Astral takes the news as well as Dark would have hoped. That is, he only blinks and looks at Dark blankly, not looking like he understands, but Dark knows that he understands perfectly well. He can sense that emotionally, he is pretty tired, so he induces his twin to sleep and goes downstairs, where the spellcasters and Yuri are talking in Yuma's downstairs room.

"Whatcha talking about?" Dark asks. "Do you have an alternative to help Shing?"

"Yes there are several alternative cures," Dark Mist begins, but he looks to his partner before speaking. It is a quick glance, but there is hesitation in it. "However the cures all involve a sacrifice, be it her lover, a friend, or this entire city. I think we want to keep the casualties to a minimum, yes?"

"Yeah I guess. I don't think killing this entire city would make anything better."

"So the next best cure here is to sacrifice someone close to her."

Dark purses his lips, knowing that she and Astral were close. While the sacrifice won't actually kill Dark himself, it will very much put him in a zombie-like state. He is unwilling to go through that experience for the rest of his life, but he knows a kingdom's survival is on the line.

"I'll try to convince Astral of it," he finally agrees. "He was the closest one to her aside from Yuma."

Yuri nods gratefully. "Well I have to get back. I don't know how much longer Vegeta and Vector can hold out on their own. We'll be awaiting her return." He nods to the spellcasters, who make a portal back to their kingdom. "Goodbye and thank you."

Dark waves as the others leave through the portal. He looks outside and sees the sky turning pink. He has to find Shing and see what she's up to.

~.~.~

She watches the sky turn pink and red. For some reason just like before, the name "Shing" doesn't seem to suit her anymore. She is no longer that girl; she is now someone who causes nothing but pain to those around her without a second thought, and she does it gladly. She feels no remorse, just the constant pain in her chest.

The girl whispers into the wind. One person in a couple comes over to check out the noise, and she brushes her hand against him, whispering once again that he will die at midnight, The man woozy from her touch, goes back to his lover. She knows that he will die at midnight as promised. The thought of the emotional torment the woman he loves will experience evokes a giggle from her.

And so she continues luring people in, touching them, and sending them back. By midnight she feels their life forces flick out like candles. With each life that flicks out, the pain in her chest lightens for a bit; it also resembles joy.

When the night turns into day once again, she finds a place to hide and rest. Curling up in the shade of a tree.

~.~.~

Dark having observed everything Shing is doing, flies back to Astral, who is just now waking up. He doesn't feel as empty as before, but he's still emotionally unstable. On the way back to Yuma's house, Astral picks up on Dark's thoughts and knows that he has to be the sacrifice to cure Shing. Dark heartbreakingly enough, feels the resignation as if he doesn't want to live anymore.

So he decides to use words. "Are you sure you're willing to die? This is your life after all."

"Under any other circumstance, I would want to find another way. However we cannot go back home. The only person who can see us and give us company is cursed, and the only way to cure her is to die."

"And you'd leave me alone."

Silence on the other end, but it's a thoughtful silence. "We need to weigh our options then."

So during the fly back to Yuma's house, Astral and Dark exchange thoughts and feelings, non-verbally discussing the pros and cons of the sacrifice. Ultimately though, they choose to cure her.

~.~.~

For three days she's allowed to roam free while Astral and Dark figure out a way to capture her. She kills left and right with a single touch, but the number of people coming to the park is dwindling. She figures she will have to find a new spot one day when a box suddenly surrounds her, trapping her inside. She hisses, not wanting to go out into the sunlight. But the box is pulled out of the confines of the shade. Surprisingly enough, she doesn't feel any discomfort from the sunlight.

"Let me out!" she exclaims.

Astral comes into view. His eyes look tired and sad, but he looks like has a purpose. "I can't allow you to roam free for one more day. You're killing people and scaring everyone off." He turns around and goes back to Yuma's house.

The girl looks around. "Where are we going, and what are we going to do?"

"We're going back to Yuma's house, to cure you."

"Cure me? But we can't anymore. The only person who can do that is dead."

"Not necessarily. But Dark will tell you how we'll do it when we get there."

"The girl nods and sits back in her box, watching the people back away from her. "Can they see us?"

"The cube? Yes, along with you in it, But not me. The only person we could see me and allow others to be able to see me is gone."

"Oh…"

When they arrive back at the house, Astral takes her in through the window that leads to the room under Yuma's attic room, where Dark is waiting. He sets the box down and Dark approaches her.

