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if_i_trace2006-06-24 12:52 am
nekonexus.livejournal.com) wrote in if_i_trace2006-06-24 12:52 am
Part 29
Previously...
... No, you don't get a clever opening for this. Only warnings that would be spoilers and a request to please don't shoot the Author. ~_~
~*~*~
Moving slowly to the edge of the spotlight's beam, Val cupped his hands together. His palms tingled, the air trapped between them warming quickly. The buzzing in the back of his mind grew stronger, turning to a low-pitched hum that vibrated through his bones. Somewhere on the periphery of his vision and awareness, Steve was edging slowly down the hill, but Val's attention was focused on the dark-haired man emerging from the culvert.
That man... he was the one... dangerous. Infectious. Not to be trusted.
The hum shifted tones, became a steady stream of inaudible words and Val stretched his hands out, and back, and out again. He closed his eyes, concentrating on the words he couldn't quite hear and the energy building between his hands. Out and back. Out. Back. A stretching motion. Pulling something into existence.
This is mine, he thought, fiercely.
The earth was cool beneath his feet, grass caressing his soles. A faint breeze carried the scent of stale water, rotting vegetation, and fear, sharp and bright as a weapon.
His eyes snapped open.
Halfway down the hill now, moving faster and faster, gravity barely binding him.
And his staff was in his hands again, comfortable, familiar. His in energy, in essence, in the weight of promise and finality.
The name someone screamed had no meaning for him.
The words in his head told him what he had to do.
~*~*~
Tamsin's initial disbelief turned to deep fear and adrenaline-fueled panic very very quickly. The cop he could deal with, but that... that thing that masqueraded as human....
Nothing human could move that fast --
he's not human
-- but there must be something in what he'd found at Kurosai. Some code, some word, some way to stop it.
Tamsin stumbled back a step reflexively as the figure turned to a blur of motion. The cop's yell barely registered and it certainly did nothing to even slow the creature's advance.
Something! Anything!
His subconscious reached for self-defense, and he dropped into a martial arts stance learned years ago, while the rest of his brain reached for any possible key from the files he'd skimmed.
"GK... 9... uh..." he began.
He could count the seconds, feel the individual beats of his heart.
Could see the golden glow of inhuman eyes, feel the air move before the sweep of a staff --
"DELETE!" he screamed, moving in a futile attempt to deflect the crushing blow.
And it collapsed in a heap at his feet, staff tumbling off harmlessly sideways.
He stared down at the figure, so beyond surprised that he had no way to describe the emotion. His hands fell to his sides, palms damp. He hadn't done anything....
The bark of a gun split the night as he raised his head to look for the cop.
He almost didn't feel it, didn't register that the cop had fired at him until he crumpled helplessly to the ground. The bullet had torn through his chest, he saw, staring down at the stain spreading on his shirt. A direct shot to the heart, meant to kill a violent criminal when there were no other options left. But he wasn't. But there were.... But --
The pain hit in the same instant as realization.
Oh FUCK
oh no
it's not supposed to fucking hurt
oh Ran
oh god i'm sorry....
~*~*~
>>
... No, you don't get a clever opening for this. Only warnings that would be spoilers and a request to please don't shoot the Author. ~_~
~*~*~
Moving slowly to the edge of the spotlight's beam, Val cupped his hands together. His palms tingled, the air trapped between them warming quickly. The buzzing in the back of his mind grew stronger, turning to a low-pitched hum that vibrated through his bones. Somewhere on the periphery of his vision and awareness, Steve was edging slowly down the hill, but Val's attention was focused on the dark-haired man emerging from the culvert.
That man... he was the one... dangerous. Infectious. Not to be trusted.
The hum shifted tones, became a steady stream of inaudible words and Val stretched his hands out, and back, and out again. He closed his eyes, concentrating on the words he couldn't quite hear and the energy building between his hands. Out and back. Out. Back. A stretching motion. Pulling something into existence.
This is mine, he thought, fiercely.
The earth was cool beneath his feet, grass caressing his soles. A faint breeze carried the scent of stale water, rotting vegetation, and fear, sharp and bright as a weapon.
His eyes snapped open.
Halfway down the hill now, moving faster and faster, gravity barely binding him.
