Readers are warned that this GRITfic is intended for mature audiences only (I don't know the American ratings system, so I'm not giving an exact rating - however, I'm pretty sure the code would include multiple instances of the letter X). It contains graphic depictions of sexual encounters, and similar things which will probably offend some readers. If you feel you would be offended by such things, please avoid reading this fic (though I doubt I have to tell you twice).

Some background: this fic forms part of the ongoing storyline of GRIT, the Global Ranma Insanity Thread. If it seems disjointed or unexplained in places, it's probably because the GRIT audience whom it was intended for would already know to what I'm referring. For the benefit of non-GRIT readers, however, here is some information that may come in handy, starting with character info. If you want to know more than what I have here, check out GRITipedia.

Zing: The focal point of the fic, Zing is one of a group of people called by Gaia (spirit of the earth, et all) to become a Magic Knight (yes, a la Rayearth). However, he is also extremely pacifistic and uncomfortable with his role, and only fights when it's absolutely necessary. He also had the misfortune to be kidnapped by a group of mercenaries when he was fourteen, and was mentally adjusted by their psychic to be hopelessly in love with her. When he was recently rescued by the other Magic Knights, he lost his memory of these events, aware only that he had been brainwashed into working for their enemies for a period of time.

Hiyaname: The only new character in this fic; it's his introduction to GRIT.

Caine: One of the mercenary group who kidnapped Zing, amongst many other malicious acts. A mysterious - and overly effeminate - man who always seems to be calm and in-control, Caine is a mage who specialises in manipulating time to his whims. And treating other people with the same respect as he would give, say, pond scum.

Midgar: Another member of the mercenary group, Midgar is also a mage, and a half-demon psychopath. To quote his character guide - "Always polite, civil, courteous and, oh yes, utterly sadistic. Midgar enjoys causing pain, and in fact revels in it, but he never loses his cool and always maintain a veneer of courtly manners. Smiles his trademark sanguine smile too much, and often hides verbal snipes and jabs in flowery language."

Tina: The psychic member of the mercenaries, who did many terrible things to a lovelorn Zing in his past. She doesn't feature in the fic, but she is mentioned, so I thought I'd best mention who she was.

Ueki: Originally cloned from Ukyou Kuonji (eheh... well, fanboyish plots happen sometimes ^^;) Ueki is another of the Magic Knights - Earth, to be precise. It was she who saved Zing from Gieve's mercenaries, hence his mild idolisation of her.

The events in this begin happening during a recent (read: started six years ago) plot arc which involved a group of GRIT characters travelling to the lost city of Atlantis, and taking on some pretty dangerous villains there. It was at this point that Zing's previous RL player faded from the game somewhat, and thus Zing himself sort of vanished from continuity after appearing briefly in the semi-final scene. I wanted to take advantage of this, and of the fact that nobody had referred to him since them - it seemed unnatural, so I made it officially so. Incidentally, only two days in-game time have passed since that battle, which should fairly accurately demonstrate the time difference that occurs in the fic.

Anyway, that's probably all the information that non-GRITters need to grasp what's going on. Oh, and anything written in ~(these brackets)~ is a spell cast by Caine or Midgar - it's simply the traditional way of denoting their magic.

Shout-outs to my wonderful Talen for immeasurable help throughout, Blade for proofreading and help with his characters, and the others who beta-read for me - thanks everybody!

Finally - enjoy. Please view this fic, and Zing, with an unprejudiced mind.

Here is time.

For those of you who don't know, time looks like a corridor. And a map. And a switchboard. And a telephone network. And countless other things, most of which human minds don't really understand the existence of yet.

From this particular angle, though, it looks much like a collection of security monitors. This one here shows that right now, in a reality some know as GRIT, a tomboyish young woman with blue hair is arguing with herself - quite literally. Which might seem odd, considering that this one shows "right now in GRIT" to involve a demon gloating over a pretty captive. Of course, over here, what's happening right now in GRIT is a grand quest for grooming implements; and over here, a street hockey match; and over here, two red-haired girls, one translucent, squabbling over a statuesque martial artist.

From an absolute standpoint, there are a great many things happening right now in GRIT. To be precise, all of them.

There is only one of them that holds the attention of the watcher, though. It takes place in the not-so-lost city of Atlantis, where we will soon see the end of one of the greatest battles ever fought on earth. Here, a cry goes up for hope; a wish, pure from the heart, a purpose which in itself can become a weapon powerful enough to win a battle.

A boy - tall for his people, yet so small in the midst of his allies and the face of his enemies - grasps his sword, closes his eyes, and reaches inside himself for the words he can offer up...

Zing: That which I value most is peace... the opposite of violence.

Once you know how it works, time is also a lot like, say, a toybox. When you feel like playing, you open it, pull something out, and close it again.

~(Haven)~

The first thing he notices is the complete and utter silence. The battle is gone.

The world is gone.

Voice: 'The opposite of violence'?... Really, dear boy, is that the best you could do?

The Magic Knight spins, falling into a defensive stance. The darkness that now surrounds him reveals nothing of the speaker, though the voice is husky and androgynous.

