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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
- 19
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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
19

When
Bridget finally found what he was looking for, he almost didn�t trust that he�d
done it. He was exhausted, eyes
beginning to blur against the lit screen.
Some of the workers had tried to get him to leave, but his tenacity beat
them out. And Sol had slept through the
entire thing, snoring quietly away like a spoiled child.

But
what Bridget was looking at now would bring an end to his long night. He�d
been following his hunches all this time, and now he had the proof he
needed. The factory had been just
beneath their noses all along�even now, sat easily within reach.

After
some scrambling, Bridget found enough paper to write down all that he�d
discovered, printing out copies of the pictures, maps, and articles that came
with it. Everything was folded neatly
and tucked away in an inside pocket of his attire. Grinning broadly�Ky would be thrilled with
him�he all but jumped from his chair and started for the door. He�d made it halfway there when he remembered
his slumbering company.

Bridget
paused, regarding Sol for a long time with a thoughtful frown. He�had been something of a help, after all,
so it only seemed appropriate to leave him something. He skipped back to the workstation,
scribbling out a note that he taped to Sol�s headband, so that he�d be sure to
see it. The man slept on. Whatever he�d been doing up until now, he
certainly must have not gotten much rest for him to be so oblivious.

Feeling
quite proud of himself, Bridget scampered back to the elevator.

*****

Testament
decided that, ridiculous as it may have seemed, at the moment he was awed by
nothing greater than the smooth line which formed the back of Ky�s neck. As far as he was concerned it was
perfect. Ky�s neck was graceful and
long, melting perfectly into the curve of his spine, the hollow between his
shoulder blades. The Gear had spent some
time now just running his fingertips over the subtle shapes of flesh, tracing
Ky�s hairline from ear to ear, down the side of his throat to his collar and
back again. They were small, intimate
gestures, the kind he might have shared with a lover back when he was still
human. Such memories were all but lost
to him now, but he had the feeling that here, with another body�s warmth
shifting against him, he had missed this all along and never known it.

Ky
had certainly surprised him. Though he
had always known the officer to be unyielding, he hadn�t expected to find in
him such raw abandon. By now the
soreness had long since faded thanks to his magic; he almost regretted it. Though it had hurt there was something about
that pain which fought to change him, and he would have liked the reminder to
remain that it truly had been Ky inside him, taking him so fully and
sincerely. It had been fierce and
desperate, hot and vulgar and clumsy, and so real. At least if he were sore from the experience
it would keep him from being completely overwhelmed by the drifting euphoria he
felt now.

Ky
shifted slightly in his sleep, his breath falling gently against the Gear�s
collarbone. He was curled at Testament�s
side with head and hand rested upon his chest, seemingly peaceful. It was hard to imagine, with him so still and
silent, that not even an hour ago he had been so intense. Testament shivered faintly with the memory of
that strength moving against him. If Ky
was so passionate in all he did, then perhaps he was right to restrain himself
from time to time.

Testament
was finally beginning to fall asleep himself when a voice rose from somewhere
nearby�someone was calling his name.
Satiated and weary, it took him a while to realize it was Johnny calling
for him. With a heavy sigh he slipped
out from beneath his slumbering companion, and there paused a moment, his
breath stilling as Ky reached unconsciously after him. �I�ll be right back,� he murmured against the
man�s temple, and Ky fell still once more.
Smiling faintly, Testament tugged his pants back on and ventured down
the ladder.

His
hearing had been true; as soon as Testament left the shed he caught sight of
Johnny making his way down the beach. Upon
seeing him the pirate trotted over, and Testament moved to meet him.

�There
you are,� Johnny muttered, rolling his eyes as he halted. �I�ve been looking all over for you�do you
know where Ky is?�

�Asleep,�
Testament replied before realizing what his answer might give away. �In the shed.�

Johnny
straightened, sending the Gear a baffled look.
He looked to Testament, to the shed, and back again, and there his eyes
widened. �Oh. Um�I see.�

Testament
swallowed back a quiet sigh; his words, coupled with his lack of dress, had
probably spilled all. �What is it?� he
tried to spur the other on.

Johnny
scratched the back of his neck. �Oh
yeah, right. We just got a call from
Bridget,� he reported, struggling to become serious. �He says he�s found something, and that you
should come meet him. Sounds like he
knows where the factory is.�

�Really?� Despite all his assurances, Testament hadn�t
expected Bridget to uncover the whereabouts so quickly. But he nodded, understanding. �All right.
I�ll wake Ky�how soon can we leave?�

�Half
an hour. I�ve already sent May up to get
the ship ready. We can drop you off, at
least.� His voice lowered grimly. �We heard from Baiken not long ago, too,� he
continued. �She and Anji were attacked
by the Ninth and his robots.�

A
chill ran the length of Testament�s spine.
�Are they all right?�

�No.� Johnny sighed. �They took Anji. And probably Chipp Zanuff, too. But Baiken�s safe�she managed to catch a ride
to Benevento, and is waiting there.�

�I
see.� Testament lowered his head,
thinking over the news. �All right. I�ll get Ky, and we�ll meet you up at the
ship.�

�All
right.� Johnny turned to leave, and
paused, glancing between the Gear and the shed one last time. With a shake of his head he started up the
beach.

