Elwen Posted January 10, 2004 Report Posted January 10, 2004 (edited) A Single Truth *Sequel to “Choices. (And ‘Shinnite’ is the protagonist’s family name. She likes it better than her given name. And yes, Elisa, I just threw in some random stuff with the Cole-Shinnite scene at the end, extending on the actual RP. Feedback IS quite welcome, as harsh as you can make it.* January 1st, 2000 For as long as she could remember, Shinnite Midori had always wondered what it was like to die-or, at the very least, what her own death would be like. After all, she had lived every day of her twenty-six year life knowing that she was born for one purpose and for one purpose alone. Probably that morbid side of her came from the fact she had always known of the one pivotal moment in her life, when the fate of humanity and of Mother Earth herself would rest in her hands. Shinnite had a grand total of two things to say on /that/ subject. The first being that if she had been born for /only/ that purpose, than the twenty-six years that constituted her life were simply pointless, stupid, and anticlimactic, and everything she had done was highly overrated. And it was highly ironic that she had the presence of mind, considering that she had a god-blessed sword stuck through her chest, to appreciate that little irony. The second was that angsting about a possible outcome endlessly was not only a waste of time, it was three-quarters of a person’s suffering-over things that MAY happen, not what HAS happened. Shinnite had expected that the Final Battle would be a great deal more…dramatic. Somehow, though she should be relieved, Shinnite found herself to be a little disappointed, despite the outcome. After all, she had supposedly been born for this task-shouldn’t it have been a little more…spectacular, somehow? It wasn’t as painful as she had been expecting. Not anywhere near as painful as what Tiller had suffered, nor ‘Ven, nor Linden. The Shadowed One had been strangely…merciful in striking that final blow, unlike all the months that he had been toying with her, or what he had done to his other victims. In a way, that was disappointing. But then, Shinnite supposed, it was her guilt speaking up. It was because of me that so many died. Shinnite thought despairingly. This is all I can do, in their memory. Give up everything I have…they did, whether they were a Seal, in my defense and in life’s defense, or because they were an Angel and it was their destiny, or just an ordinary person who was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. It’s better this way… Maybe, this way, she could find peace…even as her spirit slowly let go of her body, even as she knew that she was dying, Shinnite felt a strange sense of inner stillness, serenity blossoming at long last inside her heart. This could help her find redemption. Shinnite…my star of hope…the people you have lost…and the dreams that have faded…they will live on in your heart…as long as you remember. Linden… Shinnite thought dazedly. I promise you…no matter what… She tilted her head back slightly, and strands of her chin-length chestnut hair fell into her eyes: her vision was swimming, fading in and out. I will never forget. Cole, despite having ‘won’ their battle, looked confused. Why did Shinnite hold back? She could have won, and easily. But she hadn’t even tried. Why? Surely, Linden’s death should have angered her enough…should have angered her enough that she would have been able to finish him. The younger man didn’t understand, why she had spared him and why she had held back, and he made that point quite clear. Shinnite smiled up at him, and in that smile was the insinuation that her action was the most logical in the world. “This is the only way.” The young woman said gently, her violet gaze holding his. “To set you free, Cole.” No matter what you do, one will be always there to counter what the One does, Shinnite, and I am that one… the Shadowed One, your shadow and your opposing star.” It was because of her that Cole had been destroyed. Maybe, after she was gone, whatever Power that was out there, God or Goddess, would take pity and restore what she had sundered, when she had made the mistake of choosing to save humanity. Shinnite’s eyes nearly closed-but in the back of her mind, the dying Sumeragi was still smiling at her, the way he had smiled so rarely when he had been alive. Shinnite…my star of hope…the people you have lost…and the dreams that have faded…they will live on in your heart…as long as you remember. Linden’s voice still echoed in her mind, and Shinnite forced her eyes open again. Linden smiled, at the very end. Do you want that smile to freeze like that, Midori? The memory of that smile and his words helped to strengthen her resolve to do what she was about to do, to do what Kris had shown her the way for. The third outcome to the Promised Day. Shinnite wanted to keep that memory, that image, with her forever. Only a little longer, and she could rest. “I realized that if *you* were to die, you would be forgotten.” Shinnite said softly, the massive blood loss taking its toll. If she had been anyone else, she would have been dead already, hell with talking coherently-but she was the One, gifted with the power of the Powers that Be. “No one would remember you the way you were…the Shadowed One would be remembered, and hated, but Cole, Mordekai’s twin, would be forgotten.” She wanted to let go, but it wasn’t her time yet. Not yet. Almost, but not quite. “But if I was the one to die…I would live on forever, in your heart.” Shinnite said quietly. “And I choose the door that neither of us saw…” She trailed off abruptly, as she watched Cole’s eyes change, soften and warm, even as he frowned in complete confusion. It was only a tiny spark, barely there in the ice that were his eyes…but it was the opening Shinnite needed. “In your hands…I place my final hope.” Shinnite gasped out, opening herself up completely to the power that hummed in her veins. It would take everything she had, but in the end…it would be worth it. “Be not what others want you to be…but be yourself…” Shinnite knew that she didn’t have much time left. As soon as her last reserves of strength dried up…it was over. She would die. The young woman slowly began to fall backwards, and she felt arms cradle her closely, as the holy sword was pulled from her body. It hurt, like hell-what else was new?