Poster's Note: Not my fic! Posting it for a good friend!

Author's Note: I don't own Weiß. This fic will contain religious inferences, including Armageddon, God, and the devil. I have nothing against the church or Christianity. This was not written with intent to insult any religion. This is only fiction, and not meant to blasphemize, only to exercise creativity. The voices in my head made me do it. They don't shut up till I write what they say. Flame if you want, not that it matters. It's already been written.

Thank you to NightMajik for Beta-reading!

February 27, 1998

9:45 PM

Crayola blue splashes lit up the dark walls of the alleyway. Figures dressed in lumpy raincoats muttered to each other as they shook their heads. Beyond them, a rolling cot was raised to its upright position, shaking its burden, hidden by a crimson-stained sheet.

"The police have no clues as to the killer at this time," the anchorwoman on the TV said solemnly. "The victim has been identified as Izo Hashimoto, artist and nature activist, age twenty-one."

"Schwarz?" A chocolate brown-haired young man looked over to the slender blonde sprawled against the arm of the couch. The blonde shrugged.

"I don't really think so, Ken." He ran a hand through his shoulder-length hair. "None of them are known for ripping people in half."

Ken bit his lip. "So what is known for ripping people in half?"

"Hmm." The blonde lifted a finger to his lips in thought, green eyes shifting back and forth. The brunette raised an eyebrow and started singing the tune from Jeopardy.

"Eeeent!" he cried after finishing the song. "I'm sorry, Yo-tan, but we have excellent consolation prizes."

Green eyes shifted to him in annoyance. "I'll give you a consolation."

Ken gasped as the blonde moved, and he found his legs grabbed as he was levered up and over the back of the couch.

"Jerk," he muttered from the floor as Youji folded his arms on the back of the couch and grinned down at him.

"Ooo, I'm injured. Such foul language, Kenken!" He slapped his hand to his forehead as if in pain.

"What happened?" A younger boy with copper hair came running in socks down the hallway.

"Nothing, nothing," Ken muttered as he pushed himself up. He looked to the boy, and saw the brief panic on his face as his socks slipped.

"Awww, shit!"

Youji chuckled down at the tangle of limbs. "And that's why we don't run in the house."

A flash of lighting through the window lit up the room, making everyone glance at it, before the anchor on the TV cut off in mid-sentence as if she had been strangled. The room plunged into darkness as the following rumble of thunder boomed hard enough to rattle the window.

"Oh no!" the younger boy wailed in the darkness.

"What? What?" Ken demanded.

"My program!" the boy whined, followed a moment later by a quiet exclamation of pain.

"Nerd," Ken snorted in the dark.

"Ne, you didn't have to pinch me," the boy scolded.

"I wonder how long it will take to get the power back on." Youji got off the couch and felt his way along the walls to the kitchen. Their eyes adjusted to the dim light filtering through the window, and they watched the rain beat against the glass. The sound of a plate clattering to the floor, followed by Youji's swearing, was the only sound as Ken and the boy got to their feet.

"I hope Aya-kun drives safely," the boy said quietly, looking at the window.

"Youji, did you find the flashlight yet?" Ken asked, looking from the window to the kitchen. Both young men looked at the kitchen doorway, waiting for an answer. None came.

"Youji-kun?" the boy asked. At the following silence, the two looked at each other.

"Youji?" Ken went to the doorway. "Come on, man."

"The kitchen was empty, writhing shadows thrown across the floor from the rain on the window. Ken stepped into the kitchen, looking around, foot stopping by the plastic plate on the floor.

"Okay, Yo-tan." Ken sighed and crossed his arms. "Ha, ha. Now give me the flashlight. You're scaring Omi."

"I'm not scared!" Omi protested, stepping into the kitchen as if to prove his point. Ken opened the refrigerator and sighed.

"I hope they turn the power back on before this stuff goes bad." He shut the door, pulling out the milk. "Might as well get rid of some of it first."

"Youji-kun!" Omi called, opening the drawers, looking for the flashlight.

"Come on, Yo-tan!" Ken snorted, up-ending the milk carton into his mouth and leaning against the refrigerator. "We're not going to look for you, so you can just quit it."

Omi found the flashlight in the drawer and turned it on, lighting up Ken's face; who threw his arm up, swearing.

"Thanks, Omi, now I'm blind."

"Sorry, Ken-kun." Omi shifted the flashlight around the kitchen. "Youji-kun can't have just disappeared into thin air. We saw him come into the kitchen, so he's in here somewhere."

"Hmm." Ken looked at the cabinet for the water heater. "Where would I hide if I was six feet tall and skinny as a rail?"

