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TranslateTranslateBrothers in Arms
by Dark Amethyst
Chapter 11
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= = = R = = =
It�s been nearly a week since Nephrite made his plan, and he�s made no more mention of it. But I�m not fool enough to think he�s forgotten, or changed his mind. He�s resting up. We all are. We haven�t spoken much, spending our days mostly on the beach. It would be heavenly but for the sense of fate hanging over us. Jadeite is the only one that�s seemed somehow lighter. He notices everything � tastes and smells � the aesthetic beauty of girls in string bikinis. He looks at the world as if he�s never seen it before.
Nephrite is just sombre, his eyes almost always closed. He�s tormenting himself, I�m sure, over what he�s done. The fact that he was forced seems to give him no comfort. I can see why he feels he must go back. It�s the only way he can live with himself.
Jadeite too seems to want to return, for the sake of his friends. I don�t feel that Neph has roped him into it, which relieves me. I can�t agree with them, with this whole mad plan�getting involved in everything again. However - I grudgingly respect them both - willing to give up a free untroubled life, something they have never known � to risk losing it again, for the chance to help their comrades. I�m honoured to know them. Honoured to help them.
What choice do I have, anyway, but to follow wherever Nephrite leads me? I have no other desire. I want to serve him. It�s my world now.
I thought perhaps things would change between us, once his memories returned. But he hasn�t seemed to notice me, or consider what he�s done. Or perhaps he has, but it�s just one amid a thousand other regrets. His mind is full � I understand. And I don�t wish to add to his troubles. He doesn�t need to apologize, or coddle me. I�m not sorry for what has happened between us. I�m grateful. And I will help him however I can...whatever I am to him.
. . .
At length, the fateful day finally arrives�or rather, night. Nephrite has chosen midnight to attempt this, feeling the stars more powerfully � and Jadeite and I can hardly complain. We have no idea how to attempt what Nephrite is planning � it�s all in his hands. All we can do is lend him our energy.
We have returned to our empty island, it seeming somehow appropriate. We sit now, cross-legged on the warm sand, holding hands�making a circle. A thought occurs to me � a stab of fear�that I may never return�to this time�to my former life. But Nephrite commands us to clear our thoughts, and I do so, bowing my head.
Nephrite says nothing more, but I feel my energy begin to run out of me rapidly, flowing through my hand into his. I feel weaker and weaker�nearly dizzy. The world around my ears seems to wobble and shift, but I keep my head down, eyes closed, my head spinning drunkenly. I grasp the hands in mine more tightly, feeling ready to topple over.
�Rachael,� says a soft voice. I open my squinted eyes hesitantly to find Nephrite staring at me, his face dappled by the shadow of leaves. I glance around, somewhat astounded, at the trees all around us, a night breeze whispering through their overhanging branches. Nephrite and Jed have let go each other�s hands, and I notice embarrassedly that I am still clinging desperately to theirs. I release them reluctantly, standing up when they do.
�What do we do now?� I ask Nephrite, but he hushes me. He�s looking around him huntedly, his brow furrowed. We move, very slowly, through the park, keeping carefully hidden behind trees. Suddenly Nephrite stiffens and freezes. I step up soundlessly to peek from behind him. There � a short distance off � Nephrite is sitting�his former self, that is�resting his back against a tree�talking with Naru. I stare at her. She looks so very young. So innocent.
�Jadeite,� my Nephrite whispers now, commandingly. �You know the plan. We stand back, and watch for the youma. Take your position. And you too, Rachael. Hide yourself.�
Jadeite moves carefully off, and I am supposed to be doing the same. But I�ve just realized something�and I can barely breathe.
�Nephrite?�
His attention is wholly taken up with Naru�relieving the scene word for word, I�m sure. He half-turns to answer me, angry and short.
