COPYRIGHT NOTE: I don't own Xenosaga

COMMENTS: Fun chapter last time, eh? Hehe, more Albedo goodness/creepiness is ahead in this installment, too, plus Nigredo and Citrine are back. This is another favorite chapter of mine, arguably one I like more than the last installment. Whereas Chapter VI had a lot of Rubedo/Sakura, this chapter will be more about Rubedo and Albedo. Enjoy!

* Content Disclaimer: This chapter contains a scene of disturbing gory content regarding non-explicit self-mutilation. Reader discretion is advised.

PATHOS: Chapter VII

Aiselne Nocturnus

- - - - -

"Other Half"

- - - - -

The first thing Rubedo saw was liquid: crystal clear and rippling. Through that liquid he then saw the faint outline of the dead ceiling light of his dark bedroom within the Yuriev Institute. Then he heard panting, his own, coordinated with the rapid unsteady rising and falling of his chest. Damp, sticky perspiration trickled from his forehead, coating his bangs and clinging them to his sweaty skin. Then the vibrations of his body were noticed, trembling as if he were surrounded by ice, contrasting his sweating as if he were in a desert. The last thing he noticed was his voice, or lack there of, coughing out a strangled, hoarse cry as reality gradually returned to him.

He had been dreaming. Even during the nightmare, Rubedo knew he was dreaming. Everything he saw had been nothing more than a figment of his distressed imagination, overwhelmed by the recent milestones in his life; Sakura's death and Albedo…

"…All I have to do his regenerate…here…let me remind you!"

…Rubedo did not want to remember Albedo's part.

His breathing calming down, Rubedo slowly pulled himself up into a sitting position on his cot whilst rubbing his glazed eyes. The force of gravity caused a few lines of glistening sweat to run down the length of his neck and torso, causing his wet uniform to stick uncomfortably to the boy's body. Slightly overheated, Rubedo quietly unzipped the top portion of his uniform, freeing his neck from its sticky, humid confines. The brisk air of the unlit bedroom steadily calmed and cooled him, giving Rubedo some time to relax after his terrible dream.

It was certainly not the first time Rubedo had a nightmare, but he never recalled having one as frightening as tonight's. His most recent nightmare was so real and disturbing. It felt as though his subconscious wove together all of Rubedo's greatest fears into one sick and unbearable traumatic experience, as if his subconscious was attempting to drive him insane. All in one dream Rubedo watched Nigredo die…by Rubedo's own demonic shadow. Plus, Albedo supposedly killed Sakura, and then Albedo once again pulled a gun on himself. And somehow, in some way, Rubedo felt responsible for all of their deaths.

Nigredo said the redhead was not entirely the one to blame, but that did not change how Rubedo felt about himself anymore. Like it or not, Sakura was dead because Rubedo failed to cure her and stop her from killing herself. His "perfect wavelength" was supposed to be Sakura Mizrahi's miracle cure, and if she died, that meant, in some way, Rubedo failed…or at least let her die. It was just like his dream; he heard her scream, he heard her fall, and yet Rubedo was unable to go after her…he was unable to save Sakura. Even if he did not kill Sakura, letting her die was no better than physically ending her life. Those who let others die might not carry out the deed, but they did indirectly condemn the victim. Rubedo was no exception; he was at fault just as Albedo.

Albedo… What in God's name was that dream trying to tell Rubedo? Why would Albedo kill Sakura? Rubedo knew his twin was less than thrilled with the girl, and Rubedo often sensed a hint of jealousy on Albedo's behalf. Rubedo was not blind to the fact that his younger twin often liked to hoard Rubedo all to himself, even from Nigredo. Not only was Albedo possessive but he was also quite paranoid of the possibility of Rubedo ever getting out of his sight and never returning. Rubedo always suspected that Albedo figured Sakura was attempting to take Rubedo away from the middle child, which the redhead knew was not Sakura's intent at all. In fact, Sakura often put in the effort to include all the Variant boys in games, and not constantly isolate herself with Rubedo. Alas, Albedo obviously never noticed her benevolence.

However, in spite of the jealousy, Rubedo still failed to see why he would dream about Albedo admitting he killed Sakura. Why? Rubedo doubted Albedo hated Sakura so passionately, though considering the younger twin's gradual slip into mania, perhaps Rubedo should not be so surprised. If Albedo could drive Number 623 into a coma, then a sick, defenseless girl like Sakura would be no trouble. Albedo was not thinking clearly anymore, and if driven by his madness and jealousy, what was holding Albedo back from killing Sakura?

Rubedo did not know the answers, nor did he want to know the answers. Like his denial of Sakura's means of suicide, Rubedo was quick to deny that his twin brother willingly killed Sakura Mizrahi. Other than a sick dream, there was no proof confirming that Albedo had anything to do with Sakura's death, so Rubedo forced himself to stop jumping to conclusions. Such conclusions were only overwhelming him and Rubedo could not take much more of this pressure. As if he was not stressed enough by Sakura's death, Albedo's growing insanity, Dmitri's authority, and PATHOS' experiments, now Rubedo was being haunted by nonsensical dreams! Will this ever end?

It was getting too much. Rubedo knew he had a status to maintain but how the hell could he maintain it under such heavy conditions? Everything was piling on top of him and it was getting harder and harder not to give into his despair. Rubedo knew he needed some 'outlet' for this pain, but what? He read novels about similarly distressed people, from traumatized war soldiers to depressed teenagers. The soldiers, often plagued by nightmares of hellish warfare, sought therapy to deal with the post-traumatic stress. Of course, no such counselors existed in the Yuriev Institute, so Rubedo could not go to any therapy.

As far as the depressed teenagers he read about, many sought therapy, too. However, several teens often resorted to drugs and alcohol as well, other painkillers Rubedo had no access to. All drugs and alcohol, of any kind, were kept out of the Designer Children's reach for more than obvious reasons. So what other painkillers could Rubedo try? Depressed teens often became either anorexic or bulimic, but Rubedo's poor diet was not encouraging him to seek any comfort via food, though he was not quite to the point of anorexic, either.

The last painkiller option was…well, it was what the novels dubbed "cutting." Supposedly, the depressed victim found relieving pleasure in running sharp objects, commonly blades, along their body. This was another thing Rubedo was too naïve to understand, since he figured cutting himself would only induce more pain. Besides, if Rubedo did such he would get caught very quickly. The cutters in his novels always sliced themselves in private areas not usually visible to the general public. Alas, Rubedo did not have that kind of privacy, since U.R.T.V.s received weekly physicals that negated the wearing of any clothing. Sure, his uniform covered the majority of his body for most of the week, but come that physical the scar tissue would most certainly be discovered. In short, Rubedo failed to see how mutilating himself could benefit him.

Thus, a U.R.T.V. like Rubedo needed to find comfort in something unique only to him. Unfortunately, the only other 'comfort' he could think about at the moment was…

…Albedo.