Zing: (warily) What manner of trickery is this? Show yourself!

Voice: (small chuckle) Soon enough, dear, soon enough... I can tell you fear what you can't see, and your fear is quite lovely. A delicate, unusual flavour... perhaps because of all you've forgotten?...

Zing moves forward slightly, using his nodachi to test the spaces beyond his vision, but finds nothing.

Voice: (amused) You know, now that I think about it, it's really quite amusing. I mean, you, the perfect, noble pacifist, who abhors violence and hates to lift his sword... and you've become so used to fighting that you're all apprehensive when your enemy doesn't attack you outright. Funny, isn't it?

Zing: (glaring into the darkness) I fight only when I am forced - never by my own choice. I do not fear your taunts.

Voice: Tch - well, of course you don't. But you do hate them. Because they remind you that you fear yourself... don't they? Everywhere you go, you end up lifting that sword. You end up fighting. You can't help yourself, can you? Right now, all you want to do is fight me, so you can go back to your so-called friends...

Zing: Release me now, I warn you -

Voice: Except - oh dear! They're fighting too, aren't they? (chuckles) Dear me, boys and girls, will our hero ever find the peace he so desperately seeks?

Zing stays pointedly silent, refusing to respond to the taunt, and closes his eyes. Without vision to interfere, he uses his elemental affinity to reach out, carefully using the air currents as a second sight.

Voice: (dismissively) Oh, I shouldn't bother with that, dear. The air in here is under my control. Just like everything else, actually - it's all just the way I think it should be. And I can change anything I want, too...

Zing suddenly finds his lungs empty. He gasps for air, but finds none; it is simply absent, pulled away by some unseen force. Soon his vision begins to cloud, his head starts spinning... he bends, then drops to his knees... then finally, chest aching, body giving out, he slumps to the floor...

Voice: Oh... did I hurt little Kuutaro?...

Just as suddenly as it departed, the Magic Knight's breath returns. For a few moments, all Zing can do is lie there, gasping, as the ache dies away and the pounding in his head gradually slows...

Zing: (strained) W... who are you?...

Voice: Me? Why, I'm an esper - a psychic, a master of the open mind, that sort of thing. You can call me Hiyaname. (thinks) Well, you could also call me "Master" if you wanted to save time, but I doubt you'd be so agreeable... and really, it's so much more fun the other way...

Zing: (confused) Wha... why? Why are you doing this?...

Hiyaname: (applauds) Oh, an intelligent question - very good! That little display, well, that was just to prove a point. If you like, you can think of us as being in a little bubble - our own private world. Well, my own private world - you're just lucky enough to be a guest, thanks to our ever-so-helpful mage...

Zing: (eyes widen slightly, suddenly tinted with fear) ...C-Caine?

Hiyaname: Well, of course. Who else could so easily manipulate time and space?

Zing: Then, you are...

Hiyaname: Working for Gieve? Yes, that would be correct... you see, dear, he felt you were a loose end. I mean, can you imagine what would happen to squad morale if a deserter were allowed to go without punishment?

Zing: (just a little panicked) The... the others. My friends. They will come for me... I warn you...

Hiyaname: (a laugh, almost a giggle) Oh, you'd think that, wouldn't you? But - it's so delightful - they won't, you know. They're so busy, what with saving the world and all... and little Kuutaro, always cold, always fading into the background... why would they remember him? You were already falling to the edge of their minds. It was so easy to just push a little further... and - oop! - you're gone! (laughs again) It's just lovely - they won't even realise you're missing... they'll just assume you're still there, and not even bother to check...

Zing: (holds his sword in front of him defensively, hands trembling slightly on the hilt) You lie!... R-release me before they arrive, and... and there will be no need for you to suffer...

Hiyaname: (dangerously smug) Your fear is starting to get the better of you, little one...

Zing: (eyes shut, yelling) I DO NOT FEAR YOU!

There is the faint sound of rushing air, and suddenly a hand grips him at the throat, all but cutting off his breathing. He tries to pull away, but the strength which holds him is unearthly. He feels the soft brush of breath upon his neck, a sensation that makes his skin crawl.

Hiyaname: Yes, dear. You do. You fear me terribly. The time you don't remember, not knowing what they did to you... it hovers like a black cloud on your mind, more powerful with every thought you lend it. And now, like a nightmare, you have been dragged into it...

Zing pulls free - though there is the distinct impression that his captor lets him. Nodachi held protectively before him, he turns to face Hiyaname for the first time.

The man is tall - not so tall as Gieve, but certainly over six feet at a glance - and strikingly attractive. Beneath flowing crimson robes, his frame is broad, yet lean - best likened to a feline, a predator sleek but powerful. The esper's hair flows around him long and loose, colour flushing from a fiery orange at the top, to a deep red at the tips. His face is angular, features fine and not a little feminine; the green eyes set there burn with an unnatural fire, full of danger and dark pleasure.

They are also utterly, utterly insane.

Zing: (trembling slightly) Don't touch me!... I warn you, stay away!

With a bounce, Hiyaname hops up to sit in mid air, plain as if it were a park bench. He beams delightedly at the young Magic Knight, swinging his legs.

