A Broken Heart (Junpei, Xeryth, Winters, Phae)

[Phae]

Phoebe watched as the boy across the room who refused to sit took a pill to kill his emotions. That couldn't be good. It wasn't right to suppress emotions like that. She wondered what would happen to him if the emotions those pills were keeping down were to get out.

But she was distracted when Xeryth's sweet voice reached her ears her name bringing her attention to him. She smiled over at him seeing his own smile and she blushed lightly.

"You are correct. I do not attend the Academy. I was here for a visit a surprise visit to meet up with Phae and to meet her boyfriend. I study in Italy at a swords school there. I am very good with my blade but I have no magical talent like Phae." she explained never taking her sapphire eyes away from Xeryth's own pale blue ones. They were beautiful. He was beautiful.

Gods here she was intending to stay with Phae and help her get better and she was falling for the cute boy whose hand she still held gently between her own. She did not intend to let it go unless he pulled it away she was enjoying his touch.

"It is my first visit here so it is likely you wouldn't have seen me except in a picture if Phae has on in her dorm room." she smiled at him the blush still across her features.

[Jonathan Winters *Deceased*]

Xeryth's face turned a very high-colored red, as Jonathan too, began to notice that Phoebe and Xeryth were becoming... quickly very, very close, in terms of personal space and proximity. Even Xeryth seemed to smile at this, a little abashedly, but yes, he did smile. If it wasn't for that pill, Jonathan possibly could've shown one of his rare smirks at this. Taking notice of his comment about how he was on E-Killers, Xeryth nodded at this, "It's... it's understandable... E...E-killers are commonplace for many D-13 soldiers at our age... though they did... origin...originate out of necessity for the... sniper program. Some... some of the Psy-Controllers would... would take them, too. The less emotion... the stronger the mind, they'd say." He was with the Psy-Controllers? ..That ment that, either he was a psychic, or a telekinetic, or, possibly both. Provided Jonathan's common sense was working properly. Turning away his attention from Jonathan, Xeryth looked nervously at Phoebe. "So... um... Phoebe..." Xeryth began again, "Why... why do you not.... attend the Academy with your sister? Or have I... just not seen you around?" In truth, Jonathan had been wondering about the same thing.. Phoebe had been looking at Jonathan, perhaps a little more concerningly then Jonathan would've deemed comfortable, but, Xeryth's question helped distract Phoebe's attention, which Jonathan quietly thanked him for, with a slight blink to the ceiling.

"You are correct. I do not attend the Academy. I was here for a visit a surprise visit to meet up with Phae and to meet her boyfriend. I study in Italy at a swords school there. I am very good with my blade but I have no magical talent like Phae." Ah.. that explained some. But, he couldn't help but notice, that she really had an eye for Xeryth. As she was blushing, she couldn't help but add, "It is my first visit here so it is likely you wouldn't have seen me except in a picture if Phae has on in her dorm room." At this moment in time, although Jonathan was actually curious enough to commit to active asking on Xeryth, it became evident that he would probably be a little... preoccupied for a while. Slightly uncertain, such as whether or not to leave them alone, or just sit motionlessly, as he had intended, by Phae.. well, he contented himself with taking a step back, concentrating more on Phae then the two possibly budding couple. Leaning against the wall, just looking there, letting thoughts pass in his mind.

[Junpei]

One week, seven days, 148 hours, 10080 seconds, 604800 seconds, that is the exact time he had gone with touching, seeing, smelling, or even hearing his fiancé’s voice. He beautiful face had eluded him after day 3, that day he had gained a new torrent of memories and power. The same day he had gained this new ability, this thing that made his even more different. Now he proceeded down the halls of Arcane Academy, once more to find his room and get back to his love, if she would take him. At the time he could not take her with him, refused to put her threw what he as going to have to do. If he had died while doing this he would have merely been forgotten, thought of as nothing more than a leaving, hateful person. That would not bother him, would not bother him in the least, to know they had forsaken him and moved on. Maybe Phaedra, his darling Phaedra, may find love again. O she would, but would it be as true? He had to ask himself this many times during his bonding, but in the end he had said yes. That is what had driven him to live though, the thought of another kissing and touching her like… like that bastard had.

