Standard disclaimer: I don't own the series.

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AN: Good day peoples ^_^ I am sooo sleepy! I guess that's what I get for staying up too late, eh? Haha! Anyway, yeah. Nothing much to note here, so I will get onto the reviews!

Nina Windia: Hee, yeah. There are a lota pissed off people in that chapter. Hee, thanks for thinking that Nina's move was cool! Yup, she's got some of the powers ^_~

Hee, funny joke ^.^ Yeah, that's one of the reasons I like writing Jin. He's so flippant. lol Heh, glad you liked the Nina=Myria thing. Nina and Myria DO kinda look a like. At least in the third game. Hehe. ^_^;;;

Thanks for the reviews!

Meeerf: Hee! Congrats for the completion of Memories and Imagination!!!! Hah, I had a feeling that you figured out the connection ^_^

Now that you have explained it, I suppose that the Pearl Kingdom would be white wine. Thanks for the wine lesson ^_^

Hee, they did grow up. Nina turned out much greater than I could have ever thought possible. Especially when I was first trying to plan her character out. She really has changed a lot. ^_^;; Up, Ryu was due for a breakdown. It's just luck that he was around someone that believed in mercy.

Yeah, I use to group people in the good and evil bracket when I first started writing, then I found myself writing Mary Sues and the like. Eh, my earlier works definitely had that problem lol But now that I and my writing style have (somewhat) matured, I like the idea that not everything is black and white, ya know???

Hee ^_^ Maybe I should make family trees or something???

Thanks for the reviews!

Anyway, here's the next chapter! Enjoy!

Jin wasn’t really sure if he really wanted to know why Yuki was heading out of the room that Leon was staying in. Of course, he knew why she would be coming from that direction, but he wasn’t really sure he could handle that kind of news at that particular moment.

Of course, he knew that his little sister wasn’t a cloistered nun, but that just wasn’t the sort of thing he liked to think about when it concerned his little sister. Because in his mind, she was still eight years old and driving him up the wall.

The fact remained, however, that Miyuki was 22 years old, not eight. It was in that he noticed that she was dressed in a purple and white jacket, a black halter-top, a black choker, tanned colored shorts, black socks that went to her knees, and purple ankle boots. Jin smirked slightly.

“So,” Jin said in a relatively calm voice.

Yuki’s head jerked up. She looked like she had not been expecting Jin to be standing in the middle of the hallway. Momo poked her head out from behind Jin and giggled slightly, Honey perked on her shoulder. Jin turned his head and gave Momo a small smile before turning his attention back to Yuki.

“Uh… uh… hi Jin!” Yuki said in a hurried voice.

Jin grinned slightly and crossed his arms. “So… you really went and did it, huh?”

“Uh… wow, do we have to be having this conversation?” Yuki squeaked. Yuki pointed to Momo. “She doesn’t need to hear about this…”

Without missing a beat, Momo giggled and took off down the hallway in a quick sprint. Yuki paled slightly, as her excuse was gone. Yuki looked up a Jin and sighed.

“You really chose Leon?” Jin asked. He gently took hold of Yuki’s arm and led her down the hallway.

“Um…” Yuki could not think of anything to say in that response.

“Tell me you at least used protection,” Jin said with a sigh. “And another thing. Why are you dressed up as a hooker again?”

Yuki growled and jerked her arm out of Jin’s hand. “What the hell do you mean about that?!” Yuki snapped as she turned around and stared at her brother. “And why’s it any of your business what I do with my life, or who I chose to see?!”

“He tried to kill you, remember?” Jin pointed out. Yuki just continued to glare a Jin. A nice headache was starting to form in Jin’s head. He rubbed his temples, trying to get rid of the headache.

Yuki’s face went from irritation to slight concern. Jin clenched his eyes shut, the pain shooting throughout his head. He opened his eyes and noticed the look on Yuki’s face.

He sighed and shook his head slightly.

“Whatever you think, I’m fine,” Jin said in response to Yuki’s look.

Yuki did not look convinced. “Really? You look like you are going to be sick Jin.”

Yuki took a step forward, but Jin held his hand out. “Really, I’m fine,” Jin said through gritted teeth.