�What? What are you doing standing here? I told you��
�I know,� I interrupt miserably. �And I will. I just wanted�to say�goodbye.�
�What are you talking about?� he complains, frustrated, still hardly looking at me. �Are you telling me you�re backing out now?�
�No,� I answer sadly, trying hard not to cry. �I�ve just been thinking�logically. If you�if he,� I nod my head towards Nephrite�s other self in clarification, �never dies�if you prevent that�you�ll never come to meet me. According to logic�I�ll disappear.�
I have all his attention now, suddenly. He stares at me, eyes widened in realization, and growing panic. My tear-clouded eyes chance to fall beyond him to Jadeite, just visible through the trees, crouching in readiness. My heart winces.
�And poor Jed,� I murmur. �He�ll go back�to his punishment. You�ll never free him. All of this � will never have happened.�
The sound of laughter floats to us on the air and we look to see Neph and Naru, dissolved in tears of mirth. The sound of Nephrite�laughing�is a sound I�ve never heard. Never even imagined. I�m glad I got to hear it at least once.
Suddenly, between us and them, three shadowy figures materialize�Zoicite�s youma � I recognize them from Nephrite�s memories. We watch as Jadeite raises his hands, as planned � preparing to attack. I feel the mounting frustration from Nephrite beside me as he stares from Jed to Naru and back again � nearly vibrating with desperate confusion. I raise my own hands, building energy�waiting for the command from Nephrite�but all at once, just as the youma is summoning her own attack, Nephrite turns and blasts Jadeite with energy � the sound masked by Naru�s scream. Bloody history repeats itself - the forest echoing to the youma�s attack and Naru�s frightened shrieks, while Nephrite and I hurry unnoticed to Jadeite�s inert form.
�Is he dead?� I panic, as we kneel on either side of him. Nephrite doesn�t answer me, his eyes narrowed, his jaw set, torment evident on every feature. Another laugh suddenly rides on the air - a horrible, sadistic, evil sound. My flesh crawls. Zoicite.
I want desperately to run away, afraid to be so near�afraid that he might discover us. I want to hurry Nephrite, who is leaning over Jed, searching for signs of life�but I dare not make a sound. I take one of Jadeite�s hands in mine, and to my relief I feel a pulse throbbing at his wrist. He�s hurt, though � his torso terribly burned by the energy. Nephrite sits back, staring down sightlessly, doing nothing � his whole attention elsewhere�tears in his lifeless eyes, his fists clenched.
�Nephrite.� After waiting many tense minutes, I dare a desperate whisper at him. �Let�s get out of here. Let�s take him somewhere. He needs a doctor. There�s nothing you can do. I�m so sorry.�
He merely winces further at my expression of sympathy, but eases a hand under Jadeite�s head, pulling him up, into his arms. The forest at last stops ringing with battle and shouts. It�s strangely still. I step closer to Nephrite, putting my arms around Jed as well, waiting for him to teleport. But he is waiting�listening�his eyes squeezed shut, his head turned�bracing himself for something. And then it comes - Naru�s heart-rending wail�agonized�desolate�enough to tear your heart out. It is still ringing in my ears as our bodies finally dissolve into energy.
We reform in another place�a large darkened living room, sparsely but expensively furnished. We lay Jadeite down on the black leather couch, and I turn to say I know not what to Nephrite � but he leaves abruptly, slamming the door of the room behind him. In a few moments, the house begins to shake with the force of distant explosions�and I can hear, even over these, Nephrite�s flood of curses.
The noise wakes poor Jadeite. He blinks confusedly a moment, wincing in pain, before sitting up despite his injury, looking around him furiously.
I fall to my knees beside him, trying to push him back down.
�What the hell is going on?� he demands, understandably confused. I explain to him, still pushing on his shoulders, and as he takes it in�he at last submits, and lays quietly beneath my hands. I rip the remainder of his blackened shirt apart, to stare at his ravaged chest. The sounds of Nephrite�s fury still rock the house.
