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Culmination	By : Croik Category: +G through L > Guilty Gear Views: 2646 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Guilty Gear, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 13
- 14
- 15
Guilty
Gear, its characters and settings are property of Sammy Studios, and are being
used in this fanfiction without permission. This fic is rated R
for violence and sexual content, and it contains yaoi
material.

Culmination
Chapter
13

By now the sun had fallen, sending a cool, ocean wind
blowing across the curved shoreline. Ky and Testament stood there
together, just beyond the reach of salty waves, both quiet as their eyes met in
the growing darkness. The sway of the
sea was calm, the calls of distant birds a charming
lullaby, and Testament�s low, worn voice seemed to dissolve into the folds of
serenity. As if he himself were just as
natural, just as solemn, as the coming of night.

�I�d
considered telling you before,� he told Ky
softly, turning to cast his gaze to the water as locks of his hair danced over
his shoulders with the breeze. �That I
was once human. But I knew it would
probably make it easier for you to accept me, and I
didn�t want that�not like that.� His
fingers curled at his sides. �I didn�t
want to mislead you into thinking that�any part of me could still be
human. The man I was died; I�ve never
thought of myself as a human who was turned into a Gear. I am a Gear.
It�s too late for me to regret that now.�

Ky lowered his head,
considering Testament�s words with all the gravity they deserved. �I see,� he replied just as quietly, though
he couldn�t help the pang of grief stinging his chest. To think that Testament,
once human, could no longer consider himself as such�. But he didn�t dare question when Testament
was being so serious, and he only nodded.
�I understand.�

�I
barely remember anything from my human life, anyway,� Testament continued in
the same even tone. �Brief memories of
my father, the war, even the Holy Order.�
He tilted his head up slightly.
�I remember what the uniform felt like, so I think�I must have served in
the Order for a short while. I
remember�Sol, fighting alongside me.�

�Sol?�
Ky echoed, startled, his
gaze swinging back to Testament�s face.
�Sol was�in the Holy Order before?�

�I�m
not sure. But I know he was there.� Testament�s lip curled in a bitter
smile. �He didn�t like me very much back
then, either.�

Not
sure what to make of that, Ky
only nodded again. �What happened?�

Testament�s
eyes thinned subtly. �That�I�m not
exactly sure of,� he confessed. �I died,
that much I know. My father was there,
crying�and when I woke up, I was in a lab.�
His voice deepened spitefully. �A lab belonging to the Bureau. They�re the ones that made me into a Gear
when I should have died�I think they were hoping the trauma of having been
killed would leave a bigger imprint on my memory, making it more likely that I
would retain my consciousness despite Justice�s power. They wanted me to be able to reason,
and�feel, the way Justice herself would.�

�But why?� Ky turned slightly to face him, trying to take in
everything Testament was telling him.
�The Bureau was supposed to be developing anti-Gear weapons, not
creating more Gears. Are you saying they
intended to pit you against Justice?�

�No. No, I�.�
Testament shook his head, betraying his calm exterior with a look of
pain. �No, I was their test subject.�

�Test�subject�?�

�Their doll. Their guinea
pig.� A shudder ran through the
Gear�s flesh and tainted his eyes with agony.
�They needed a Gear that was powerful, and willful, and
creative�something that could accurately show how well their weapons
worked. Fifteen anti-Gear weapons�I
survived twelve before I was able to escape.
But before then�.� He lifted his
palm again, and though the red lines were no longer visible his gaze sharpened
as if tracing each one. �They tested
their methods on me again and again, trying to find my weaknesses�anything they
might be able to use against a Gear as powerful as Justice.�

�That�s�.� Ky
could only stare at him, horrified. �My
God�.�

�Blacktech, chemical weaponry, viruses, magic, curses�they
tried just about everything they could think of.� Testament chuckled without humor. �But they made me too well. Nothing they could come up with would kill
me. It�s�ironic, how they could easily
create more Gears�I was not the only one they used�and yet they could devise
nothing powerful enough to get rid of us.
They couldn�t even use us Gears to fight each other; not only could they
not trust that Justice wouldn�t find a way to control us, but by then something
happened they should have thought of.�

�Should�.� By now Ky
was beyond being able to think of reasonable questions, so he only licked his
lips, waiting in tense silence for Testament to go on. Even if all this talk was starting to make
him feel ill.