“Oh, yes. I am totally sure that you are fine,” Yuki said as she rolled her eyes. “If you recall correctly, I know that you were hurt in the fight,” Yuki said. She gestured with her hands. “You totally do not look fine right now. You look like you are about to puke.”

Jin waved Yuki off. “You are reading too much into this. I just have a headache, that’s all.”

“Yeah, and if you remember, I know that look. That’s the look that I get when I sense danger or I’m being Called.”

Jin sighed and slumped against the marble stone wall. His shoulders shagged as he hung his head. Yuki was only partially right. The thing was, his powers were just a little more advanced that hers. Chances were, someone was about to Call him.

“Jin,” Yuki said, shaking Jin out of his musings.

“Hn?” Jin asked. He closed his eyes. His hand subconsciously went to his stomach.

“What is wrong?” Yuki asked.

Jin opened his eyes. He gave Yuki a long, hard look before he responded. “Miyuki,” Jin started. “I… have a favor to ask of you…”

Yuki frowned at the tone of voice that Jin was taking with her. “Uh, sure. What?”

Jin closed his eyes once again. “Look, we don’t know what’s going to happen between now and the final fight with Legence,” Jin said. He opened his eyes and looked down the hallway that Momo took off down. “I’m afraid that… something might happen to me…”

Yuki’s eyes narrowed. “Jin, what the hell are you talking about?”

Jin sighed and looked back at Yuki. His throat tightened. Yuki looked in the direction that Jin had looked in and sighed slightly. “Jin? What are you asking me to do?”

“Yui’s dead,” Jin said, his voice cracking. He lowered his head so Yuki would not see his face. “If something happens to me, then Momo…”

Yuki could only stare at Jin in mute shock. It was killing him asking his sister to do this, but he had no other choice. He knew he was dying, and the thought of leaving his daughter alone, with no one to care for her, was eating him alive. He knew by the look on Yuki’s face that she had realized what he was asking her to do.

After all, Yuki had lost her parents around the age that Momo was now.

“Jin…” Yuki said in a guarded voice.

“I know… it seems a little selfish… but…” Jin’s throat closed on him. He clenched his eyes shut and balled his hands into fists.

“If you are asking me to be Momo’s guardian if something happens to you, then fine. I will be her guardian. But Jin, nothing’s going to happen to you, so quit acting like this.” Jin could tell that Yuki’s voice was cracking slightly. He felt Yuki’s hands reach out and touch his upper arms. “Jin, it’s going to be okay.”

Jin nodded. He laughed slightly. “Of course,” he said as he shook his head. “I’m merely asking, just in case…”

Yuki released her hold on Jin and wrapped her arms around Jin’s waist. Jin wasn’t sure how to react to his sister’s odd embrace. It was not like Yuki to just up and hug him like that. Jin steeled himself and returned the embrace, however awkward it was. Yuki rested her head against Jin’s chest.

“Please,” she said in a quiet and pleading voice. “Don’t die on me.”

Jin took his hand and patted Yuki on the top of the head. “I’ll do the best I can.”

“Hey!” Yuki said as she glared up at Jin. “You’re embarrassing me!”

Jin could only smirk in response. His little sister was just too easy to rile up. How could he resist messing with her when she was handed him moments like this?

“Hm, I just have one more question,” Jin said. Yuki glanced up at Jin with a curious look on her face.

“Okay, spill.”

“So, Leon, as a Brood, can he ah… transform certain parts of his body, or can he only ascend to a complete dragon form?”

Yuki’s face turned five shades of red. She jerked out of Jin’s embrace and balled her hands into fists. She took a swing, but the fist was blocked up Jin’s forearm. Yuki yelled out of annoyance and embarrassment and double back around and aimed for Jin’s shin.

Jin dodged out of the way.

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Leon was feeling rather good at the moment. He was finally able to get his revenge on that annoying Uzuki woman. It had been marvelous. Who knew that Yuki could bend like that? It was evident that her training in martial arts had not been in vain.

Yes, he had sex with Yuki. He knew that her older brother, as well as his brother, would probably be out for his blood. But he didn’t really care. Sex really was the best stress reliever. And he needed all the stress relieving he could get. The woman had wanted to go multiple rounds, and he had been more than happy to fulfill that request.

