! Practically like our parents! And for what?! Just so you could kill me and finally feel important again?!"

He shook the older man's shoulder roughly as he spoke. Songi didn't resist but just stayed quiet until Gala, breathing hard, stilled again.

"I never wanted to kill you."

Songi's voice was quiet, barely above a whisper. He did look at Gala then, and the sight of his face - tear-stained, splotchy, flushed and yet somehow pale at the same time - was almost as shocking as the fact that he'd been crying in the first place. Moreover, his blue eyes were anguished and desperate, characteristics that they evidently weren't used to.

"I never wanted to kill you," Songi said again. He looked Gala directly in the eyes. "I never, never wanted to kill you. You have to believe that. Even when that... thing was on my arm and it kept telling me I had to stop holding back and destroy you if I wanted to be left in peace, I couldn't. I wanted to beat you... so badly. I wanted to humiliate you and make you suffer, but I never wanted you to die. I promise you that."

Gala set his jaw for several seconds before he replied. On paper, Songi's words sounded very sincere, but...

"You don't remember what you yelled when the Ra-Seru was tearing you apart, then?" he said tonelessly. "'You're next, Gala. You're next.'"

Songi's swollen, red-rimmed eyes blinked briefly in confusion before understanding dawned in them, followed quickly by something that could've been shame but seemed more like defense.

"I..." He dropped his gaze again. "I was dying. It hurt... so much."

"So when you were dying, all you could think about was how you wanted me to suffer," Gala said. It was a statement, not a question.

Songi's fists clenched, the knuckles whitening until they were almost as colorless as his face had been a few hours before.

"I was thinking about a million things when... b-back then. The pain... I-I didn't want to think I'd gone through all that, murdered all those people, for nothing."

"What about the floating fortress?" Gala asked. "You seemed pretty eager to kill me there."

"It was Cort's idea to rig that floating fortress and kill you guys, not mine," Songi said wretchedly. "I didn't want to do it, and Jedo... m-my Ra-Seru told me that it'd be easier if I just let go and not care when it happened. And I-I tried, but i-it... y-you don't know how happy I was to see you guys flying away with those Soren after the fortress collapsed. Even Vahn and that barbarian girl."

"Her name's Noa."

Noa had annoyed Gala greatly at first with her over-abundant supply of enthusiasm and social ignorance, but over time Gala had really grown to care for the young, wild girl and regard her as a true friend. Besides, Songi hardly had a right to be calling anyone else a barbarian after the way he'd acted.

"Whatever," Songi said distractedly. "Anyway, I..." His head snapped up suddenly, and before Gala could say anything, he found himself shocked into silence by Songi's intense expression.

"Maya and Master Zopu... You said they're still... alive?" he asked, real concern appearing in his eyes for the first time.

Gala quickly got over his shock and limply took his hand from around Songi's shoulders. He didn't want to, since his worry that the other man might bolt as soon as he got the chance was still there, but he couldn't help it. He felt he might be sick if he kept touching this man. Of course, the fact that his right side was still all but crunched up against Songi's left didn't really help much.

How long had it taken this miserable bastard to ask about the people he'd betrayed? Of course, he couldn't ask about them before he was finished feeling sorry for himself and trying to make excuses for his behavior, could he? No, that would be too much to ask for.

"They're fine," the brunet said. "It didn't take long for you to finally ask about them. By your standards, at least. I can't say I'm surprised."

Songi's face tightened, and Gala recongnized, with some sense of relief, the familiar anger on his former friend's face. There was definite relief showing somewhere in his features though, even behind the anger.

"Should I... Do you want me to go?" Songi asked after a moment. He still looked angry, but his voice only sounded tired. "I can leave here and go live alone somewhere, and you'll never have to see me again."

Gala only just managed to stop himself from springing up at these words. He had no idea what Songi might do if he left him alone, and he didn't want to find out. On the one hand, he knew that, despite everything, the man was genuinely sorry for what he'd done. On the other hand, if someone had asked Gala before it had happened if he thought Songi could ever be capable of doing the things he'd done or tried to do, even after their friendship had broken up, Gala would've answered with one-hundred-percent certainty, "No, of course not. Are you crazy?" He simply couldn't afford to take risks with this person.

"You're not going anywhere," he said. "Not until I'm sure you won't try anything like this ever again. I'll keep you prisoner if I have to."

He was saved the unpleasantness of imagining what it would be like to have to keep constant tabs on such a man for who knew how long by a heated, exasperated sigh from Songi.

"Then what the hell do you want from me?!" he almost screamed. "I screwed up! I know I did! I... I'd wish I was dead right now, if I knew dying didn't hurt so much. I..." His voice trembled, and he looked away once more. He stared hard at the interior of the stone arch's wall closest to him, barely an inch from his face. "I don't have anywhere to go now. Everyone hates me!"

Songi buried his face in his hands again. He wasn't crying now, but he was clutching his head like he was afraid it would float away otherwise, and his breathing was very strained. Gala looked at him blankly for a long moment, unsure of what to think. Songi's words had sounded so self-pitying, so typical of him, but somehow Gala had still been able to see the pain and despair behind them. There was such a silent but obvious plea for help hidden within them.

Despite all the terrible things Songi had done, Gala received no joy in watching him suffer so much. It just made him uncomfortable and, though he hated to admit it, somewhat sympathetic.

Gala looked at the red-head steadily, unsure of what to say or do. He almost wanted to put his hand on his shoulder again, but somehow he couldn't bring himself to. Finally, after a long, suffocating silence, Gala said, with complete sincerity:

"Songi, I don't hate you."

Well, this chapter originally had a much more abrupt ending, but thanks to advice from Hikari No Aijou, I was able to soften the ending considerably. Thanks a lot, girl! ;D The next chapter shouldn't take too long, since it's mostly done. :) Oh, and I should just make it clear that I have no problem with men crying. It's just that Legaia is a very medieval-type place, and the Biron religion seems like it'd frown upon such things, so I just added that in. Oh, and thanks to Merel for pointing out a typo! HOW DARE YOU CORRECT ME, YOU BITCH? ;D

Like I said, I hope I didn't make Songi seem OoC. This fic focuses both on his good and bad points, but since we didn't really see much of his good side in the game, I kind of had to take some liberties. ;D