Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Fluesternd ❯ Part 19 ( Chapter 19 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Crimson 
Brad's past, and it's all over...
Anime/Manga: Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Psychological | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 08.19.2002 | Pages: 5 | Words: 6.8K | Visits: 217 | Status: Completed
Brad's past, and it's all over...
Anime/Manga: Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Psychological | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 08.19.2002 | Pages: 5 | Words: 6.8K | Visits: 217 | Status: Completed
*****19*****
Forget.
Each of us, everyday, forgets far more than what we remember. Most of the time it's just the stupid, little things that slip our minds, but every once in a while we lose something important.
I am one of those people who has a selective memory. I can remember a night in my crib when I was only 6 months old or younger, but sometimes I forget something I was told to do yesterday, and failed to do today.
Some of us lose our memory completely, perhaps only for a short time after some unpleasant head trauma, or perhaps forever from something more serious and irreversible.
Amnesia.
We've all heard of it. Frankly, I'm scared to death of it. I cherish every memory inside of me, and to lose any one of them would be devastating. Even the bad ones are valuable, because if we forget the harsh times of the past we are doomed to repeat them.
The worst, of course, would be to forget the wonderful, irreplaceable moments of pure happiness and joy and......feeling like the world has purpose and everything is going to be all right.
What then can be done for someone who forgets their entire childhood of beautiful memories and good times?
Simple. He has to be shown what he has forgotten.
*****
Smells of lilacs and freshly cut grass permeate the air, the sun shines down gently with only a handful of puffy, white clouds in the bright, blue sky, and the breeze blowing up on the hill is light enough to refresh without being harsh enough to annoy.
Gazing out at the landscape below, a 13 year old Brad Crawford stands near the top of the hill, peeking through the few trees scattered nearby. Though he feels somewhat detatched, the sweet, melodic laughter of his little sister carries him back to reality.
Turning to face the very top of the hillside, Brad catches sight of his dear sibling, watching as she spins about to soak up all the wonders around her. Navy curls bounce against her shoulders, long and full for such a young and vibrant 5 year old, and he is instantly drawn to her, treading up the last few yards to join in on the fun.
"What are you giggling at, Noria?"
Pulled from her daydreaming, Nori stops, and slowly peeks over her shoulder to grin back at him. It's odd, when he watches her face him, making out the shape of her features in the light of the sun, he feels a curious sence of triumph, as if in being able to see her face he has beaten the odds against something forgotten.
"I'm just giggling 'cause I'm having fun, Braddy." the young girl calls back, rushing over to grab her brother's hands and make him dance with her in the grass. "Play ring-around-the-rosie with me!"
Laughing right along with her, Brad obeys, twirling her around and singing the familiar, childhood game. Despite being such a suave and independant teenager, Brad always finds the time to play with his little sister, and the bond they share will always be important to him.
Sadly, their fun is about to be cut short, as Brad suddenly jolts forward with a sharp intake of breath, falling to his knees.
The scenery around him fades, and instead he begins to see images of a car speeding down a highway, as if a movie projector has began rolling from the inside of his eyelids. He recognizes it as his parents' car, and clearly sees his mother and father in the front seats. James Crawford, an American businessman, is driving, with his wife, Yuki Crawford, a Japanese artist - formerly Kei Yuki - riding beside him. As they continue down the road, without warning or hope for intervention, a semi suddenly comes barreling towards them, the driver apparently asleep at the wheel, and it crashes head-on into their vehicle, sending Brad roughly back into his own time and space at the sight of impact.
Visions like this have struck him before, but never have they been anything as serious or vivid. He has always dismissed them as nothing, and is compelled to do the same in this case. It is only a figment of his imagination anyway.
"Braddy, are you okay?" Nori's little voice calls to him, while his eyes readjust to his surroundings. "That was scary."
"Don't be scared, Nori. I'm all right." he assures her, getting to his feet, and smiling down at her fretful expression. "I think it's about time we headed home, don't you think? Wouldn't want Mom and Dad to get worried."
"Okay, but it's follow-the-leader on the way, and I get to be leader. Deal?"
"Deal."
At home, a few hours later, the Crawford parents have gone out for the evening, leaving Brad at home to babysit. The two children are still up, watching Nori's "Rainbow Bright" tape for the millionth time, and have lost track of how late it is getting. However, when the doorbell rings unexpectedly, Brad glances at his watch, and realizes just how much time has passed. Their parents should have been home by now.
"Is there something I can do for you, Officer?" young Brad asks as he opens the door, greeted by a solomn looking policeman.
"Yes. Tell me, Son, is this the Crawford residence?"
"It is."
"I'm sorry, my boy, but I'm afraid I have some bad news......"
FLASH.
Three years later, Brad Crawford is doing a little fancy foot-work inside a boxing ring, sparing with an opponent who is far more on the highter end of the light weights than he is. Nonetheless, Brad is holding his own quite well, and has a reputation as one of the most promising, amatuer boxers around.
Cheering her brother on from the sidelines - practically hanging off the side of the ring, Nori stands with a grin on her lovely face from ear to ear, while constantly pushing her new glasses back onto the bridge of her nose. She hasn't gotten used to them yet, and they're a bit too big since she insisted on getting the same frames as her brother.
"Come on, Braddy, knock his lights out!"
SMACK!
"1...2...3...Crawford wins again!"
Having gotten used to the smell of blood and sweat all too well, Nori bounds forward without a second thought to wrap her little arms around Brad's waist as he retires to the side, hugging him for all she's worth.
"Give me a break, Noria, you're crushing my ribs here." he teases, collapsing down on the stool in the corner, and reaching for the water bottle at his feet. "Save the celebrations for a real match, okay? We don't want to get ahead of ourselves."
"I know. I just love it when you win! You're the best." Nori giggles, still hanging tightly to his arm.
With a large, contented grin, Brad reaches over and tousles her hair with his glove. "Just remember, I'm doing it all for you. This next match is worth a lot of money to us, and the rent's coming up soon. I'd hate to have to sell you to make ends meet."
"Oh Braddy, you're such a kidder. But you like boxing, right? I don't want you to do anything you don't have fun doing just to make sure I have school supplies and stuff."
Brad laughs lightly at this, and carefully helps Nori out of the ring so he can head for the locker room. "Don't worry, Noria, I love it. I may not be able to do it forever, but it's good enough for now. I'll have to get a normal job before I'm 18 so they'll let me adopt you for real, but we'll make it."
"Of course we will! 'Cause we're Crawfords, and Crawfords always win." Nori recites with a large smile, following Brad down the hallway to the locker room, though she knows she'll have to wait outside now that she isn't so little anymore. However, before he can slip inside, she grabs hold of Brad's arm, and looks up into his bronzed eyes sheepishly. "Ummm...Braddy? We'll always be together, won't we? I mean, you won't ever leave like Mom and Dad did, right?"
His smile wavers, and his eyes droop a little lower, but Brad puts on a strong resolve as he kneels beside his sister, holding her face in his hands. "I promise, no matter what happens, I will never leave you." And ever so gently, he pulls her closer to kiss her forehead, and the smile they share is nothing short of dazzling.
FLASH.
"Happy Birthday, Noria! I can't believe you're a teenager already."
Four years and a few months after Brad's unfortunate promise, he and Nori are celebrating her 13th birthday. Every year, the Friday or Saturday before, she has the customary bash with her friends from school, but the actual day is always reserved for family. And, after all, they are the only family each other has.
Glowing pale and beautiful in the light of the candles on her homemade cake, Nori closes her eyes tightly, makes a wish that will never come true, and blows out the tiny lights with as much force as her little lungs can give.
"Wow, for once you didn't pull the old 'trick candles' gag. I can't believe it." she grins, watching her brother slyly as he cuts eagerly into the cake.
Brad merely returns her pointed look, teasingly holding a large, frosting-covered slice in front of her. "I figured you were too old for that. But I guess that means you're too old for cake, too, huh?"
"What?! I don't think so! Gimme that!"
The two giggle, fighting playfully over the piece of cake until Brad finally gives in and allows her to snatch it away. If one thing can be said about them, it's that they know each other better than anyone else ever could.