Nine times out of ten, Rubedo was sought after by Albedo whenever the younger twin needed comfort. Rubedo was Albedo's inherent shoulder to cry on, the one Albedo ran to whenever he was afraid, such as after awakening from a frightening dream. The redhead would hold his sobbing brother until the fears and anxieties melted away and calmed Albedo into a relieving slumber. Episodes like these happened occasionally, more often after Albedo learned he could never die. Such incidents were often an inconvenience during the nights Rubedo was in dire need of sleep, but he still never denied Albedo the comfort he needed.

…Well, maybe that was not entirely true, since Rubedo certainly denied Albedo comfort after the episode in the PATHOS Encephalon.

With his breathing completely back to normal, Rubedo ran a hand through his sweaty red hair before glancing over at the illuminated digital wall clock of his dark room. O-two-hundred hours…he read, before noticing the window just below the clock. The drapes had been drawn and no light backlit them, aside the soft glow of the moon. Rubedo never planned on sleeping so late, but alas, he did. Apparently, nobody bothered to wake him, figuring the link master needed his sleep. Rubedo appreciated the benevolence, but he did not like to be pitied, either.

Nonetheless, after establishing a sense of time, Rubedo took his blue eyes off the window and directed them towards the cots beside his. The white patches in Gaignun's fur were the first to attract the boy's attention, the white contrasting with the ebony darkness. Like before, the kitty was asleep in Nigredo's bed, though unlike before, the bed's owner now accompanied Gaignun. Nigredo was sound asleep, curled up on his side with Gaignun nestled to his chest. Both occupants were sleeping peacefully, perhaps dreaming their own blissful chimeras. Rubedo knew he was not so fortunate.

And judging by the empty bed in the middle of the occupied cots, Albedo was probably no more fortunate.

The sight easily hurt Rubedo, causing him to bite his lip upon finally realizing that his twin was not in the room. Albedo's bed was just as vacant as before, untouched as though it were quarantined. It was after two o'clock in the morning and Albedo never came back. Knowing him, the middle child was probably still in the forest, perhaps sleepingthere for all Rubedo knew.

Albedo…

A few hours ago, Rubedo was too angry with himself and his brother to run after Albedo. Of course now, hours later, when Albedo still had yet to return, Rubedo was thinking differently. By now, Rubedo was thinking more clearly, but there was another underlying reason for why he felt a welling loneliness inside him. It was something the proud little redhead was rather embarrassed to admit, too.

Nine times out of ten, Rubedo was sought after by Albedo whenever the younger twin needed comfort. However, whenever that 'one time out of ten' occurred, the situation was flipped over. When that rare one time happened, Rubedo sought Albedo. It did not happen very often due to the redhead's pride and leadership complex. Ordinarily, Rubedo preferred to handle his problems by himself. Besides, he also wanted to remain the 'strong twin,' hoping that if Rubedo stayed strong eventually Albedo would follow. Thus, Rubedo learned to cope on his own.

However, his coping only worked nine times out of ten. When the 'one time out of ten' happened, Rubedo would go to Albedo, albeit less emotionally than the middle twin. Albedo's episodes were known for being very hysterical, whereas Rubedo's were subtler. Even when he needed Albedo's shoulder Rubedo still kept some level of control. Rubedo prided himself in knowing he did not fall apart as easily as his little brother. Thus, these 'one time out of ten' moments were usually quite short and the tears kept to the barest minimum. More often than not, Rubedo's 'episodes' just transpired in the form of him getting a much-needed hug from his twin. Control or no control, a simple embrace worked wonders for Rubedo.

Rubedo needed that miracle cure…now.

Alas, Albedo was not here, though Rubedo knew 'where' the white-haired boy was sleeping. Regardless of his own selfish necessities, Rubedo knew he owed it to Albedo to find him and settle what happened earlier. He needed to apologize to Albedo…and to Nigredo, too, though Rubedo was not about to wake the youngest Variant now. Later, he would settle things with Nigredo, but Rubedo wanted to tend to his missing twin first.

Mindful not to make much noise, Rubedo climbed out of his cot, moving around carefully to not stumble into something hidden in the darkness. So intent on finding Albedo, Rubedo never noticed Nigredo open one teal eye before the redhead exited the bedroom.

Rubedo…

- - - - -

After dark, the Yuriev Institute went under a lock down to ensure none of the children were fooling around outside late at night. However, with the Descent Operation an unexpected month away, more researchers worked late nowadays. Thus, more labs and areas were currently kept unlocked during the evenings. Still, the main doors to the courtyard were still locked by now, though Rubedo knew the institute's layout well enough to know alternate roots. Just as he figured, the exit doors by the cafeteria were unlocked, usually so late-night workers could get their 'fresh air' and take needed cigarette breaks without difficulty. Fortunately at the time, the area was vacant, and nobody noticed Rubedo slip outside.

From the cafeteria's exit, Rubedo found himself in the west end of the courtyard, which was a distance from the forest area he was certain Albedo stayed. Since nobody else was wandering around outside, it was easy for the redhead to sprint across the courtyard, being mindful not to attract too much attention lest he get caught. The sprint felt refreshing as the cool artificial night air skimmed against him, combing through his cherry red hair. The fake moon and stars above provided enough illumination for Rubedo to see where he was going. The institute also released nanobugs to clean at night while almost everyone else stayed inside. Thus, between the light of the moon, stars, and lightning bug-like machines, Rubedo easily found the forest.

Just as easily as he found the forest, Rubedo found Albedo. The sight alone easily made Rubedo halt from his spirit, while the boy blinked long a hard as his sapphire eyes found the sleeping form of his younger twin. Swallowing a small lump in his throat, the redhead quietly and carefully traversed the forest area, the locale darker and a few degrees cooler than the rest of the wide-open courtyard. The forest did not spook Rubedo as much as it did to Nigredo and Albedo, but the link master still felt rather uncomfortable when he reached Albedo's resting spot. His boots crunched the cool soil under his feet when Rubedo stopped before two large holes in the ground by a large tree. One hole was empty, while the other was occupied by a sleeping white-haired child, curled in a fetal position and covered in dirt.

Biting his lower lip at the sight, Rubedo exhaled a small puff of air, briefly visible in the cool night atmosphere. Rubedo knew about his brother's weird fetish with playing in the dirt, but never before did Rubedo find Albedo physically in one of his holes. It was an unnerving sight, as if Albedo was resting in his own grave. Such was a sight Rubedo did not want to look at any longer than necessary.

His first instinct was to wake Albedo, but Rubedo refrained from doing so. As the red-haired twin knelt down on one knee beside Albedo's hole, Rubedo carefully observed his brother's face. Even Rubedo knew Albedo had not been sleeping very well for the past few months, so it was rare for Rubedo to watch his twin sleep with a minutely content look on his face. Nowadays, the only way Albedo ever got to sleep was after crying himself into exhaustion, leaving a painful tear-stained look on the child's sleeping face.