Hiyaname: Oh, don't you see? That's exactly what I plan to do. After all, if I attack you, you can fight back... (singsong) But I'm not going to! If I don't hurt you, you can't hurt me...

Zing: (falters) I... I...

Hiyaname: (rocks back, clapping delightedly) Hahah! Oh, how lovely! You're all trapped by your own silly ideals, aren't you? Shall we stay here forever, Kuutaro?

Zing: (flinching) Don't call me that! My name is Zing!

Hiyaname: (ignoring him) I could make you love it, spending forever with me. Just like you loved being with her - only I'll be better, much better. I'll make you scream, and pant, and beg...

Zing's eyes widen, and he falters again, taking a slight step back. His disbelief, and his revulsion, are clear on his face.

Hiyaname: (winks, voice dropping low) So... how would you like me to fuck you first, Kuu-chan?

Zing: (stunned, half-choked) W... what?...

Hiyaname: (hops down from his seat, sighing in exasperation) I asked how you'd like me to fuck you, dear boy. Really, how are you ever going to be a good slave if you don't pay attention?

Zing: (backs away, half-panicked, clearly incredulous) Stay back! I warn you! Don't come near me!

Slowly, Hiyaname steps closer, a knowing smile spreading across his face. As Zing meets the other man's eyes, he finds himself locked in place, as if he is drawn to their green fire. The psychic reaches out and beckons, smile spreading wider.

Hiyaname: Why don't you come here, Kuu-chan?

Zing: GET AWAY!!

The Magic Knight tears his gaze away, at the same time lashing out wildly with his nodachi, hurling a wave of ki-shaped wind at the red-haired man. Hiyaname doesn't even attempt to dodge; bare moments before the attack hits, it makes a sharp but graceful curve and roars back at Zing, faster and larger than the original. Deprived of his usual wind-armour, the boy takes the full brunt of the hit, and is hurled backward, nodachi flying from his hand and skittering away across the floor. He rolls, reaching for the sword -

- which suddenly lifts up of its own accord, swooping hilt-first toward Hiyaname's outstretched hand. The tall man catches it neatly... then looks at it, twirling it around in his hands... then tosses it a few inches up into the air, where it promptly explodes into a million tiny, glittering particles.

Hiyaname: Bad Kuu-chan. You must be an obedient pet.

The horrified Magic Knight scrambles back as the psychic advances again, attempting to climb to his feet and back away at the same time. He stumbles, then suddenly feels his back pressed against a cool, smooth wall - where there was none before.

Hiyaname: Remember, Kuu-chan? My own little world... if I decide there should be a wall there, there it is. And if I decide there should be chains for naughty Kuu-chan...

He gestures lazily in Zing's direction, and there is a clinking as said chains appear on the wall and floor. The sound echoes for a moment in Zing's mind, cutting a jagged line into his subconscious, piercing into a long-dormant terror born of an abandoned memory...

Zing: NOOO!!

The air around him explodes outward, a violent spray of wind-blades that take even Hiyaname by surprise. They slice into the psychic's body and clothing, dotting bloody gashes across him, scoring dozens of cuts before he shakes away his surprise and dashes them away with a sweep of his mind. Enraged, he turns back to Zing with a snarl; the boy lies curled into himself, shivering uncontrollably, eyes tightly shut...

Zing: (fervent whisper) no no no no no no no no no no -

Hiyaname: You... (crouches beside Zing and grabs a handful of hair, jerking the boy's head up to eye-level) Are you trying to make me angry, Kuutaro? After I promised you'd love it and all?

Zing: (doesn't seem to notice) NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO N-

Hiyaname: (jerks again, eliciting a sharp cry from Zing before silencing him) Fine. I won't play nice any more. I'll make it hard. I'll make you scream, and bleed, and love every fucking second of it!...

He throws Zing back to the ground. The boy struggles frantically as Hiyaname straddles him; wild, animal terror floods his mind and body with desperation's strength, but it does him no good. The esper just laughs, holding him down with seemingly little effort... and, lost in fear, Zing's mind begins to slip...

- - - (Elsewhere) - - -

A certain effeminate Time-mage watches the goings on through what appears to be a mirror, with a slightly revolted yet thoughtful expression.

Caine: (murmurs) Strange... even in this world...

Midgar: (entering in the background) Ah, Caine - here you are! What on earth have you been doing all this... (catches sight of the mirror, and the images in it) Hello... what have we here?... (squints slightly) Well, now, I haven't seen him in a while... and that's the esper who was here the other day, isn't it?

Caine: (dismissively) Gieve doesn't like loose ends. You know that.

Midgar: (peering at the portal) Well, yes... but I must say, this doesn't really strike me as your style...

Caine: (with a small shudder) It was their idea. I merely created this void for him to operate in.

Midgar: (sanguine smile) You seemed to be watching it somewhat intently...

Caine: (scornful) I was observing for my /own/ reasons. The boy is... interesting.

Midgar: (grinning) I'll say.