"Braddy......you'll always be my brother, won't you? Here...with me. We'll always be together, right?"
Again and again, day after day, Nori yearns for the same confirmation, and everytime Brad offers his somber, yet loving smile, and gives her the same answer. This time, he smiles as usual, but just as he opens his mouth to speak......an unseen force suddenly brings him to his knees, and a vision unlike any other he has ever experienced wracks his crumbled body.
Standing small and alone in the ruins of what was once their home, Nori is crying a bitter, heart-breaking sob. Her clothes are torn and tattered, dirt is collecting beneath her fingernails, and far too many scratches and bruises cover her frail form. The image is a horror, an impossible future that he knows is only the space of heartbeat from beginning.
A nightmare given truth and foundation in reality.
As unexpectedly as it came it is over, and Brad is jolted back to himself, breathing heavily on the kitchen floor, and feeling the tentative weight of his sister's hands on his shoulders.
"Brad, are you all right? Did you have another prediction?" Nori asks in concern, sounding almost excited to hear what her brother has seen, though deeply worried by how forceful his visions can become.
After the actuality of their parents' demise, Brad began taking his visions more seriously. Mostly, they are only precog reflexes, which is what made him such a success in the ring, but occasionally he is struck by a more powerful and important message of what is to come. His gift has saved them from muggings, dangerous storms, boxing matches he wouldn't have had a chance at winning, and countless bad test scores that were salvaged by studying a little harder the night before.
Nori herself has also shown signs of psychic ability, but is still unaware of just how far her powers go. The real mystery is how they acquired powers at all. Their parents never mentioned anything, though their mother often seemed a bit more mystical than most, so they assume the time to tell the truth simply came too late, and their parents died before they could explain everything.
Wonders never cease.
"Brad! I asked if you were okay. Is something the matter?"
Having much difficulty facing what his gift has revealed, Brad is unable to find a voice as he sits unmoving on the floor with Nori hovering beside him. Not wanting to worry her, however, he forces a false smile, and tries to offer what solace he can. "I'm fine, Nori. It was just so sudden, that's all."
"Well, what did you see...?"
"Nothing! I mean...nothing important." he lies, rising to his feet, and returning to the task of cutting a slice of cake for himself, as if he hasn't lost a moment or a breath. "Just an annoying salesman we'll have to avoid tomorrow."
Being just as perceptive, if not more, than her brother, Nori doesn't buy this story for a second, but asks her question again, sensing that it needs to be asked. "Brad...tell me we'll always be together. Please."
Smiling as genuinely as he can, though clearly pained by something he refuses to share, Brad lies again. "Of course, Noria. Nothing could ever break us apart. I love you, and I will never leave you. I promise."
Later that same night, Brad is tossing and turning on his bed. The evening was marred by his uneasiness, despite the fun they had, and he cannot shake the feeling of fear clawing at his skin through the covers, demanding he pay attention.
For over two years he has been Nori's legal guardian, but no matter how much time passes, or how much older they both get, they still need each other. He doesn't understand what that damn premonition is supposed to mean, and he doesn't want to understand. Nothing - NOTHING - could ever take him away from Nori, leaving her all alone like that. He promised her. He promised......
Hehehe. Don't you just hate it when people speak to soon...?
CRASH!
Brad's attention is jerked away toward his window as something shatters the glass on its way inside. Before he can even sit up in bed, whatever has invaded his room begins emitting a thick cloud of gas that fills it in an instant. Panicked, Brad jumps out of bed, first going for the smoke bomb, then for the window, and almost for the door, in some hope at escaping or figuring out what is going on.
His struggles are in vain, sadly, for just as he is at last reaching for the doorknob, the gases affect on him takes full force, and he collapses to the floor, choking and coughing and...praying that Nori will be okay.
The last moment before the world goes black, his final thought is left to echo silently into the night.
(Noria......)
FLASH.
"Who are you?! Let me go!!" Brad screams, chained down to a metal operating table, with bright lights blinding his vision. If that wasn't enough, his glasses have been removed, so either way he wouldn't be able to make out his captors very well. "Why are you doing this to me? Where is this place? Please...my sister...I can't leave her alone......"
Exactly how long he was unconscious before waking in this frightening situation, Brad has no idea, and that scares him even more than *where* he has been taken. If Nori wakes up and finds that he is gone, without a note or explanation, she'll be terrified.
"I would be more concerned with your own well-being, young one." The strange voice of an aging man calls from somewhere unseen. "Your sister will have to adjust to life without you, I'm afraid. You are a valuable commodity to us."
"Yes." adds another voice, just as ancient, but feminine. "Hoho. Your powers will be of great use."
"Once we've reprogrammed you." finishes a third and final figure, male again, though with slightly more levity than the first.
Brad takes very little comfort in anything these strangers are saying, and only struggles more fiercely to escape his bonds, as well as the curious machines and instruments positioned near his temples. "My powers...? You mean my premonitions?" he calls, desperate to find some way to talk his way through this. "It's nothing. I can't even control them. They bring me to my knees everytime and are nothing but a nuisance. I don't even want them!"
"Hohoho." answers the woman. "Who ever said you were meant to have complete control over such a gift?"
"Only with our help will you learn to hone them properly, and use them to aide our cause." continues the first voice. "That is your purpose."
"What are you talking about?!" Brad cries, overloaded and afraid, though far more worried about a certain someone else than himself. "And what did you mean before - reprogrammed? I have to get back to Nori!"
All three pernicious characters fill the room with coarse laughter, standing Brad's hair on end. "You have nothing to go back to, because in a few seconds, you won't remember anything but us."
"What......?" Brad's faltering voice whispers in the air. "No...you...you can't do this! Nori!!" he cries, fighting hard against his chains as the gadgets around him begin to move and beep and light up menacingly in his face.
"Your life belongs to us, Brad Crawford. *Estet* is more powerful than you, or anyone in this world, and soon it will all belong to our leader."
Sharp, numbing pain shoots through Brad's temples and rings inside his head. Memories like flickers of light fade and snuff out while he desperately tries to hang onto them. Everything he has ever known is fading - lost - and the one thing, the final thing he knows he can never forget is washing away in the throng.
"Nori...no......I can't forget you! I promised I would never leave you. I won't! I won't forget you! Noria!!!"
WHOOSH!
*****
"Noria!!!" a 27 year old Brad Crawford screams, released from Kei Nori's icy, powerful touch, as both are brought back to the world they now live in. A warehouse, a large crew of colorful characters, and the rush of returned memories.
This time, Nori's powers played out normally, so she and Brad were the only ones to see what was shown, but that doesn't mean the others don't have a slight idea as to what passed between them.
"It's all right, Braddy. I'm here." Nori whispers, fighting back tears, and pulling him in against her as he openly cries on her shoulder, like a lost, little boy finally found. "All these years I never knew why you left. I kept thinking it was something I did, something I said, but...now I know the truth. You never meant to leave. It was those twisted fanatics with their monstrous intentions. *They* took you away. Oh, God, I've missed you so much......"
Slowly, with reddened cheeks and bloodshot eyes, Brad lifts his head from her shoulder, and looks with trembling lips into her eyes, reaching up to touch the stray tendril of blue falling across her face.
So desperately he wants to speak, but words get caught in his throat with each attempt. At last, he swallows hard, and forces out what needs to be said. "......pl...please...forgive me......I tried so hard to...hold onto your memory......but all I had left...was a dream of fading colors...fading curls......I didn't know......I didn't know..." And again the tears pour freely, without reserve, like some wounded dam blown apart.
Standing in awe around the siblings holding and comforting each other, the others can think of little to offer themselves. The only one brave enough - foolish enough - to say a word is Youji, after catching sight of Aiko's barren shell nearby, still frozen in waiting for her next command.
"Uhhh...as much as I hate to interrupt the tender moment......we still have a few problems to deal with over here."
In their shared past brought to light so roughly and unexpected, Brad and Nori had nearly forgotten the others were even there, but Youji's words remind them of the night's events, and they sheepishly pull apart, helping each other stand to face the room.