Testament
tilted his chin up subtly, and in his eyes burned something Ky hadn�t seen in him for a long time: malice. The gleaming, unwavering
bloodlust that he had seen in far too many Gears. It had been so long since he�d last seen
Testament like that, and in that time he had witnessed so much of Testament�s
calmness and even tenderness that the reappearance of that gleaming wrath was
shocking. He nearly retreated
a step.

�We
hated them,� Testament continued, his voice having dropped to almost a
growl. �All the
torture we were put through, their tests and their weapons, each new invention
of theirs carving new scars�we despised our captors, and the humanity they
represented. Like beasts driven
mad.� Though the Gear�s voice was still
hardened Ky could see a
tremor spread through his flesh, like a quiver of fear. �The Ninth was one of them. We�d fight to a standstill every time, and
eventually the program continued, determining he wasn�t effective enough. There were other Beasts. Other magic users, other
weapons. But it was the humans
that were responsible for our torment, and when we finally escaped all we had
was our hatred of them. That hatred�.� He shuddered again. �That insanity, which made it easy for
Justice to manipulate us�.�

�Testament.� Though Ky was himself shaken he knew he had to say
something. There had to be
something. �I�m�I�m so sorry, that I
never knew. The Holy Order would have
never stood for such a thing.�

Ky reached out, hoping that
some connection of touch would calm the Gear, but as soon as their fingers
brushed Testament abruptly jerked away.
�Don�t,� he hissed, and Ky
was startled to see all Testament�s vehemence crumble abruptly away. �You don�t understand.�

�I
understand hatred,� Ky
confessed, his eyes thinning subtly with the shame of that statement. �It�has been my greatest sin. You already know that.�

His
words seemed to wake Testament a little, and hesitantly his eyes swiveled to
meet Ky�s carefully
maintained expression. �You hated
Gears,� he murmured, almost testing.

Ky stood a little
straighter. �I did. I lost many things to the war�to Gears. But now, I regret just as many of my own
actions.� He smiled grimly. �If I had been able to find another way to
end the war without so much bloodshed, I would have tried.�

�Yes,
I know.� Testament looked away
again. �That�s how you are. You�don�t hate us anymore.�

The
Gear closed his eyes. �But I still hate
humans,� he went on, his voice hushed, maybe even shameful. �I hoped�I convinced myself that it might be
possible, with these children and this simple life, to be happy. To forget the past and live however I
could. And even before we came here,
even when I knew I could never live quite like Dizzy, I believed that, with
time, I could come to terms with my hatred and let it be. When you said you didn�t hate me�� his smile
was crooked, but sincere, ��I thought it might be possible. If humanity�s champion--with so many Gear�s lives to his credit--could come to forgive a creature
like me, surely my own salvation was not so far away.�

�Testament�.�

�But
it�s not that simple.� Testament shook
his head, letting his hair fall before his face to hide the flutter of pain
across his pressed eyelids, his twisted lips.
�Strange, how this place has shown me that. All it took was one reminder, and it all came
back to me. I�.� He lifted his hands, fingers curling
stiffly. �I was afraid I would hurt them. All of them innocent children�orphans, like I was once�and all I could think was��don�t
let me hurt them.� I don�t want to hurt
them�.�

Ky bit his lip, watching the
Gear beside him: his lowered head, his slack shoulders, the shiver in his
hands. His chest was aching, drawn tight
with too much emotion. All that grief,
shame, and fear were already buried in his own heart,
and to see it painted so clearly across Testament�s tortured visage shook him
deeply. For a long moment he could only
stand there helplessly, praying that somehow God would guide his hand. This was a chance for both of them, maybe for
redemption, and if only he knew what to do he would have taken all of
Testament�s doubt and uncertainty away. If he�d only had the words�.

At
long last Ky reached out,
calloused fingers sliding down Testament�s upper arm coaxingly. The Gear flinched, and after some hesitation
opened his eyes to meet Ky�s
gaze. Ky almost lost his nerve, faced with all of
Testament�s questions and regret, but before he could give in to his own doubts
he lifted his other hand to a strong shoulder, turning him so they could face
each other.