Caine: (sighs, irritated) I wasn't referring to his body, Midgar, nor his pain. The world they are currently in, this "Haven", is not a part of reality; rather, it is a physical reflection of the psychic's mind, and controlled only by him. He should have complete power within it... and yet, Zing has managed to resist him - even attack him. It is intriguing... the boy has changed since we knew him...

Midgar: (smirking) Speaking of which, has anybody told Tina about this? She'll be terribly upset, you know.

Caine: Her exclusion from this operation is deliberate. Her brutish methods were fine for the first time - but this time, we required a little more finesse.

Midgar: (smiles sanguinely as he looks at the portal once more, savouring the scene within almost like a fine wine) Doesn't seem terribly like finesse to me. But yet, there is certainly something there. That young man... Hiyaname, wasn't it?... has potential. Perhaps with a bit of coaching to improve his technique... (smiles sanguinely again)

Caine: (picks up a book and starts reading) Keep watching...

- - - (Haven) - - -

... He falls back, back into a sea of memories so long denied... a hundred thousand moments, little snippets of everything that slipped away... It crashes around him, over him, pulling him down and holding him under, pounding like waves, a roaring torrent... nights of weeping, all the hatred and self-loathing, all the wandering confusion... and at the heart of it all, the one single truth. That despite everything - the endless misery, the hatred and pain - he could never turn away from her...

The chains rarely need to be physical.

The sound of his own voice reminds him of reality - a choked, broken sobbing rising in an empty darkness. He realises he is being held - softly, and tenderly. A graceful, long-fingered hand strokes gently over his hair.

Hiyaname: Poor boy... you remember now, don't you? Everything she did to you?...

Zing: (staring blankly ahead) ... oh, god...

Hiyaname: (breaks into a slow smile, and runs his tongue along the boy's neck) Perfect. That's what I've been waiting for.

Waves of terror washing over him anew, Zing tears himself away; the psychic lets him go, satisfied that he is still held by the chains. Hiyaname slides down over the boy's body, pulling away Zing's already-shredded clothing as he goes. His pace is leisurely, slow and confident, even as the struggling Magic Knight grows closer and closer to panic.

Hiyaname: You understand, no? I had to make you remember... Or it wouldn't be the same...

Zing flails, twisting and wrenching at the manacles holding him until his wrists are raw and bleeding, and his blood beats with a dizzying ferocity... and finally, with a single choked cry, his strength gives out. He sinks back, panting, tears flowing freely, as Hiyaname - keeping his eyes locked with Zing's - forces the boy's legs apart, and runs his finger along one pale-skinned thigh.

Zing: (a whisper) ... please... I beg you...

Hiyaname: (smiles) Sweat. Sweat and fear... (trails the finger up Zing's hip, tracing patterns in the boy's sweat) But there's something else in there now, isn't there? Something you've felt before, but forgotten all about...

Zing: (finally manages to tear his eyes away from the esper's, with a sob) ... please...

Hiyaname smiles wordlessly and shifts himself forward over Zing's body, one hand stroking the boy's cheek. His eyes glitter with sadistic glee as his fingers grip the back of the younger boy's head, his own somewhat tattered clothes parting of their own accord to reveal his fully erect member, twitching free of its bindings.

Zing: (eyes widening in panic) No! Do-

Hiyaname's smile widens into a sick grin as he shoves Zing's conveniently-opened mouth onto his cock, arching his head back as he pushes down the boy's throat. Zing gags and coughs around the sudden mouthful, finding that the psychic has a painfully tight grip on his hair as he tries to pull away; Hiyaname smiles wider, pulling out almost far enough to allow the boy a full breath before plunging back in, straight to the hilt. He gazes down at the boy's horrified face, savouring Zing's helpless whimpers, as he begins to pump in and out of the boy's mouth in long, even strokes. And Zing, with no strength left for resistance, can only weep...

The psychic grunts, pulling Zing's head back roughly by his hair, and stands, dragging the smaller boy up with him. The ethereal chains dance around him, shifting and reshaping by Hiyaname's will as the "wall" fades away. For a moment, Hiyaname seems content to simply hold Zing there, relishing his look of pain and suffering, his breathless gasps... and then he smirks, tracing the line of Zing's neck and collarbones with one finger.

Hiyaname: I think... perhaps something is lacking.

There is the gasp of a quantity of air being displaced; then, hanging around Zing's neck sits a collar, complete with a long chain which dangles low along his body. The esper smiles and catches the chain in one long-fingered hand, giving a jerk that pulls Zing' upper body forward, bending him slightly at the middle. The boy no longer resists; he simply seems to hang there, all but lifeless.

The esper moves around behind Zing, one finger tracing the curve of the boy's shapely behind, eliciting a faint tremble.

Hiyaname: (a low voice) Tasty. I prefer virgins, but I must say... (sneers) You know, dear, you're so delightful to play with that I'd almost forgotten how many times you've already done this...

Zing lets out a sob, legs trembling as if he stands on the verge of collapse. With a sadistic smile, Hiyaname pulls on the chain again, forcing the boy to bend over completely. His other hand moves to the boy's exposed backside, and uncaringly pushes his cheeks apart, exposing his entrance. He positions himself carefully, resting his slick head in the boy's cleft; then he releases the chain, which secures itself to the floor below, and grips Zing's behind with both hands.

