Fan Fic: Contamination

[Sagasu]

* * *

"So how's he holding out?" The captain asked, now well enough to be on her feet for the situation. She had been one of the last to be informed about the going-ons around the intelligence unit, this fact put her on edge.

"All I can tell you is that he hates us, and is well endowed." The man replied with a cheeky grin.

"Oh? Must've been quite sight for you if your in this kind of mood while peoples lives are on the line." The lackey merely shrugged this comment off and leaned back in the stiff chair.

"Puts me to shame." His leader and captain couldn't help but chuckle at this, easing the overwhelming tension inside. She felt useless up in this royal office, the ex-military captain basically acted as supervisor for the staff. Luckily for her, they had a sense of humor that helped her job become more bearable. Somehow they had found out her prior position, and had quickly nicknamed her 'Captain' though there really was no rank in her current department. Pacing around the darkened room, she watched the many men and women work at their counsels and speak into headsets as they were fitted with. The two young hunters had become a keen interest of hers, and she would make sure to check up on them frequently during the process of the invasion.

"Captain, the androids patrolling the outside of the ship have confirmed visual with the enemy." A random man spoke, interrupting her musing.

"Good, good. Do we have a head count yet?"

"They report at least a good three hundred, coming in at various angles."

"Christ, please tell me that these things don't hold many of the vile little shits."

"The reports from the kids described around twenty from each, that would put them at six thousand strong."

"Jesus christ.. Alright, get more of the reserves out there. We are officially screwed if all of those things manage to drill through."

"Miss Naome, with all due respect, I think our forces shall be more than adequate for this." The ex-captain sighed at this, and pushed a long strand of dark brown hair out of her eyes. That's just the first wave.. who knows how many more are coming.. Closing her eyes and rubbing her temples did little to delude the developing headache. Finally getting a grip of her voice again, she turned to a particular man and put a hand on his shoulder.

"David, get me the lab." He nodded and quickly connected her to the Pioneer 2's laboratories, where a female with long, braided blue hair and a white smock received their call. Naome leaned forward, speaking earnestly.

"How's the girl, please tell me you've figured something out Alicia." The captain's heart sunk when the woman shook her head sadly. One of the few hopes in her mind was discovering some weakness from the children. But now that hope's flame seemed to burn away to dead embers.

"Nothing much, we've discovered some sort of substance in her, but have so far failed to get any idea as of what it is or how it is effecting her."

"I'm a country girl at heart, Alicia. Tell me what this could mean.[/i]"

"Well.. I don't like to speculate much, but I suspect its some sort of residue from contact with the creature. And even wilder thought is that the thing is still inside her, but seeing how the others were dissolved by a mere touch I can't imagine what prolonged contact would do to someone." The FOmarl replied tiredly, letting her eyes and breathing relax.

"Alright, keep me notified."

"Will do."

The researcher turned from the monitor and went to her previous position, standing before a female laying stretched out in a machine. Miniscule lenses and scanners rotated and shifted around, reading for everything and anything out of the ordinary. The weary scientist yawned and placed herself into a cushioned chair, letting her head fall to her hands. Her mind wandered, while her senses became somewhat numb. She let trickles of her energy flow through her and revitalize her strength, but had to force herself to stop when the process was complete. Wiping sweat from her brow, the woman sighed and remembered her slight addiction to healing. Alicia's late husband had been fired from his job a while back, and during this time he slowly eroded to a drunk. He had also beat her, and not wanting to let the bruises show in order to keep her problems a secret, she had simply healed them everyday before work. Her husband had protested this, and had said that it would only give her problems that she didn't need. It was shortly after this that they were divorced, and slowly the need for such daily doses of addictive energy became unnecessary. But a slight craving had developed in that time, and since then she had tried to break herself of the habit. Yet the hunger remained, and every once in a while she would slip up and feed it.

Leaning back, her gaze again traveled to the unconscious figure that might contain the solution to their problem.

"Maybe if they succeed in capturing on of them.." She mused to herself, and hopefully the other will provide us with more answers..