Much to his annoyance, Yuki had made him change his clothes from his usual business suit to a nice little adventurer outfit. Apparently the girl had a thing for black leather. Or had an odd sense of humor, for he looked like something out of a video game.

He was forced to wear a white shirt under a black leather jacket, black pants and boots and many belt buckles on his waist. She had tried to get him to cut his hair, but that just was not happening. He liked his long hair, thank you very much.

He was not really watching where he was going. He looked up just in time to see Yuki’s fist fly right by his head and nearly knock into Jin’s face. Leon jumped back and shook his head. Why were Jin and Yuki fighting?

“JACKASS!” Yuki howled. “Take that back!”

Jin laughed as he jumped to the side. “What? It’s just a question!”

“Huh…?” Leon sputtered. “What is going… ack!”

Leon was cut off by Yuki’s fist hitting him in the gut. Leon doubled over in pain. Yuki’s eyes widened in shock and she stopped her attack on her brother. Jin laughed slightly and walked over to Leon.

“You okay?” Jin asked.

Leon grunted in reply. Jin nodded and started down the hallway. Yuki glared after her brother and only shook her head. She walked over to Leon.

“Sorry about that…” Yuki said.

“Do I even want to know?” Leon gasped.

“Uh, probably not,” Yuki giggled.

“Un,” Leon muttered. He straightened up and squared his shoulders. He gave Yuki a look and smiled. “I figured that your brother would try to kill me, not you.”

“Hehe,” Yuki laughed nervously as she scratched the back of her head. “Just bad timing on your part, I guess.”

“Sure…” Leon did not seem convinced. He shook his head and gestured down the hallway. “Ah, I’m going to go see Ryu…” Leon let the sentence hang. Yuki nodded in understanding.

“Okay,” she said with a nod. “I’m going to go kill my brother now. See ya later!”

Leon shook his head and smiled. Better to let her torture someone else and not him. He shrugged his shoulders and went to the room that Ryu was staying in. He steeled himself, not quite sure what to say to his younger brother.

Leon finally took a deep breath and opened the door. He walked in and was greeted by Nunnally’s gentle smile. He looked over at Ryu, who looked like he had gone through eight circles of hell, and was getting ready to start on the ninth.

Leon cleared his throat, catching Ryu’s attention. Ryu glared up at Leon. Leon noted that Ryu looked like he had been crying. He walked over to where Nunnally was sitting and sat down on the edge of the bed.

It was strange to have all three Laurante siblings in the same room. Leon could tell that Ryu was feeling really uncomfortable about the whole thing. Leon also noted Valerie lying on one of the beds. He was trying really hard to ignore that fact.

The three sat in silence for a long time. Leon wasn’t sure about the other two, but he just did not know what to say. It was Ryu that finally started the conversation. The young brood looked at Leon and frowned.

“I…” Ryu said as he looked down. His voice seemed to crack. “I killed…” Ryu clenched his eyes shut. “I killed everyone in Navare…” Ryu choked out.

“Brother,” Nunnally said sadly.

Leon only stared at Ryu. At least the man was finally showing some kind of emotion. Ryu looked back over at Leon. “How… can I ever be forgiven for what I did?”

Leon looked thoughtful. “I could say that you were not in control of your emotions, that it was not your fault. But you don’t want to hear that, do you? I could say that you are a murderer and should be killed for what you did. But that’s not the truth. What is it you want me to say?”

Ryu gave Leon a blank look. Leon shook his head. “I am not going to say either statement. The fact remains that people are dead and it was at your hand, in control or not. So, what are you going to do about it? Die and be free of pain? Or live and fight your sorrow? Are you going to try and make things right, or just wallow around in self-pity? I spent ten years of my life doing that, and believe me when I say that it will not get you anywhere.”

Ryu nodded slightly. “Then what should I do? I don’t know how to handle this.”

Leon awkwardly patted Ryu on the shoulder. Ryu flinched at the contact. “I can’t tell you how to handle this. This is something that you must overcome, by yourself. But I can tell you that if you need help, I will be there to help you.”