"We found you!" Omi threw open the cabinet and came face to face with the water heater. He blinked a moment, then looked back to Ken. "Youji-kun has gained some weight, Ken-kun."

Ken started snickering before he found himself thrown to the floor, landing on his face. He heard Omi scream as a weight pressed down on his back. He lashed out with his arm, trying to strike whatever it was. A hand grabbed his arm, pulling him onto his side. The flashlight lit up Youji's face eerily. He had a finger crooked and a massive grin on his face.

"Red rum, red rum," he rasped, hooking and unhooking the finger before snickering and breaking down into full laughter.

"You asshole!" Ken lunged for him, and Youji just laughed as Ken jumped on him, punching him in the side.

"Youji-kun!" Omi scolded. "We were actually worried about you!"

Youji was too busy laughing and trying to block Ken's fists.

"You should have seen the look on Ken's face!" he managed to get out between chuckles. Ken got up and just started kicking Youji, who just kept trying to roll away from him. A scream of thunder silenced the laughter and Omi winced.

"This is a bad storm." He looked at the window. "I hope Aya-kun's okay."

"Like some water would stop him." Youji got to his feet, holding Ken back with a hand on his forehead, taking advantage of his longer reach. "He's meaner than any storm."

Omi chuckled as Ken kept swinging at Youji ineffectually. Youji huffed on his nails and buffed them on his shirt.

--------------

Aya looked out the glass doors of the hospital, the lightning streaking the sky and the rain pouring down in sheets. "Just my luck."

He pulled his jacket up around his neck and stepped out, instantly drenched. He walked to his car, and looked up at a lit hospital room window once before getting into the car. He pulled into traffic, windshield wipers sloughing rain off the windshield in quick sweeps as he squinted through the mass of blur to see the color of the traffic lights.

"...power outage for twenty city blocks," the radio DJ announced as Aya pulled to a stop.

"Just great," Aya muttered. Very few cars were on the streets, but he drove slowly merely so he could tell what was in front of the car. A streak of lightning that shot down toward the street blinded him momentarily, and when his vision cleared, he saw a shape ahead lit up by his headlights.

"Shit!" He slammed on the brakes, hydroplaning a little before the car stopped. The man in front of his car simply looked at him through the windshield. Aya couldn't see his face, as the man wore a ragged, hooded cloak. The man just stood there, looking into his headlights, and Aya swore. He hit the horn a few times to wake the man up.

"Get out of the road," he muttered under his breath. "Weirdos in this city."

The man might as well have turned to stone. Aya swore, put the car in park, and opened the door, stepping out with one foot.

"Get out of the road!" he yelled. "You trying to get yourself killed?!"

The hooded head lifted, but the face was still in darkness. Then Aya's eyes fell on a shape on the street, hanging from the hooded man's hand. Or where it should have been. All Aya could see was the edges of the cloak. He could make out the small curves of a nose and lips on the silhouette. A dangling arm.

Aya took a quick breath, tensing. The hooded man moved slightly, dragging the limp body along the street.

"Don't move!" Aya yelled at him, reaching inside his car for his katana. He felt his fingers close on the hilt, not taking his eyes from the man.

"Who are you?!" Aya demanded, pulling his katana from its sheath. The man moved, cloak flapping, and Aya jumped away from the car as the body slammed onto the hood. Sightless blue eyes looked up at him from the face of a child, small hand curled limply against the windshield. Aya gasped, looking at the hooded man.

"The time comes," the hooded man said lowly with an incredibly deep voice. "Are you the One?"

Aya tensed himself and leapt forward at the man, katana ready for a killing slash. The man was gone from his path in an instant. Aya's eyes widened as he skidded on his feet, spinning to relocate his opponent. He gasped to feel cold fingers close on his throat. He was jerked off his feet by the man, who pulled his face close to the darkness in the hood. Aya stared into that darkness, and finally saw pinpoints of light. Lightning flashed, and he was blinded, shutting his eyes at the light.

-----------

When he opened them, he blinked in surprise.

"Onii-chan!" cried a voice, and he felt all the blood leave his face as his sister called to him from the crowd of people ahead. She wore her familiar school uniform, and her face was worried. News crews, police, gawkers, all surrounded a building that bore the name Fujimiya.

"Oh God." Aya felt his skin crawl, stepping toward the crowd. "Aya!" he screamed, running at her. "Get away from there!"

She didn't seem to hear him, and he ran with all his might to reach her. He lunged for her arm and his hands passed through it, sending him stumbling through a few other people in the crowd. He looked back and gasped to see himself, younger, standing next to Aya, a worried expression on his face.