[Sagasu]

* * *

The android stared into the shade of space, not registering fear, doubt, or any human emotion for that matter. It knew the odds of survival were greater in its favor than the others, them being of much older and even dated models. Hundreds of its foes were coming, but it didn't matter to the machine. If it failed, it wouldn't feel any different, if it succeeded, the outcome wouldn't change anything. The advanced HUcast model hoisted a glaive and ignited its photon blade with the press of a button, it's blue black color scheme matching well with its weapon. It being the squad leader, the others immediately mimicked it's actions and made themselves ready for combat. Soon the enemies had approached within three hundred feet of its location, at this time the ranger androids hoisted their assortment of long ranged fire arms and let loose with a volley of photon bullets. The odd glow of the meteorite copy slugs, combined with the flash of powder exploding in its casing created a unique streak of color across the emptiness of space. The HUcast's magnified vision allowed it to see that the blasts were doing relatively little to hinder the oncoming horde. A few of them had been knocked off course, and were now hurtling through the great void away from them, but the others closed in and prepared for landing.

A good two hundred and seventy of the black spiders landed in a total of fifteen locations, meeting the some odd hundred and fifty defense androids. The HUcast launched itself into action as soon as the first of the monstrosities reached his range. Leaping forward and bringing the glaive around in a fierce arc, the machine was able to knock the other off balance and onto its black. It soon righted itself, but not before the android had grabbed hold of it's 'head' and dove the his weapon inside. Twisting cruelly, it placed a foot on the creature side to help rip the blade out again. The beast reared and knocked the 'droid backwards, seemingly unharmed from the attempts to destroy it. One of the legs with a drilling laser swept forward, aiming to slice him in half.

The HUcast caught the leg with one hand, the momentum from the impact causing him to be flung around. Once the metal limb he was clinging to reached its extent, he wrapped his legs around the blade on its underside, oblivious that the keen edge sank deep into his armor and slid up towards his midsection. Lifting the glaive by the handle and reaching high over its head, the android summoned a massive amount of its power supply to slam down the tip into the dark body of it's enemy. The sheer power of this action caused the spider to fall to the hull of the P2, twitching spasmodically. Judging from its previous attack, the mechanical humanoid wrenched its weapon up a little, and then down again, all the way through its foe piercing into the Pioneer 2. Standing up victorious, the hunter grabbed a brand from its clip and activated it. Around him he could see most of his unit already devastated by the menaces. Pierced, slashed, crushed, it seemed that only the most advanced of them stood a chance against this danger.

Jumping from it's position, the android let its magnetic grips get a firm hold on the hull again before charging off towards a spider that had just felled a RAcast with a jagged leg, running it through the chest. The beast saw him coming, and swept a white hot laser in his direction. The HUcast threw itself low, but still lost an arm to the process. Back up and running again, another blast removed some of the plating from its side. A charge from a photon launcher exploding on the monstrosities side sent it careening on half of its legs, and the android chose this time to strike. He would have, if it weren't for the spider that launched itself from another motionless body, bashing and impaled him, dragging his rapidly 'dying' corpse up onto one of its front legs.

He tried severing the leg but his power was draining fast due to the fact that its power core had been glanced. Stabbing blindly behind him, if he had been human the HUcast would have taken pleasure in driving the weapon into his enemies' belly for the last time. The images on his visor flickered, and warning signs flashing in his sight told him 'life' wasn't long for him. Soon he lost control of his limbs, and the last picture burned into his memory was the sight of his defeated defense unit, and the black spiders drilling their way into the Pioneer 2. As if craving to quench their hunger on those inside.

The silent battle in space came to a swift end, leaving the warriors that had fallen to merely become scrap metal to litter space for all eternity.

[Sagasu]

* * *

"Watch yourself out there, they'll be there any beat now."

"How many of them?"

"And estimated thirty spiders, maybe more. They completely destroyed both the first and second defensive lines in your route."