God how he hated Onira, hated him with a passion so strong he was going to kill him first chance he had gotten. He soon however would learn his ex-friends fate, to go plummeting off the edge of Babylos to die at the ground below. Junpei felt a small pang of remorse, but then he had remembered the kiss and it left a mere flutter in his mind.

Now he walked down the old familiar hallway that lead to his dorm room, the walls were going to have to change, all of it could. It was a tie to that traitor of a man, that bastard had touched her.

”KILL HIM”

His mind hissed out, a definite Harlow ting to it. Junpei smiled slightly outside, Harlow had lost horribly, been beaten to a bloody pulp in Junpei’s mind. He was now a mere memory to Junpei, well he did have ties in there, but they were weak and useless, only showing up when Junpei got extremely angry and frustrated. He had spent four days getting back from the mountains of Germany, where he had done the bonding. He had picked out a spot for him and Phaedra as well, a nice little spot to build a home. If she denied him again… well then he would just have to move on and live alone.

He turned the ring of hair on his left ring finger idly, he had been for three full days, a red band marked the constant friction on the skin. He now reached their room and red the note, all his blood rushed to his heart, he was sure when it pumped and his body tingled with pain.

- five minutes later –

Junpei stormed into the hospital ward and looked around, three people crowded around a bed, he recognized two. One was Xeryth, a TRUE friend, and the other was a remarkable image of his love, Phoebe. She was non-magical, what she was doing here Junpei had no idea, but she was talking to Xeryth. Junpei growled and marched over, his hands in fists at his sides, shaking with each and every step closer. He was instantly pushing past the new guy; getting a better look at his Phaedra he felt the blood leave his face. She was in a coma; she was probably in pain, in every aspect.

He leaned over her and his eyes were instantly soft and gentle, full of the love he felt for her. He didn’t even notice the others now, didn’t note what they looked like or sounded like. All he could hear was the gentle ebb and flow of her breath, the gentle beep of the machine monitoring her heart. He was so fearful for her.

Is voice now was soft and loving, even the others would be able to tell that the man before them was in total pain and anguish over his love’s condition. They may hate him but he could care less right now, all he cared about was her, his love.

“Phaedra…”

[Phae]

Phoebe heard steps from behind her and she turned her attention from Xeryth to the boy no man walking towards. Seemed Phae only had male friends. She wondered who this one was. Though it wasn't a mystery for long when he called her by her full name and leaned over with the softest eyes she had ever seen.

Phoebe looked up at him and smirked. So this was the jerk that had left her sister to fall into a state such as this. This was the man that had left her sister alone to observe everything alone.

"You!" she said harshly. "You look like you are worried. But why? Why when you left her alone here when she needed you most. To watch her friend kill himself... to be alone when she was hurting so much."

She was mad it was obvious. She was Phae's sister and she was livid to see her sister in such a condition.

***************

Phaedra stirred on the bed her brow furrowed she had heard her name. Whispered by the one man she wanted most to hear it from. He had come back to her. Or was this all a dream. Was it the ramblings of a girl that was unconscious. Her body long since over worked. Her heart broken into a hundred shinning pieces. Her eyes dull now with little or no emotion. The Phaedra he would see would not be the one he fell in love with.

"Junpei" she whispered still not ready to call him Jun. She couldn't until she knew what had happened. Till she knew that he had come back loving her as much as when he left. That he was sorry for leaving her. That he wouldn't ever leave her again...

No that didn't matter. She didn't care about crappy promises that would only be broken when you needed them to be true the most. She didn't know if trust was something she could give so willingly anymore.

Her eyes fluttered open the blue lifeless emotionless eyes that had become Phae. She looked at her sister holding Xeryth's hand and she couldn't help but smile very weakly. Her whole body hurt and she knew why. She had overdone everything. She had not eaten, not slept, and worked out her body until it couldn't stand anymore.

She looked to her other side only her eyes moving her left hand shaking a bit. There she saw Winters her friend. The one she had gotten one decent nights sleep curled up on his sleeping bag. He and Xeryth had been so supportive of her and poor Xeryth she had collapsed in his room. And then closer to her than anyone was Junpei. She would have smiled but she couldn't. She didn't know where she stood. Where they stood. If the ring on her left hand still meant anything. Her sister was holding her right hand and Phae's eyes traveled down looking at her engagement ring before looking back up at Junpei.