Of course, tonight was not entirely different. Albedo looked somewhat peaceful, but upon closer observation Rubedo could easily see evidence of past tears. By now the fluids had dried, but based on the lines of soil smeared across Albedo's face, it was evident that at some point tears were the cause of the dirty smudges. The smears all trailed from the common source of Albedo's eyes, zigzagging across his cheeks and nose, probably via tossing a turning. No more tears were falling due to Albedo's unconsciousness, but soiled streaks across his face still gave an illusion of him crying in his sleep. Rubedo could only hope Albedo was having more pleasant dreams than his twin.

Blinking slowly again, Rubedo sighed before extending a hand down to his brother's level. The hole was not too deep, thus it was easy for Rubedo's hand to stroke his twin's dirtied face, causing some soil to stick to Rubedo's fingers. Softening his face sympathetically, Rubedo watched as his hand delicately attempted to wipe away some of the tear-like dirt stains, at least below Albedo's eyes. Rubedo had seen his younger brother cry many, many times, but that did not mean those many, many times were easy on Rubedo, either. Several of those occasions goaded Rubedo to join his brother, though the older twin almost always refrained. He knew he was Albedo's source of strength, thus Rubedo needed to be steadfast.

But…who was Rubedo's strength? Everyone seemed to lean on him, but whom could Rubedo lean on? Was there anyone for him to lean on, or was Rubedo more alone than he realized?

No…I'm not alone… Rubedo told himself, swallowing again before retracting his hand out of the pit. Immediately, the dirtied hand found the right side of his chest, where he could still feel his twin's heartbeat: content but still aching. It reminded Rubedo that he still had to make good with Albedo, especially after Rubedo foolhardily claimed he did not need his twin. Such was a gigantic lie. Rubedo needed Albedo…more than ever.

But right now, Albedo needed Rubedo. It was only right that Rubedo adhere to his brother's needs before his own. Therefore, Rubedo quickly snapped himself out of his melancholic train of thought and refocused on his twin instead of himself. Rubedo did not want to wake Albedo, but Rubedo did not want to leave the younger sibling to sleep in a dirt-filled hole all night, either. Thus, Rubedo took another breath before getting to his feet and surveying the rest of the hole. The aperture was large enough for both of them, though Rubedo would be damned if he was going to sleep in there, too. Perhaps he deserved to sleep in a hole, but not Albedo.

Fortunately, the hole was spacious enough for Rubedo to climb down into it. Once inside and standing, the walls of the hole only reached mid-calf, giving Rubedo ample clearance for what he was about to do. Kneeling back down beside Albedo, the older twin gingerly rolled the sleeping boy onto his back. Bending Albedo's knees, one of Rubedo's arms slung under them. His other arm then propped Albedo's back upward, enough to temporarily cradle him. When Rubedo had his brother in carrying position, the redhead then mustered enough strength to lift the unconscious body out of the dirt. Despite the younger brother's sleep inducing dead weight, Albedo was not difficult to hoist. Rubedo was used to it, since he often had to carry his brother back to Albedo's cot whenever the younger twin woke Rubedo during the night for one reason or another. Plus, Dmitri ensured his U.R.T.V.s were built strong for combat so they could effortlessly carry heavy weapons no ordinary child could hold steady. And aside all else, Rubedo knew Albedo's depression from the past few months had been inducing poor nutrition on Albedo, too. Thus, it really was not a wonder how light Albedo felt.

Of course, Rubedo's own poor diet was plaguing him with similar symptoms, along with decreasing his strength. Despite how Rubedo was physically stronger than Albedo, his lack of food and sleep from the past three days were catching up to him and easily zapped the redhead's strength. No matter how light Albedo felt, Rubedo knew his own condition could not maintain this position for long. Not wanting to drop his sleeping brother, Rubedo quickly began to lift Albedo out of the hole. He managed to rest his twin's body on the surface ground before Rubedo's arms became mush. He needed another moment to recharge his energy before climbing out of the hole, nearly slipping due to the hole's unstable walls and his lack of strength. Once out, Rubedo rested on his hands and knees beside his still-sleeping brother, the redhead needing a moment to regain himself.

Rubedo was not strong enough to safely carry Albedo back to their room, that was certain. Plus, it would be too hard to carry Albedo back inside without being noticed by some late night employee. Thus, the older twin knew he and his brother were stuck outside until morning. Nigredo would naturally come looking for them and then he could help the twins back to their room. In any other situation, Rubedo would have already called Nigredo over the mental link, but Rubedo did not want to wake Nigredo anymore than he wanted to wake Albedo. After the way he treated them yesterday, Rubedo did not feel he had the right to disturb his brothers' rest.

So the next option was Rubedo and Albedo stayed in the forest until daylight. At least few people visited the forest area, so this moment would not get too embarrassing via an audience. Rubedo had a feeling Dmitri would not be very thrilled with this arrangement, either. Hopefully, Nigredo would wake up early, as the early-bird Variant usually did, and would be the first, and only, one to find Rubedo and Albedo in their predicament. Sure, Nigredo would tease them later but Rubedo figured it was a small price to pay.

Until then, Rubedo wanted himself and his twin to be somewhat comfortable. Unfortunately, whilst glancing around the forest area, Rubedo did not find too many comfortable places to sleep. The best location was in a nearby corner against the brick wall. It was not a bed but it was better than sleeping in a disgusting hole all night. Thus, after mustering another round of strength, Rubedo carefully picked up his brother and brought him over to the corner, propping Albedo up against the cold brick wall. Thereafter, Rubedo sat down beside his twin, shoulder-to-shoulder so they would remain propped-up through the duration of their stay.

Now better relaxed to the best of his ability, Rubedo glanced at his slumbering brother, still covered in dirt. Of course, Rubedo had his share of soil on himself, too, though the filth seemed more evident in Albedo's once-pristine white hair. Discreetly grinning to himself, the redhead then carefully extended a hand to Albedo's hair, brushing out a few specks of dirt.

"What am I gonna' do with you, Albedo?" Rubedo rhetorically cooed to nobody in particular. The redhead's expression softened whilst his hand finished cleaning and dropped back down to his side. Was there an answer to Rubedo's question?

Sakura had one.

"I swear to God, sometimes he drives me crazy! Dammit, be lucky you're an only child, Sakura."

"Heh…well, I'm not going to be an only child for much longer, Rubedo."

"Oh right. Well, I sure hope your sister's not as obnoxious as Albedo. God, I don't know WHAT his problem is lately. He's so damn clingy when we come here."

"I think it's sweet, Rubedo."

"Yeah, well I think it's annoying. You would too if your sister was always attached to your hip. Jeez, Albedo has NO concept of 'personal space'!"