Hiyaname: (leans forward over Zing's back, to whisper in his ear) Ne, Kuu-chan.... do you want to beg me to keep going, this time?... Heh... you used to beg her to do all kinds of things, didn't you? And you loved it, all...

Zing: (a tearful whisper) No... I never...

Hiyaname: You did. You did anything she ever asked. So desperate, so lost... you would do anything for her, because she said she loved you...

He shifts his position slightly, the head of his member sliding lower, pushing against Zing's entrance.

Hiyaname: ...And now, you'll do the same for me.

Hiyaname plunges home, burying himself as far inside Zing as he can reach. The boy screams and struggles, writhing in pain, but the esper tightens his grip, holding Zing firmly in place, fingernails digging into the soft flesh of his rear. For a moment, Hiyaname seems unsatisfied... then he leans back, and, with a sudden shock, Zing feels the man grow within him, longer and wider. He screams again as a new wave of burning pain tears through him, his opening stretched agonisingly far. Hiyaname gives a sigh of enjoyment, then slowly draws back, savouring the tightness, only slightly slicked by Zing's unwilling oral ministrations. Noting the boy's gasp of relief at his withdrawal, his sadistic sneer widens as he plunges back in, relishing Zing's renewed cries of pain.

Hiyaname: Oh, come now, Kuu-chan! (pulls out roughly before thrusting in with even greater force) Surely you've taken bigger than this? You must have begged for her to shove all kinds of things in here!

Zing: (sobbing) No! I wasn't -

Zing is cut off in a gasp as Hiyaname, not breaking his rhythm, reaches around to grasp the boy's member in one hand - which, in spite of Zing's own horror, he finds already hardened and slick. The Magic Knight whimpers helplessly as the psychic pulls back on him, rubbing the weeping head with his thumb.

Hiyaname: (voice low) It feels wonderful, doesn't it? (licks the boy's neck) You wish so badly that it was only pain, but no... (squeezes him firmly, forefinger stroking along the underside, pressing against the over-sensitive bridge between head and shaft) No, you love it, don't you?... You hate it, but you still want more...

Zing does not answer; the way he feels himself pulse in his captor's hand is a horror beyond words. He shuts it out, refuses it all - the pain and pleasure his body describes to him, the clamour of long-forgotten memories, the sick reality he has been trapped in. He delves into his mind with an almost crazed fervour, desperately searching for something to cling to... any kind memory, anything but this, anywhere but here...

And there, locked in the back of his memory like a treasure, is a face - the one who saved him. She stands like a moment of silence in a raging storm, with an earthy, bare-footed kind of beauty and a quiet courage that makes her so much stronger... So far above him, more than he would never dare to hope for - but kept here in his mind, a tiny shrine that even he did not realise existed. He clings to the memory with both hands, lets go of everything else; and, in the void, he lets himself pretend that she is there, and nothing else matters.

- - - (Caine's Study) - - -

In the mirror-window that displays the "Haven" to Caine and Midgar, there is a sudden shimmering around Zing's image. Hazy and flickering, it is still clearly a person - a female form, crouched before the boy, reaching out to him.

Midgar: (looking impressed) Well, well! Will you look at that - if I didn't know better, I'd think maybe our young friend is actually contesting Hiyaname for control of his perfect little world! How very interesting...

Caine: (thoughtfully) Indeed... it would seem that Hiyaname has again underestimated the boy, in spite of his earlier surprise.

Midgar: (squints slightly at the image) That's the Magic Knight of Earth, isn't it? He hasn't actually managed to pull her in there, has he?

Caine: No. That would be impossible, even if he gained complete control of the Haven - the gateway is under my jurisdiction. The girl is simply an illusion - although, I might note, that is quite an achievement in itself.

Nodding slowly, Midgar contemplates the Ueki-illusion with a thoughtful smile...

- - - (Haven) - - -

He feels the sensation of being dragged. Slowly at first - then faster, more and more forcefully, until there is a final horrible yank. Like one song fading into another, the image of her begins to slip through his fingers; warmth becomes heat, love becomes pleasure, peace becomes pain. Desperately, he tries to claw his way back, to escape once more - but like quicksand, he sinks further, until he can no longer deny the sound of his own panting breath, the fire inside him that is ready to explode...

His scream is beautiful to the psychic's ears; a cry of despair and defeat, yet flooded with guilty, shameful pleasure. The esper revels in the sound, in the feel of Zing's seed spilling over his fingers; his pace becomes frantic as it spurs him on, filling him with renewed lust. He rams himself home, a final violent thrust that elicits something between a scream and a sob - and then bursts forth, throwing his head back with a gasp of ecstasy. Riding the wave of his orgasm, he pushes as far as he can possibly reach, rewarded by cries of agony from his unwilling partner as he slowly comes down from his peak.

He gives a contented sigh as, his member still buried inside Zing's passage, they sink to the floor. The boy seems lifeless in his arms, his broken sobbing the only sign that he is even conscious.

