/= "Long Flash Back" by Dragon Ball Z=/

"He…?"

The whole room had no idea what to say, staring at the Shadow as he started rubbing off the peeling darkness from the burnt skin. Ludwig started rubbing the back of his head, words failing him as always, wondering if he could save Rizal himself…without the fighting…without this useless fighting.

"So that's why…"

Everyone turned toward Feliciano, who was holding his weapon loosely in his fingertips and looking down at the tip of the staff. In that pose, he actually looked older than his real age…almost like he was Francis' age. For some reason, that creped a few people out.

"That's why you attacked me."

"Feli…?"

"He was jealous of me…because I loved Ludwig as well." He blushed. "I never thought he would be the jealous type, though…"

"Kuya…" Charice looked at him up above.

The entire time, he was scrubbing the peeling skin to the point where they could actually see blood oozing down on them. After a few minutes, he was finally done with doing so, the eyes finally glowing back into the bright red that they were always. He almost looked like a child at this point.

"This…this is all I wanted."

"Eh?"

"I just wanted someone who could…who could stay with me…and not be hurt…anymore…"

Feliciano held onto his weapon.

"You're not for him…you're weak and useless, hiding behind others just because someone scares you!" Rizal glared at him. "You're not worthy of having Ludwig's heart! You're not worthy of living in this world of war and darkness!"

"I don't deserve anything, Rizal…he loves me, and I love him…and no one can change that!" Feliciano lifted up his weapon against him. "I don't care that I'm probably not the perfect man for him…or that I'm useless…and that all I do is cry and run to him when I'm scared…"

"Feli…"

"Still, I'm trying to be better. I'm getting stronger, so that I don't hurt him anymore…that I don't hurt anyone…" Feliciano braced himself. "You made me cry…no one here is going to forgive you."

Rizal said nothing, charging forward and going into a one-on-one duel with the Italian possessed by his Persona. To their surprise, he was holding himself up rather well. He was deflecting as much as he can with only a staff and his powers, it became apparent how powerful a G8 nation really was in comparison to another normal nation.

"How are you getting faster? You're supposed to be a pathetic piece of life!"

"I am a nation, Rizal, one of the most powerful! And I know when I'm the only one who can fight back against you!"

Before their eyes, Feliciano started sprouting wings (the same type of wings his Shadow had…creepy) and started shooting feathers at him. The ground started shaking with tremors and cracked under the pressure. It took both Lovino and Gilbert to get Antonio's body out of the way before the world fell apart. It was almost as if the eternal battle of good versus evil was going to end by these two's hands.

They both shot into the air, going into an air duel filled with kicks and bullets. Feliciano kept throwing lightning and Rizal tried his best to blind the Italian, but both of them were too fast for any of them to hit. Some of the scenery down below started to cave in, however.

"UWAAAA! Watch what you're flinging, da ze!"

"Wow…" Charice blinked. "I never saw Feliciano so dedicated before…"

"I sure have…Jesus, he's scary!" Alfred stared at the continuing battle. "But it just means he has found a purpose that he wants to fight for."

"A purpose…"

"Sometimes, you have to fight loved ones to protect your friends…other times it's vice versa." The American sighed. "That's what war is about…"

"But what will happen to kuya once this is over…?" Charice turned to him. "He killed Antonio! No one's going to trust him anymore!"

"There will always be a way…and a hero always finds one…"

Charice looked down, trying to figure out what he meant. A scream echoed out, and Feliciano was tossed against the wall, covered with blood. Rizal's hands sharpened and charged toward his eyes, intent on gouging them all out. In a flash, Ludwig had jumped in front of him, blade in hand, and Rizal's blades were an inch away from his face. A glint flashed from the corner of his eye, and he jumped back to see Charice attack him with her poleaxe.

"Ate…"

"I never wanted to fight you…but I also know that I will fight whoever hurts my friends…" She lifted up her poleaxe. "And I know that you know better than that, so obviously I have to beat you to enlightenment!"

"C-Charice…"

"It's all right, Feli-chan…he knew that this day was going to come." She planted it in the ground. "He knew that he was targeting my friends…he knew that he was going to try and kill them…I even think he cemented this when he killed Ludwig, the man he loved…which I still don't understand, by the way."

"He got in the way…I always get rid of what's in the way!"

"You haven't gotten rid of me! And I'm always in the way! Why's that?" She growled. "You looked up to him! I see you every day talking to him! From what I can gather, you were trying to be happy in any way you can…so why did you kill him?"

"…I…I had to…I HAD TO!"

"Eh?"

Rizal lunged forward and slashed, nicking Charice's leg and sending her spinning, clearing the way for Li Xiao and Kiku to counterattack. They were able to nick the bits of Shadow from his flesh before he turned and grabbed Li Xiao's neck.

"NO!"

The Chinese man made no movement to fight back, only reaching up to hold his face before his true form exploded, sending Rizal back. Yong Soo openly screamed as his hands created multiple blades from his fingers.

"I thought I told you all that I'm the only one who can handle him." Li Xiao stood up, his face vanishing into a blank mask. "I know you're ready, Rizal."

"Another one like me…heh, never thought this would happen." He stood up. "I wanted you to at least be happy with ate…but if you're going to get in the way then I WILL HAVE TO KILL YOU!"