"I'm sure he doesn't do it to annoy you. Albedo probably does it because it makes him feel more secure. Maybe he also thinks it makes YOU feel secure, too."

"I dunno' about that…"

"Oh, come' on, Rubedo. Two of you are brothers, TWINS even! No matter what Albedo does, you can't tell me you dislike being with him."

"…No offence, Sakura, but you're lucky if you spend six hours at a time with Albedo. Try dealing with him twenty-four hours a day and you'll see a difference."

"Rubedo!"

"Well, it's true."

"Oh you! You're just being stubborn! What harm is there in admitting you like spending time with Albedo?"

"Sakura, you have NO idea the Pandora's Box that would be opened if I ever admitted that! As if Albedo isn't clingy enough, if he ever knew I actually LIKED it I'd NEVER get a moment alone! I wouldn't be able to go to the frikken bathroom without him tagging along for chrissake!"

"Heh…hehehehe…"

"Heh, it's not funny, Sakura."

"You're laughing, too, Rubedo."

"Yeah, well, I sure as hell wouldn't be laughing if Albedo ever pulled that. God, I'd kill him."

"No you wouldn't."

"Well, I'd definitely tell him to get the hell out of there, that's for sure! Of course, then I'd have to put up with his waterworks and God…he drives me nuts. I'm getting a headache just thinking about it."

"Oh Rubedo…the more you complain about it the more you're telling me you enjoy it."

"…Huh?!"

"Hehe. You know something, Rubedo? You're really lucky. You've got a twin brother who adores you and cherishes every single moment you spend with him. A lot of siblings can't stand each other, and it's especially common for younger siblings to compete with their older sibling. But Albedo's not like that at all. The only thing he competes for is time with you."

"That's one way of putting it, Sakura. If you ask me, he competes with EVERYONE to get that 'time' with me. He's so damn possessive sometimes."

"Maybe, but I don't think it's that bad, Rubedo. Albedo…Albedo competes for time, and he competes WITH time, too, after all. You know why."

"…Yeah. Ever since he found out he couldn't die he's been…"

"…Savoring every last moment?"

"Yeah."

"I can sympathize with Albedo."

"Sakura…don't talk like that."

"I don't think it hurts to be prepared, Rubedo. Besides, so many people go through life without enjoying it. My…experience has taught me that, no matter the outcome, I should savor life. I should savor the time I spend with my loved ones and live every day as if it were my last. Even when I finally do get cured I'm going to do the same: I'm going to cherish my life. Sometimes…sometimes I wonder if I became sick…as punishment for not savoring life, or not doing something meaningful."

"Sakura, your illness isn't your fault."

"I know that, but…ever since I got sick I've wanted to give my life some meaning. And when I get better, I want to teach my little sister the same thing. I think the key to life is cherishing it, no matter the circumstances. Despite everything that's happened to me, I'm still very, very happy, Rubedo."

"Sakura…"

"So don't make fun of people when they want to cherish something, Rubedo. Just as cherishing life makes me happy, I'm sure cherishing YOU makes Albedo happy. I can tell when he's with you he's his happiest. I only wish…that my little sister and I could share a relationship like that."

"You will, Sakura."

"I hope so. But, just in case, Rubedo…could you treat my little sister like you treat Albedo?"

"…Um uh…you' sure about that, Sakura? I think you're giving me a little too much credit with Albedo."

"Heh, well, maybe, but I can tell you care about him…even when you're too pig-headed to admit it."

"'Pig-headed'?! I'm not pig-headed!"

"Yeah right," Rubedo muttered to himself as his recollection concluded. Sakura definitely had him read, that was certain. Why did he always act so damn stubborn about…everything? And yet, even when Sakura read him like a book the redhead still pleaded ignorant. Rubedo really needed to work on his stubborn streak.

"'Cherish every moment,' huh?" the older twin mulled, before glancing back down at his still-sleeping other half. Sakura was right; Albedo was fighting a perpetual hourglass, knowing sooner or later the sand would run out and Rubedo would be gone forever. The younger twin's wails still haunted Rubedo's thoughts from time to time:

"Rubedo…don't leave me behind!"

Biting his lip, Rubedo gently rested his head against Albedo's, no longer caring if dirt still lingered through the white locks. The maneuver caused Albedo's head to rest against Rubedo's nearest shoulder; the right side mere inches away from the heart they shared. As if the heart sensed Albedo's nearness, Rubedo felt it beat more rhythmically, much like a magnet resonated whenever its counterpart drew near. Rubedo experienced this sensation previously…just a few hours ago, actually.

Albedo…I…I felt the same. I felt the connection when we were back-to-back earlier. I felt so…Rubedo was too "pig-headed" to admit that even he occasionally had the identical dreams Albedo cherished so fondly, and they, too, filled Rubedo with a warm, blissful feeling. He felt so happy, secure, and whole, as if he and Albedo were as the fates intended. …I felt so…complete.

"I don't want to leave you behind, Albedo," admitted Rubedo, closing his eyes and gently burying his face into his twin's thick white hair. "But…what else can I do? Not die? I can't do that. The only other option is somehow…" he swallowed painfully. "…Taking you with me, but…I don't think I could do that either, Albedo. I don't want to see you die, anymore than you want to see me die."

The only other option left to either of them was…

"…Live everyday as if it were my last."

"You'd like that, wouldn't you, Albedo?" Rubedo whispered in a slight coo, feeling a bittersweet smile pull his lips. "Well, maybe I'll let you have your way…this once. It's what you'd want, right?"

And as if Albedo heard him, Rubedo heard his younger brother mutter a soft:

"Ru…"

Blinking, Rubedo instantly lifted his head, enough to check Albedo's face. Just as before, the younger twin was still sound asleep, though occasionally muttering "Ru" every once and a while.

"Ru…"

"Ru"…and only "Ru."

The right side of Rubedo's chest felt as though somebody squeezed it. Albedo's innocent murmurs brought back profoundly bittersweet memories of…a long time ago, so long Rubedo could only remember the feeling those memories gave, as opposed to any visual flashbacks.

It happened when they were very, very young…merely a few months old…when the twins were still conjoined. Like ordinary children, U.R.T.V.s did not develop any form of coherent vocal speech until they were well after two years old. However, what set the genetically engineered Designer Children apart from normal babies was how their telepathic speech developed in their infancy. Thus, infant U.R.T.V.s could still vaguely communicate across the mental link. Like any speech, telepathy took some time to master, but it was always the first form of communication a U.R.T.V. learned, and their vocal speech followed.

Being the child with the best wavelength, Rubedo matured quickly, whereas Albedo took a bit longer. Still, both infant twins could communicate across the mental link, though only via nonsense words a normal baby would verbally babble. But somehow, the twins vaguely understood each other, well enough to differentiate their other half's voice. A few weeks before their separation, the Variant twins learned their first telepathic words. Being the mature child of the pair, Rubedo quickly managed to identify his other half as "Albedo" (though it sounded more like "albydu" in their naïve infancy) whereas the less-developed younger twin identified his big brother simply as…

"…Ru."