-but she was too weak to cry out. Shinnite, however, had a stray thought: why on earth did it hurt more to pull the sword out than to stick it in? Shinnite began to sob, silently, the tears falling like rain. Her last act would finally make a difference, but when so many people had already been sacrificed…she couldn’t bear it, even at the end of her life. Too many. Linden…I’m sorry, I’m so sorry… For him. For if there was only a single truth, it was this: Shinnite had not just chosen the third door in order to free Cole, but to follow Linden, for there was nothing for her without him. He had probably been the one thing in her life that hadn’t been focused around the Promised Day and her choice that had been the prelude to this whole year, this dance of madness and blood that had finally ended in death (or running from said choice). His death had shattered something in her, which she’d never get back, no matter how long she may live. The edges of her vision grayed and blurred even more, turning inward and her whole world went dark. “Shinnite…” Cole whispered. At the sound of that voice, so long absent and so long missed, Shinnite managed a trembling, though genuine smile, though her tears were still falling. She wanted to laugh with delight and dance in a giddy circle, but knew that she wasn’t and would never be strong enough to laugh anymore, much less dance in a giddy circle. “You have another…another Wish…” the former Shadowed One said, and she could feel his body shake, as if he were sobbing. Shinnite would have responded, except that her voice didn’t seem to work anymore, she was too tired, and she was beginning to convulse in such a way that she might have thought she was having epileptic seizures and would make it quite difficult to respond if she had actually been able to, except that a, she wasn’t epileptic, b, if she was having seizures she wouldn’t be able to realize she was having one until it was over, and c, her body was on the verge of complete shutdown and it was protesting violently against letting her spirit move on so easily. Yes. she thought, sleepily. I want you and the others to live your lives, as best as you can, without looking back. Unrealistic, she knew, but Shinnite really didn’t care at this point. She could dimly hear Cole saying something, but it was too faraway now, she couldn’t hear it. Shinnite’s breathing began to stutter horribly. She was so cold, and no matter how much she shivered, she couldn’t get warm. She could vaguely hear the outlines as Cole choked out various sentences, but she couldn’t hear any of them. It was so far away…like the gentle music of the sea. All that mattered was that Cole, not the Shadowed One, was with her now, and that she would finally go to be with Linden. Whether it was in Heaven or in Hell or in Purgatory or in oblivion, it didn’t matter to her. Not now, and it never had. Eventually, some part of her that was calm and tranquil reached out and pulled the rest of her away, away from her pain, away from her body, into soothing nothingness. Shinnite, though she had fought everything else all her life, didn’t fight this, for she was no longer afraid of death-if she had ever been afraid. Didn’t fight the mercy that was the emptiness, and she stepped forward as her eyes closed, her spirit stepping into the darkness gracefully, long black coat trailing behind her like the wings of a fallen, dark angel. Here, there was no pain. She had found her peace. Shinnite, my star of hope… Shinnite looked up and saw the man she had thought she would never see again, tall and slender, his mismatched eyes, blue and green-the eyes she had always called “miko’s eyes”-fixed on her, as he smiled, the expression softening his typically serious, beautiful face. Linden’s willowy form was outlined in shimmering radiance. Linden?! Shinnite was flatly astounded. How- Kiboo no hoshi, death is only the beginning. And everything starts here. He extended his arms, and Shinnite walked towards him, and into the light. Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It’s the transition that’s troublesome. ~Owari~ *Some notes. The quote at the end is by Isaac Asimov (the 'life is pleasant... quote.)* Glossary: Kiboo no hoshi-Japanese for “star of hope.” Basically, it’s Linden’s pet name for Shinnite. Yes, I know that Linden is redundant, using both the English and Japanese, but in this case, he is meant to be. Edited January 10, 2004 by Elwen
smallscale_mind_games Posted January 10, 2004 Report Posted January 10, 2004 Heeey, that almost made me cry! Good. But you forgot Cole's bloodcurdling scream at the end! The horror!...heh, I only kid, that rocked.
Damon Inferel Posted February 2, 2004 Report Posted February 2, 2004 Shinnite, however, had a stray thought: why on earth did it hurt more to pull the sword out than to stick it in? That was pretty funny, but true. Though I don't think the story was meant to be funny. It always seems that the main character dies for some reason, though in this one, I cna guess her purpose in life was to die, but what the hell killed her? The Shadowed One? Was there some sort of alternative cosmic battlegoing on that had to take her as a sacrifice for peace or something? This was a very easy and good read, but it has this hole in it that mkaes you wonder exactly why she's dying. It's like "Feed Me Seymour." (Little Shop of Horrors, starring Rick Moranis) But, it was still a very good story, and seemingly shorter in terms of my reading speed than the... Unredeemed One, I think it was. Well, ai shiteru, and Ja Ne. I'll read the newer ones a little later. I have to do something...
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