Please type in X-Virus in the top right corner (on the computer) if you have not read X-Virus. You cannot read this story without reading that, unless you want to be utterly puzzled. Anyway, I am pleased that I am finally able to publish this. I have been extremely excited to write this, and I am happy I had it a day earlier than originally anticipated. Well, just a fair warning that this chapter is already longer than every chapter I've ever written for X-Virus (whoops). Well anyway, I own nothing except for the premises and OCs, and enjoy! You're finally going to learn about what actually happened!
People tend to despise change. They prefer to keep their life simple and ordinary. Changing seems like such a hassle. Altering their daily schedule seems appalling. Change is especially unwanted when it is sporadically thrust upon you. Within hours, their ordinary life reverts to a life of chaos and complication. Whether they want to or not, they are forced to change. Their lives are flipped completely upside-down. The X-Virus was what ruined many peoples' lives, and completely changed everything. Change isn't always bad, however, the X-Virus was not exactly beneficial to their lives.
Utter quietness was the first thing Nagihiko Fujisaki noticed when his eyes opened. He blinked a couple of times, revealing the world around him. He could hear nothing, except his movements in his bed. The bed he was lying on did not look familiar. Gradually, he sat up, and got off his bed. When he got to his feet, he felt extremely stiff.
"Where... am I?" He wondered aloud, speaking to no one in particular. He glanced around the room, observing everything around him. The room he was in was fairly simple, with white walls and a brown carpet. Something seemed familiar about it however. When he glanced at the drawer, it occurred to him that he recalled seeing a TV on top of it. He remembered suddenly waking up to find the TV shattered on the ground a while ago. He had been sitting on a chair nearby. Nagihiko turned, seeing the chair in the spot he recalled sitting.
"That's right... The X-Virus... Oh, I must have entered the Berserk Phase." He wondered what happened. Slowly, he exited the room, and went to a room next door the room he was inside. He peered inside, surprised not to find anyone inside. He opened it slightly more, and saw three beds lying on the ground. On a nearby table, there was a picture with Amu, Yaya, and Rima, so Nagihiko speculated this was their room. He could imagine seeing Amu's worried expression, glancing at him. That was the last thing he remembered. It was a blur, but Nagihiko recalled panting heavily, facing all of his friends. They were persistent, asking him if he was alright. Soon after, he recollected feeling an immense pain. It was caused by Gravatus injecting something in him, but what? Gravatus, his father...
Worry passed through Nagihiko, wondering where all of his friends were. He could safely assume they were all staying here, and it didn't take him long enough to realize it was Yukari and Yuu's house. He felt nervous suddenly, hoping that he didn't harm them all during his Berserk Phase. He would never forgive himself if he killed them. However that didn't make sense. Who else would have purified him? Nagihiko walked into the bathroom, and examined himself in the mirror. He looked healthy, to his dismay. It had been so long since he was healthy. A smile crossed his face. He was really okay, probably thanks to Amu. Something then occurred to him.
"Temari? Rhythm?" He inquired, glancing around. There was no response. He reached into his pockets, hopeful to find at least their eggs. Unfortunately, he was unsuccessful.
He walked down the stairs, hoping to find someone else. It seemed that he was all alone inside the house. He happened to glance at the window, when he noticed the black spots located throughout the city. Curious, he walked closer, examining it from the inside. The city that was normally quite populated only had a few cars driving by. Everything looked so different from normal, especially with the darkness. He saw snow on the ground mixed with darkness. Wait, snow?! Nagihiko was suddenly extremely perplexed; why was there snow?! It was only October! The calendar suddenly became very apparent to Nagihiko. He glanced at it, seeing it said March. March?! How come he didn't remember any time passing from October to March? Suddenly, it dawned on him.
"Oh shit..." Nagihiko murmured, his face paling. How could he have been unconscious for five whole months? He wondered what day it was. He realized that he missed so much; Christmas, New Years, and so many other events he was probably forgetting. The thought of being unconscious for so long did not seem to be easily fathomable. "Oh gosh..." He decided to do some exploration.
He fumbled through a closet full of jackets. He pulled out a random a sweatshirt, probably Ikuto's or Kukai's, and put it on over his clothes that he had been wearing for who knows how long. He stepped outside, and despite seeing the snow, was surprised to find himself shivering. He pulled a hood over his head, and continued walking.
As he walked deeper into the city, he noticed the streets were jammed with people. Although there was a severe lack of cars, there were a plethora of people in tents and yelling. It was almost like some sort of market.