Wiping at his eyes, Brad looks to everyone in turn, lingering on the surprised faces of Farfarello, Nagi, and Schuldrich more than any others. "My mind is so jumbled...I......I don't know what to say." he begins, like a completely different person - gentle, soft-spoken, afraid - and as if he is starting right where he left off 7 years ago. "There's nothing I can say or do to take back what I've done, what's happened, what I left...behind. But...it's over now. I won't...try anything. I don't even know why I wanted all this in the first place."
"I do." answers a shockingly tender, nasal voice.
Deep down, Schuldrich has always been the one to understand his fellow teammates the best. That isn't very surprising, considering his power, but it's about more than just seeing inside their heads. After all, he barely ever got to see anything inside of Brad's.
"It's really not that hard to figure out. Those Estet freaks warped *your* mind, you warped *ours*, and then you betrayed them with your own insane ideas for a better world." the German smiles somberly, ranting away as if merely playing his part in some casual conversation. "The thing is, I think those ideas of yours were based on something even you didn't fully understand. *Her*."
No one speaks a word in reply to this suggestion, the others still stunned into silence, and Brad busy thinking over what Schu is trying to say. It doesn't take him long to figure things out, though. Somewhere inside all of us we already know the answers to every question we have. We just don't know how to say them out loud.
What a crazy world it would be if we did.
"You're right..." Brad mumbles, almost too low for anyone else to hear. "In the back of my mind, subconsciously, I was searching for Nori all along. It makes so much sense!" In a flurry of movement, he faces his sister, grasping her hands in his own. "I wanted to create a world where only people of great, paranormal power could survive. Why?! Because whatever part of me still remembered you, that part wanted to find you again. And...if I did this......burned the world away......then I could. God...it all seems so pointless now."
"Because it is." Farfarello voices suddenly, soft and contemplative. "But it is also over, and what was...was. We don't have to dwell on it, we just have to keep living despite it. Aiko taught me that."
Aiko......
Other than Youji's quick observation and voiced protest that became lost in the conversation, the hollow red-head had almost been forgotten.
Almost forgotten, save the obsessive intent a certain other red-head appears to possess, while stalking around Aiko's frozen figure, tentatively reaching out a hand every so often as if to touch a glass statue that will shatter on contact.
Ran and Ran alone engrossed himself in Aiko rather than the exchanges between Brad and Nori. He cannot look away from her; he cannot clear his mind; he cannot think of anything other than her.
Every pair of eyes - or eye, as the case may be - turns to the scene of "twins", both like granite pillars, or blocks of ice. Cold, emotionless, silent, and eerily frightening and dangerous, Ran circles Aiko, having abandoned the others' discussion, and looking very lost and very, very intent.
"Aya-kun...?" Omi whispers, peering past the others.
Ken takes the initiative, stepping in closer to the stoic assassin. "Ran......what are you doing? It's all going to be okay. Crawford's on our side. He's Nori's brother for Christ's sake. You're freakin' us out here......"
In mid-step, Ran stops his pacing, and turns from Aiko to look back through the others at Brad, full in the face and right between those glassy, bronze eyes, with a look that could turn a burning building into a slaughterhouse freezer. "I don't care about family reunions." he growls, low and frightening. "I don't care about past memories, who's related to who, the redemption of anyone's souls, or even saving this damned, fucking world! You bring her back, and you bring her back now!!!"
Beat. No subtle heartbeats here. More like a deafening thud after holding your breath.
"I...I don't think I can......" chokes out Brad's reply, in pained disbelief at the horror he had nearly forgotten, over the life he has already destroyed.
"Brad..." Nori begins, but only shakes her head at a loss, unable to find the right words.
Hiromi, however, jumps right in. "Don't think you can?! What are you talking about? You put the spell, or whatever, on her, so you can take it off!"
"Damn straight!" adds Amaya, pushing her way to the front of the circle surrounding Nori and Brad, though Ran and Aiko are still positioned a little off to the side. "Spells always have counter-spells!"
Stumbling back a step, Brad's breathing becomes more and more labored. He has had to take in so much, and now reality is coming back to bite him on the ass. "It...it's not that easy. I didn't cast the spell...to be reversed. I cast it......to last."
"How long...?" little Nagi asks with large, watery eyes gazing upward, dreading the answer as much as everyone else.
"......forever......"
Silence again. What a surprise. This all feels like one big nightmare brought to life. Omi, Amaya, Nagi, and Hiromi have all practically burst into tears; Youji, Schu, and Farfie are near enough for the three least likely to be moved to such ends; Brad is beyond comfort, abandoned to the force of accusing eyes; Ken wants nothing more than to offer even the slightest solace to Nori, who with masked features has moved through the others to stand beside Aiko, torn between her brother's mistakes and the fate of a woman who is so much like a sister; and Ran......Ran is purposefully heading for Brad...while slowly unsheathing his katana.
"What have you done to her...?" he hisses.
"The spell...was designed to suspend a person's spirit out of time and space..." Brad answers mechanically, barely audible, or understandable.
"Then suspend her out of it."
"I can't. I wish I could.......but there's...nothing I can do. I'm sorry."
"Sorry!?!" Ran snaps, fully readying his sword for whatever deadly intentions he has planned. "You get back a few childhood memories, claim incompetence, and expect me to let you get away with 'I'm sorry'!?!" Swish - the air is cut. An audible gasp shoots up from the others as Ran brings his katana down, stopping just before making contact with the side of Brad's neck. "Korat is dead! I don't care if she's breathing, you killed her! Do you have any idea what it feels like to know that someone you care about is right there with you...but isn't really there at all? Knowing that she's trapped somewhere and can't find her way back no matter what you do? That she'll never smile, or laugh, or cry, or anything ever again? Do you know what that feels like!?! Give me a reason not to kill you right now for what you've done. Give me one fucking reason!!"
"I'll give you one..."
The pressure of something hard and firm touches the small of Ran's back, as the only person with the courage to stand up to him in this comes to her brother's rescue. Holding her staff with steady hands, Nori remains rigid behind the enraged red-head, with dried and fading tears on her face.
The standoff begins.
"Forgive me if I don't find a piece of wood threatening." Ran glares, peering back over his shoulder.
"Who ever said it was just a piece of wood?"
Click. With a twist of her hands on the grip in the center of the staff, Nori's seemingly simple weapon becomes all the more deadly. From within the wood, sharp blades shoot out at either end, lining the sides.
(I knew there was something more to that thing......) Ken ponders, struggling to keep a smirk at bay from how Nori has overtaken the unbeatable Abyssinian. It's a shame the expression can't last. (But...what are we supposed to do now...?)
"Lower your weapon, Abyssinian." Nori commands.
At first, the firm red-head makes no move at all, merely staring Brad down from the end of his blade, who himself couldn't be returning such a cruel look with anything more pitying.
The world stands still - Ran ready to end Brad's life, and Nori just as ready to return the favor. This can turn out only one of two ways. Thank goodness Nori knows just what to say to help it turn out right.
"Lower your weapon, Ran. You know Aiko would never want this."
Defeatedly, Ran has no choice but to give in after that, and his katana falls back to his side, followed by Nori's staff returning to its harmless mirage.
"Arigato, Ran." Nori whispers, touching a hand to his hunched shoulders. "There is another way out of this. Somehow."
"Yeah..." sniffles Amaya, inching forward, now that the tension has broken. "Come on, there's gotta be something we can do."
Agonizing but hopeful eyes look to Brad, who couldn't feel more out of place right now. "I...I can't think of anything. The only way to get back spiritual energy that is given up is by replacing it with an equal amount from someone else."
Pause. The other 10 people in the room all have light bulbs go on inside their heads. There *is* a way to save Aiko then, but it would mean...
"...someone would have to take her place..." Hiromi voices, giving life to the truth they have all come to realize.
"I'll do it."
And every one of those light bulbs over-burns and shatters, as each person faces Nori, who has so proudly spoken in willingness to give up her own life for the sake of a friend.
