MIAB

28: Fallen Angel

Dark Dranzer's Arena, Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Chaotic Dimension, 17th Universe (Time Unknown)  

Dark Dranzer was alone in his room, playing a gentle melody on an ocarina. His eyes were closed, his body swaying to the tune of the song. He opened his eyes, letting a tear run down as memories of Dark Dragoon, Dark Driger, Dranzer and Kai returned to him. Memories that he had suppressed and memories Rin had suppressed. There were also memories that they both cherished. They filled his head, intertwining with the lullaby playing in his head that had begun ever since Dark Driger's darkness injured Rin.

"Dranzer and . . . Kai." He whispered before holding his head, "Am I prepared?" The final battle was approaching. He still felt that something was wrong with him. Still, he was glad that Rin's light was shining softly in their soul room.

'You are an ocean of waves. Weaving a dream, like thoughts become a river stream. Yet may the tide ever change. Flowing like time, to the path, yours to climb.'

The song was getting louder. Dark Dranzer hissed and held his head, trying to make him shut up. He didn't know why he kept singing. Was it to drive him mad with grief or to console the grief-stricken boy trapped in his own nightmare, trapped in the foreign darkness? He also wondered how in the world he heard the song of someone who wasn't in this world anymore.

'Thou seek the light with an outstretched hand. A divine blade lies before you. So command the wake of dreams. To restore the world, cut 'way the seams.'

At that moment, thousands of voices cut through Dark Dranzer's mind, making him yell and drop the ocarina in his hands. The worst part was that those memories weren't his. They were Rin's. All of them were filled with powerful emotions of love, happiness and sorrow. They were too strong.

"I haven't seen you smile so innocently in months." "Your father and mother love you, Rin." "Please forgive me even though I deserve the hatred you have of me." "I really am sorry, Rin, for that night." "With all of us watching each other's backs, nothing can stop us!" "With a smile like that, you'd think you'd show it more." "I'll make you smile enough that you won't need to smile for two years because your quota will be achieved." "Be happy, Rin." "Rin, we'll get out of here, right?" "Is that how you greet everyone or just me?" "Trust me with your heart, Rin." "Good-bye, Mizushima." "Please don't shut us out." "Live, my sweet child." "You're an oddity, Mizushima." "Let's be friends, okay?" "It was only a dream." "You're cute." "Anyways, you're a little late, aren't you?" "You're not a bad person."

'Join in our prayer, in our song, of birthrights and love. Come the sun, illuminate the sky. Pray that we may quell the dark. Light take the throne. Lost in thoughts all alone.'

"Stop it!" He yelled, as if that would help, "I don't want those memories. Take them away. Take them away." He fell to his knees, trembling and half crying for mercy. Inside Rin's soul room, where Dark Dranzer's influence could not reach, white eyes opened while the owner of said eyes patted the head of a crying child.

'Sorrow is what kills the heart, my dear Yami-Suzaku.'

Dark Dranzer already knew that. His heart had been overwhelmed with sorrow long ago, the moment he had fought against Eden's Rapture all those years ago. After that, the Forsaken Fallen were, as their name suggested, forsaken by their fellow holy beasts. It wasn't fair, because they had done so much for their friends and for the Elders, only to rewarded with pain and sealing for thousands of centuries.

The song was still being sung by the familiar voice, although it didn't pain him as much to hear it. As his Elder had once told him, memories were precious and, no matter how painful they are, they should never be repressed. Every memory was important.