I want you to destroy me with your own hands
While you can still hold me dear.
Your arms that hold me back
Turn into a gentle dust.
I simply stare at the sky, silently.
Burned on, Burned on
The inerasable scars left by the palms of my hands
Sever a rift in the red stained clouds with my torn hands
Burned down, Burned down,
The place of our promise that will never return.
- "Chou(Butterfly)" by Tsukiko Amano -
******
The Night Before...
******
Troubled pale blue eyes tracked aimlessly across a wooden ceiling. The owner of those eyes sighed softly and glanced around the room. The room was a girl�s room, decorated with bright red wall hangings and small female dolls. A single lamp stood in the center of the room in between two pillows. An alter was built into one of the walls, two identical male dolls were set in front of it facing each other. One of the dolls had a bright red string hanging from it's waist The boy flinched away from the sight and rolled over on the bed, bearying his face against his pillow, trying to block out all the reminders of what was to come within the next day.
Tachibana Mutsuki was awakened by his twin�s movements and he rolled over, placing a hand on the other boys shoulder, "Itsuki?"
Itsuki turned his head so that he faced his brother and opened his eyes. He glanced up at his twins concerned eyes, eyes identical to his own, then looked away. He was having a lot of trouble looking at his brother lately.
Mutsuki frowned, "You can't sleep?" he asked gently.
Itsuki just shook his head, still refusing to look up.
Mutsuki nodded, "Just relax, close your eyes..." he said gently, rubbing the older twin�s shoulder in a way that he had often done in the past when his brother couldn't sleep.
Itsuki grimaced and slapped his brother's hand away, sitting up, "How can you be so calm about this?"
His brother sighed, "Itsuki..." he started.
"How can you act like nothing's wrong...you're going to die tomorrow!" Itsuki cried.
"I know..."
"You don't act like it!"
"What would you have me do?" Mutsuki asked helplessly.
Itsuki paused for a moment, thinking then he gripped his brother's shoulders, "We could run away. Right now. We could leave here and never look back!"
But Mutsuki was already shaking his head, "And where would that leave us? Forsaking our duty and leaving all we've ever known behind?"
"I don't care, I don't care! Please Mutsuki!" Itsuki pleaded.
"If we leave, Yae and Sae will take our place." Mutsuki stated, "They would have to suffer for our cowardice. No, Itsuki, I will not do that to them, they don't deserve that. If it can be helped, I would see them spared."
Itsuki slumped, knowing there was no arguing. He loved Sae. If he ran she would die. Tears formed in his eyes and he leaned his head against his brother's chest, "I don't want to kill you! I don't want to kill you! Please don't make me kill you!" he cried.
Mutsuki held his brother close, stroking the black hair, "It'll be alright Itsuki. We'll always be together, I promise."
Itsuki shook his head, his voice thick with tears, "No we won't, I�ll kill you tomorrow and I�ll never see you again."
Mutsuki pulled back and lifted his twin's face, brushing away the tears, "That's not true. You will make me one with you tomorrow, and we'll always be together. I will always be with you brother, even if you can't see me."
Itsuki looked down again and shook his head, "I don't want to be one with you. I want you here, the way you always have been." he bearied his face in his hands, "Why must I do this?"
"You must because you must. The Village depends on us." Mutsuki said simply, pulling his suffering twin back into his arms, "No matter what happens, you know I will forgive you. In the end, I will forgive you Itsuki."
Itsuki's only response was to break down into quiet sobs.
*****
The Ritual
*****
Itsuki clenched his hands until he feared his fingernails would break the skin. He kept his head down as he and his brother were led through the underground tunnels beneath the village. Nothing seemed real anymore, he couldn't believe that he was about to kill his twin.
The journey was too short in his mind. Mere moments until he was staring down at the pillows that served as a sacrificial alter...and the place of his brother's death. The Room was lit with seemingly hundreds of candles leaving much of the room in shadows and making the passage in front of him appear as a gaping mouth. Itsuki swallowed hard, feeling as if he was going to be sick.
The many veiled village priests were still filling into the room, forming a circle around the two. Mutsuki glanced at his twin. Itsuki was terribly pale, and a faint tremble shook his form. The candles reflected off the glaringly red cord that connected them around the waist, giving Itsuki's ceremonial white kimono a reddish hue.
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