Echoes, Shadows
TITLE: Echoes, Shadows
FANDOM: Tokyo Babylon/X-1999
CHARACTERS: Hokuto, Seishiro
TABLE: # 7 - Miscellaneous A
PROMPT: 02. Decisions
RATING: PG
WORD COUNT: 293
SUMMARY: Hokuto, inside the tree, is no longer alone.
NOTE: The final story for this table. Dedicated, randomly, to shinodabear.
There is nothing here but memories. The memories of victims; memories of suffering, pain, an instantaneous moment of bliss. The essence of thousands and thousands and thousands of lives uncompleted.
She takes only her own memories into the deep, builds a house to live in between the branches and the white petals turning pink. It’s her house, but its empty, and she doesn’t want it any other way. Her pierced heart craves company, yet there is peace in the loneliness. Serenely, she lets time slip away.
Until her house is no longer empty. Until he comes inside and roams the rooms as a ghost, unwanted yet welcome, shattering her equilibrium with satisfaction, regret. The shadow of a wish not granted.
I’m happy, she tells him and it’s almost true. What he is feeling she doesn’t know, only that he has finally come home.
He belongs here and so, she has realised a long time ago, does she.
He will never get here, he reminds her, with either amusement or accusation. You made sure of that, and now you will never see him again.
Neither will you.
Never, he repeats, perhaps lost, perhaps through the echo of a mask he is no longer wearing. His presence is steady at her side, already part of her shadow. They belong together for they are all they have left; killer and victim, victim and killer in imperfect balance. Neither of them any less alone. Keeping him from me, from you, forever, he says. Is this what you wanted?
I wanted him safe. She smiles. My wishes do not matter.
It is a lie, of course. The choice was hers, and following her own desires, she sealed the fate of him, of them, of the world, long ago.
August 18, 2009
FANDOM: Tokyo Babylon/X-1999
CHARACTERS: Hokuto, Seishiro
TABLE: # 7 - Miscellaneous A
PROMPT: 02. Decisions
RATING: PG
WORD COUNT: 293
SUMMARY: Hokuto, inside the tree, is no longer alone.
NOTE: The final story for this table. Dedicated, randomly, to shinodabear.
There is nothing here but memories. The memories of victims; memories of suffering, pain, an instantaneous moment of bliss. The essence of thousands and thousands and thousands of lives uncompleted.
She takes only her own memories into the deep, builds a house to live in between the branches and the white petals turning pink. It’s her house, but its empty, and she doesn’t want it any other way. Her pierced heart craves company, yet there is peace in the loneliness. Serenely, she lets time slip away.
Until her house is no longer empty. Until he comes inside and roams the rooms as a ghost, unwanted yet welcome, shattering her equilibrium with satisfaction, regret. The shadow of a wish not granted.
I’m happy, she tells him and it’s almost true. What he is feeling she doesn’t know, only that he has finally come home.
He belongs here and so, she has realised a long time ago, does she.
He will never get here, he reminds her, with either amusement or accusation. You made sure of that, and now you will never see him again.
Neither will you.
Never, he repeats, perhaps lost, perhaps through the echo of a mask he is no longer wearing. His presence is steady at her side, already part of her shadow. They belong together for they are all they have left; killer and victim, victim and killer in imperfect balance. Neither of them any less alone. Keeping him from me, from you, forever, he says. Is this what you wanted?
I wanted him safe. She smiles. My wishes do not matter.
It is a lie, of course. The choice was hers, and following her own desires, she sealed the fate of him, of them, of the world, long ago.
August 18, 2009