After taking in a shaky breath amidst his throbbing half-heart, Rubedo quickly rested his head back atop Albedo's while absently staring through an opening in the canopy of forest trees. Rubedo could see the fake moon and stars twinkling above him, each glistening like celestial crystals.

"Ru…"

Or perhaps the glistening crystals…were tears.

"…Ru..."

Rubedo could not help it; another stubborn tear slid down his cheek, the teardrop moonlit for a second before disappearing into Albedo's white hair. To ensure that no more followed, Rubedo sniffled discreetly, attempting to suck in any more tears. Burying the tear-stained side of his face into Albedo's hair, Rubedo clamped his eyes shut. He was too Goddamned stubborn to cry or admit how much he desperately needed Albedo. Rubedo would get through this ordeal on his own. He had to.

And when that day finally came, when he would no longer have to maintain his façade, then Rubedo would relinquish his pain. At least there was some comfort in knowing Albedo would be waiting for him, and knowing Albedo, he would be waiting with open arms, too. The episode with Juli was proof that all Rubedo needed right now was to be held by someone who understood his pain, someone who would not scold or mock him for being human.

Albedo…I need you. I need your help.

Until then, Rubedo would stay strong. He was, after all, the leader.

- - - - -

Nigredo was characteristically an early bird, known for being the first one awake and blessed with the duty of dragging Rubedo and Albedo out of bed. Rubedo was especially difficult to get up, notorious for groaning, "Gimmie five more minutes, dammit!" The strangest part was no matter how irritable Rubedo sounded, five minutes later he would finally be up and about on his perpetual energy rush. Wherever the hell he got the energy Nigredo never knew, though maybe those miraculous 'five more minutes' were the cause. Whatever the case, it was nice for Nigredo to wake up one morning without having the task of dealing with his weird older brother. Rubedo was an odd caliber of 'morning person.'

Of course, those typical mornings became scarcer as times got more melancholic, and frankly, even Nigredo admitted he missed the old days. Now, waking up and finding himself alone in his bedroom was rather disturbing. Like any other U.R.T.V., Nigredo had his share of separation anxiety whenever he was not near one of his siblings. However, the black-haired Variant was collected enough to think clearly and tap into the mental link. Albedo was still disconnected but Rubedo was easy to find, and just as Nigredo suspected, the leader was in the forest. Without the mental link, Nigredo knew Albedo must have been there, too.

Thus, Nigredo made haste in getting dressed and washed up. His morning ritual also included refilling Gaignun's food and water dishes, which the boy almost forgot to do in his hurry. After fixing himself up and fetching Gaignun's breakfast, Nigredo then headed out.

He did not get very far, though, when the young Variant met his sister just outside the bedroom's automatic door. The second the door slid shut Nigredo fell back against it in a feeble attempt not to collide with Citrine. Taken aback by the unexpected arrival, Nigredo felt his heartbeat quicken and a surprised gasp escape his mouth. "Citrine…"

"Good morning to you too, Nigredo," the blonde replied with a pint of sarcasm in her voice. Despite the early hours of the morning Citrine did not look tired. Apparently, she was accustomed to waking up early, just like Nigredo. Similarly to any other hour of the day, Citrine's face was painted with an arrogant look, one Nigredo could not help but find it too early in the day to deal with.

"What do you want, Citrine?" Nigredo asked casually, though not about to heed any of her false benevolence. His sister rarely visited the boys' ward, usually because Citrine figured she was 'too good' to visit the nasty males' area. The female U.R.T.V.s usually stayed on their side of the Yuriev Institute, and the males did the same. Thus, Citrine would not have come to the boys' area early in the morning for no damn reason.

Pleased to see her little brother caught on quickly, Citrine folded her arms across her small chest in an authoritative manner. "You and I are scheduled to report to Dr. Yuriev's office at o-seven-hundred hours. When you get back, tell Numbers 666 and 667 the three of you are to report at Diving Lab #3 at twelve-hundred hours for today's PATHOS analysis."

Nigredo nodded in confirmation. According to his room clock he had one hour before he needed to report to Dmitri's office, which gave Nigredo enough time to find his missing brothers. He was not thrilled to know the Variants had another PATHOS test today, but that was not the ultimate source of Nigredo's discomfort. Frankly, he could not help but wonder why Citrine came all this way to tell him something Dmitri could have easily announced over the intercom. Then again, something was telling Nigredo that his father never 'sent' Citrine, either. Judging by the keen look in the girl's blue eyes, Citrine was standing before Nigredo for a reason…a reason all her own.

"I'm only going to say this once, Number 669," started Citrine, sounding very similar to Dmitri at the moment. The Variant girl clearly took after their father's personality in almost every way, which saddened Nigredo. Rubedo thought Nigredo was wound tightly around Yuriev's finger, but Citrine was practically fused.

"I'm well aware of how 'badly' you feel regarding your friend the Red Dragon," the girl snorted rather mockingly, causing Nigredo to bite his tongue at Citrine's derogatory reference to his best friend. "And I'm well aware of how you feel like you're a 'caged bird,' too." No doubt, this was thanks to the mental link, and Nigredo cursed himself for not watching his thoughts.

"But like it or not, you have a duty to fulfill, as doI!" Citrine swore in a deep voice that sounded far too mature for a child of her size. Nigredo did not know much about girls, his only experience being with Citrine and Sakura: two polar opposite females of the same age. Sakura was carefree and perky, whereas Citrine enjoyed parading around like she was already a grown-up. Number 668 was the makeshift leader of the female units, and the only female Variant, which somehow filled Citrine's head with a cocky authority complex. Despite his distaste in her massive ego, Nigredo could not help but pity his older sister. Undoubtedly, Citrine's personality was Dmitri's doing. "Don't think for a moment that I'll betray my mission just because it might hurt your feelings, Nigredo!"

This was no surprise to Nigredo. He and Citrine never shared a strong enough bond for either of them to truly care about the other's feelings, even if they did share the same mission. Nigredo would be lying if he said he did not wish his relationship with Citrine was better, but it was not 'better' and he grew to accept it. He and Citrine may have been alike, but they were not like Rubedo and Albedo…no matter how hard Nigredo wished it. The youngest Variant still cursed himself to this day for ever thinking he and Citrine could become close.

Admittedly, when they were younger and Nigredo first learned about his connection to his sister, Nigredo was thrilled. He liked Rubedo and Albedo, but Nigredo often felt like the 'third wheel' whenever the twins got close. Unlike Albedo, who jealously got between anyone who came close to Rubedo, Nigredo had no intentions of intruding into the twins' relationship. Nevertheless, Nigredo wished to share a bond with someone, just like Rubedo and Albedo. Thus, when Nigredo first learned about Citrine, he thought his wish would come true.