Testament
finally released a quiet sigh as he turned back inside. Though he was relieved to hear they may have
found the location of their enemy, it was�sobering, also, to imagine what they
would face ahead. The Ninth and his
servants had managed to take on both Anji and Baiken, and Chipp Zanuff was no
easy target, either. There was no
telling how many robots would be waiting for them or if there were other,
greater weapons waiting for them as well.
It was just what he didn�t want to be thinking about at the moment.

Testament
climbed into the attic space once more, frowning to himself over his next
task. Ky was curled comfortably on his
side, looking peaceful and content, and he hated to wake him. But he had no choice, and as gently as he could
manage he crawled up beside the man, giving his shoulder a shake. �Ky.
Wake up.�

Ky
grumbled lazily, wriggling up against Testament�s chest and falling still
again. The Gear sighed and shook him
again. �Ky. Come on�wake up.�

�No,�
came the sleepy response, and though his refusal was making things difficult,
it was unexpectedly charming. Ky pawed
weakly at Testament�s face as if to draw him back down.

�Ky.� This time Testament�s voice was sharp, urging
Ky onto his back. �Ky, there�s been
trouble. We have to go.�

At
last Ky�s eyes opened, taking in Testament�s face as his words finally seeped
into him. �Trouble?� he echoed, glancing
about as if disoriented. All at once his
gaze came into focus; he met Testament�s eyes seriously, as if in an instance
all their tranquility melting away into sharpened clarity. �What happened?�

Testament�s
own eyes thinned subtly as he slipped back, allowing Ky to sit up. �It�s Baiken,� he explained shortly. �She�s waiting for us in Benevento. She and Anji were attacked.�

�How
soon can we leave?� Already Ky was
crawling out of the triangular space, tugging his shirt on. His pants, however, had fallen to the floor
below, and after a brief moment of confusion he climbed down after them. �Does Johnny know? Can we leave right away?�

�They�re
getting Mayship ready right now,� Testament called after him as he found
his own shirt. On the way down he caught
sight of Ky�s paper shopping bag, and was careful in bringing it with him. �Baiken�s all right, but they have Anji. But the good news is Bridget�s found some
information for us.�

�Is
he all right?� Ky asked with concern as he finished dressing and headed for the
door.

�As
far as we know.�

Testament
hurried after him, a little startled by the suddenness of Ky�s resolve. As they stepped outside, however, he saw Ky
shiver, saw his shoulders droop a little.
He didn�t turn or speak, but Testament was sure he was experiencing the same
sensation that he himself was. It lasted
only a moment, and then he�d started up the beach the way Johnny had gone. �I hope he has good news for us.�

�Yes�.�

Testament
was still a moment, watching Ky�s straight back as he made his way back toward
the road leading away from the House.
Just like that, it had ended.
There was no announcement or spoken word, and yet as Ky moved further
away up the sand Testament knew, with certainty, that everything had
passed. That they would never come this
way again.

He
closed his eyes. It was only a moment,
no longer than the pause that had taken Ky a minute ago, and then he was
following his companion away from the shore.

*****

True
to Johnny�s word, not half an hour later Mayship was about to
launch. Ky stood back a while longer,
watching the final preparations as the rest of the crew scuttled on board. He was weary but anxious, Thunderseal�s
weight against his hip an unwelcome reminder to what they were about to be
faced with. He would have to rest on the
way to the settlement, he knew, but how he would accomplish that he didn�t yet
know.

He
caught sight of Testament just across the field, boarding the ship along with
the girls, and his breath caught when their eyes met. The Gear smiled, only slightly, before
ducking aboard, allowing Ky�s posture to slump once more. He sighed quietly as he lowered his
gaze. He felt suddenly guilty about his
hasty departure earlier; they hadn�t had a chance to talk about what they�d
done, and in truth he was dreading it to a degree. He had a feeling that anything he tried to
say would come out sounding too much like a farewell.