"Fuck." Kangae gripped the handle of his cane harder, oddly enough the weight of the object and the constant flow of power that pulsed between it and himself was somewhat comforting. The sound of rapidly approaching objects became painfully apparent to him, and by the movement amongst the androids, he could only assume they knew that they were coming as well. They had advanced to their designated point at the end of a large tunnel, that led into the upper layers of the Pioneer 2 which consisted of sealed off rooms and crevices that would lead them through a maze, and eventually leading to their position. The first of the spiders came through a large overhead shaft with a deafening screech of protesting metal. The rangers lost no time in hailing it with countless blasts, leaving the beast to attempt to scramble forward but fail miserably. Then more came piling out, forcing the androids to divert their fire and loose their proficiency. At this time the hunters advanced, a black and yellow HUcast with an active gladius shining in his hands obviously leading them.

For the moment, the FOnewm was at a loss for thoughts and words. But soon his vow drove the bloodlust into action, and he raised his weapon for spell preparation. A stray spider had managed to get past the hunters and was rushing forward, he chose this for a target. Forcing himself to focus, he quickly wove the deadly strands of magic upon the creature's metallic hide. Large burning spheres of intense flame exploded out from the GIfoie symbol, quickly turning into a vertical carousel of death. Each of the five incinerating masses slammed into the figure again and again, the pure force of the spell launching it backwards but seemed to do little other than hinder the monster. Undaunted the Newman prepared another attack, this time pouring more effort into his craft. The rune of foie glistened a white hot at the tip of his weapon, the heat causing distortion in the air spread outwards like a colossal ripple. Eyes screwed shut from concentration, Kangae struggled to keep the sparking energy from destroying the bonds that held the pattern together. Satisfied that this was the extent, he let the symbol unfold upon itself and wreak havoc upon his enemy. The three dots released tremendous amounts of energy, propelling a literal wave of flame towards the spider that was struggling to rise.

Even as winded as he was the Newman had to crack a laugh at seeing the beast blown clear off its feet and into the next spider, smashing them against the adjacent wall with a satisfactory crunch. The joy was short lived, for the sight of a the leading HUcast being decapitated forced him back to the reality of the situation, he was in deep shit. Another fell, closely followed by three more. This allowed a good deal of them to get past and charge the two lines of rangers. Only slowed and delayed, the first spider smashed into their ranks and soon the devastation followed. Being in the first line himself, he was thrown aside by one of the metal beasts struggling to throw off an android that was hindering its movement. Closer inspection would have revealed that the 'cast had driven a weapon into the foe's underside. Finally dislodging it, the 'droid was flung aside, catching him in the chest and knocking his slight newman frame to the floor. This gave him the gift of several broken ribs, and a nasty hit to the back of the head. Blinking tears back, the FOnewm gasped for breath and fought to remove the damaged HUcast from on top of him. Physically unable to move something of such great weight, kangae let loose with a low powered foie.

The android was blasted onto his legs, the pain now coming from them was nothing compared to the relief of being able to breath. Cursing profanely at all things in heaven, the Newman closed his eyes and attempted to heal himself. Kangae shivered, knowing the effort it would take to heal crushed ribs was beyond his talent, but at least he could numb the pain some and heal internal bleeding. Coughing up a little blood made him wince, both at his thoughts and at the pain. He couldn't imagine were he would be without magic, dead, most likely. Shaking his head, the young man managed to pry his legs free of the metal doll. Glancing around, he couldn't seem to locate the cane he had been holding only a few moments ago. Grabbing the brand from the black and blue HUcast, he took stock of the situation. The androids had been completely devastated in the time he had been down, and now the mechanical spiders stood motionless. For a moment, he puzzled this, but then the reason became all the obvious.

"Ohhh fuck.." Kangae stepped back, recognizing the truck driver's retreating figure in the distance. The monstrosities opened up and belched out their vile content, and all at once the nightmares came flooding back to him. This time though, they had a chance to become reality. He saw them, and them for the moment only saw red. Friends, family, innocent lives were about to be lost, and here he was..

The only one left to stop it.

Closing his eyes again, the utter hatred that made his body vibrate uncontrollably acted as a way to concentrate on one thing, hurting them in the most destructive way possible. Dropping the brand, he held out his hands, not caring if channeling mas quantities of magic through them was insane and at times sometimes suicidal. He could feel it well up inside in, he could feel the terror and the anger flood over and flow to his energy, fueling him on. It wasn't a symbol, it wasn't designed for any particular purpose at all. The thing he had created was merely a mass of pure unbridled power about to be let loose and destroy anything and everything in sight. Kangae didn't care if formless magic was illegal, he didn't care if he died in the process of preparing such a thing. He was the beyond that point, he was going to do anything to prevent himself from seeing his mother be consumed one more time..