"Hey there," he says with a smile, but the smile is strained.

"How will you cure me? I thought Yuma was the only one who could."

"Well…" He looks back to Astral. They hold each other's gazes for a while, and they don't break the stare when Dark speaks again. "Astral has to be the sacrifice."

Her eyes widened. "No! No one else is going to sacrifice themselves for me. Besides, wouldn't you die as well Dark?"

"No, I'll be in a zombie-like state. It won't be pleasant, but as long as it keeps this world and your kingdom safe, I'm willing to sacrifice my mental state. It's not like I'll be aware of being alone."

"I'm not going to kill Astral for my own benefit. There's no way." As if to prove her point, she crosses her arms and clenches her hands into fists.

Astral and Dark share a glance again. They are ready to make the sacrifice, but having her protest it is something they expected. "Very well," Astral says. "We'll wait until you're ready."

~.~.~

A few days pass. Yuma's family moves out of the house to escape the memories of the dead parents and Yuma. The house is lonelier than before, making the atmosphere gloomier. Shing still sitting in her box in the corner, thinks about the cure. It is within reach, just a touch away, but she won't do it. Not when it means someone close to her has to die. It is strange; she is fine with others dying, but not her friends.

Astral's gloom eventually passes fully onto Dark. He is no longer very cheerful, but he did try his best to lighten the mood. He did so for a few days until he finally broke and makes a suggestion that Shing would surely agree to. He doesn't care anymore and just wants it to be over and done with.

"If you want," He whispers one day, "Astral and I can go together."

Shing lifts her head up. "Together? You want me to kill you?"

Dark nods. "It will lift the curse, and neither of us will suffer. So what do you say?"

The girl has to think about it for a moment, wondering if she'll be able to live with herself. In the end though, she knows she has to cave eventually. "Fine."

Astral looks at her with tired eyes and makes the box disappear. "Will you return to your kingdom then?"

"I don't plan on returning. Not alive anyway."

Astral and Dark share a glance, but they don't find it in themselves to care anymore. Besides, she will surely be unable to live with herself after this. It will be like a release, much like it will be for Astral and Dark. They both nod.

Upstairs they sit under the hammock. Shing holds out her hands, and with some hesitation takes Dark's hands. He stiffened and immediately feels dizzy.

"By midnight you will be dead," she whispers, a lump forming in her throat. " I'm sorry, you'll have to wait until then."

"That's fine…" Dark manages to say. He has to sink into the ground to rest. Astral kneels beside him and holds his hand.

Silence passes for the next few hours as they watch Dark die. Shing doesn't touch Astral, knowing that killing him will break the curse and stop what they planned. So they wait for midnight to roll around.

When it finally does, Astral feels a part of himself die as he watches Dark fades away from life. Even in death, even as weak as he was, he still smiles and holds Astral's hand, merging their hands together just like when they were born. And then he closes his eyes, never to open them again.

Astral looks at Shing, who looks close to tears now. "I'm sorry," she says. "I'm sorry for causing you and Yuma so much pain."

"It feels so long ago," He whispers. "But I forgive you, I know Yuma already has."

She holds out her arms and Astral hugs her, feeling her deathly touch like a sting. Numbness accompanies it next, making his last moments pleasant. He buries his face into her neck and feels himself drift away quicker than Dark, but he doesn't mind.

And soon Shing is all alone in the dark of night, hugging the now solid frame of Astral. Like how Yuma's body didn't decompose, Astral's doesn't disappear into nothingness. She feels a well of sadness in her chest and takes out her claws. There is only one thing left to do.

~.~.~

When Yuri comes back with Vegeta to Yuma's house, they are met with two dead bodies locked in an embrace with blood pooling underneath the bodies. They share a glance, wondering how they're going to tell all the citizens, but at least now the two bodies are at peace.

~.The End.~

OMR (Oh My Ra), this made me tear up again after re-reading it. This was a very sad rp, but it was a good one to play out. The events that happen here aren't exactly how me and Chibi played it, but it is as close as memory can serve for Chibi, I hope you all enjoyed it (and are all depressed at the end as much as me and Chibi were).

Also we don't promote suicide, this is just how the rp played out.*

Now this is the original ending for this story, but there is more to come. I will be posting more chapters to this story soone Please leave a comment and subscribe if you like the story. Leaving a comment really means a lot to me. See you in the upcoming chapters :)