Hiyaname: Subarashii!... (strokes down Zing's spine, and over his shapely backside) Truly magnificent... and such exquisite pain... So fortunate that I brought you back in time to enjoy it...

Zing: (cringes, trembling, refusing to look at him)

Hiyaname: (chuckles, leaning low over the boy, letting his long hair tickle Zing's body) Don't worry, Kuu-chan - I won't be letting you run away like that again. I'm going to keep you here forever, now - your body, your mind and your soul...

Zing: (whimpers, shaking his head in a movement so weak it is barely noticeable)

Hiyaname: (grinning wider) Oh, yes...

Roughly, he pulls himself out of the boy, shoving Zing over onto his stomach... then raises a hand, covered in a mixture of Zing's cum, and his own. The psychic pulls Zing's face close by a handful of hair, planting a rough, forceful kiss on unwilling lips, then runs his hand over the boy's cheek, leaving a smear of blood and semen.

In a fluid movement he stands, throwing the boy back to the floor and kicking him aside. As he turns to leave, a barred door materialises in front of him - and from it, walls expand, building up around Zing until he is enveloped in a stone cell.

Hiyaname: (pushing the door open) See you tomorrow, Kuu-chan... and the day after that, and the day after that. Don't forget... (winks) I-tsu-ma-de-mo.

The door slams. Zing curls into himself, shivering, and weeps.

- - - (Caine's Study) - - -

Hiyaname fades into existence in from of the Haven-portal, still unashamedly naked. Caine doesn't bother to look up from his work, but Midgar stands, and gives the man a slow, relaxed round of applause.

Midgar: Not bad, Esper - not bad at all. A most entertaining show...

Hiyaname: (with a cocky smile and a mock-bow) I aim to please, of course... (turns) And your opinion, o Mage?

Caine: (glancing at him distastefully) I shall have some spare robes acquired for you immediately.

Hiyaname: Tch - pity. (Flicks some hair over his shoulder, with a sly glance at Caine through the corner of his eye) And here I was hoping I might entice you to enjoy the moment... ^.~

Caine: I doubt it.

Hiyaname: (over-dramatic sigh) Tragic, how that lovely face was wasted on such a prude...

Caine: (flatly) I can assure you that your opinion on the matter is of no importance to me.

Midgar: (with an amiable laugh) Now, now, gentlemen - can't we all just get along? Surely it would be in all of our best interests to co-operate rather than bicker?

Hiyaname: (curious) To what purpose, dear fellow? My contract was simply to deal with your little "loose end" - though, truth be told, his end really is a lot less loose than I had expected... (sighs happily at the memory)

Midgar: Precisely, my insatiable friend... I was merely considering something of a... "collaborative work", if you will.

Hiyaname: (eyes alight) Oh? Do go on...

- - - (Haven) - - -

Here is time, in all its forms. And here, in a tiny pocket of reality that exists apart from the rest of the world, is an intricately-crafted anomaly. Flowing so quickly that time elsewhere seems at a standstill, it creates days that never were, that never will come to be...

It is all the same to him. Here, there is nothing to mark the passing of the days. Seconds, even, can be judged only by his pathetically fragile heartbeat. Time goes by unnoticed... it is all simply part of the one tangled memory, countless cruel violations blurred into a backdrop of cold, harsh stone, miserable grey light. Never changing, never ending.

His hair has grown. Once cropped short, it now brushes low against his back, filthy and tangled. He clings to this with desperation; in this world where nothing ever changes, it is his only proof that something, at least, is real.

Ueki: Zing...?

The voice goes unheard at first. Voices echo often through the tiny cell that has become his world, and they are never there to offer comfort.

Ueki: Oh, Goddess... Zing...

It reaches him, this time. The sound pierces him like a knife, and he shrinks away, trembling. So many times he has imagined her there, so many times convinced himself that she will come for him. So many times the desperate hope has been plucked from his mind even as he treasured it, mocked and warped, twisted into horrors beyond even his tortured imagination.

Ueki: Zing, are you... can you hear me?...

He draws further into his tightly-curled ball, shivering, whimpering. Why? Why must it go on?... Let it end, just let it end...

There is a sudden rush of movement, and he feels arms enfolding him, small but strong. Too used to false hopes, even now he cringes - but this time there is something new. A human scent flooding his senses, familiar and warm, mixed with earth and rain...

He hesitates, desperation vying with fear for his reaction...

Ueki: (stroking his hair) Shhh... you're safe now. (she stands, lifting him with her) I'm here... I'll take care of you now... I'll take you away from here...

He lets himself believe. What more can he lose?

- - - (Caine's Study) - - -

Caine, Midgar and Hiyaname sit cross-legged on the floor, a circle around the mirror-portal that displays "Haven". The psychic appears to be very deep in concentration, eyes closed and expression carefully empty, while the others merely seem to be watching the events in the mirror.

Midgar: (conversationally) Feeling the pressure a little, over there? I suppose it must be a little tricky... a construct is one thing, but a construct exactly as he remembers her is another, hmm? (shrugs) Mind you, that in itself is very impressive, of course...