�It�s
all right,� Ky said quietly,
clinging firmly to his faith as he assured the Gear. �I know, Testament. And it�s all right.�

�Ky�.� Testament�s
eyes thinned as if in pain, and without warning he sagged wearily against Ky�s shoulder. The officer stumbled a bit, trying to keep
his balance, but the sand was giving way beneath his feet. By the time he�d slung an arm around his shoulders
it was too late; Testament�s legs were already folding, and with the added
weight Ky couldn�t keep
himself upright. With a tiny gasp he
sank to his knees in the sand. The pair
landed with a jolt, causing Ky�s
arms to tighten around the weakened Gear.

�Ky�.� Testament,
leaning on his side and nearly in Ky�s
lap, rested his weight against a firm chest.
His breath hissed shallowly as he hid his face beneath waves of ebony
hair. �I�m so tired,� he whispered, a
harsh tremor running through him. �I�m
tired�I was looking for you.�

�Testament�.� Ky
felt his eyes begin to burn as he tightened his arms around Testament�s broad
shoulders, holding him close. It was
then that he realized that he, too, was shaking. �I�m sorry,� he replied in kind, his voice
thick with sympathy and regret. �I�m
sorry, Testament. I�m so sorry�.�

*****

It
was getting late�everyone was already settling down to go to sleep, and neither
Ky nor Testament had
returned. Bridget knew better than to
worry, but he was anyway. He hid it, for
Dizzy�s sake, but when the girls started to tug him
down toward the mattresses for sleep he slipped away from them. �I�m gonna go look around one more time,� he
said brightly, adjusting the T-shirt that served as half his pajamas. �You guys go ahead and go to sleep.�

�We
won�t save a spot for you,� Noverre informed him
smartly.

�Well
fine, be that way,� Bridget retorted, sticking his tongue out.

�Fine,
I will.�

�Fine.�

Bridget
scampered away before Noverre could retort again,
flashing Dizzy a bright smile on his way out of the sleeping room. He knew she was probably worrying just as
much as him, but hopefully Johnny would look after her, and soon enough he
would have brought the two delinquents back.
It wasn�t like there was anything dangerous on this island, after
all. Nothing could have happened to
them.

It
wasn�t easy to spot them in the dark, but after much squinting Bridget decided
that the lump of shadow against the shore could be nothing other than one of
their two missing companions. He skipped
lightly across the cooling sand to the water�s edge. �K~y?� he sang
questioningly, �Or is that Testament?�
When he got closer, however, he was startled to see it was actually
both. He hesitated a moment. �Ky?�

�Oh. Hello.�
Ky raised his
head. �You weren�t worried about us,
were you?�

They
were situated together on the beach; Ky
on his knees, cradling the limp form of a slumbering Testament against his
chest. The latter was curled on his side
like a young child. It was both adorable
and sobering�Ky�s face was
haggard, as if having endured some battle.
�Are you all right?� Bridget asked seriously.

�Yes,
we�re fine,� Ky
assured. �Testament�fell asleep. He seemed liked he really needed it, so I
didn�t have the heart to wake him.� He
frowned at the ocean creeping up towards them.
�Will you help me move him, though?
I don�t want disturb him, but I�m not sure if the tide is coming in or
out.�

�Shouldn�t
we take him inside?� Bridget suggested as he moved around to support Testament�s
legs.

Ky�s frown deepened as he hooked
his arms under Testament�s, and together they carefully carried Testament a
safe distance away from the shoreline.
Thankfully he was so deeply asleep by now that he didn�t even stir. �I don�t think so. This might be the best thing for him right
now. Away from
everyone.�

��Okay. If you say so.�

They
carried Testament several meters up the beach, and when Ky deemed it far enough he started to lower Testament
to the sand. It really would have made
more sense to take Testament inside, to give him a bed and a blanket, but�it
might be best if Testament were able to avoid the children for now, given his
earlier concerns, and a trip that long risked waking him up, as well.

Bridget
helped them settle once more; Ky
sitting down with his legs crossed, Testament lying on his back with his head
pillowed in Ky�s lap.
It would most likely render his legs asleep in no time, but when the
Gear sighed contentedly in his sleep he gave up any protests. Instead he reached down, drawing ebony locks
away from Testament�s face as Bridget darted back to the House to gather a pair
of blankets and assure Dizzy that the pair was well.

�Are
you going to stay out here with him?� Bridget asked as he returned to drape the
first of the blankets over Testament.

�Yes. I want to be here when he wakes up�I think
it�s important.� He paused as he
watched the Gear. �He�looks all right
for now, though, doesn�t he?� Ky asked quietly.