Dropping to his knees, Kangae's body was shaking violently. Energy running through him out into the mass of the creatures pulsated through him and into reality. The air began to shimmer, everywhere, covering everything was the residue of a colossal mass of power let free. He gasped and fell forward ro the ground, letting the millions of strands of flaring heat have their way with the world around him. Explosions, eruptions, flashes, a shockwave of fire blasted outwards, incinerating everything in its path. Unbearable flame pressed itself against the ceiling, walls, and floors. Tongues of it lashed out and blackened where ever they touched like some ethrel scourge summoned straight from hell. Metal melted away and evaporated to nothing, concrete shattered in the inferno, the ground trembled and shook as if a earth quake had hit the Pioneer 2.

Just as quickly as it came, the fire storm faded away. Leaving a mostly dead man to lie nude in the result of his outburst.

[Sagasu]

* * *

"I don't care what they say, get me a med team down there pronto! I am not loosing him!"

"Its a good thing you brought him in when you did, he's holding on by a thread."

"I didn't think it was physically possible too expend yourself like this. I suppose if he had been older, he could have transferred all of his energy into that blast, leaving naught but dust left behind."

"Maybe the encounter with the creature has done something with the process of expending energy.. And amplifying it, that was something you couldn't achieve with the life force of ten Newman's his age."

"Fucking moron, why'd you have to go and put yourself through that."

"Don't, Jennifer.. the video footage from the mag proved that he was the only real defense between himself and the civilians, he was consumed by hatred. So its only natural that he over reacted."

"Like it made difference! Both D and G blocks failed, the casualties from just a few packs of those things getting into the city are hardly believable!"

"T-tthey're still.. screaming. I can hear them, right inside my head.."

A black spider laid still, pinned to the Pioneer 2's hull by the weapon of a powerful warrior. Inside, distorted and confused, the creature's simplistic nature couldn't comprehend the next move. Until receiving new orders.. The black of space bore witness to the silvery white gelatin ooze out from the dead shell of the once powerful machine. Creeping up and out, snaking around the handle of the glaive, the large creature manifested itself into the void. Splitting, they set out into the holes drilled not long before. Outside, the other wreckages began to spew out their putrid contents, and they too joined in the now steady pack of monsters.

The one in the lead chose the already traveled path, in and out of large vents and weather control service areas. Deep into a large tunnel that had been blasted away by some tremendous force. But the creature was not hindered by thoughts of any kind, just the ever constant hunger inside that made it feed. Creeping along the desolated ground, it made its way into the evacuated city block. Then, it picked up the essence, the trail of life. The starved creature reeled onwards, desperate to consume. Through empty streets and alleys, under a door and into a hallway, it would soon find what it so eagerly sought. Down the corridor and into a living room, it found a small child. Shivering, asleep on the couch. Bruises on her body indicated that she was abused, tear stains told the world that she had cried herself to sleep. She lay still, lost in a world not of her own. Except it was a haunting, frightening universe. The beast took no remorse.. but pleasure in rolling up her legs and over her entire body. It took unspeakable fulfillment in making sure that the young one never opened her eyes again.

Forever stuck in the nightmare.

[Sheik]

poor little girl :'(

[Feline Witch]

Poor little girl! :'(

Those monsters are nasty! But what about Neuri, the girl Kangae fancied? Did she die as well?

I have to work on my fanfiction!

[Sagasu]

Yep, Neuri died along with most of the others from the Hunters Academy.

If your not one who can handle depression, this chapter is going leave an imprint on you.

Contamination
Chapter 4

Harmony (opening)

"Why?"

"I didn't want.."

"Want what?"

"I didn't want anyone to die."

"Some leaked through to the city, mainly from the route you were defending. I would think that a blast like that would destroy them."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be, nobody could have stood those odds."

"I've failed.."

"Failed? Just what did you expect to accomplish? Moping like this isn't going to help anyone."

"Your standing alone before a crowd of people, a sad crowd."