Hiyaname: Indeed... it is more of a strain than I have subjected myself to recently. (a faint smile) However... (opens one eye, and the smile extends) ...the more he believes in it, the easier it becomes...

- - - (Elsewhere) - - -

Ueki: Zing...?

Her voice... the sound of the one who saved him. Speaking his name, it sounds to him like the most beautiful symphony, not a note out of tune...

Ueki: Zing, are you awake?

He opens his eyes, to a perfect blue sky. Beneath him, the earth is soft; the grass grows long and thick, dotted with tiny flowers. Further down the hill, a little stream runs, clean and pure - and around them, the ring of trees reach high, rich and verdant.

He smiles; everything is so healthy here. She must like this place... yes, she looks so happy... smiling at him...

Ueki: Do you like it here, Zing? (smiles, staring up at the sky) Isn't it wonderful?

Zing: It's perfect... everything is so beautiful...

Ueki: (nods) Yes... this is my secret place. I've never shown it to anybody before... (eyes locking with his) But, I decided... I wanted to share it with you.

Zing: (flushing deeply) W-with me?...

Ueki: (nods again) Only with you. So we can always come here, just you and me... where nobody else can find us...

Zing: Ueki-sama... I...

Ueki: (moves in closer, placing a finger on his lips) Shhh... (pauses) ...Zing... I love you. I've wanted to tell you for the longest time...

{Dear me... isn't that a bit corny?}

Zing: (teary) Ueki-sama... you... you do?...

Ueki: (nods) Is that all right?

Zing: (pulls her into a fierce hug, clinging to her and nodding fervently)

{Maybe - but it /is/ what he wants, now isn't it?... Tch, such a hopeless romantic, the dear little thing...}

Ueki: Zing... Do you love me, too?

Zing: Yes!... I... I didn't realise at first... but I have, for so long...

Ueki: (smiles, squeezing him tightly against her) I'm glad...

Zing: (nervous) But... but don't you... with Al-san...

Ueki: No... it's okay. We talked about it... everything's okay, now...

Zing: (looking like he might burst into tears again, buries his face in her hair)

Ueki: (hugs the boy, one hand stroking his hair gently)

{Yes, yes, it's all terribly cute... but let's get on with it, shall we?}

Ueki: (lowering her voice, with a sly smile) Ne, Zing... do you want me to show you another special place?...

Zing: (turns bright red) Oh... uh... th-that is...

Ueki: (breaks the hug and takes a step back, giving him an enticing smile) Well?

Zing: (stares down at his feet) I... I don't know what to...

Ueki: (laughs softly, and smiles more gently this time) I know... it's okay. I'll show you everything. I'll take care of you.

Zing: (blushing deeper) What... what do you want me to do?

Ueki: (another little laugh) Well, you should probably start by taking your clothes off, ne? How about that? I bet you'll look wonderful...

Zing: H-hai... (hastily reaches up to unbutton his robe... then falters)

Ueki: (looking hurt) What's the matter, Zing? Don't you trust me?

Zing: N-no... it isn't that... it's just...

Ueki: (frowns) Don't... don't you love me?

Zing: Yes! I... I do! I... I just...

Ueki: (stepping forward, gathering him into her arms) Zing... please, you have to let your defences down. You can't be afraid of me if you love me... we have to trust each other completely... (slips open the top button of his robe)

{Bored now! Come on, bend him over a tree stump already!}

{*sigh* Shhh! this is the important part... he has to trust me, or it won't work...}

Ueki: (steps back again, then pulls her shirt over her head, tossing it aside) See? I trust you, Zing. Please trust me too...

Zing: (blinking, turning a deeper) I... I trust you...

He reaches up to his buttons with trembling fingers, and begins to fumble with them one-by-one. After what seems like hours, his robe finally falls to the ground, followed by his shirt; and, eventually, he stands before her wearing nothing but the blush he started with.

Ueki: Beautiful... (smiles, pulling open her shorts and sliding them down her legs)

{Waaait for it...}

Somewhat dazed, Zing can do little more than blush and stare as she moves forward, guiding him gently down into the long, soft grass... staring up at her, all he can think is that she is more beautiful than he ever imagined. She takes his hand, her eyes never leaving his, and lifts it toward her, turning his palm to face the soft skin of her breast...

{...Now.}

...And places it down.

Ueki: (In Midgar's voice) ~(Soul Divide)~

For a single, terrible moment, everything in the entire world is pure, unadulterated pain. Then, mercifully, there is blackness.

- - - (Caine's Study) - - -

All innocence, Midgar peers at Hiyaname, who is now slumped unconscious across the mirror.

Midgar: Goodness me... I suppose we must have used more power than he could channel.

Caine: (flatly) Unintentionally, of course.

Midgar: (an innocent smile) Well, of course. I must have overestimated him, so impressed I was by his powers...

Caine: (with a hint of disgust) Of course. (waves a hand) Take him back to his room - I don't need him lying around here.

Midgar: (grinning) And the same for me, I presume? (tch) Dear me... you'd catch more flies with honey than vinegar, you know. (slings the esper over his shoulder, then thinks for a moment) Actually, I daresay blood works even better than honey...