Tears began to leak from her still red eyes. She was so tired so hungry, so lost. She wanted him to scoop her up and tell her that he had left and he was sorry. Tell her that he was going to take care of her and make ammends for all that she had gone through. But his Phae his once happy Phae was thin, light weight, and burdened with the weight of the world. She was lost half in darkness unsure how to find her way back. She wondered if he would find her. Could he bring her back to any resemblance of the Phae she was before this all befell her. She sure hoped so. She took her left hand and moved it with agonizing slowness raising it to touch Junpei her eyes filled still the tears slowly leaking from her eyes lids. Her lower lip quivered and still she said not a word.

[Junpei]

He nearly hissed his reply to the woman who was Phaedra’s sister. His words were thick with anger and hate, Harlow had reeled up in his mind to show his presence. Junpei’s eyes flared bright, bright glowing green. His eyes also took on an ethereal glow, one that would strike fear into those around him.

“I didn’t leave her because I wanted to! I did it to keep her from a far worse pain, my death!”

Junpei turned back as Phaedra uttered is name and once again he was back to his old self, back to that soft and loving man that would never leave her if it meant to save his own life. The only way he could leave now was to be told so by Phaedra, and he never saw that coming soon. He would be by her for quite a time to be there for her when she needed him now. Inside he was ripping himself apart over leaving and putting her into this kind of state. She looked like she hadn’t eaten anything for days, she was sleep deprived that was obvious. She must hate him now, for abandoning her like this, when she needed him.

She reached up as the tears leaked and in silent understanding his right hand gave a mere wave to the IV machine and the tube cut, black flame visible for a split second. Junpei had soon carefully removed the IV needle I her arm ad with a wave of his hand he sealed up the wound, the angel he had summoned a while back’s hand moving with his. Junpei moved with careful precision and he carefully removed the heart monitor, a single beep escaped and then it was gone as the inside wiring was fried by a Nether Flame. All noise had stopped, except, maybe the others talking but that was ignored completely.

Turning back to Phaedra Junpei leaned over her and picked her up, careful to keep anything from moving to much, and the turned and left, he didn’t care what the others did, this was between the two of them and he could see to her health better than any.

“Don’t follow us,” He hissed out again, Harlow’s hallowed voice mixed in, “I’ll be locking the door and magically sealing it, don’t try.”

With tat he disappeared around the Hospital door and was off to help his Phaedra recover.

[Xeryth Varson]

"No."

A single word cut into Junpei's own speech, and Junpei, as he tried to leave, would find himself running smack into a Psi Barrier, courtesy of Xeryth Varson, Arcane Academy's first psychic. He stood up, rising to his rather unimposing full height. His arm slowly rose out to his side, barring Phoebe from pressing any further on the issue. His head looking back over his shoulder at her, he spoke to her quietly, eyes narrowed, and looking even more dull than usual. His eyes were a pale color, but they still carried the light of youth in them, normally. That light, however, was gone, his eyes dead and set, as he spoke to Phoebe, rather unhaltingly for once.

"Stay here... I know you care for your sister... but don't get yourself hurt on account of it."

Turning back to face Junpei, who, with the aid of Harlow, was no doubt enraged by this sudden interruption of events, Xeryth walked forward, until he was face to face with the boy he considered his best friend at Arcane Academy. His eyes still set and narrow, he regarded his entrance coldly, speaking to him with a certain cold fire to his voice most probably would not have expected from the young boy.

"So this is how you think it's going to be? You... you want to just... waltz in and play the hero? You've been gone a... a long time, Junpei. You may as well had been the one who put her in here, you know... you think you can come in, take her off life support with your sudden magickal outburst and carry her off, as if it's just your problem? Don't be so... so selfish, Junpei. Phae's my friend, heck, she's Phoebe's own flesh and blood. You... you're just the one that left her for dead when she needed you the most..."