�I
guess so.� Bridget flopped down at Ky�s right, folding his legs
beneath him as he leaned forward to see Testament�s face. He didn�t look peaceful as much as deeply
asleep. �Did something happen?�

Ky sighed. �Sort of. He told me about his past.� He struggled a moment with how much to
disclose to the younger boy.
�It�s...awful, Bridget, the things that were done to him. I couldn�t even say anything.�

Bridget
sobered a little as he sat up. He didn�t
know what Ky had done to
earn Testament�s trust like that, but he was a little envious; it must have been
something, to open up the usually stoic Gear.
�He looks all right now,� he offered.

�Yes,
but�when he wakes up�.� Ky had no idea what he might say
then, and already he had gone over in his mind several times the possible
assurances he could offer. None of them
seemed like they would help much. �I
don�t know. He�s trying so hard to be
happy here, but it�s not going to be easy for him.�

Bridget
nodded vaguely, remembering how Testament had been avoiding everyone that
day. He still didn�t really understand
what was going on, and though it was a little frustrating he knew Ky would be able to handle it
better than him. �He was looking for you
earlier,� he reported.

�Was
he?� Ky returned his hand to soft hair, idly twisting a
few of the thick strands between his fingers.
�I wish I could help him better than this. I�.�
He trailed off abruptly.

Bridget
cocked his head to the side. �Hm?�

�That
is�I�m not sure what to think of him,� Ky
admitted, his eyes growing a little vague as he watched the movements of his
hand. �This sudden�affection I feel
towards him.� He smiled ruefully. �I can�t be sure if I�m honestly growing fond
of him, or if it�s only my sympathy.�

Bridget
considered this for a long, silent moment, and Ky was a little concerned he�d said something
strange. But then Bridget was sliding
closer, settling his chin on Ky�s
slender shoulder as he draped the second blanket over them both. He frowned slightly, trying to see the boy,
but with his head so close he could only make out a few strands of shadowed
blonde. �Bridget?�

�It�s
all right either way, isn�t it?� Bridget asked lightly, though there was
something hidden in his tone that Ky
hadn�t expected. It sounded like
regret�something he never would have thought to hear in Bridget�s cheerful
voice. �If you don�t wanna get close to
someone just because you feel sorry for them�you might not find anyone to care
for.� He pressed a little closer against
Ky�s back. �Everyone could use a little sympathy.�

Ky�s eyes opened a little wider,
and he turned his head slightly, wishing he could see the boy�s face, but all
he could manage was a faint brushing of their cheeks. �Bridget�?�

�Right?�

�I�.� Ky
glanced back towards the ocean, considering those words and their unlikely
source. �Bridget.� He lifted a hand; even if he couldn�t see the
boy he pressed his palm gently against the side of his face. �You�ve been taking care of both of us all
along, haven�t you.
Thank you.�

Bridget
was almost unnaturally still, and then he wriggled a little like the youth he
was, turning his face briefly against Ky�s
wide palm. �Can I stay with you
two? Just for a
while?�

�Of course.� Ky smiled quietly, patting Bridget lightly on the
head before lowering his arm once more.
He wasn�t sure how well he�d be able to sleep like this, with one weight
against his back and another in his lap, but�he was warm, and content,
here. These two had taken such care of
him in the past week, and it was a welcomed
comfort to have the both of them so close to him. Maybe he was even looking after them this
time. And before he knew it his eyes
were slipping shut, carrying him, also, into deep dreams.

*****

Anji was still humming a cheerful tune as he stepped out of the motel
bathroom, one towel wrapped around his waist and the other draped over his
head. �Shower�s free,� he called,
scrubbing at his hair to dry it. He
paused when he spotted Baiken.

She
was seated on the bed closest to the window, dressed in a simple, pale sleeping
robe that had parted around her bent knee.
Her hair was down for once; it shielded the scar running down the side
of her face so that her visage now appeared without blemish. She would have even been beautiful, her eyes
calm and manner relaxed, if not for the blade held between her teeth. The handle of her sword was wedged between
her toes, holding it in place so she could polish its sharpened metal surface
with her one good hand.

Anji paused, his lip curling in a smile as he watched her. �You�re something,� he chuckled, shaking his
head. �You know that?�

�Hm?� Baiken�s gaze flickered to him, and when she caught the
look on his face she scowled, ruining the image of almost serenity she�d
displayed a moment ago. �Whatever,� she
muttered around the sword�s tip.