"W-what? Maybe you should get some rest."

"The children are crying, the women are crying, the men are dead. Your alone, and they're coming."

"I don't understand, just what are you talking about?"

"You can see them now, so many of them. They raise up like a wave and rush towards you, and your the only one left to fight them. But you can't, your frozen. Too scared, to frightened of your own life to worry about others. And then it happens."

"Stop babbling, you seriously need to relax."

"Ask me what happens."

"Look y-"

"Ask me what happens!"

"What..?"

"Nothing.. for you at least. You couldn't move, all you can do is watch the crowd be washed away in the wave, which turns to blood and tears of the fallen. And then something even worse happens."

"Kangae.. stop."

"Your alone, left to your misery."

"Its not your fault, don't heap the blame on yourself."

"But I could move! I wasn't frozen, I could fight.. And it still didn't matter. I couldn't save them, so what am I going to do? They don't want me to fight anymore after I went out of control, my skills as a force are put to waste, and here I am. What do you expect from me?"

"A cure, hopefully you will give us a few clues to why you haven't been attacked by the creatures."

"I've been attacked, and it hurts more than you can imagine."

"Wha.. when? Why weren't we notified?"

"My parents are dead, my little sister as well. I wouldn't care if it was just my mother and father, but the girl deserved more than a broken family and an abusive life."

"I'm sorry Kangae, maybe if-"

"There is no cure for the dead, this means that there's no cure for my wound. Now tell me, if this doesn't help and our hopes die, what then? How many lives are we planning to toss away?"

"I can't answer that, you know I can't."

"That's why I failed."

Alicia sat at the computer terminal silently, remembering the brief conversation she had with the Newman before the testing began. His voice had been so impassive, and his eyes carried a certain dullness of the broken hearted. Now in the darkened room she frowned at the display, sometimes you can take it too far.. Glowing symbols and text scrawled across the screen, absorbing her attention from the cluttered desk. Old coffee cups and stacks of crumpled paper littered her work area, one space was cleared for a photograph of herself and her ex-husband. Even after a year of divorce she hadn't been able to throw it away, and she was beginning to think that the pain of the memory would never ebb away. Touching her forehead, she let strands of healing energy flow through her body and strengthen her mind. Taking another look at the man that lay stretched out in a table, her gaze shifted from the illuminating highlights of the machine to the FOnewm's face. It was no longer neutral as it had been before, but held the reflection of his thoughts. For the moment it seemed he was in pain, for he slept fervently with firm lips and somewhat deepened eyes.

An interesting feeling passed into her, she wanted to take the pain away. Sighing to herself, the female returned to the task at hand. Sympathy wouldn't help the Newman at this stage, the man needed to unwind and come to terms with himself. A small sub-screen flashed to catch her eye, telling the FOmarl that the scan had been completed. Her brow furrowed as she reviewed the ever changing chart of analysis data,

"Haven't seen this before.." The scientist murmured, not quite sure of what to make of what she saw. Apparently, once every few seconds a flicker of power flowed through his body. This could mean a few things, the most probable of which were either that he was casting, or there was some other force active inside him. The pulse of energy quickened and slowed at irregular intervals, only envoking her curiosity further. At a point the pace reached a substantial rate, and her attention was now grabbed by a second flashing panel, this time it was his vitals.

Increased heart beat, some weird signals vibrating through his system.. what was going on? Alicia stood up from the rotating chair to get a clear view of the man in question. The Newman's fists were clenched and muscles tightened, as if preparing for a blow of some sort. As the woman crossed over the room to him, the younger individual on the table started to convulse and shrivel up into a ball. Close now, she could see the tears and sweat glistening on his face. Shutting down the machine, the FOmarl attempted to raise him from his troubled slumber.

"Kangae?"

He awoke with a start and sat up, still trembling, the moisture in his eyes making it difficult to see clearly. The scientist sat next to him and wrapped one arm around his shoulders to help calm the young man, and to make sure he knew he wasn't alone. In a few moments the FOnewm regained controlled of himself, and his quickened breathing finally dampened down to a casual intake. She smiled sadly, waiting for him to speak.