Ryu could only stare at Leon. “I spent almost my entire life hating you,” Ryu said. “I wanted you dead ever since what happened at Angel Tower ten years ago. But now…” Ryu gave Leon a lost look. “I don’t know… I don’t know if I can ever forgive you for what happened… but I don’t think I can hate you anymore…”

Leon nodded in understanding. “You have to do what you feel is right. What you believe in. If you don’t, then there’s no point in…”

Ryu’s head snapped up. He yelled as a sharp pain lanced through his head. He quickly looked up just in time to see a bright light appear in the middle of the room. Leon and Nunnally shielded their eyes from the blinding light. The light died down and standing in the center of the room was none other than Aaron.

The scientist gave the three siblings a small smile and walked towards Valerie’s bed. Ryu shot up, but a wave of nausea overcame him and he went crashing back down on the bed. Nunnally cried as they watched Aaron place his hand on Valerie’s chest, the location of the Light Key that was inside of her.

“Such a waste,” Aaron said.

Leon growled as he stood up and started over at Aaron. Aaron turned around and made a hand gesture. Leon howled in pain as he grabbed his chest. Aaron turned his attention from Valerie to the three in the room.

“If I were you, I would behave. Now, I cannot remove the Key from the queen without killing her. Gideon’s orders, you know how that goes. But, Destined Child,” Aaron gestured towards Ryu. “You have the other Keys on your person. Give them to me now or,” Aaron made another gesture and Leon was sent to his knees, gasping in pain.

Leon shook his head, despite the massive amount of pain he was in. “Ryu… don’t…l-listen to him…”

Nunnally rapidly shook her head. “Brother!”

Ryu made a move towards Nunnally, but Aaron moved first. He made another hand gesture, this time at Nunnally. The Brood princess screamed as her body seized. Her eyes rolled back in her head as her breathing became rapid and uneven.

Leon noticed that Ryu was shaking violently. Aaron smiled. “So, are the Goddess Keys worth the lives of your brother and sister?”

Leon knew while that he could withstand some punishment, Nunnally was in no condition to take that kind of pain. The princess howled in pain as she clutched her chest tightly. Leon’s eyes flashed red and he forced himself to his feet, his hand still clutching his chest. Leon felt like he was going into cardiac arrest. He knew that Nunnally was feeling the same thing he was.

He had to hurry. Leon jerked his head over in Ryu’s direction, who had taken hold of the pouch with the Goddess Keys in them. Ryu was looking at the Keys with an intense look in his eyes. Leon growled slightly.

“Don’t…!” Leon yelled through the pain.

Ryu jerked his head up and stared at Leon. “I’m sorry…” Ryu said quietly. “I… can’t let him kill you and Nunnally…”

Ryu stood up and tossed the pouch over to Aaron. Aaron caught the pouch and smiled. “So, their lives are more important to you than the Keys?” Aaron asked. Ryu nodded numbly.

“Stop this, now,” Ryu said in a dark voice. “You have the Keys, let Demus and Nunnally go…”

“DAMNIT!” Leon roared. “What the hell do you think you are doing?!”

Aaron smiled. He turned his attention to Nunnally and clenched his fist shut. Nunnally howled in pain as her body seized once more, before falling deathly silent. Ryu ran over to Nunnally and nearly screamed. Leon noticed what Ryu was looking at. Nunnally wasn’t breathing. Ryu was franticly checking for a pulse.

Aaron smiled as he turned his attention to Leon. Leon growled when he saw Aaron point towards him. Before he was able to close his fist, a bolt of lightening shot from the door and right at Aaron. Leon staggered around and spotted a really pissed looking Jin Uzuki standing in the doorway.

Aaron’s smile faded slightly at the arrival of his son. Leon was silently thanking whatever deity was listening at the timely arrival of the doctor. Leon gestured towards Nunnally and Ryu. Jin looked torn. He shook his head and finally ran over to Nunnally and Ryu and quickly placed Nunnally on the bed.

Leon watched as Jin started to perform CPR on Nunnally. Ryu just stood there, a look of shock and disbelief on his face. Leon turned his attention back to Aaron, who was making a move towards Ryu.