Xeryth shook his head. This wasn't something he wanted to do, speaking to his closest friend like this, but he couldn't believe the audacity of him. Junpei was truly showing how childish he could be, and, ironically, it was the youngest member of the room who took it upon himself to bring this to light.

"... You are my friend, Junpei... and that's why I'm telling you this... it's not just your problem, it never was... you just had to act selfish and MAKE it all your problem... set her down, Junpei. Put Phaedra back on the bed, and let her rest. She needs it. She needs YOU, but not like this... not... like this..."

Xeryth continued to stand firm, his eyes boring into Junpei's, awaiting the boy's reaction to Xeryth's sudden showing of audacity, standing up for the girl who he had come so close with in so rapid a time.

[Phae]

She was here in the hospital wing in the arms of the only man in the world that she loved more than her own life as evident by her health. She was limp and light in his arms and he seemed to carry her with no trouble at all. She knew where he was going to take her. Back to their room back to the way things used to be. Though for her. She had changed.

She heard Xeryth call out and she winced. She knew he was only looking after her but truth was she knew what she needed and she was already in his arms. With him she could sleep with him she could work her way up to eating again. With him she could begin to heal the scars and open wounds of a heart and soul that slowly bled. It was Junpei that she needed more than a doctor more than any machine.

Xeryth, my little brother my very best friend. Please let me go. This is what I need. I need things only Junpei can heal. I will never forget what you and Jonathan have done for me. You gave me hope when I had none. He gave me sleep and a few minutes without pain when I had none. Phoebe came to visit and this is hard for her. Please Xeryth take care of my sister. She doesn't hold anyone's hand. You are special.

Please tell Phoebe I will be fine and that I will see her when I can walk. Xeryth please, let me go. I don't want to hurt you you are my best friend. I told you I thought of you as a brother and it's true. I love you in that way. A brother, the brother I never had before. Take care of Phoebe. She will need you and .. she likes you. Tell Jonathan thank you I will see you all soon. Thank you for caring, thank you for everything. Thank you for standing up for me Xeryth I will never forget it. I will forever owe you and Johathan my life.

The entire time she spoke to Xeryth she stared up into Junpei's eyes. Her own lifeless. Gone were the days of happy Phae. That girl no longer existed in her mind.

[Xeryth Varson]

A long moment of silence passed as Phae spoke to Xeryth, the words resounding directly in his mind as a result of the connection he had made earlier in the day. She said all she needed to say, and it was thankful that she could do so, considering her ability with the spoken word was most likely not too fluent at the moment.

Xeryth mulled over the things she said to him, thinking about it, his eyes visibly softening as he did so. Finally, his eyes closed, and remained that way, for a long time. The Psi Barrier left, and Xeryth's eyes opened once more, now full of sadness and pain. Still looking up at Junpei, he just shook his head, uttering one final sentence towards him.

"T-t-t..... take care of her."

He turned around and walked back the short distance to where Phoebe was standing, his eyes no longer holding the sad look, but now a rather distant one. His eyes caught hers and he nodded to her, a silent way of saying that everything was going to be okay.

"They'll be... fine... we should go as well... no... no use being in a room with no patients...you... you can come with me if you'd like..."

When Junpei left with Phae, Xeryth would leave the room as well, heading for his room, in which he had invited Phoebe just a moment before. However, the trip would be quiet, as Xeryth was still rather preoccupied with everything going on all at once.

[Jonathan Winters *Deceased*]

He felt rather put off, just being left, completely alone here, but.. it was to be figured. Jonathan was, after all, the only one here who barely knew anyone. ..Xeryth. He'd keep that name in mind. Slowly patting himself down, checking to see if 'Junpei' had caused any minor damage, and noting none, he shook his head.

Activativating Codename: "Ghost". Activating Codename: "Mutter".

The world became blue again, as he quietly strode off, pushing open the door, walking slowly and quietly, even though no one could hear him. But.. it was strange. He couldn't feel any emotions.. so, why did he get the thoughts that he was.. 'offended', and even.. 'hurt'? But, those thoughts were irrelevent. He was just another person, after all. He'd see what would happen to Rosenrot in the days to come. And, he'd see if he could become.. stronger, for her sake, for the school's sake, for his sake..

... To prove himself to Vater.