"Has anyone ever told you.." He paused to turn and look into her eyes, the FOmarl blushed, realizing just how close she had gotten to him.

"That you have really nice soft breasts?"

Kangae grinned, rubbing the cheek that had become sore from a stout smack from Alicia's hand. She stomped back to her counsel and absorbed herself in the information that. Pervert.. She glared at him for a moment, wishing that he would stop chuckling to himself about the whole ordeal. Eventually she was no longer flustered, and regained her calm, caring composure. Just a guy who needs to grow up, that's all. But why would he.. Another look in his direction wiped any of the remaining anger from her. His face bore a depth of sadness, and his eyes were out of focus as if he was lost in thought. Something about his look just effected the entire room, like the spirit had been sucked away leaving only depression behind. She snapped out of her own trance when he stood,

"We're done here right? Where are my real clothes?" The newman asked, referring to the white smock that he was currently wearing.

"Umm.." The scientist looked at the floor, a slight flush creeping into her face again.

"Don tell me that.."

"I don't know, you came in here dressed as you are now." Alicia finished before him.

"Great." The FOnewm muttered, acting somewhat inconsiderate. Even if he was being rude, it still kept her from asking questions. Kangae had awoken, startled and afraid, just like an infant. His first comment was to distract her from that, and to not receive the question of "what's wrong". The reason being was that he really didn't want to talk about it, just describing his random nightmares to somebody would be enough to make them think he was insane. Plus he didn't know what was wrong with him, and so far no one had been able to help him figure out just what was making these things happen to him. And just by looking at the woman he could tell she had enough burdens to take care of, he shouldn't add any more weight to that load. Shrugging it off, the man stood up and placed himself behind her, not caring if the woman opened her mouth to protest.

His eyes rested on a black and white photo of of Alicia standing with her arms wrapped affectionately around a taller man. She looked care free in the picture, not tired and saddened as she was now.

"Must be nice, you know, to have someone to come home to." The Newman said, trying to lighten to mood somewhat.

"Yes, it was." She replied in a neutral tone, telling him a few things. Is her husband dead?"

"What happened to you two, did he.."

"Die? Yes, well.." She looked down from the computer for a moment and placed her hands in her lap.

"The man I loved died, now all that's left is his shell."

"Oh, I see." Kangae winced, I really need to learn when to just put a lid on it.

"Sorry, I shouldn't talk of things like this right now."

"No, its alright" The Newman smiled, taking a seat at another desk not too far away.

"I don't mind, god knows I need someone to talk to after yesterday." She returned the facial gesture and glanced at one of the screens on the table top before her.

"Oh and Kangae?

"Yes?"

"Please don't sit behind me, I don't think staring at my butt will help your conversational skills."

[Sagasu]

* * *

A cool rain swept the ground outside, lightly rattling against the windows and trailing through the streets of the pioneer 2. Trickles of water flowed upon the broken asphalt, streams pouring into a large hole created in the fight that had taken place not too long ago. The rubble had been cleared away, but the tunnel and road remained battle-scarred. Parts of the city still remained evacuated, some of them being emptied by the attack of the monsters that had leaked through to the city. On one of the many windows that the rain chose to drum upon, stood one of the empty homes of the fallen. The steady rhythm of weather against glass created a dull tune for those within, but the beauty of the simple song was wasted upon the silence. Endless drops of condensation collecting on various parts of the rental house seeped through in ill kept patches of ceiling, dripping down upon one those who should have been within. The dead stillness was unusual, for the inhabitants of the shelter would constantly be moving in and out, arguing with one another as they went.

The wind whistled and sang while rain drummed its soothing tempo, the atmosphere softened to a relaxing state. A child had taken relish to this not to long ago, she had loved the listened to the artificial storm's harmony as it played upon her home. At times it was the only comfort she had for living her life was no easy task. Older brother gone off to school, jobless mother always complaining about their life as if she was the only one suffering, and a father who at the end of the day was ready to let his anger loose upon all that provoked him. It wasn't always like that, she remembered a time long ago when they had lots of money for lots of things. She had been told that money wasn't happiness, but why was it when the money disappeared, so did the smiles?