�Well,� Jadeite sighs deeply, his breathe catching slightly from the pain. �That didn�t go very well, did it?� He looks down at me, one eyebrow raised in confusion. �What are you doing?�
I am trying something�something I was never taught. I have placed my hands, widespread, over Jadeite�s chest�imploring the stars�channeling their energy�into healing these terrible wounds.
�Can you help me?� I ask Jadeite aloud, closing my eyes in concentration. �My energy�s so low��
�I�can�t,� he stammers slightly. �I�don�t know how. We were never taught to heal�only to hurt.�
I redouble my efforts, deathly determined�whatever it costs me. But darkness embraces me rapidly, stealing my consciousness, and I don�t even know if I�ve succeeded.
= = = N = = =
I�m exhausted. My throat is raw, my knuckles bleeding. I fall into a chair lifelessly�hopelessly.
�Are you finished?�
I spin around at the sound of Jadeite�s slightly mocking voice, echoing through the huge empty cathedral room. He�s standing against a wall, arms crossed.
�I wish I was,� I sigh. �Dead and finished. What a bloody shambles.� I lean back in the chair, covering my face with my hands. I can�t believe I let it happen again. I�ve failed her, again. I can�t believe my own stupidity.
�If I may say so,� Jed comments tentatively, breaking into my self-flagellation. �You�re being particularly dense.�
I�m too exhausted to be provoked, but I drop my hands to glare at him.
To my amazement, he smiles at me.
�What are you doing here,� he asks, coming closer. �Tearing the bloody house apart? She�s free now, man. What�s stopping you? Why the hell don�t you go to her?�
I stare at him dumbly a moment, mouth open - wordless at my own idiocy, then suddenly spring at him, embracing him heartily. Laughing, he struggles against me, and I suddenly remember his burns and release him, glancing down at his chest. He�s shirtless�and with some shock I notice that his chest is clear�with no sign of a wound.
He sees me gaping.
�How?� I ask him.
He inclines his head towards the living room. �Rachael,� he answers.
I squint a moment in surprise and confusion, but let it pass for now.
�I�m sorry, Jed. I didn�t know what else to do.�
�I know. I know what happened. Thank you.�
He thanks me�for attacking him. I shake my head. My whole world is turned upside-down. What I need is sleep. But I can�t�not yet. I�ve got to see Naru.
�That�s twice you�ve saved me,� Jadeite clarifies, smiling. �Now you�d better go, before you collapse.�
. . .
I materialize into Naru�s darkened bedroom�just as I did what seems a lifetime ago�but for her�was it only last night? Can that be possible?
Naru is asleep in her bed, looking much as she did that night...but less peaceful�less innocent. Tears have dried on her too-pale cheeks. She looks desperately tired.
I sit down carefully on the edge of her bed, reaching down to touch her shoulder gently.
�Naru-chan,� I murmur, but to no effect. I move her shoulder slightly, shaking her�but still I cannot rouse her. She�s been given something�some drug, to make her sleep.
I suppress a wave of frustrated loneliness. So long I�ve waited to see her again...to have her see me. Why does it never work out between us?
I sigh, chastising myself for my dismal attitude. It doesn�t matter. She needs the sleep. We have time. At last.
I bend over her to drop a gentle kiss on her white forehead, and notice the orange rag she clutches�the scrap of cloth with which she bound my arm�the symbol of my death. I frown at it a moment, then look over her room. I get up and move to her desk, finding paper and pen. When I�m finished, I bend back over her, easing the scrap out of her hands with some difficulty, and wrapping her fingers tightly around the folded note. I sit a moment longer, watching her, but my eyes are beginning to close.
I cannot resist kissing her one last time, on her pale cheek. She is so young. So�fresh and spirited and innocent. I had forgotten how she made me feel. As if�the world could be a good and happy place�and that I might actually be permitted to live that way. That I might�start again.
�Goodnight, Naru-chan,� I whisper against her cheek. �Only sweet dreams now. We will be together.�
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