Out of everyone, Ken and Brad tense and pale the most after this - Ken forced into silence, while Brad instantly finds a voice, grasping his sister's shoulders fiercely to turn her towards him. "Noria......you can't. I know you want to help her but......I've only just found you again. To lose you now..."
"You won't have to." echoes Ran's voice above the rest, suddenly sounding very calm and determined, with his katana safely tucked away and his rage miraculously stilled. "Forgive me...for reacting the way I did. But...Nori was right before. This is what Korat wanted - for all of *you* to find peace, find each other. If anyone is going to take her place...it should be me."
"Oh, will you all just give it a rest all ready!?!"
Having once again broken the sentimental moment, Amaya stomps her way to the center of the group, hands on her hips, and commences scolding everyone - Ran and Nori in particular.
"You're all hopeless! You know darn well the second we get Aiko back, no matter who volunteers, she's just gonna force us to switch it again." the pixie explains, as if the others must be complete dim-wits to have not realized this themselves. "Like she'd ever let someone else give up their life for hers. Gimme a break! Her whole purpose in life is to give her life for others. If we're going to save her, we gotta think of something else. I mean, I'm sure if we all work together we can -"
"That's it!!"
In a sudden dash across the room towards Aiko, Brad pushes the others out of his way, showing sparks of energy and epiphany in his eyes. Instinctively, everyone closes in around him, leaning in to get a better understanding of this unexpected behavior.
"If we work together! That's what we have to do!" the converted American cries, barely controlling his excitement. "We need enough spiritual energy to equal an entire person, but maybe it doesn't all have to come from *one* person. If I modify the spell to accept a little from each of us, we might be able to get her back without sacrificing anyone. I can't believe I didn't think of this right away!"
"Wait, wait, wait...hold on a minute." Youji intercedes, casting a sheepish glance from side to side. "I don't mean to sound selfish or anything, but...what exactly would something like that do to *us*?"
Despite all the faith they have in each other, and the love they have for each other, this logical question perks alot attention, the others just as curious to know what they might have to give up, even if they would be willing to give up anything.
Waving his hand in dismissal, however, Brad merely smiles - to everyone's extreme relief. "Nothing. We might be a little fatigued, but it would probably pass by morning. Think of it like giving blood. It drains your energy for a while, but after your body naturally replenishes, you feel fine. It's only when you lose too much at one time that it becomes a threat. Understand?"
"Sounds good enough for me." Schu pipes in, running an impatient hand through his tousled, sunset hair. "So, what do we need to do? Join hands? Think happy thoughts, while chanting 'Mary had a little lamb'? At this point, I'm up for anything."
Glaring over the top of his glasses, Brad exhibits the slightest hint of his old, uptight self, raising an eyebrow in reprimand at Schu's comments. "Must you always add pointless nonsense to adult conversations."
Schuldrich smirks in response, even chuckling a little. "Not always. Just making sure there's still *some* of the old Bradley left. I'd miss you too much if you went completely soft on me."
If it is actually possible, Brad Crawford's stern features blush a little rosier, though he tries very hard to laugh the comment off. "Cute. Anyway, the holding hands part *is* necessary for focusing energy, but the rest I should be able to handle on my own."
With every last person's eyes watching him, Brad moves back across the room to where that old, familiar book is lying open, and begins paging through it for the appropriate spell. Naturally, the members of Weiss find this a little unnerving, still somewhat hesitant in the trust area, though none of them choose to voice any objections.
After a moment, Brad seems to be mouthing something to himself out of one of the pages, and without looking up, gives a seemingly harmless command. "Aiko, move to the alter."
Instantly, Aiko obeys, walking briskly and mechanically over to the very center of the room, where an intricate design has been painted on the floor. This action comes across as a bit suspicious to most of the group.
Taking a few nervous steps forward, Nagi speaks very softly. "Crawford...what are you doing?"
"This better not be a trick." Omi adds, quite bravely, fingering the handle of his crossbow. "If you think you can still get away with carrying out your plan right under our noses -"
"That is *not* what he is doing." Nori breaks in defensively. "I'm sure he needs Aiko where she is because that spot is the most spiritually charged area in the building. It is necessary for the spell to work properly."
Regrettably standing down, Omi casts his gaze away, but is still slightly on guard, as are the others. After all, each one of them has had to take a few lessons in trust lately, but that doesn't mean it has gotten any easier putting faith in someone who so recently tried to kill them.
On Brad's end, he is too immersed in thought to even register what had gone on, and now looks up from the book with a slight twinkle of triumph. "I think I've got it. All I have to do is say the spell in reverse, while at the same time imagining the energy from within the circle we make coming from each of us instead of just one person. If we do this right, it should work."
Focused and intent, he leaves the book where it is and moves to Aiko, motioning for the others to join him in surrounding her. Nori takes her brother's hand, adding to the circle first, followed by Ken, Ran, Farfarello, Schuldrich, Hiromi, Youji, Omi, Amaya, Nagi, and back to Brad, with Aiko standing in the middle of them all.
The same lifeless expression rests upon her pale face, with the same eerily white eyes staring forward.
"Close your eyes and focus all of your energy on Aiko." Brad begins, taking in slow, deep breaths, and holding tightly - with great need - to Nori and Nagi's hands. "Stay as quiet as you can......and pray for a miracle......"
And on those words, every person's eyes shut, their lips sealed, and Brad begins to chant the spell he hopes to God will save Aiko, making her the last person he will ever hurt again.
"...caligatio ad lux......niger ad albus......frigus ad calidus......obitus ad vita...vita...VITA!"
A gasp rises from the crowd, one after the other, starting at Brad and working its way down the line. If their eyes were open, they would see what appears to be a translucent ball of light moving through each of them, growing brighter as it passes through, and gathering a small piece of each person's spirit.
The moments after the shock of release as the energy moves through them is followed by such silence, they are forced to open their eyes, looking anxiously around at each other, until staring in wonder at the gathered brilliance hovering above Aiko's head.
"VITA!!" Brad cries again, and the light plunges down, filling every fiber of their friend's being, her back arching, her arms outstretched, a silent cry rising up from her open mouth, and if all of that wasn't enough, the subtle levitation of her feet off the ground as the energy fills her.
Ascending higher and higher, the young woman with such flowing, brilliant red hair, appears like some fae of fire floating on the wind - soft as a whisper.
Gradually, when every ounce of tension is released, Aiko begins to come back down to Earth, the light dims, and just as her feet touch the ground once more, the illumination vanishes completely.
Breaking from the circle, despite the powerful hands hanging on to each of his own, Ran rushes towards her, catching Aiko as she falls. Her body is limp, but pleasantly warm to the touch, unlike his forever cold and icy fingers.
"Aiko..." he whispers, falling to his knees beside her, and cradling her in his arms so gently. "Aiko......please...open your eyes and look at me...Aiko......"
Around him, the air itself is still and quiet, like the many figures closing in around him, but Ran wouldn't notice even if the walls were crumbling down. Stray tears spill down his face, landing softly on Aiko's cheek as they fall, and causing her to twitch and stir from her slumber.
Every breath is held in anticipation, as two beautiful, violet eyes, flutter open and look around, finding the sweet comfort of another pair of violet looking down into her own.
"...you......called me Aiko......" the drained, but living and lively red-head grins, struggling to lift a shaking hand up to Ran's face, wiping a tear away. "...I like that..."
And just as delicately, she drifts back into sleep, safely gathered in Ran's arms, and surrounded by her friends.
*****
AHHHH! I can't believe 19 is done! Sorry again for the delay, but I was gone for week with no access to my files. I hope you like Brad and Nori's past - I sure did - and how I fit the whole boxing thing in there, since he's so darn good with his fists in the anime. Also, the Latin for the spell means this:
Darkness to Light
Black to White
Cold given Warmth
Death given Life
Roughly anyway. Simple and to the point. As for the next and FINAL chapter, it shall be what I call a "clean-up" chapter, to fulfill what needs to be said and addressed. Every character will get their moment, and it will have a nice finished feeling. Well, sorta, I do have a little teaser of an ending, but not one that'll drive ya crazy. And no, there will be no sequels! I've got a FF8 fic to do next.