She could get lost in the weather's music, and most of the time it lured her to sleep. Many a evening she would awake to her father shaking her violently, yelling at her for being a lazy leech and a waste of sperm. Often such abuse led her to running to the bathroom and locking herself inside until he was off the war path. Though sometimes she awoke to silence, this usually meant that her parents were brooding over fate, or off in their room having sex. Either way she had more silence, and time to herself. Though her slumber was often plagued by horrific images and terrifying thoughts, it was one of the few things that she looked forward to every day. When she was asleep she could forget about the troubles, forget about the abuse, and sometimes her dreams would be good. Her older brother also would send her presents, and once every month her mother and father would let her stay with him for the entire weekend. These were the highlights of her life, one of the few things that made life enjoyable. Her big brother had promised her that after he graduated from the Hunters Academy that year he would get his own home and that she could live with him.

This idea she cherished, and would always speak of it when they saw one another. He had even said she could attend a school and meet other girls and make friends. Her parents were poor, and couldn't afford to send her to school. And since they didn't want people asking why their children weren't in school, they kept her cooped up inside the house except in the evenings and weekends. Her bother had been offered a high paying job for his skill as a mechanic, so he would be able to buy all sorts of things that's she needed for her. She was convinced that it would be like before, she was convinced that her happily ever after was not to far away.

The day before the house became empty, there was a big argument between her mother and father. Her mom had been cheating on her dad in order to get some money and thrills, and needless to say he was none to happy about this. He hit her, and this caused the woman to leave the house to find refuge with her new boyfriend. And then there was no one but her to take the anger he had welled up inside herself. After he was done shouting and beating, the man stormed off to his room and shut the door. She had crawled to the couch and collapsed in a fit of tears. The girl wiped trail of blood from her nose with the side of her hand, pressing a bruised hand against her swollen left eye. Crying herself to sleep, the daughter of the once rich man slept with cruel dreams wreaking through her hurting mind.

In the morning her father had left for work, without even seeing if she was still breathing after the undeserved punishment she had received the night before. It was morning, and she took this opportunity to crawl to the kitchen and call her older brother on his cell phone but it only prove do worsen her position. He had left it back in his dorm when the Hunters academy had been attacked, and staying with his teacher, his personal items had been sent home and he hadn't the time to retrieve them. Her parents had taken his possessions as their own, so instead of her brother picking up the phone, it was her father. He had yelled at her, he had screamed at her for attempting to contact her good for nothing older sibling.

In frightened tears, she hung up the phone, not looking forward to the promised beating when he returned from work. She had been the one to convince her parents to let her go visit her brother when he had been hospitalized, of course, they acted sympathetic and caring while they were there in order to put on a good show for the doctors and nurses. When she had seen him there, so helpless and in pain, her heart could have broken. Just thinking that he could be hurt felt more agonizing than any blow her father had struck her down with. As she crawled back to the couch, trying not to aggravate her wounds any more than she had, the girl wondered if he was still in the hospital. As she lay on her back, she wondered if they were feeling the same pain. For the moment, she fumed at the thought of her twin brother who was living peacefully with their grand parents. They had chose him over her, they had saved him from this life and not her.

Again, she curled herself into a ball and pulled the blanket over herself with nose-bled hand. Again, she fell into fitful sleep, haunted by nightmares gruesome enough to make grown men cry. There was no rain that day, there was no gentle reassurance of the weather's song. There was only the pain, and it lingered in her body, mind, and soul. There was only nothing to look forward to at the end of the day.

There was only nothing..

She hadn't wanted to go to sleep that day, she had wanted to run to her brother and his kind embrace. She hadn't wanted to die that day, she wanted to run from her old life to a new, caring one.

But she had died, in her sleep.

Stuck in the never ending nightmare.

One would argue with god himself if someone, anyone deserved such a fate. But it seems he has turned a cold shoulder to such things, and looks upon us without mercy. Perhaps the rain was his pity, sent to sooth the girl's weary body. Yet it came too late, and now its endless harmony was lost upon those who don't care for such things. No one left to listen to the drumming, singing, soothing. No one to watch the water drip in through the leaks in the ceiling and window upon the plaster/sheetrock walls and the frayed carpet. Slowly a fan over head cut off, for the electricity bill hadn't been returned, and had never been intentioned to be paid for some time. The memory of a girl faded from the home, while only a blood stain and a dirty blanket preserved the image. The rain no longer played for its audience was gone, as the drums died away, the wind lost heart to sing. Silence crept in to take permanent residence in the abandoned home, and a shadow chose to establish itself over the only resting place of an abused child.