"No! Get away from here!" he screamed. "RUN!!!!"

He was immediately deafened by the explosion, sending him screaming in agony. When he could think for himself again, he opened his eyes to see the bodies around him, the debris of the building. In the mist of the dust knelt a young man, staring in horror at the building as blood streaked his face from small wounds.

"Aya!" the young man screamed, crawling over a piece of concrete that the girl lay trapped under. Aya himself ran over to grab the concrete, and his hands kept passing through it as the boy screamed for help to get the concrete off of his sister. Aya kept grabbing for the concrete in denial.

"Horrible," said a deep voice, and Aya looked up to see the hooded man.

"You!" he screamed. "What have you done?!"

"She looks so helpless." The hooded man motioned a hand toward the girl trapped under the cement.

Aya shrieked in rage and leapt at him, but the man was gone before Aya grabbed him, sending him to the ground amid the debris. He tasted blood in his mouth and spat, turning to come face to hood with the man.

"Don't you wish you could change the past?" the darkness in the hood asked.

"Stop this!!" Aya screamed, reaching for the man, who leaned back out of his reach.

"What would you be willing to pay?" asked the man. "What would you be willing to pay to change the past?"

"What are you saying?!" Aya demanded.

"I'm saying this."

Aya blinked to see the building back to normal. Just like any normal day before the explosion.

"'Nii-chan!"

He whirled to see his sister standing by his side, looking disapproving.

"You look like you've seen a ghost." She frowned.

"Aya-chan." He reached out and grasped her arms. Without thinking, he drew her into his arms, holding her to him, smelling the familiar scent of her shampoo. He felt her hug him back, then pull away.

"Are you trying to embarrass me?" She blushed. "What brought that on?"

Aya felt his eyes fill with tears.

"Now you're crying." She shook her head. "Are you sick?"

Aya laughed, wiping at his eyes.

"I'm gonna tell mom you're sick!" She laughed and ran for the door of the building. Aya watched her go for a moment.

"This is what you want, isn't it?" asked that deep voice behind his ear. Aya pulled away from the man, staring after his sister.

"I can give this to you," the man whispered. "Make it all like it never happened."

"H-how?" Aya choked.

"It's within my power," the man hissed.

"Who are you?" Aya didn't take his eyes from his sister's form as she dashed through the doors of the building.

"A friend."

"Why?" Aya finally turned to him. "Why are you offering me this?"

"You don't want it?" the man asked, folding his arms.

"Tell me why!!" Aya yelled at him.

"Ran?" called another voice and Aya turned to see his mother in the doorway, coming down the steps.

"Mother," Aya breathed.

"Yes...or no," the man said behind him. "I can make it happen."

Aya ignored him and stepped toward his mother as she walked quickly toward him.

"Ran, are you feeling okay, dear?" she asked, reaching out a hand to him. Aya reached for her hand, and watched it fade. The rest of his mother followed, fading like a smoky visage. He looked up in panic and saw his environment vanishing into dark haze.

"No!" He whirled on the man. "You can't change the past!"

"Very well," the man sounded regretful, and Aya felt himself falling. He was grateful for the darkness when it came. Anything to bring him a little peace for the moment.

--------------

"It's getting late." Ken turned from the window to look at Youji, who was doing a crossword puzzle by candlelight.

"Blah, blah, blah." Youji snorted. "He can take care of himself."

"But we should go look for him or something," Ken protested.

"Give me a four letter word for anger," Youji answered.

"Fuck!"

"No, the last letter is 'E'." Youji shook his head. Ken bit his lip to try and control himself before he punched the other man out.

"Youji! He's been gone for four hours!" Ken grabbed the crossword book, crunching it in his fist. Youji looked up at him in annoyance.

"Please do keep your voice down, Omi is sleeping. Shhhh." He put his finger to his lips. Ken bit his lip again, and whacked Youji across the head with the book. Youji nearly leapt over the table to get to him, and they froze to hear a scream rip down the hallway.

"Omi?" Ken gasped and Youji nearly fell over in his hurry to get to the hallway as they heard small sounds of terror follow.

"Omi!" Youji grabbed the doorknob with Ken stomping noisily after him.

"Youji-kun!" he heard Omi shriek inside, nearly on the verge of tears.

"Open it!" Ken yelled as Youji jerked on the doorknob, panic growing.

"It's locked!" Youji stepped back and slammed his shoulder into the door. They heard Omi shriek again and Ken launched himself at the door. The door slammed open under their combined efforts and they saw Omi curled up in the far corner of his bed, crying in terror.