Leon closed his eyes and muttered something under his breath. Aaron raised his arm to strike at Ryu, but Leon moved in front of the way. Ryu and Aaron’s eyes both widened as a bolt of dark light lanced from Aaron’s arm and hit Leon in the stomach. Ryu yelled in despair as Leon struggled to stay on his feet.

Jin glanced up slightly, before going back to trying to revive Nunnally. Leon knew that if it weren’t for Nunnally, Jin would be fighting Aaron. But, the girl’s welfare came above all things.

Aaron’s eyes narrowed and he made another gesture towards Leon. Leon smiled viciously as he lunged for Aaron. There was a sputtering noise and Leon jerked his head around and saw Nunnally gasping for breath. Leon sighed in relief. Unfortunately, that was all the time Aaron needed.

Aaron clenched his fist shut. Leon howled in pain as he felt his heart clench. The pain was too intense. Leon felt like he was about to black out from the pain. Suddenly, he felt the pain vanish. He looked up, gasping for air, and saw Jin bum rush Aaron. Leon glanced back and spotted Ryu on his knees, shaking violently.

“Get…UP!” Leon shouted at his younger brother. Ryu looked up at Leon. “Now… is… not the time… to lose… it!”

Aaron yelled in pain as Jin shot another lightning bolt at the mad man. Aaron frowned slightly and made a hand gesture towards Jin, but Jin did not seem affected by whatever Aaron was trying to do. Jin snarled and glared at Aaron.

“Tell me,” Jin said in a dark edgy voice. “How long have you been possessing him, Legence?”

Aaron laughed. “Possessed? No, my dear boy, you have it all wrong. I am God’s chosen! And God wants me to retrieve the lost Goddess Keys.”

“Your ‘god’ s a demon with a god complex!” Jin practically roared. “God… the true God does not want you here! She wants you GONE!” Jin yelled as he let loose another bolt.

Aaron laughed as he deflected the bolt. It would have hit Jin if not for the quickly placed light shields, courtesy of Yuki. Yuki glared at Aaron. Leon frowned. Aaron smiled as he raised his hands and channeled energy into them. He let loose the blast. Jin and Yuki prepared to defend, but the target was not them.

Ryu looked up and spotted the blast coming right for him. He tried to move, but Aaron made a sign and Ryu was frozen in place. Leon pushed his body forward and pushed Ryu out of the way, just as the bolt hit him square in the chest. Leon howled as the bolt laced right through him. He choked up blood and collapsed to the ground.

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Ryu screamed as Yuki balled her hands into fists. “I AM LIGHT!” Yuki screamed at the top of her lungs.

Ryu’s brother had saved him, even after all the things that Ryu had said to him. All the hateful words and scorns that he had given the man known as Leon Masters. Ryu had thought that he didn’t care about his brother, but in that moment of Leon hitting the ground, Ryu felt his blood boil over.

It was like Navare all over again. Only this time, Ryu felt an odd type of control over his emotions. He remembered a long time ago, someone telling him that power came from one’s emotions. He couldn’t remember who told him that; maybe it had been in a past life and the speaker had been Leigh or even Lucien.

The only thing that Ryu knew was that Yuki was trying her hand at a really powerful spell that she didn’t have the knowledge to cast completely without dangerous consequences.

Oh, and Jin and Yuki’s father had tried to kill his brother and sister.

Karma was a bitch. Aaron was about to find out this classic truth.

Ryu closed his eyes. He attempted to channel the power of the Dragon God through his body, to force an Ascension or something… anything, but the powers would not flow properly.

On the cosmic scale, Ladon was the chaos of the Creator God, the male form. Ryu knew that chaos could not be controlled, only directed. So, Ryu stopped fighting the flow and allowed the power to flow through him.

He had not trained in his dragon forms before, so this was something that was completely out of his area of control. It didn’t matter end the end, however. There was a sudden flash of light, and Ryu’s form started to change.

Ryu’s eyes flashed red and his hair changed from blue to gold. Ryu screamed as lightening started to project from his very being. Ryu started to levitate into the air, dragon wings bursting from his back. Ryu’s hair then went from gold to white. Scales grew on his arms, starting from his elbows and making their way down to his hands. Scales sprung up around his mid section and ran down his legs all the way to his feet. His feet changed into three-toed talons. A tail grew from his back and red horns and red markings appeared on his head. Ryu let out a roar.