"E-Excuse me." Nagihiko walked over to a woman selling fruit. She smiled, looking relieved to find someone.
"Hello dear! Would you like some fruit? It's only seventy-five cents for three fruits. They're completely fresh and ripe!"
"I was wondering actually if you could tell me the date?" Nagihiko asked politely. The woman's face fell.
"It's the twenty-fifth. Now, could I bother you for some fruit?" It was late March. It all seemed too weird for Nagihiko to comprehend. He stood there for a moment, pondering everything. Five months... What even happened? How could everything change so drastically in a mere five months?!
"Excuse me!" Nagihiko glanced up, recognizing the voice. He smiled softly, noticing the face of the guy with auburn-colored hair. Not once in his life had Nagihiko been so relieved to see Kukai. The woman smiled up at Kukai.
"Hello again! Have you come for some fruit?"
"Yeah, fruits been at a great price her opposed to everywhere else! My friend, well, sister basically, really needs to eat fruit to balance the amount of candy she eats," Kukai explained, scratching the back of his head. Nagihiko sweat dropped, knowing exactly who he was referring to.
"Alright great! Here you go. That would be one dollar." Kukai grabbed a dollar from his pocket, and handed it to the woman. She smiled, and handed him his fruit in a bag.
"Kukai," Nagihiko called, just as he was about to leave. Kukai turned, facing Nagihiko in puzzlement.
"Can I help you- wait, how the hell do you know my name?!" Kukai cocked an eyebrow. Nagihiko suddenly remembered his hood was up. Slowly, he removed his hood, watching Kukai's confusion revert to pure shock. His mouth was hanging open, and he dropped the fruit on the ground.
"Oh, I'll get you some new ones for free," The woman muttered, handing him four extra fruits. Kukai thanked her quickly, and glanced back at Nagihiko.
"Is this a dream?" Kukai wondered, pinching himself.
"I wouldn't be shocked... I mean, it doesn't seem to realistic to wake up to find yourself five months later then what you remember and having the entire world appear different then what you remember." Kukai laughed slightly.
"Oh my god... You must be so freaking confused..."
"You could say that." Kukai smiled, and dragged Nagihiko's arm out of the tent. Once they were outside, Kukai hugged him tightly. Surprised, Nagihiko hugged his friend back.
"Holy shit man, I missed you so much! My god, we weren't even sure you would wake up. I'm so glad we were wrong. Oh my god, everyone is going to be so happy! C'mon we have to find Yaya! She's going to flip!" He let go of Nagihiko, and started walking ahead.
"Wait Kukai." Kukai turned, smiling at his friend. "What's even going on? Why is there an entire market outside?"
"I'll explain everything," Kukai promised. "We just have to find Yaya and then head home."
"Where are the others?" Nagihiko asked.
"Well, Utau and Ikuto always tend to randomly disappear and no one really knows where they go. I've tried to ask Utau, but she interrupts me frequently to, um, err, never mind!" Nagihiko raised an eyebrow. Kukai blushed. "Tadase also mentioned he was going somewhere. As for the others, well, Yukari's giving birth today and they went to accompany her!"
"Oh really?" Nagihiko wondered, surprised. Last he remembered, Yukari wasn't very pregnant. Of course, five years was apparently an extremely long time. Everything he knew seemed to be the polar opposite.
"YAYA GOT THE EGGS!" A familiar voice called. Nagihiko and Kukai turned, facing their exuberant friend. Her pigtails bounced up and down, as she jogged over to Kukai holding eggs. She held the eggs in one arm, and performed her usual handshake with Kukai.
"Great!" Kukai grinned.
"Oh my god Yaya, turn around!" Pepe exclaimed. Yaya turned suddenly, and screamed loudly. Nagihiko jumped back, surprised by the loudness of her voice. She stuffed the eggs in Kukai's arms, and glomped Nagihiko tightly. He gently hugged her back.
"NAGI-TAN! YOU'RE AWAKE!" Yaya squealed loudly.
"Yaya-Chan, my ears..." Nagihiko muttered.
"Sorry! Yaya's just so excited! Oh my gosh, everyone is going to be sooo excited! Now not only are you awake, but Ava-Chi is being born! Today is like the best day ever!"
"Ava? Is that the name Sanjou-San and Nikaidou-San are naming their child?" Nagihiko wondered.
"Yup! Isn't it pretty?" Kukai wondered, grinning.
"Yeah it is..."