All righty, peoples, see ya next chapter, and you better review or I'm not gonna finish it at all. Okay, I still will, I have to, but I'll be really mad. :-) Love ya!
Forget.
Each of us, everyday, forgets far more than what we remember. Most of the time it's just the stupid, little things that slip our minds, but every once in a while we lose something important.
I am one of those people who has a selective memory. I can remember a night in my crib when I was only 6 months old or younger, but sometimes I forget something I was told to do yesterday, and failed to do today.
Some of us lose our memory completely, perhaps only for a short time after some unpleasant head trauma, or perhaps forever from something more serious and irreversible.
Amnesia.
We've all heard of it. Frankly, I'm scared to death of it. I cherish every memory inside of me, and to lose any one of them would be devastating. Even the bad ones are valuable, because if we forget the harsh times of the past we are doomed to repeat them.
The worst, of course, would be to forget the wonderful, irreplaceable moments of pure happiness and joy and......feeling like the world has purpose and everything is going to be all right.
What then can be done for someone who forgets their entire childhood of beautiful memories and good times?
Simple. He has to be shown what he has forgotten.
*****
Smells of lilacs and freshly cut grass permeate the air, the sun shines down gently with only a handful of puffy, white clouds in the bright, blue sky, and the breeze blowing up on the hill is light enough to refresh without being harsh enough to annoy.
Gazing out at the landscape below, a 13 year old Brad Crawford stands near the top of the hill, peeking through the few trees scattered nearby. Though he feels somewhat detatched, the sweet, melodic laughter of his little sister carries him back to reality.
Turning to face the very top of the hillside, Brad catches sight of his dear sibling, watching as she spins about to soak up all the wonders around her. Navy curls bounce against her shoulders, long and full for such a young and vibrant 5 year old, and he is instantly drawn to her, treading up the last few yards to join in on the fun.
"What are you giggling at, Noria?"
Pulled from her daydreaming, Nori stops, and slowly peeks over her shoulder to grin back at him. It's odd, when he watches her face him, making out the shape of her features in the light of the sun, he feels a curious sence of triumph, as if in being able to see her face he has beaten the odds against something forgotten.
"I'm just giggling 'cause I'm having fun, Braddy." the young girl calls back, rushing over to grab her brother's hands and make him dance with her in the grass. "Play ring-around-the-rosie with me!"
Laughing right along with her, Brad obeys, twirling her around and singing the familiar, childhood game. Despite being such a suave and independant teenager, Brad always finds the time to play with his little sister, and the bond they share will always be important to him.
Sadly, their fun is about to be cut short, as Brad suddenly jolts forward with a sharp intake of breath, falling to his knees.
The scenery around him fades, and instead he begins to see images of a car speeding down a highway, as if a movie projector has began rolling from the inside of his eyelids. He recognizes it as his parents' car, and clearly sees his mother and father in the front seats. James Crawford, an American businessman, is driving, with his wife, Yuki Crawford, a Japanese artist - formerly Kei Yuki - riding beside him. As they continue down the road, without warning or hope for intervention, a semi suddenly comes barreling towards them, the driver apparently asleep at the wheel, and it crashes head-on into their vehicle, sending Brad roughly back into his own time and space at the sight of impact.
Visions like this have struck him before, but never have they been anything as serious or vivid. He has always dismissed them as nothing, and is compelled to do the same in this case. It is only a figment of his imagination anyway.
"Braddy, are you okay?" Nori's little voice calls to him, while his eyes readjust to his surroundings. "That was scary."
"Don't be scared, Nori. I'm all right." he assures her, getting to his feet, and smiling down at her fretful expression. "I think it's about time we headed home, don't you think? Wouldn't want Mom and Dad to get worried."
"Okay, but it's follow-the-leader on the way, and I get to be leader. Deal?"
"Deal."
At home, a few hours later, the Crawford parents have gone out for the evening, leaving Brad at home to babysit. The two children are still up, watching Nori's "Rainbow Bright" tape for the millionth time, and have lost track of how late it is getting. However, when the doorbell rings unexpectedly, Brad glances at his watch, and realizes just how much time has passed. Their parents should have been home by now.
"Is there something I can do for you, Officer?" young Brad asks as he opens the door, greeted by a solomn looking policeman.
"Yes. Tell me, Son, is this the Crawford residence?"
"It is."
"I'm sorry, my boy, but I'm afraid I have some bad news......"
FLASH.
Three years later, Brad Crawford is doing a little fancy foot-work inside a boxing ring, sparing with an opponent who is far more on the highter end of the light weights than he is. Nonetheless, Brad is holding his own quite well, and has a reputation as one of the most promising, amatuer boxers around.
Cheering her brother on from the sidelines - practically hanging off the side of the ring, Nori stands with a grin on her lovely face from ear to ear, while constantly pushing her new glasses back onto the bridge of her nose. She hasn't gotten used to them yet, and they're a bit too big since she insisted on getting the same frames as her brother.
"Come on, Braddy, knock his lights out!"
SMACK!
"1...2...3...Crawford wins again!"
Having gotten used to the smell of blood and sweat all too well, Nori bounds forward without a second thought to wrap her little arms around Brad's waist as he retires to the side, hugging him for all she's worth.
"Give me a break, Noria, you're crushing my ribs here." he teases, collapsing down on the stool in the corner, and reaching for the water bottle at his feet. "Save the celebrations for a real match, okay? We don't want to get ahead of ourselves."
"I know. I just love it when you win! You're the best." Nori giggles, still hanging tightly to his arm.
With a large, contented grin, Brad reaches over and tousles her hair with his glove. "Just remember, I'm doing it all for you. This next match is worth a lot of money to us, and the rent's coming up soon. I'd hate to have to sell you to make ends meet."
"Oh Braddy, you're such a kidder. But you like boxing, right? I don't want you to do anything you don't have fun doing just to make sure I have school supplies and stuff."
Brad laughs lightly at this, and carefully helps Nori out of the ring so he can head for the locker room. "Don't worry, Noria, I love it. I may not be able to do it forever, but it's good enough for now. I'll have to get a normal job before I'm 18 so they'll let me adopt you for real, but we'll make it."
"Of course we will! 'Cause we're Crawfords, and Crawfords always win." Nori recites with a large smile, following Brad down the hallway to the locker room, though she knows she'll have to wait outside now that she isn't so little anymore. However, before he can slip inside, she grabs hold of Brad's arm, and looks up into his bronzed eyes sheepishly. "Ummm...Braddy? We'll always be together, won't we? I mean, you won't ever leave like Mom and Dad did, right?"
His smile wavers, and his eyes droop a little lower, but Brad puts on a strong resolve as he kneels beside his sister, holding her face in his hands. "I promise, no matter what happens, I will never leave you." And ever so gently, he pulls her closer to kiss her forehead, and the smile they share is nothing short of dazzling.
FLASH.
"Happy Birthday, Noria! I can't believe you're a teenager already."
Four years and a few months after Brad's unfortunate promise, he and Nori are celebrating her 13th birthday. Every year, the Friday or Saturday before, she has the customary bash with her friends from school, but the actual day is always reserved for family. And, after all, they are the only family each other has.
Glowing pale and beautiful in the light of the candles on her homemade cake, Nori closes her eyes tightly, makes a wish that will never come true, and blows out the tiny lights with as much force as her little lungs can give.
"Wow, for once you didn't pull the old 'trick candles' gag. I can't believe it." she grins, watching her brother slyly as he cuts eagerly into the cake.
Brad merely returns her pointed look, teasingly holding a large, frosting-covered slice in front of her. "I figured you were too old for that. But I guess that means you're too old for cake, too, huh?"
"What?! I don't think so! Gimme that!"
The two giggle, fighting playfully over the piece of cake until Brad finally gives in and allows her to snatch it away. If one thing can be said about them, it's that they know each other better than anyone else ever could.
"Braddy......you'll always be my brother, won't you? Here...with me. We'll always be together, right?"