�Ky?�

The
officer turned, and was a little startled to find Dizzy coming up to him with a
large bag in her arms. He managed a weak
smile for her sake. �Dizzy. You�re not coming with us?�

She
shook her head. �Johnny asked me to look
after everyone until he or Youn got back,� she explained. �But I wanted to catch you before you
left.� She offered the bag to him. �This is for Bridget. I hope he likes it.�

Ky
accepted the parcel. �Whatever it is,
I�m sure he will.� He hesitated
awkwardly. �Did�you see Testament
off? We don�t know when we�ll be coming
back here�.� Or even if they would be at all, though he didn�t want to say
that.

�Yes,
I talked to him a little while ago.�
Dizzy smiled shyly and gave a short bow.
�Please look after him for me.�

Ky
licked his lips. �Yes. I will.�
He shifted the bag into one arm so he could offer her a formal bow as
well. �Thank you, Dizzy, for
everything. I won�t forget your
kindness.�

Dizzy
blushed. �You�re welcome. Please take care.�

�And
you as well.�

They
parted, Ky taking to the ship just as the engines began to reach their full
power. Soon they were underway, and Ky
made his way to the bridge so that he could better see the land slip away
beneath them. So suddenly, they were
leaving. The few days they had spent on
this far off island had seemed like an eternity, and their departure like the
disturbance of a deep dream. There would
be no sparkling shoreline and laughing children where they were going now, and
distantly, he realized that he might never see this place again. The thought twisted something in his chest.

Ky
straightened, remembering abruptly the trinkets he�d purchased in the town, and
his mouth went dry as moved closer to the wide glass windows. But already his view of the House was gone as
Mayship turned her nose to the east.
His shoulders dropped in dismay.

�Ky.�

Ky
turned to find Testament watching him, and he felt inordinately relieved to see
him holding his paper bag. He eagerly
accepted it with a faint grin. �Thank
you. I thought I�d forgotten them.�

�You
did,� Testament replied teasingly, and Ky was thankful again to see a shining
of subtle humor in the Gear�s bright eyes.

Johnny
cleared his throat nearby, and both glanced up.
�It�ll be a few hours,� the pirate reported, arms crossed and doing his
best not to look at all uncomfortable.
�The two of you might want to�get some rest.� He glanced at them pointedly. �You could use it.�

Ky
blushed, glancing at Testament briefly; he hadn�t realized that Johnny might
have figured it out. But the girls were
suddenly watching them closely, and he nodded shortly. �Yes, that�s a good idea. You�ll send word when we�re close, won�t
you?�

Johnny
lifted an eyebrow. �Of course.�

Ky�s
fingers curled slightly, and with a half-hearted smile he slipped out of the
bridge. It wasn�t until he�d gone a few
steps that he realized Testament was following.
He gulped. �Testament�.�

�He�s
right. I could use some rest.�

A
hand fell on Ky�s shoulder, and he was glad the girls were no longer around to
see his embarrassment. He lifted a hand
to cover Testament�s. �I didn�t hurt
you, did I?�

The
Gear chuckled. �Nothing permanent.�

They
reached the room the two had shared before, and Ky sighed quietly, setting all
his things on the table. Now�was
probably the time to say something. He
turned and parted his lips to speak, but Testament was already settling himself
in his old bunk. Watching him stretch
out, so naturally, stole his nerve.
There was no way to speak his mind.

Once
Testament was comfortable he lifted his eyes, and with a slight smile offered
his hand. �Just for a few hours,� he
invited quietly.

Ky�s
lips parted again, and again failed him.
He could only smile grimly as he stepped slowly forward to slip his worn
fingers around smooth ones. �All right,�
he whispered as he sank to the mattress.
He allowed Testament to pull him down, arranging their bodies comfortably
on the thin bed. Just for a while�he
could find his rest here, and he closed his eyes, finding it easier to achieve
than he would have thought.

*****

It
had not yet reached morning by the time Mayship landed on a small
airstrip just outside the Benevento settlement.
It was one of the largest cities left in Italy that had not been
completely razed by the war, and even from its outskirts the forms of huge
ceramic sculptures could be seen. Ky had
been here before, as it housed the only station for the Global Police in the
country, and he tried to make a point to visit when he could. It would be an important station if he ever
amassed enough support to take Rome one day.

He
and Testament stepped down from the ship, stretching weary limbs and hefting
the small travel packs they�d prepared during the last hour of the flight. Both had bathed and were dressed now in the
garb they�d worn into Rome. Ky found the
change to not be quite as dreadful as he�d imagined it would be, especially now
that his nails, at least, were free of color.
And he had to admit, Testament did look even more impressive bound in
his own black leather.

They�d
taken a few steps when Ky realized suddenly that Johnny wasn�t following them,
and he turned back, watching the man.
�You�re not coming with us?� he asked curiously.