"Eek! Maybe Tada-Tan won't be so sulky all the time! Utau-Chi and Iku-Tan are going to be so happy too! Kairi-Kun is going to be so happy to have another nerd! Oh, and of course Rimzy-Tan! She'll be sooooo happy!"
"...Rimzy?" Nagihiko inquired.
"Yeah it's our nickname for her! Do you like it?"
"I highly doubt she does..."
"AWW YOU'RE SO DEFENSIVE OF YOUR GIRLFRIEND!" Yaya swooned. Nagihiko blushed slightly. He remembered the last thing he said to her before he passed out and entered Berserk Phase. He had professed his love for her, since he thought he would die and never see her again. A small smile crept across his face. He was alive. He survived the impossible odds. Very soon, he would be reunited with her. That greatly pleased him.
"Let's head back home! We got everything we were sent out to get," Kukai suggested. Yaya nodded, finally letting go of Nagihiko. She grabbed the eggs from Kukai and ran ahead. Kukai laughed, and caught up, dragging Nagihiko's arm with him.
"Kukai!~" Nagihiko moaned, not appreciative of Kukai pulling on his arm.
"Remember when I used to do this every day with you during Seiyo? The good old days!"
"Yeah, I do, and I'm not exactly fond of those memories," Nagihiko murmured. Kukai laughed, ignoring his pain, and running back to the house.
They arrived inside the house, and Kukai and Yaya put away their groceries. Nagihiko sat down on a couch, distinctively remembering contemplating suicide on that exact cushion. He sweat dropped, thinking back to that moment when he was speaking to Utau and the fact Rima convinced him not to. He had felt so sick and the world seemed so groggy like him.
"So... On a scale of one to ten, how confused are you?" Kukai asked, sitting beside Nagihiko. He chuckled slightly.
"I'd say it's off the charts," He admitted.
"I suppose it's my job to tell you what's going on. Yaya, care to join us and help me explain everything?" Yaya sat beside Kukai.
"What are you telling Nagi-Tan?" Yaya asked curiously.
"Well, everything. Basically, what's going on with the world," Kukai explained to Yaya. She nodded, and rested her head on his shoulder. "Well, I suppose it's best to start at the beginning." Kukai cleared his throat, and sighed. "What's the last thing you remember?"
"Well, it's extremely blurred in my mind, but I recall Gravatus injecting some sort of needle within me, and Amu taking care of me or something... the details are pretty vague. More vividly, I remember the moments following my Berserk Phase, saying goodbye to you, Rima-Chan, and others..."
"That's a good place to begin. So, yeah, after you kissed Rima, you vanished, like, poof." Kukai made a sound effect to emphasize his point. Involuntarily, Nagihiko smiled softly, remembering that kiss, despite it being the last time he thought he would see her."None of us were too surprised, since it happened before. So, we all made plans to leave since we needed to find you. Someone, I think Ikuto, suggested to check Easter. The savvy six, then, went to Easter."
"IT WAS THE POWER OF SIX," Yaya interjected.
"Oh whatever!" Kukai whined. "Fine, Yaya, Utau, Amu, Rima, Kairi, and me. Savvy six or power of six. Same idea!"
"Go on," Nagihiko told him.
"Right! Anyway, so when we went inside, we were immediately confronted with Gravatus and you. Suddenly, Amu's humpty lock magically floated up and revealed some power thing that allowed Dia to hatch again, along with Daichi and Kusu-Kusu. Kiseki and Yoru hatched too, and Tadase and Ikuto later joined us. Well anyway, we fought for a while, pretty much unsuccessful. Oh yeah during that fight, we found out that the only reason Gravatus distributed the X-Virus was so his brother, Aruto could notice. That's why he initially captured Ikuto, but then he found his son, you, and he got tempted, so you were the ultimate plan." Nagihiko thought for a moment.
"So basically... I nearly died and was in some darkened state- just so Gravatus could meet his brother again?!" Nagihiko slowly analyzed.
"Basically. Isn't he such a bastard? Well, Utau and Ikuto had the same reaction as you, and they were completely astonished. Meanwhile, as Gravatus was explaining his insane motivations, Kairi and Rima developed some weird plan involving a control panel. Ikuto had mentioned something about a control panel at some point, and the two decided that if they destroyed it, you would be weakened and Amu can purify you! So, Rima tied up Gravatus with her ropes, and went to find said control panel."
"Was she successful?" Nagihiko asked.
"Shh! Wait for us to get there!" Kukai hissed. Nagihiko held up his hands in innocence. "Well, actually I passed out around now and everything that happened I was told later, so you mind explaining Yaya?" Yaya sat up, and nodded.