Sadly, his dream was instantly shattered when Nigredo got a crash-course in Citrine's attitude and mindset. The blonde nearly laughed in his face when Nigredo once suggested how after training him and her should "hang out together." Instead, Citrine just scowled and bluntly told Number 669 to "grow the hell up." But in a way, that terrible milestone helped Nigredo realize that, third wheel or not, Rubedo and Albedo did care about him. After all, the twins were the ones who comforted the baby Variant that lonely night when Citrine's hurtful words drove Nigredo to a very rare crying spell.

Nigredo hated his existence; he hated his duty and he hated his relationship with his sister. The raven-haired boy did not know what he did to deserve such a life, but Nigredo wished he could change it. Alas, his cage was destined to be his tomb.

"I'm well aware you could care less about my feelings, Citrine," Nigredo nonchalantly voiced, keeping his face as unemotional as possible. He had long since gotten over attempting to 'get along' with Number 668, and he considered Citrine no more respectable than the conceited standards. "On the other hand, Rubedo does consider my feelings, and therefore it's only right that I consider his. You know as well as I do that he doesn't want to hurt anyone. He's willingly undergoing PATHOS to control the Red Dragon mode. Why can't we give him the chance to prove that he can control it?!"

"Don't be stupid, Nigredo," scoffed Citrine, hardly believing how foolish her little brother spoke. It was crystal clear that Nigredo was heavily influenced by Rubedo's foolish optimism, a bit too influenced for Citrine's comfort. "The Descent Operation is a month away. Even if Number 666 does manage to 'control' the Red Dragon before the Descent, he'll only have a basic understanding of it. The Red Dragon isn't something one can master overnight! I'm all for 666 learning to harness the Red Dragon, too, but I'm not stupid to believe I can relax for the rest of my life, either! We are fail-safes, Nigredo. As long as the Red Dragon is alive, restrained or not, our mission never ends. Stop pinning all of your hopes that PATHOS will be your 'get-out-of-jail-free card'!" she snapped, before knowingly cocking her head and causing her short blonde locks to sway against her cheekbones.

"And one more thing, Nigredo," Citrine added before turning away from the youngest Variant, preparing to leave before saying, "Stop pretending like you want Number 666 to control the Red Dragon for his own sake…when you want him to do it just so you don't have to kill him. Killing a man honestly is more noble than sparing him out of cowardice." With that, the female U.R.T.V. took a few steps down the corridor, away from Nigredo, before her voice echoed back, "Grow a spine already!"

"When you finally learn to make decisions for yourself, let me know."

Maybe he was a coward. Maybe Nigredo was not trapped in a cage due to Dmitri's influence, but via Nigredo's own cowardice. Yes, that was it. Nigredo was a coward.

…A coward still fated to kill his best friend.

No… Nigredo swore, before biting his lip and balling his right fist, scrunching his branded serial number. I'll find a way to break free, Nigredo swore confidently, before turning around in the opposite direction of his sister to head for the courtyard. I'll find a way…WITHOUT killing Rubedo.

Further down the corridor, Citrine paused momentarily, listening to the echoing sounds of her little brother down the other end of the hall. Without even looking back, she traced his thoughts through the mental link and discreetly softened her expression.

For your sake, Nigredo…I hope you DO find a way, because if I have to kill you to get to the Red Dragon, don't think I won't.

- - - - -

Fake songbirds twittered as 'normal morning' sound effects through the artificial outside world of the Yuriev Institute. By then, a sun shined across the courtyard and through gaps in the treetops of the forest area. The fake sunrays reached Rubedo's face, warm enough to awaken him from his slumber. There was no way of telling the exact time of morning, though the redhead was pleased to see daylight. His back ached from his sitting position against the brick wall all night, but it was nothing a good stretch could not fix. As planned, Rubedo instinctively began tracing the mental link for Nigredo, hoping to fulfill his plans of contacting the littlest brother come morning.

Fortunately, it did not take Rubedo long to find Nigredo, as he noticed the black-haired boy casually strolling into the overgrown forest area just before Rubedo contacted him. Apparently, Nigredo did not need Rubedo's call to find his brothers, which made Rubedo's job easier. Of course, the second Nigredo reached his older brothers, a small smirk pulled the youngest boy's lips. "So, this is where you two have been hiding," Nigredo lightly teased whilst folding his arms.

Shooting the smirk right back at the younger Variant, Rubedo narrowed his eyes before glancing back at his twin, still sleeping soundly against his shoulder. Rubedo hated to wake Albedo, but he did not want anymore of an audience than Nigredo. Sighing, Rubedo gently nudged his shoulder to softly wake Albedo. "Come' on, wake up Sleeping Beauty," teased Rubedo, making light of the situation.

A short snicker came from Nigredo as Rubedo attempted to wake Albedo. "Maybe Sleeping Beauty needs a kiss to wake up."

"You can kiss my ass, Nigredo," Rubedo shot back, before hearing Albedo stir awake. Slowly and groggily the white-haired boy's head rose from Rubedo's shoulder, his neck feeling rather stiff from the odd sleeping position all night. During a yawn Albedo's hand rose to his stiff neck before getting the kinks out. When his drowsy vision cleared, Albedo looked rather confused. The last he remembered, he was sleeping in Rubedo's grave, and now…Albedo was out against the brick wall beside…

"Rubedo!" gasped Albedo, stunned to see his twin was right next to him. What happened last night? Certainly, if Albedo fell asleep by Rubedo he would have known, right? "W-what…what're you doing here?" Albedo asked timidly, at first wondering if Rubedo somehow came after him to scold the younger twin for yesterday. Glancing downward, Albedo blinked remorsefully, fearing whatever scolding his older brother might issue. It was certainly not uncommon for Rubedo to rant to his twin for behavior similar to yesterday's. Often, such lectures drove Albedo to tears, which he could already feel brimming his eyes. He did not like it when Rubedo yelled at him. "Are you…angry?"

It was not uncommon for Rubedo to reply, "No, I'm furious! What the hell's the matter with you?!" and so forth. However, knowing Albedo was not technically in the wrong this time, Rubedo put on a sheepish grin and shook his head, much to his twin's surprise. "Na," was all the redhead said, causing Albedo to look back up at his twin with wide purple eyes. The expression on Albedo's face was rather silly and caused Rubedo to giggle at how stunned his younger brother looked. Playfully raising a hand, the redhead ruffled Albedo's dirty white hair in an impish manner. "I'm not angry, Albedo."

Blinking a few times to make sure Rubedo was not fooling him, Albedo's mouth opened a crack in surprise. It was not common for Rubedo to let him off the hook when it came to matters like these. And yet, lo and behold, Rubedo was not mad at all…he was even smiling and laughing! "…You…mean it?" Albedo choked, swallowing a developing lump in his throat.