Again and again, day after day, Nori yearns for the same confirmation, and everytime Brad offers his somber, yet loving smile, and gives her the same answer. This time, he smiles as usual, but just as he opens his mouth to speak......an unseen force suddenly brings him to his knees, and a vision unlike any other he has ever experienced wracks his crumbled body.
Standing small and alone in the ruins of what was once their home, Nori is crying a bitter, heart-breaking sob. Her clothes are torn and tattered, dirt is collecting beneath her fingernails, and far too many scratches and bruises cover her frail form. The image is a horror, an impossible future that he knows is only the space of heartbeat from beginning.
A nightmare given truth and foundation in reality.
As unexpectedly as it came it is over, and Brad is jolted back to himself, breathing heavily on the kitchen floor, and feeling the tentative weight of his sister's hands on his shoulders.
"Brad, are you all right? Did you have another prediction?" Nori asks in concern, sounding almost excited to hear what her brother has seen, though deeply worried by how forceful his visions can become.
After the actuality of their parents' demise, Brad began taking his visions more seriously. Mostly, they are only precog reflexes, which is what made him such a success in the ring, but occasionally he is struck by a more powerful and important message of what is to come. His gift has saved them from muggings, dangerous storms, boxing matches he wouldn't have had a chance at winning, and countless bad test scores that were salvaged by studying a little harder the night before.
Nori herself has also shown signs of psychic ability, but is still unaware of just how far her powers go. The real mystery is how they acquired powers at all. Their parents never mentioned anything, though their mother often seemed a bit more mystical than most, so they assume the time to tell the truth simply came too late, and their parents died before they could explain everything.
Wonders never cease.
"Brad! I asked if you were okay. Is something the matter?"
Having much difficulty facing what his gift has revealed, Brad is unable to find a voice as he sits unmoving on the floor with Nori hovering beside him. Not wanting to worry her, however, he forces a false smile, and tries to offer what solace he can. "I'm fine, Nori. It was just so sudden, that's all."
"Well, what did you see...?"
"Nothing! I mean...nothing important." he lies, rising to his feet, and returning to the task of cutting a slice of cake for himself, as if he hasn't lost a moment or a breath. "Just an annoying salesman we'll have to avoid tomorrow."
Being just as perceptive, if not more, than her brother, Nori doesn't buy this story for a second, but asks her question again, sensing that it needs to be asked. "Brad...tell me we'll always be together. Please."
Smiling as genuinely as he can, though clearly pained by something he refuses to share, Brad lies again. "Of course, Noria. Nothing could ever break us apart. I love you, and I will never leave you. I promise."
Later that same night, Brad is tossing and turning on his bed. The evening was marred by his uneasiness, despite the fun they had, and he cannot shake the feeling of fear clawing at his skin through the covers, demanding he pay attention.
For over two years he has been Nori's legal guardian, but no matter how much time passes, or how much older they both get, they still need each other. He doesn't understand what that damn premonition is supposed to mean, and he doesn't want to understand. Nothing - NOTHING - could ever take him away from Nori, leaving her all alone like that. He promised her. He promised......
Hehehe. Don't you just hate it when people speak to soon...?
CRASH!
Brad's attention is jerked away toward his window as something shatters the glass on its way inside. Before he can even sit up in bed, whatever has invaded his room begins emitting a thick cloud of gas that fills it in an instant. Panicked, Brad jumps out of bed, first going for the smoke bomb, then for the window, and almost for the door, in some hope at escaping or figuring out what is going on.
His struggles are in vain, sadly, for just as he is at last reaching for the doorknob, the gases affect on him takes full force, and he collapses to the floor, choking and coughing and...praying that Nori will be okay.
The last moment before the world goes black, his final thought is left to echo silently into the night.
(Noria......)
FLASH.
"Who are you?! Let me go!!" Brad screams, chained down to a metal operating table, with bright lights blinding his vision. If that wasn't enough, his glasses have been removed, so either way he wouldn't be able to make out his captors very well. "Why are you doing this to me? Where is this place? Please...my sister...I can't leave her alone......"
Exactly how long he was unconscious before waking in this frightening situation, Brad has no idea, and that scares him even more than *where* he has been taken. If Nori wakes up and finds that he is gone, without a note or explanation, she'll be terrified.
"I would be more concerned with your own well-being, young one." The strange voice of an aging man calls from somewhere unseen. "Your sister will have to adjust to life without you, I'm afraid. You are a valuable commodity to us."
"Yes." adds another voice, just as ancient, but feminine. "Hoho. Your powers will be of great use."
"Once we've reprogrammed you." finishes a third and final figure, male again, though with slightly more levity than the first.
Brad takes very little comfort in anything these strangers are saying, and only struggles more fiercely to escape his bonds, as well as the curious machines and instruments positioned near his temples. "My powers...? You mean my premonitions?" he calls, desperate to find some way to talk his way through this. "It's nothing. I can't even control them. They bring me to my knees everytime and are nothing but a nuisance. I don't even want them!"
"Hohoho." answers the woman. "Who ever said you were meant to have complete control over such a gift?"
"Only with our help will you learn to hone them properly, and use them to aide our cause." continues the first voice. "That is your purpose."
"What are you talking about?!" Brad cries, overloaded and afraid, though far more worried about a certain someone else than himself. "And what did you mean before - reprogrammed? I have to get back to Nori!"
All three pernicious characters fill the room with coarse laughter, standing Brad's hair on end. "You have nothing to go back to, because in a few seconds, you won't remember anything but us."
"What......?" Brad's faltering voice whispers in the air. "No...you...you can't do this! Nori!!" he cries, fighting hard against his chains as the gadgets around him begin to move and beep and light up menacingly in his face.
"Your life belongs to us, Brad Crawford. *Estet* is more powerful than you, or anyone in this world, and soon it will all belong to our leader."
Sharp, numbing pain shoots through Brad's temples and rings inside his head. Memories like flickers of light fade and snuff out while he desperately tries to hang onto them. Everything he has ever known is fading - lost - and the one thing, the final thing he knows he can never forget is washing away in the throng.
"Nori...no......I can't forget you! I promised I would never leave you. I won't! I won't forget you! Noria!!!"
WHOOSH!
*****
"Noria!!!" a 27 year old Brad Crawford screams, released from Kei Nori's icy, powerful touch, as both are brought back to the world they now live in. A warehouse, a large crew of colorful characters, and the rush of returned memories.
This time, Nori's powers played out normally, so she and Brad were the only ones to see what was shown, but that doesn't mean the others don't have a slight idea as to what passed between them.
"It's all right, Braddy. I'm here." Nori whispers, fighting back tears, and pulling him in against her as he openly cries on her shoulder, like a lost, little boy finally found. "All these years I never knew why you left. I kept thinking it was something I did, something I said, but...now I know the truth. You never meant to leave. It was those twisted fanatics with their monstrous intentions. *They* took you away. Oh, God, I've missed you so much......"
Slowly, with reddened cheeks and bloodshot eyes, Brad lifts his head from her shoulder, and looks with trembling lips into her eyes, reaching up to touch the stray tendril of blue falling across her face.
So desperately he wants to speak, but words get caught in his throat with each attempt. At last, he swallows hard, and forces out what needs to be said. "......pl...please...forgive me......I tried so hard to...hold onto your memory......but all I had left...was a dream of fading colors...fading curls......I didn't know......I didn't know..." And again the tears pour freely, without reserve, like some wounded dam blown apart.
Standing in awe around the siblings holding and comforting each other, the others can think of little to offer themselves. The only one brave enough - foolish enough - to say a word is Youji, after catching sight of Aiko's barren shell nearby, still frozen in waiting for her next command.
"Uhhh...as much as I hate to interrupt the tender moment......we still have a few problems to deal with over here."
In their shared past brought to light so roughly and unexpected, Brad and Nori had nearly forgotten the others were even there, but Youji's words remind them of the night's events, and they sheepishly pull apart, helping each other stand to face the room.