"What –" Ken started before he saw two small, glowing, red lights on the outside of the window turn away from it.

"Holy shit!" He jerked back against the doorframe, nearly knocking Youji over. It was silent for a few breaths but for Omi crying. Ken slowly walked over toward the window as Youji hurried over to the bed.

"Don't, Ken-kun!" Omi cried, grabbing at Youji's arm and nearly pulling him onto the bed.

"I got it, I got it." Ken picked up one of Omi's sneakers up off the floor and held it like a weapon. He carefully stepped up to the window, and peered out of it. He slowly slid it open, ready to jump back. Rain pelted him and all he saw was the smooth wall outside. He looked up and down, then to the sides, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. He carefully closed the window as Youji tried to calm Omi down.

"What was that?" Ken pointed the sneaker at the window, stepping away from it.

"I don't know!" Omi sniffled as Youji examined his hands.

"Let's go into the living room," Youji slipped off the bed, holding Omi's wrist. "Not enough light here."

Ken watched the window as they left the room, backing out of it cautiously.

-----------

In the living room, Youji had Omi sit on the table as he moved a few more candles over.

"Ken, look at this," Youji insisted, and Ken leaned in to see small red scratches on Omi's hands. Omi stared at his own hands as Ken and Youji examined them, looking at the scratches.

"Cat?" Ken asked.

"Too small." Youji shook his head. "Omi?"

Omi swallowed, trying to wipe the drying tears on his cheeks. "I was sleeping, and I woke up because I felt something land on me. I thought one of you had come in and had put your hand on my shoulder or something. I looked back and there was this...thing...on my back."

Omi shuddered, and Ken put a hand on his shoulder. "Describe it."

"Do you know what a gargoyle looks like?" Omi asked. Ken and Youji nodded.

"Okay." Omi swallowed. "Then picture one about eight inches tall."

"Oh geez!" Ken choked. "Are you serious?"

Omi nodded. "I tried to make it get off, and it bit me."

He lifted his hands, showing the small red scratches. He hiked up his pants legs and showed them similar small scratches on his lower legs. "I got it off of me, but it kept coming after me. It was only just as you opened the door that it...seemed to go through the wall."

"Oh shit." Ken looked around the room.

"Gremlin, goblin," Youji muttered. "Something like that, but they're not real."

"It sure looked real enough to me!" Ken yelled at him. "You can't convince me I just saw the reflection of someone's brake lights!"

"Stop screaming." Youji looked at him. "I'm right next to you."

"Where's Aya-kun?" Omi asked.

"Okay, that's it!" Ken stomped for the hallway closet. "I'm going out to look for him. There's some freaky stuff going on, and I for one am not going to just sit here!"

-----------

"Aya!"

Aya heard his name called as if in a distant dream.

"Aya!"

Something was tapping on his face, and it was annoying.

"Aya! Open your eyes!"

He did and immediately shut them again as water pounded into them.

"Come on, Aya!"

He lifted his arm to protect his eyes and opened them, blinking away water to see a hooded figure leaning over him. He struck out at it wildly, felt himself connect, then scuttled away from it. The hooded figure clutched at its face and flung the hood back.

"What the hell?!" Ken demanded, holding his cheek.

"Ken?" Aya blinked. "What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here?!" Ken demanded. "I came to look for you! You were laying here in the road like you were dead!"

Aya looked around at the cascading rain to see Ken's motorcycle, and his car, still running. He scrambled to his feet to look at his car hood. No child lay there, and any evidence of one having been there long washed away.

"Was there a body on the hood when you got here?" he demanded, looking back to his irritated teammate.

"There was only one body here, Aya." Ken snarled. "And that was you."

Aya put his hand to his forehead, trying to figure out if it had been a dream. But why would he get out of his car to faint in the rain?

"So what happened? Why were you in the street?"

Aya looked back at Ken, rain running down his face in streams. "Nothing."

"Nothing?!" Ken demanded. "Yeah, I'm sure you just felt like passing out in the middle of the street. If you don't start talking, I'm going to drag you to the hospital right now."

"I'm fine," Aya said flatly. "Just fine."

Ken clenched his fists in frustration. Sometimes he just wanted to beat Aya senseless. But it wouldn't do any good.

"Fine then. Come on, let's go home," he finally sighed.

Aya clenched his fist, and nodded. He knelt to pick up his katana, placing it back into the car.

"The power's out," Ken said as he turned away.

"I heard."

"And something attacked Omi."

"What?"

"We'll tell you more when we get home."