"Well, he did stay out here all night with you," Nigredo noted matter-of-factly, causing Albedo's head to snap towards Nigredo's direction for a moment. "I guess that says something."

It certainly did. Hell, it said many things; so many 'things' Albedo could barely process all of them before he heard his twin chuckle again, drawing Albedo's gaze back to Rubedo. It did not take long before the redhead's image became distorted behind a layer of welling tears in Albedo's eyes.

Noticing the inevitable tears, Rubedo's grin broadened in an attempt to keep the mood light. "Jeez, don't look so surprised, Albedo," the older twin teased, getting a kick out of the flabbergasted expression written across Albedo's face. "I know, I know, it's hard to believe the 'evil twin' actually cares about you but-!"

Rubedo never managed to say the rest before the wind was knocked out of him via an instant hug from his twin. The rest of Rubedo's words came out in a surprised gasp of air as Albedo's arms threw themselves tightly around the redhead. The second the middle child's head of white hair reached Rubedo's shoulder a stifled sob was released. Thereafter, Rubedo felt his shoulder dampen as his brother's body shook in coordination with his younger half's whimpers.

"R-Rubedo…" Albedo choked, sniffling in order to more easily add "…You don't know how…how h-happy that makes m-me."

Blinking at the words, Rubedo then peered at his vibrating brother's buried head through the corner of his eye. Unable to prevent a sympathetic smile from his lips, Rubedo gently held his crying brother, rubbing Albedo's trembling back. In their current position, Rubedo could feel their shared hearts beat together in a jubilant rhythm. Undeniably, that joy was Albedo's, and Rubedo could feel it. It was rather obvious how happy Albedo felt.

"I've got a gist, Albedo," whispered Rubedo, once again resting his head against his twin's, being mindful to blink back the fluids stinging his own eyes. He and Albedo were practically symbiotic creatures, after all. Thus, if Albedo was happy…so was Rubedo. Neither felt this happy in a very long time.

The good feeling was mutual all around, too. Just watching the sight filled Nigredo with a sense of happiness and put a genuine smile on his face. None of the children had felt so happy in quite a while.

- - - - -

Rubedo cares.

Rubedo TRULY cares about me.

I'm so…happy.

Albedo knew the difference between tears of sadness and tears of joy, and the later was definitely what he was shedding at the moment. Even whilst being under a running showerhead, the tears still flowed, camouflaging with the cascading water inside his shower stall.

Following his and Rubedo's little 'reunion,' Nigredo suggested the boys wash up after being outside in the dirt all night. By now, Rubedo had already taken his shower and currently it was Albedo's turn. Afterwards, the Variant boys planned on getting breakfast down in the cafeteria before Nigredo left for some meeting at seven o'clock. Albedo was too overjoyed to notice the details. He was so far up cloud nine the middle child felt like he was floating.

Rubedo truly cares about me, after all,smiled Albedo, willingly letting the tears fall as his euphoria enveloped him. He desperately needed Rubedo to tell him those words, and now that Rubedo did, Albedo could not have been happier. As the dirt washed off his body Albedo felt like he was being cleansed of the pessimistic demons from earlier that attempted to negate Rubedo's love for him. Apparently, the twins' bond was far stronger than words could break. Rubedo had a bad habit of mouth-shooting, that was all. He never truly meant he did not need Albedo.

But Rubedo meant the words he said in the forest, that much Albedo could tell. The white-haired twin could tell the heart-felt, apologetic honesty emanating from Rubedo. Rubedo cared, and had always cared. Otherwise, he would have left Albedo to rot in the grave.

Grave…

…Rubedo's…grave…

The grave Albedo dug…

…For when Rubedo eventually died.

It did not take long before his jovial tears morphed back into the familiar tears of sadness. Being reminded of Rubedo's eventual death doused any of Albedo's happiness by a shower of reality, causing the younger twin to cough back a sob and lower his soaked head. Yes, Rubedo cared, and yes, Rubedo would eventually die. Such reality only made warm, tender moments with Albedo's brother more painful. Eventually, Rubedo would be gone and would never be there to hold Albedo while he cried. Who would hold Albedo when he mourned Rubedo's death? Perhaps Nigredo, provided the youngest Variant was not already dead by then. Once Rubedo and Nigredo were both gone, whom could Albedo seek? The answer was obvious; nobody, for once Rubedo and Nigredo died, Albedo would be all alone.

"No…" Albedo choked, before slamming a fist against the white tiled wall of his shower stall. Fortunately, the noisy shower muted most sounds, enabling Albedo to beat his fist against the wall a few more times in his frustration. "No. No! NO!!" he cried, pounding his fist redundantly as more and more tears spilt from his eyes. It was not fair! Why was he teased with happy moments with Rubedo, only to eventually lose his beloved twin? Did fate not realize such happy moments only made the separation more painful? "NO-ow!!"

The last cry came out in a painful yelp when Albedo felt his pounding hand surge in pain. He instantly cradled his injured hand to with his other, feeling it throb underneath a layer of bleeding broken skin. Albedo was unsure if he broke his hand, though he never had to worry. He was once again reminded of his horrible fate the moment his bleeding hand glowed and automatically fixed itself. When the last bit of bone and skin was mended, the shower's water then cleansed Albedo's hand of the blood, vanishing and making his hand look as good as new.

The 'good news' only induced more tears down the Variant's face. Albedo's curse was merciless.

Shaking his head in despair, Albedo then glanced back up where his hand pounded the wall. Despite the boy's size, he was strong enough to crack a white tile, which could not repair itself. In addition, the crack was lined with a trail of blood seeking refuge from the onslaught of the showerhead. It was rather fascinating, actually. It was almost as though the blood was doing its very best to stay intact for as long as possible before getting washed down the drain. Either that, or the blood was just cowering from its inevitable fate. Albedo did not know, nor did he care.

However, the blood still fascinated him, causing the young boy to get as close to the crack as possible and focus his violet eyes on the life fluid. It really was beautiful, a rich, vibrant crimson that made Albedo suddenly feel a little better. He liked that bright red color, and it had always comforted him.

Rubedo…

But just like the inevitable fate, the predator water finally found the hiding red blood and washed it from the crack. Rubedo was gone.

No…

But…Albedo could bring him back. Yes, Albedo knew what to do now. So he slammed both of his fists against the wall, breaking their bones and staining the cracked tiles with the beautiful crimson. Just as before, Albedo's body healed himself and the water was quick to wash away the stains.

He would not let fate have its way again. If Albedo could not keep Rubedo forever, the next best thing was a painkiller that reminded him of his precious twin. And since Albedo could not die, he had a limitless supply of blood that could forever intoxicate him in Rubedo's memory. He could afford to waste as much as he wanted! Rubedo would be so happy…all of the blood would be shed in his honor.