The
pirate smirked, coming down the few steps from the ship�s exit. �I�m afraid not,� he declared. �Youn�s going to meet us here, and then we�re
heading back home. I�ve got a lot of
vacation time to look forward to.� He
adjusted his hat. �Besides, if I do I
know of at least one person who will be right on my heels, and I can�t let her
get involved in this.�

Ky
nodded, and he came forward, offering his hand.
�I understand. And I thank you,
for supporting me this far. I know it
wasn�t an easy choice for you, considering our�conflicts of interest.�

Johnny
shook his hand, and after a moment tugged him in for a sturdy hug and a clap on
the back. �Watch yourself, you crazy
bastard,� he laughed. �And stay the hell
away from my island.�

Ky
chuckled as he was released. �I�ll
certainly try.�

Johnny
then turned to Testament, and the pair said their farewells a bit more
seriously. �Testament.� Johnny tipped his hat. �Always a pleasure.�

Testament
nodded. �Look after her.�

�Always.� Johnny�s face softened briefly, and then he
stepped back with a grand bow. �Good
luck, gentlemen. And happy hunting.�

They
parted ways then, Ky and Testament heading into the settlement. It was a short trip; Ky knew his way through
this city far better than he�d known Rome, and within half an hour they were in
front of the Global Police station in the west district. �Johnny said Bridget would be waiting for us
near here,� Ky said thoughtfully, and he turned a full 180 degrees. There was a bar just across the street from
where they were. �Let�s see if he�s
here.�

It
was a small bar, and quiet, given its position so close to the station; Ky was
worried a moment that it would bring them trouble, as it was frequented by
officers and Baiken was sure to draw attention if she were to meet them here. He needn�t have worried; he wouldn�t have
recognized her himself if not for being able to pick out Bridget�s familiar
face among the thinning crowd. He was
seated in a table near the back, eating voraciously from the last of several
plates which still bore food. He waved
excitedly as the pair approached.

�Hey!� Bridget looked about to call their names, but
caught himself in time with a guilty giggle.
�Look who I found.�

He
indicated the woman at his left, and Ky blinked at her dumbly for a long moment
before finally recognizing her. He�d
never seen her with her hair down, and it fell in long, straight curtains about
her face, masking her tattoos and blemishes.
Her usual yukata was gone as well, replaced with garments she�d
probably purchased in town, by the look of them: a white, thin-strapped top
with a dark blue jacket over it, the thick sleeves rolled up to her elbows; a
thick black belt from which her sword was hung; and long blue pants that flared
slightly around the thick boots she was resting on the table.

Baiken
shot him a glare at the look he was giving her.
�Do I have something on my face?�

�My
apologies.� Ky sank into a chair beside
Bridget, who was beaming�doubtlessly pleased that he was in the outfit he�d
made for him. �It�s been a while.�

�Not
long enough,� Baiken snorted. Though her
attire had changed her manners hadn�t, and she paused for a long drink. �Where�s Johnny?�

Ky
shook his head. �It�s just us.� His tone lowered slightly. �We heard, about Anji. What happened?�

Baiken�s
eyes dulled somewhat as she finished her drink.
�They took him,� she answered gruffly.
�Carted him off. It was those
robots, and�.� She glanced away. �Chipp Zanuff. There was something wrong with him. There�s no way he�d work for them otherwise.�

Ky
and Testament both straightened in their seats.
�You�re saying�he was being controlled somehow?� the former said
carefully.

�Yeah. Seemed that way.�

Ky
looked to Testament, but the Gear shook his head to indicate he knew nothing of
it. Which meant�the Ninth was capable of
even more than they�d previously expected.
The officer frowned. �Well, at
least you managed to escape,� he murmured, and then turned to Bridget with a
slight smile. �And you, too. Did you do all right in Zepp?�

�Yeah! It was really cool.� Bridget gulped down the rest of his soda
before finishing. �And I really think I
found it. I�ll have to show you
somewhere else, though�this place is about to close, and�� he glanced about
with almost enthusiastic suspicion, ��I don�t think it�s safe.�

Ky
couldn�t help but smile. �All
right. Let�s go somewhere, then.� He pushed to his feet and the others followed
suit, Bridget setting out a handful of bills to pay for his meal and Baiken�s
drink. The four of them then departed
together, moving out into the streets in search of an inn with an empty room
where they could share information and make their plan.

*****

When
Sol awoke, he didn�t feel much improved since when he�d fallen asleep. However long ago that was. He stretched, and yawned loudly in the still
room. It took him a while before he
remembered where he was, and that Bridget had gone. Scowling, he started to reach for the
computer�it looked as if the last screen Bridget had been on was still there,
and it would at least give him a clue as to what the boy might have
discovered. It was then that he noticed
the note tapped to his headband.

Sol
tugged it off, frowning to himself as he turned it over. Written in Bridget�s adorable cursive were
the words, �Sorry I kicked you so hard.�
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Culmination