And his staff was in his hands again, comfortable, familiar. His in energy, in essence, in the weight of promise and finality.
The name someone screamed had no meaning for him.
The words in his head told him what he had to do.
~*~*~
Tamsin's initial disbelief turned to deep fear and adrenaline-fueled panic very very quickly. The cop he could deal with, but that... that thing that masqueraded as human....
Nothing human could move that fast --
he's not human
-- but there must be something in what he'd found at Kurosai. Some code, some word, some way to stop it.
Tamsin stumbled back a step reflexively as the figure turned to a blur of motion. The cop's yell barely registered and it certainly did nothing to even slow the creature's advance.
Something! Anything!
His subconscious reached for self-defense, and he dropped into a martial arts stance learned years ago, while the rest of his brain reached for any possible key from the files he'd skimmed.
"GK... 9... uh..." he began.
He could count the seconds, feel the individual beats of his heart.
Could see the golden glow of inhuman eyes, feel the air move before the sweep of a staff --
"DELETE!" he screamed, moving in a futile attempt to deflect the crushing blow.
And it collapsed in a heap at his feet, staff tumbling off harmlessly sideways.
He stared down at the figure, so beyond surprised that he had no way to describe the emotion. His hands fell to his sides, palms damp. He hadn't done anything....
The bark of a gun split the night as he raised his head to look for the cop.
He almost didn't feel it, didn't register that the cop had fired at him until he crumpled helplessly to the ground. The bullet had torn through his chest, he saw, staring down at the stain spreading on his shirt. A direct shot to the heart, meant to kill a violent criminal when there were no other options left. But he wasn't. But there were.... But --
The pain hit in the same instant as realization.
Oh FUCK
oh no
it's not supposed to fucking hurt
oh Ran
oh god i'm sorry....
~*~*~
>>
no subject
Thats all folks.
no subject
thanks for reading (and letting me know you're reading ^^)
no subject
But--that--*sputters* Ta~av! *paws at you*
So Val--and Tamsin--and Keiran's going to--
Aargh!
*sits down to await further glimpses of enlightenment*
no subject
Not Really
Having said that, this would be good ending as is.
Re: Not Really
Re: Not Really
Re: Not Really
no subject
*stares coolly at you for a long moment*
*smiles* Well. I wouldn't presume the right to suggest that either you or your characters are not best-suited to judge where their story ought to end, heavens no. However. Such lack of closure can tend to generate bad karma, you realize, and I doubt very much that you'd enjoy being haunted by that in your next life. *brightens the smile* Perhaps, then, if this particular chapter of their story is truly at its end, such closure might be sought in additional chapters?
I do seem to recall a certain un-finished glimpse at later happenings than this, after all.Do think about it, won't you?
*sighs deeply* Ah, well. It is your story, in the end. *tilts head so that light glints off one lens of glasses* But I'm afraid that I will be quite...disappointed...if you should say 'no'.
*smiles sweetly*
no subject
It's not actually the end. I'm just mean, as Kiro says. >.< Err... please not to be flashing the glasses again? ^_^;
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no subject
*snaps pocket-flogger in his general direction*
Okay what about Steve & Val
(but seeing how Jake helps Keiran deal with his loss is what I am really wanting ^_^)
no subject
...
...as are pocket-floggers. ^_~
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A Real Reply
Need beta for replies!!!
Re: A Real Reply
When I started writing, yeah, I wasn't fond of Tam, but he totally grew on me, and -- in some ways -- I think I like him better. Keiran... had it easy. He got school, his career, stuff worked out of him. But Tam... *sigh* I can't call him the "bad/evil" twin.
I've known the story would end up like this for ages, and maybe kept stalling on writing it... but I couldn't change it. ~_~ Poor Tam. Wrong place, wrong time... wrong life maybe.
Re: A Real Reply
After my twin died, I was at a family reunion and an elderly great aunt walked over to me and said, "Now which one of you died?"
There was a gasp from everyone, but it didn't offend me, I knew exactly what she meant, but I wasn't sure.
I really enjoyed this fic. Thank you
no subject
Ouch. Fitting, though, that such a complicated life is capped with such a short, sharp death. It rings true in that way that truly terrible inevitabilities often do. Well done.
*feels oddly hollow*
no subject
no subject