Wiping at his eyes, Brad looks to everyone in turn, lingering on the surprised faces of Farfarello, Nagi, and Schuldrich more than any others. "My mind is so jumbled...I......I don't know what to say." he begins, like a completely different person - gentle, soft-spoken, afraid - and as if he is starting right where he left off 7 years ago. "There's nothing I can say or do to take back what I've done, what's happened, what I left...behind. But...it's over now. I won't...try anything. I don't even know why I wanted all this in the first place."
"I do." answers a shockingly tender, nasal voice.
Deep down, Schuldrich has always been the one to understand his fellow teammates the best. That isn't very surprising, considering his power, but it's about more than just seeing inside their heads. After all, he barely ever got to see anything inside of Brad's.
"It's really not that hard to figure out. Those Estet freaks warped *your* mind, you warped *ours*, and then you betrayed them with your own insane ideas for a better world." the German smiles somberly, ranting away as if merely playing his part in some casual conversation. "The thing is, I think those ideas of yours were based on something even you didn't fully understand. *Her*."
No one speaks a word in reply to this suggestion, the others still stunned into silence, and Brad busy thinking over what Schu is trying to say. It doesn't take him long to figure things out, though. Somewhere inside all of us we already know the answers to every question we have. We just don't know how to say them out loud.
What a crazy world it would be if we did.
"You're right..." Brad mumbles, almost too low for anyone else to hear. "In the back of my mind, subconsciously, I was searching for Nori all along. It makes so much sense!" In a flurry of movement, he faces his sister, grasping her hands in his own. "I wanted to create a world where only people of great, paranormal power could survive. Why?! Because whatever part of me still remembered you, that part wanted to find you again. And...if I did this......burned the world away......then I could. God...it all seems so pointless now."
"Because it is." Farfarello voices suddenly, soft and contemplative. "But it is also over, and what was...was. We don't have to dwell on it, we just have to keep living despite it. Aiko taught me that."
Aiko......
Other than Youji's quick observation and voiced protest that became lost in the conversation, the hollow red-head had almost been forgotten.
Almost forgotten, save the obsessive intent a certain other red-head appears to possess, while stalking around Aiko's frozen figure, tentatively reaching out a hand every so often as if to touch a glass statue that will shatter on contact.
Ran and Ran alone engrossed himself in Aiko rather than the exchanges between Brad and Nori. He cannot look away from her; he cannot clear his mind; he cannot think of anything other than her.
Every pair of eyes - or eye, as the case may be - turns to the scene of "twins", both like granite pillars, or blocks of ice. Cold, emotionless, silent, and eerily frightening and dangerous, Ran circles Aiko, having abandoned the others' discussion, and looking very lost and very, very intent.
"Aya-kun...?" Omi whispers, peering past the others.
Ken takes the initiative, stepping in closer to the stoic assassin. "Ran......what are you doing? It's all going to be okay. Crawford's on our side. He's Nori's brother for Christ's sake. You're freakin' us out here......"
In mid-step, Ran stops his pacing, and turns from Aiko to look back through the others at Brad, full in the face and right between those glassy, bronze eyes, with a look that could turn a burning building into a slaughterhouse freezer. "I don't care about family reunions." he growls, low and frightening. "I don't care about past memories, who's related to who, the redemption of anyone's souls, or even saving this damned, fucking world! You bring her back, and you bring her back now!!!"
Beat. No subtle heartbeats here. More like a deafening thud after holding your breath.
"I...I don't think I can......" chokes out Brad's reply, in pained disbelief at the horror he had nearly forgotten, over the life he has already destroyed.
"Brad..." Nori begins, but only shakes her head at a loss, unable to find the right words.
Hiromi, however, jumps right in. "Don't think you can?! What are you talking about? You put the spell, or whatever, on her, so you can take it off!"
"Damn straight!" adds Amaya, pushing her way to the front of the circle surrounding Nori and Brad, though Ran and Aiko are still positioned a little off to the side. "Spells always have counter-spells!"
Stumbling back a step, Brad's breathing becomes more and more labored. He has had to take in so much, and now reality is coming back to bite him on the ass. "It...it's not that easy. I didn't cast the spell...to be reversed. I cast it......to last."
"How long...?" little Nagi asks with large, watery eyes gazing upward, dreading the answer as much as everyone else.
"......forever......"
Silence again. What a surprise. This all feels like one big nightmare brought to life. Omi, Amaya, Nagi, and Hiromi have all practically burst into tears; Youji, Schu, and Farfie are near enough for the three least likely to be moved to such ends; Brad is beyond comfort, abandoned to the force of accusing eyes; Ken wants nothing more than to offer even the slightest solace to Nori, who with masked features has moved through the others to stand beside Aiko, torn between her brother's mistakes and the fate of a woman who is so much like a sister; and Ran......Ran is purposefully heading for Brad...while slowly unsheathing his katana.
"What have you done to her...?" he hisses.
"The spell...was designed to suspend a person's spirit out of time and space..." Brad answers mechanically, barely audible, or understandable.
"Then suspend her out of it."
"I can't. I wish I could.......but there's...nothing I can do. I'm sorry."
"Sorry!?!" Ran snaps, fully readying his sword for whatever deadly intentions he has planned. "You get back a few childhood memories, claim incompetence, and expect me to let you get away with 'I'm sorry'!?!" Swish - the air is cut. An audible gasp shoots up from the others as Ran brings his katana down, stopping just before making contact with the side of Brad's neck. "Korat is dead! I don't care if she's breathing, you killed her! Do you have any idea what it feels like to know that someone you care about is right there with you...but isn't really there at all? Knowing that she's trapped somewhere and can't find her way back no matter what you do? That she'll never smile, or laugh, or cry, or anything ever again? Do you know what that feels like!?! Give me a reason not to kill you right now for what you've done. Give me one fucking reason!!"
"I'll give you one..."
The pressure of something hard and firm touches the small of Ran's back, as the only person with the courage to stand up to him in this comes to her brother's rescue. Holding her staff with steady hands, Nori remains rigid behind the enraged red-head, with dried and fading tears on her face.
The standoff begins.
"Forgive me if I don't find a piece of wood threatening." Ran glares, peering back over his shoulder.
"Who ever said it was just a piece of wood?"
Click. With a twist of her hands on the grip in the center of the staff, Nori's seemingly simple weapon becomes all the more deadly. From within the wood, sharp blades shoot out at either end, lining the sides.
(I knew there was something more to that thing......) Ken ponders, struggling to keep a smirk at bay from how Nori has overtaken the unbeatable Abyssinian. It's a shame the expression can't last. (But...what are we supposed to do now...?)
"Lower your weapon, Abyssinian." Nori commands.
At first, the firm red-head makes no move at all, merely staring Brad down from the end of his blade, who himself couldn't be returning such a cruel look with anything more pitying.
The world stands still - Ran ready to end Brad's life, and Nori just as ready to return the favor. This can turn out only one of two ways. Thank goodness Nori knows just what to say to help it turn out right.
"Lower your weapon, Ran. You know Aiko would never want this."
Defeatedly, Ran has no choice but to give in after that, and his katana falls back to his side, followed by Nori's staff returning to its harmless mirage.
"Arigato, Ran." Nori whispers, touching a hand to his hunched shoulders. "There is another way out of this. Somehow."
"Yeah..." sniffles Amaya, inching forward, now that the tension has broken. "Come on, there's gotta be something we can do."
Agonizing but hopeful eyes look to Brad, who couldn't feel more out of place right now. "I...I can't think of anything. The only way to get back spiritual energy that is given up is by replacing it with an equal amount from someone else."
Pause. The other 10 people in the room all have light bulbs go on inside their heads. There *is* a way to save Aiko then, but it would mean...
"...someone would have to take her place..." Hiromi voices, giving life to the truth they have all come to realize.
"I'll do it."
And every one of those light bulbs over-burns and shatters, as each person faces Nori, who has so proudly spoken in willingness to give up her own life for the sake of a friend.
Out of everyone, Ken and Brad tense and pale the most after this - Ken forced into silence, while Brad instantly finds a voice, grasping his sister's shoulders fiercely to turn her towards him. "Noria......you can't. I know you want to help her but......I've only just found you again. To lose you now..."