It was not the form of the Kaiser Dragon, but the form of the Warrior Dragon. Not what he had been aiming for, but at least he didn’t have to worry about Troy wanting to kill him for busting up his castle.

The hybrid growled at Aaron and slammed its tail into the ground. Ryu liked the scared look that Aaron was currently giving him. Yuki had stopped her spell in mid sentence and instead had ran over to Leon and knelt down and placed his head in her lap.

Ryu noticed that Jin was standing a little off to his left, his hands charging with lightning. Jin gave Ryu a nod and Ryu turned his attention back to Aaron. The man simply laughed and gestured towards Ryu.

“And what do you call that?” Aaron questioned. “You try for the emperor and instead you get a lowly foot soldier,” Aaron finished with a laugh.

Bastard, Ryu thought. Out loud he responded, “ The powers of the Gods, especially those of the power of chaos, are not to be taken lightly. The powers cannot be controlled, only directed. I let the powers flow through me, and this was the result.”

Ryu noticed that his voice had taken on a grainy sound to it. It didn’t matter though. Before Aaron had the chance to respond, Ryu lunged at the bastard and clawed into him with everything he had. The man howled in pain and tried to defend himself, but Ryu attacked like a bat out of hell.

Aaron howled once more as a dark light started to form around him. He jumped back and grabbed Valerie. He vanished in a dark plume of light. The hybrid dragon howled in anger and flashed once. Ryu stood unscathed in his human form once more.

Ryu turned his attention to Yuki and Jin. “Can you save him?”

Jin shook his head. “I can’t… not without the proper equipment. I’m no healer. Besides, the damage done is beyond a basic healer.”

“Sari… she could reject this!” Yuki said, tears staring to well up in her eyes.

She started to get up, but Leon grabbed her wrist. “No… it’s… its fine. Please don’t… give me that look…” Leon reached up with his hand and cradled the side of Yuki’s face. “She’s… too far… won’t make it…”

“She’s on the other side of the castle, not the world you dumbass…” Ryu said numbly.

Yuki rapidly shook her head. Ryu staggered over to where Yuki and Leon were. He fell to his knees and took hold of one of Leon’s hands. Leon only looked up at Ryu.

“Nunn… she…?”

“She’s fine,” Ryu said in a small voice. “She’s okay now.”

“…good… at’s good…” Leon mumbled.

“Leon…” Yuki whined. “Don’t even think about it…”

“’s okay…” Leon said as he looked up at Yuki. He turned his attention to Ryu. “Why… give… Keys…?”

“I didn’t want Aaron to kill Nunnally…” Ryu said as tears rolled down his face. “Or… you… but now…” Ryu choked back a sob.

“It’s not in vain,” another voice said from the doorway. Ryu looked up and stopped Sari standing in the doorway. She walked over to Leon and knelt down besides Ryu and Yuki. “I can…”

“No…” Leon said weakly.

“You do NOT have a say in this!” Sari snapped. She took hold of Leon’s hand. “Soten Kisshun! I… REJECT!”

Leon howled in pain as his body seized. When the light died down, Leon’s body was perfectly normal. He glanced up at Sari with a bewildered look on his face.

“The Shun Shun Rikka,” Yuki giggled. “The Six Flowers of the Hibiscus Shield. You actually used it!”

Sari rolled her eyes. “Yes, you can now shut up Yuki.”

“Brother!” Leon turned his head and spotted Nunnally sitting up on the bed, a look of relief on her young face. “You’re alright!”

“Yeah,” Leon said as he sat up. Yuki smiled and Ryu looked relieved as well.

“Aaron has all the Goddess Keys, now,” Jin said, catching the attention of everyone in the room.

“I…” Ryu hung his head. Oh yes. How could he forget that? “It’s my fault… if I wasn’t so weak… and now he has my mother once more…”

“It’s not over yet,” everyone in the room turned towards the doorway to see Manna and Nina. Manna gave them a wry smile. “Gather everyone. We got some planning to do!”

 

To be continued…