Outside the storm died, leaving the city to forget their bliss and take up the heavy pack of sorrow once more.

[Sagasu]

* * *

"Storm is clearing up, didn't last long now did it?" Martha said to the still-depressed Newman. He managed a weak smile, finding his 'sleep' to provide him with little other than a heart wrenching nightmare. Though being snuggled up to Alicia might have been worth living through another one..

"I'm going to fight them, whether the military thinks I'm a hazard or not." Kangae stated, a bit of fire creeping into his voice. Ms. Jibun laughed and patted him on the shoulder,

"Of course you are, except this time when their blockades fall, you'll be in the city to protect us right?"

"I.." She had meant for her comment to be joking, but something about it triggered something within the young FOnewm. He looked away, Mannaka..

"What's he moping about now?" Jennifer asked, entering the den of the house.

"I don't need this." The Newman rose and headed towards the door. Martha sighed, resting her chin on her hands.

"This is about your sister, isn't it?" Kangae halted, then turned slowly to face her.

"How did you.."

"Alicia"

"S-she told you?"

"That would be the situation."

"Heh.." He chuckled and pivoted on his heel to face the exit again.

"That's what I get for trusting someone."

They fell silent as the door clicked behind him, Martha bit her lip, realizing her mistake. Her daughter stretched, then arose.

"Going after him?" The mother inquired.

"He's not my fault, Bryan was going to show me his new bike now that we're allowed to be out and about for a while."

"All right, just make sure to use protection."

"Mom, I've told you a million times that he and I aren't at that level of a relationship yet!" Ms. Jibun blinked at her daughter's outburst.

"I was referring to a helmet."

"Oops."

* * *

Kangae slumped down on the couch, taking a pull from the cig in his mouth with a neutral expression on his face. In his hands was a blanket, dirty, blood crusted on one corner, but none the less, she had curled up with this feeble protection every night and had somehow made it on to the next day. But not this time.. He ran a hand along the faded green of the furniture he sat on, also filthy, stained, it had been so long since he had stepped foot inside this building. His last memory of this place was an argument with his parents, one that decided that he was to live at the academy and pay for his lodging there instead of coming home everyday. Shaking his head, the Newman swiped a strand of fine dark red hair out of his eyes, up, and over his head. The clogs make no sound on the equally messy carpet as he made his way over to the window. Running a finger along fractured glass, the FOnewm recalled his anger. He had been about to lose control, and could have struck out at his father. But in an amazing show of self control, me merely cut up his knuckles by punching the window instead.

He rubbed the hand, as if the wound was still fresh and throbbing. The scars were still there, though they had faded somewhat over the course of two years. If was possible, the state of the little run down apartment had declined in his absence. He still held onto his sister's blanket with one hand while tapping the ash from his smoke with the other. The Newman had already seen his parents room, shabby, like everything else in the building. Messy, dirty.. stained. What had they done with the money he sent them? Probably spent on alcohol.. The gifts to his sister, did she ever receive them? Doubt it..

Mannaka.. what where they thinking? If only I had..

"Damn it all!" Kangae yelled, slamming his fist on the wall and letting the cigarette drop from his lips. He glanced at the fallen object, remembering that she had hated it when he smoked. "It reminds me of daddy." He sighed, running a hand through his hair and then shaking it. The FOnewm rubbed his knuckles again, stretching the scars back and forth on his tanned skin. Wiping the tears that had collected in the brim of his eyes, the man turned to leave the home that had so many bad memories attached to it. He turned in the door frame, folding the small blanket with his hands and putting it inside his Newm' overcoat.

"Sis.. will I turn out just like our parents?"

Filthy?

Violent?

Stained?

* * *

heh,

Maybe I shouldn't be so cruel

[Sheik]

Now I just want to cry after reading about Kangae's sister....:'(