Still
grinning, Anji hopped onto his own bed, continuing to
dry his hair. �So, we�re stuck here a
while longer, huh?� he asked idly.
They�d stayed the last two days here, spending their money sparingly and
wandering around the city. �What�s this
business you have in Rome anyway?�

�Nothing
much,� Baiken replied carefully, her teeth tapping
lightly against the metal. �It�ll be
another day.�

�And
here I thought we were catching a flight.�
Anji was silent a moment, wondering if now
might be the best time to bring up his earlier concerns. �Hey.
Where are we going, after this?�

Baiken didn�t glance up from her work.
�Does it matter?�

�Yeah.� Anji
took a deep breath. �We�re going to the
colony, aren�t we.�

This
time Baiken did pause, then gave her sword one last
stroke of the cloth before taking it out of her mouth. She set it aside and began to put her
polishes away. �Yeah. You gotta problem
with that?�

�Not
really,� Anji admitted. �Just�you could have told me, you know.�

Baiken shrugged her one shoulder stiffly.
�Didn�t want to hurt your feelings, big guy.�

Anji snorted, pushing off the bed as he hunted up a T-shirt. It wasn�t that he was upset about it; merely
put out that she hadn�t thought to tell him.
�It�s not like I have any problem going back for now anyway,� he
muttered, tossing his towel aside as he slipped the white shirt over his head.

�Listen,
Anji,� Baiken started to
say, sheathing her sword.

�No,
it�s all right. It�s probably
best.� Anji
stepped behind the bathroom door to switch his second towel for his long
pants�didn�t exactly match the shirt, but it would be good enough. �Hey, I think I�m gonna
go down to the motel bar for a drink.�

�Anji,� Baiken tried again. �Don�t take it personally. We could both use a break.�

�Yeah, yeah.� Anji
waved vaguely as he dug a few bills out of his travel pack and headed for the
door. �Don�t wait up, alright?�

�Anji��

By
then Anji had closed the door behind him, a tiny sigh
slipping past his lips. He wasn�t
upset. It was just difficult to deal
with Baiken sometimes, because she always found a way
to be right about everything. He didn�t
want her to be right about this; she hadn�t been there, hadn�t heard that man
speak so calmly and reasonably and�innocently�about everything. She shouldn�t have had any idea what he was
feeling.

For
a moment those concerns were forgotten when he entered the small motel bar, his
eyes alighting on a familiar head of wild, pale hair among the people at the
bar. �Hey!� A grin broke across his features as he
trotted across the room. �Chipp!�

�Oh,
there you are,� said the bartender with a nod.
�Mr. Mito�this man�s been looking for you.�

Anji chuckled as he came up behind the man in question. �Hey, there, Chipp,�
he laughed, slapping his shoulder.
�You�re just in time�I could use a drinking partner right about now.�

Perched
on the barstool, Chipp turned slowly to meet Anji�s friendly gaze.
It was immediately apparent to the Japanese man that something was
wrong. Chipp�s
usually excitable features looked weighted and dull, his eyes oddly dilated in
the well-lit room. Anji
frowned. �Chipp�?� He gave the man�s shoulder a shake. �You okay, man?�

Chipp blinked slowly, unspeaking, and Anji was
about to question him again when a thick hand wrapped suddenly around his throat. He barely had time to realize who it was; he
was being dragged away from the bar, unable to quite get his legs beneath him
in time. �Chipp��

He
hadn�t thought Chipp capable of it. Without warning he was being lifted off his
feet�thrown, bodily, through the bar�s glass door. Shards scraped along his back and arms as he
was sent flying into Rome�s darkened streets.
He landed hard, catching the brunt of the impact with his right
shoulder. It didn�t seem real; the
scrape of asphalt against his back, the crazed swirl of dark buildings overhead�the
indifference in Chipp�s face as he strode out of the bar after him. Cursing, Anji pushed himself up on his
knees. But he hadn�t brought his Zessen
with him, and his fists curled as he started to stand. �Chipp! What the hell are you��

�Mr.
Mito.�

Anji froze, realizing that unfamiliar voice had come from behind him. Slowly he turned, and gasped sharply as his
gaze slid over more than a dozen pairs of gleaming neon eyes�and the man at
their forefront.

�You�re
a lot taller than I�d imagined,� the stranger declared icily as Chipp moved to stand beside him. �Mito Anji.�
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Culmination