"You won't have to." echoes Ran's voice above the rest, suddenly sounding very calm and determined, with his katana safely tucked away and his rage miraculously stilled. "Forgive me...for reacting the way I did. But...Nori was right before. This is what Korat wanted - for all of *you* to find peace, find each other. If anyone is going to take her place...it should be me."
"Oh, will you all just give it a rest all ready!?!"
Having once again broken the sentimental moment, Amaya stomps her way to the center of the group, hands on her hips, and commences scolding everyone - Ran and Nori in particular.
"You're all hopeless! You know darn well the second we get Aiko back, no matter who volunteers, she's just gonna force us to switch it again." the pixie explains, as if the others must be complete dim-wits to have not realized this themselves. "Like she'd ever let someone else give up their life for hers. Gimme a break! Her whole purpose in life is to give her life for others. If we're going to save her, we gotta think of something else. I mean, I'm sure if we all work together we can -"
"That's it!!"
In a sudden dash across the room towards Aiko, Brad pushes the others out of his way, showing sparks of energy and epiphany in his eyes. Instinctively, everyone closes in around him, leaning in to get a better understanding of this unexpected behavior.
"If we work together! That's what we have to do!" the converted American cries, barely controlling his excitement. "We need enough spiritual energy to equal an entire person, but maybe it doesn't all have to come from *one* person. If I modify the spell to accept a little from each of us, we might be able to get her back without sacrificing anyone. I can't believe I didn't think of this right away!"
"Wait, wait, wait...hold on a minute." Youji intercedes, casting a sheepish glance from side to side. "I don't mean to sound selfish or anything, but...what exactly would something like that do to *us*?"
Despite all the faith they have in each other, and the love they have for each other, this logical question perks alot attention, the others just as curious to know what they might have to give up, even if they would be willing to give up anything.
Waving his hand in dismissal, however, Brad merely smiles - to everyone's extreme relief. "Nothing. We might be a little fatigued, but it would probably pass by morning. Think of it like giving blood. It drains your energy for a while, but after your body naturally replenishes, you feel fine. It's only when you lose too much at one time that it becomes a threat. Understand?"
"Sounds good enough for me." Schu pipes in, running an impatient hand through his tousled, sunset hair. "So, what do we need to do? Join hands? Think happy thoughts, while chanting 'Mary had a little lamb'? At this point, I'm up for anything."
Glaring over the top of his glasses, Brad exhibits the slightest hint of his old, uptight self, raising an eyebrow in reprimand at Schu's comments. "Must you always add pointless nonsense to adult conversations."
Schuldrich smirks in response, even chuckling a little. "Not always. Just making sure there's still *some* of the old Bradley left. I'd miss you too much if you went completely soft on me."
If it is actually possible, Brad Crawford's stern features blush a little rosier, though he tries very hard to laugh the comment off. "Cute. Anyway, the holding hands part *is* necessary for focusing energy, but the rest I should be able to handle on my own."
With every last person's eyes watching him, Brad moves back across the room to where that old, familiar book is lying open, and begins paging through it for the appropriate spell. Naturally, the members of Weiss find this a little unnerving, still somewhat hesitant in the trust area, though none of them choose to voice any objections.
After a moment, Brad seems to be mouthing something to himself out of one of the pages, and without looking up, gives a seemingly harmless command. "Aiko, move to the alter."
Instantly, Aiko obeys, walking briskly and mechanically over to the very center of the room, where an intricate design has been painted on the floor. This action comes across as a bit suspicious to most of the group.
Taking a few nervous steps forward, Nagi speaks very softly. "Crawford...what are you doing?"
"This better not be a trick." Omi adds, quite bravely, fingering the handle of his crossbow. "If you think you can still get away with carrying out your plan right under our noses -"
"That is *not* what he is doing." Nori breaks in defensively. "I'm sure he needs Aiko where she is because that spot is the most spiritually charged area in the building. It is necessary for the spell to work properly."
Regrettably standing down, Omi casts his gaze away, but is still slightly on guard, as are the others. After all, each one of them has had to take a few lessons in trust lately, but that doesn't mean it has gotten any easier putting faith in someone who so recently tried to kill them.
On Brad's end, he is too immersed in thought to even register what had gone on, and now looks up from the book with a slight twinkle of triumph. "I think I've got it. All I have to do is say the spell in reverse, while at the same time imagining the energy from within the circle we make coming from each of us instead of just one person. If we do this right, it should work."
Focused and intent, he leaves the book where it is and moves to Aiko, motioning for the others to join him in surrounding her. Nori takes her brother's hand, adding to the circle first, followed by Ken, Ran, Farfarello, Schuldrich, Hiromi, Youji, Omi, Amaya, Nagi, and back to Brad, with Aiko standing in the middle of them all.
The same lifeless expression rests upon her pale face, with the same eerily white eyes staring forward.
"Close your eyes and focus all of your energy on Aiko." Brad begins, taking in slow, deep breaths, and holding tightly - with great need - to Nori and Nagi's hands. "Stay as quiet as you can......and pray for a miracle......"
And on those words, every person's eyes shut, their lips sealed, and Brad begins to chant the spell he hopes to God will save Aiko, making her the last person he will ever hurt again.
"...caligatio ad lux......niger ad albus......frigus ad calidus......obitus ad vita...vita...VITA!"
A gasp rises from the crowd, one after the other, starting at Brad and working its way down the line. If their eyes were open, they would see what appears to be a translucent ball of light moving through each of them, growing brighter as it passes through, and gathering a small piece of each person's spirit.
The moments after the shock of release as the energy moves through them is followed by such silence, they are forced to open their eyes, looking anxiously around at each other, until staring in wonder at the gathered brilliance hovering above Aiko's head.
"VITA!!" Brad cries again, and the light plunges down, filling every fiber of their friend's being, her back arching, her arms outstretched, a silent cry rising up from her open mouth, and if all of that wasn't enough, the subtle levitation of her feet off the ground as the energy fills her.
Ascending higher and higher, the young woman with such flowing, brilliant red hair, appears like some fae of fire floating on the wind - soft as a whisper.
Gradually, when every ounce of tension is released, Aiko begins to come back down to Earth, the light dims, and just as her feet touch the ground once more, the illumination vanishes completely.
Breaking from the circle, despite the powerful hands hanging on to each of his own, Ran rushes towards her, catching Aiko as she falls. Her body is limp, but pleasantly warm to the touch, unlike his forever cold and icy fingers.
"Aiko..." he whispers, falling to his knees beside her, and cradling her in his arms so gently. "Aiko......please...open your eyes and look at me...Aiko......"
Around him, the air itself is still and quiet, like the many figures closing in around him, but Ran wouldn't notice even if the walls were crumbling down. Stray tears spill down his face, landing softly on Aiko's cheek as they fall, and causing her to twitch and stir from her slumber.
Every breath is held in anticipation, as two beautiful, violet eyes, flutter open and look around, finding the sweet comfort of another pair of violet looking down into her own.
"...you......called me Aiko......" the drained, but living and lively red-head grins, struggling to lift a shaking hand up to Ran's face, wiping a tear away. "...I like that..."
And just as delicately, she drifts back into sleep, safely gathered in Ran's arms, and surrounded by her friends.
*****
AHHHH! I can't believe 19 is done! Sorry again for the delay, but I was gone for week with no access to my files. I hope you like Brad and Nori's past - I sure did - and how I fit the whole boxing thing in there, since he's so darn good with his fists in the anime. Also, the Latin for the spell means this:
Darkness to Light
Black to White
Cold given Warmth
Death given Life
Roughly anyway. Simple and to the point. As for the next and FINAL chapter, it shall be what I call a "clean-up" chapter, to fulfill what needs to be said and addressed. Every character will get their moment, and it will have a nice finished feeling. Well, sorta, I do have a little teaser of an ending, but not one that'll drive ya crazy. And no, there will be no sequels! I've got a FF8 fic to do next.
All righty, peoples, see ya next chapter, and you better review or I'm not gonna finish it at all. Okay, I still will, I have to, but I'll be really mad. :-) Love ya!