Yes…all for you…Rubedo… Albedo smiled as he resorted to snapping one of his fingers backwards. Yes, it hurt, but it was for Rubedo, so that was okay. The beautiful red liquid poured from his broken finger, while Albedo hastily wiped the blood on the white walls before his regeneration took affect. When he realized he was struggling against his powers and the showerhead, Albedo just worked faster. Another finger would be snapped, more blood would be painted on the wall, and Albedo would beat the imaginary clock. Yes, he could do it for Rubedo.

When the fingers were not enough, Albedo resorted to his arms. Yes, they had more blood in them, anyway. The beautiful red could cover more of the tiled wall's surface area, too. Yes, very pretty. The damned water was against him, but Albedo never shut it off. Albedo was enjoying this challenge of defying fate; that bitch he called 'destiny.'

He worked faster, harder, and bit through the pain. Rubedo would be proud of him. It was a good choice to use his arms, since they bled more easily and profusely. From experience Albedo knew the wrist veins bled superfluously. His body regenerated, he bashed his arms harder against the wall. When that got boring he dug his nails into his red-spraying veins, or chewed off his arm like an animal. Yes, yes…the shower was becoming red. Beautiful.

He needed to work quicker…harder…the water was persistent. He dug deeper, bashed harder, chewed faster, and the surroundings became redder and redder. He was just as stubborn as Rubedo. Oh it was lovely being surrounded by the rubescent essence. The harder Albedo worked the better he felt. He found his painkiller. Yes, Rubedo would be happy for him…so very, very happy.

The shower dared to spew out more cleansing water…Albedo would take care of it. There was a sharp snap against the wall, and then the tearing of skin. Who needed arms, especially when he could regenerate them? The other one had to go, too. Then he could whisk himself around the shower's four walls until they were all red. Yes…all red for Rubedo. Snap…tear…thud…thud…THUD…THUD…all for Rubedo…

"What the hell's going on in there, Albedo? You' demolishing the place or what?"

The sound of his twin's voice instantly enchanted Albedo, causing him to stop and turn around to face the reddened door to his shower stall. Not a second later, the door opened a crack, modestly so Rubedo to check and make sure Albedo was okay and add, "Don't tell me you slipped and fell agai-"

Albedo could not prevent a curled smile from his face when he noticed the expression on Rubedo's face: pale, wide-eyed, and mouth agape. Stunned. Oh…Rubedo liked Albedo's little tribute! He really liked it! Albedo knew he would.

"Rubedo…" Albedo beamed brightly, before feeling his lost limbs regenerate. The showerhead still attempted to wash off the crimson all over him and the walls, but Albedo outran it. There was too much red for even the shower to keep up. He won. "Oh…I'm glad you like it, Rubedo," the bloodstained boy gushed, pointing with a newly regenerated arm at the beautiful scarlet walls. Gingerly, Albedo kicked aside the two previously discarded red arms clogging the vermillion drain, along with various discarded parts littering the floor that might hinder his getting closer to Rubedo. Staggering through the rose water, Albedo took careful steps towards his silent twin. "I'm so happy you…Ru…"

Wait…something was not right. But before Albedo could understand what that 'something' was, he suddenly felt light-headed and dizzy. His steps became uncertain and before he knew it his bare foot slipped against the bloody water. For a moment, everything went white before it went black.

Somehow…someway, Rubedo managed to catch his brother. The second the soaked, bloody body met his own, Rubedo stumbled back to his knees, his own legs suddenly drained of strength. The showerhead continued to rain down upon him and his brother as Rubedo held Albedo, attempting to listen to his twin's breathing over the running water.

"…Albedo…?" Rubedo blinked, gently shaking Albedo, though it was difficult to notice with his own body violently trembling. Swallowing, Rubedo shook his wet brother harder, feeling his blue eyes widen with each passing second of silence from his twin. "Albedo? Albedo!"

No response. Rubedo thought he could still feel his twin's heartbeat in his chest, but it was too hard to differentiate between the redhead's fear-induced vibrating. Shaking Albedo harder, Rubedo's breathing became very uneasy as terrified wide eyes glanced back at various bloodstains on the wall untouched by the water.

What in God's name was he doing in here?!

Rubedo did not have time to find the answer. His twin was not responding…the walls around them were covered in rancid blood…and…the shower's floor was littered with assorted gore.

And Albedo was not responding…

"Albedo! ALBEDO!!" screamed Rubedo, shaking his battered twin violently, never noticing that his own clothes were red-stained as well. What the hell happened?! Why the hell was Albedo not responding?! He could not die, right?! Right?!

Rubedo was not brave enough to find out anymore. Too terrified by…too much…Rubedo latched onto his unmoving twin and screamed at the top of his lungs.

- - - - -

TO BE CONTINUED

- - - - -

A/N: So now, another chapter ends on a cliffhanger. How did the highly anticipated self-mutilation scene fare? Creepy? Juicy? I'd love to know what you think!

For readers wondering what the $#% was going through my head in this chapter's ending, let me explain. The mutilation scene, in case you didn't notice, is quite symbolic. But in a nutshell, I've always believed the adult Albedo's brutality stems back to his Rubedo obsession. It's too damn coincidental that Albedo favors bloodshed, the identical color of Rubedo's hair. Bear in mind, in the English edited versions of the video games, Albedo's bloody moments were edited. One scene in Episode I, he dismembers a Kirschwasser's arm, which is bloodless in the English version (yet includes the bloody sound effects a la English Episode III), but it's very bloody in the Japanese version. There are several "red" comments Albedo makes during the series, too ("Red-haired Rubedo," and you can't tell me his "red will become white" was not some dig). Albedo definitely has a fixation with red for more than obvious reasons. That's where the self-mutilation scene comes into play (so I didn't include it just for the sake of having Albedo go insane for no reason).

So, other than the infamous scene, what did you think of this chapter? I know I enjoyed it. What happened with Albedo in the end? Chapter VIII will explain (though come' on, he's not dead. Any Xenosaga fan should know that by now).

What did you think about the Rubedo/Albedo-ness in this chapter? I suppose the "Sleeping Beauty" crack might be pushing the envelope on "brotherly love," but it was a joke, too, so it's still debatable. Yes, in honesty, I do have a weakness for Rubedo/Albedo (yaoi or not yaoi), but I just don't see myself writing as good of yaoi fanfics as other true-blue talented Rubedo/Albedo authors. Maybe I'm wrong, I dunno.

I also hope you liked Citrine's inclusion. I feel bad that she's been lurking in the shadows all this time (kinda' like she does in the games). Yet, she does get a decent role during "The PATHOS Incident," as you'll eventually see. Despite my rare inclusions of her in my stories I do like her and try to include her whenever possible. Heavens knows there are not enough fanfics with Citrine.

"The PATHOS Incident" is not far, now. Chapter VIII comes next week.

So did you like this chapter? I sure hope so. Lemmie know with a review, pretty please?