Caine: Spare me.

Midgar: (cheerfully) Fair enough, then. I'll send him back when he comes around...

- - - (Elsewhere) - - -

He staggers blindly ahead, naked and bleeding, eyes dry only because he lacks the energy to cry any more.

{Her looking down... leaning over him, a cruel smile on her face...}

He passes through the trees, stumbling as the roots trip him up, gradually weaving a crooked path through the verdant giants until he emerges on the other side.

{Pushing him down again as he tries to rise... the sharp pain as she strikes him... the sound of her mocking laughter as he weeps...}

He stops as he reaches the edge, wavering unsteadily on the brink of the cliff. The ground plunges away beneath him - far below, windswept fields stretch for further than he can see. Such a perfect place...

{Cold hands, empty kisses, cruel eyes. The final hope upon which he had hung his life, betrayed in a way too horrific for words...}

{Ueki: Love you? Heh... don't make me laugh! Who would ever love a pathetic, worthless boy like you?...}

Her words echo in his mind. Of course she didn't love him. Nobody did. It was all lies, all it would ever be...

{Ueki: Don't you see, Zing? That's why this keeps happening... that's why everybody just wants to hurt you and use you. It's because that's all you're good for. You're lucky you're a good fuck, or you'd really be worthless...}

Tears come again. He doesn't notice... her words stung him then, but now he feels numb, unable to take in the world around him. Except for the valley at his feet, reaching out to the ends of the world like an invitation to eternity.

He had been wrong. There had been something left to lose. Something that was gone, now, and would not be coming back.

He steps forward, and lets it end.

- - - (Caine's Study) - - -

Hiyaname: (eyes narrowing) ...What?

Caine: (coolly) Don't be so surprised. I warned you that this may happen.

Hiyaname: (snarling) How?! How could he have escaped?! You said he would be trapped here! You said that only you could control the gateway!

Caine: (with the faintest of shrugs) I promised nothing. The gateway is indeed under my control, but as you well know, there are other ways to break through. If there were something to call him back to the real world... if even one person were able to remember him...

Hiyaname: (voice shrill) Impossible! Even a metahuman could not have gotten around my technique! (spins on Midgar, pointing a finger accusingly) You! This is your fault, demon! You deliberately caused the feedback during that spell -

Midgar: (sanguine smile) Me? Goodness, no... I'd only just begun to enjoy our little friend's presence. Why should I want him freed?

Hiyaname trembles, tensing as if he's about to strike the other man... then relaxes visibly, straightening up and flicking a long bang away from his face.

Hiyaname: Che. No matter... I will make this part of the plan. With my power driving it, the link forged by the Soul Divide will not fail so easily... and a change of scenery will make our little chase all the more fun. (spins dramatically, robe sweeping the floor behind him) So, if you gentlemen will excuse me, I have a job to finish.

- - - (Somewhere else) - - -

Dawn.

The sun rises slowly over a rolling green field, splashing beautiful pastels across the sky to create a truly breathtaking landscape. The only flaw in the scene is barely noticeable - almost completely concealed by the tall grasses, a slim boy lies sleeping.

Like the landscape around him, he appears pristine and beautiful. His pale skin is smooth and flawless, so clean it is almost unbelievable; the long, white-blonde hair that frames his body where he lies leaves not a strand out of place.

His expression, however, is not one of peace. And, as he opens his eyes - deep, soulful eyes that mirror the swirling colours of the sky above him - a single tear slides over his face and falls to the earth.

Zing: (whispering, staring blankly ahead) . . . why?

A breeze lifts, sweeping gently over the field and the weary Knight. Almost like a caress... almost like a welcome.

I understand that various things involved in this fic may (and quite possibly will) upset people. I'm not at all concerned about the yaoi; frankly, with the amount of lesbianism and female bisexuality in GRIT, anybody who wants to whine about the occasional bit of boysmut can get bent. However, with regards to the more sensitive subject of rape - I apologise if anybody finds including such things in GRIT to be offensive, but I will not retract it. I feel that it is a very powerful plot device, and that although it should of course be handled tactfully, there is nothing wrong with using it to shape a character. I'm sorry if you disagree, but if you really want to debate the point, I find the concept of refusing to hit women every bit as offensive as the concept of rape, and it's not like chivalry is going to be ejected from GRIT because I don't like it.

On the use of Japanese words - okay, so dotting these in can make one seem pretty fanboyish. However, in my opinion, there are some times when English words just don't have the same effect - Hiyaname could just as easily have said "forever", but the breakdown of "itsumademo" sounds so much better with the teasing, pseudo-sexy tone I was trying to convey. At times like these, I don't believe there is anything wrong with using Japanese words, and if that makes me a fanboy, I can't say I care.

Nonetheless, Blade made a very good point in saying I should include translations. So here they are:

Subarashii - Incredible, magnificent, et cetera. I have an odd attachment to abusive semes using this word ^^;

Itsumademo - Forever. I wanted to use "yoyokagirinaku" (for ever and ever) because it was a better word, but that had way too many syllables to sound good (much the same as "forever" had too few).