"Yay! Okay, so when Rimzy-Tan went to destroy the control panel, she ran into Berserk Phased Saaya and cronies. She tied them up in order to find the control panel, but then Gravatus broke out of his ropes, and grabbed Rimzy. She was put on some screen for all of us to watch, well except for Kukai who passed out. Gravatus held a gun to her head, and threatened to shoot her if we didn't surrender!"
"You sound way too happy about that..." Nagihiko pointed out.
"You should know Yaya by now; she's extremely upbeat!" Yaya grinned, and then continued. "Anyway, so basically, it was a decision between Rima-Tan's life against yours, since no one could stop you, and you would release too much X-Energy."
"Apparently, you exerted so much X-Energy that it was the size of a house!" Kukai exclaimed. "It would have killed you within the hour!"
"Actually, Gravatus said the size of Nagi-Tan's house, which is like enormous!" Nagihiko's face paled. It shocked him how close he was to dying.
"So... What did you guys do?"
"For some reason, we made it Amu's decision between you, although I was still out so it wasn't my idea. Gravatus was counting down, and then Rima shot one of her juggling pins at the control panel and then boom, it exploded."
"HEY YAYA WAS EXPLAINING THAT PART!" Yaya whined loudly.
"Sorry!" Kukai whined. "Do you want to continue?"
"Nah, keep going Kukai!" Kukai grinned, and turned back to Nagihiko.
"Well, anyway, after Rima destroyed the control panel, Gravatus was absolutely pissed, from what I hear. Unfortunately, breaking the control panel had no effect on you though, and you pestered on, attacking Amu, who I forgot to mention transformed with Dia. So, Saaya and the cronies returned, and since Amu was too preoccupied with you, we were deciding if one of us should purify them." Kukai began to laugh. "Utau was saying she should, even though she already tried once and failed. So, Rima pointed out she purified X-Eggs once with you, and Tadase said, and I quote, 'I did it once with Amu," Kukai burst into hysterical laughter, and it took a minute to compose himself. "I just woke up, and I obviously made a that's what he said joke." Nagihiko rolled his eyes.
"Anyway, Utau was able to purify them successfully, since she's amazing. We all continued to attack you, but everything we did failed. We were all convinced we wouldn't be able to do anything, especially since Gravatus came to taunt us. However, you began getting really weak and unable to do much. We were concerned for your survival. So, without anything to lose, Amu purified you and voila, you're healthy!"
"It couldn't have been that simple... What about outside?" Nagihiko wondered, gesturing to the window. Kukai's grin subsided immediately.
"Well, the truth is..." His voice trailed off, as the door to the house began opening.
"Who is it?!" Yaya wondered excitedly. She stood up, and bounced up and down energetically. "Maybe Ava-Chi was born! Kairi-Kun could be home! EEK!"
"They're still dating by the way," Kukai explained. "So are Utau and I, and don't worry, Rima hasn't cheated. However, regarding Amu and Tadase..." The door swung opened, revealing Amu and Rima. Amu's pink hair was clipped back nicely and she wore a long-sleeved white top. She wore a pink mini skirt with white leggings.
"Mini-skirt Amu? Were you just asking for Ikuto to flirt?" Kukai teased.
"I said the same thing!" Rima pointed out. Her blonde hair was placed in two neat pigtails. She wore a lavender shirt with jeans. Nagihiko felt his heart begin beating rapidly, nervous for their reactions to him, specifically Rima.
"So, was she born?!" Yaya exclaimed, bouncing up and down. Rima turned to her.
"Yeah, she was! She's actually really-" Rima froze, upon seeing Nagihiko. She dropped her bag onto her feet, cringing slightly in pain. She stared at him, her mouth dropping open.
"Y-Y-Y-You..."
"What's up?" Amu wondered, completely oblivious to Nagihiko's presence. Rima slowly lifted her finger, pointing at him. Amu followed her finger, and stumbled backward.
"AH! NAGI!" Amu squealed, running toward him. Nagihiko, glancing up at Amu, hugged her, expecting a hug from her as he received from everyone else so far. She returned his hug. "Oh my god you're awake! I can't believe it! I-I'm so happy!" She let go of him, and smiled kindly. "I, we missed you so much!"
"It's nice to see you Amu-Chan," Nagihiko told her, smiling.
"Y-You can speak..." Nagihiko turned to the petite blonde and smiled.
"Yes Rima-Chan, I believe that is the purpose of a larynx," Nagihiko teased. Rima's utter bemusement slowly reverted to a large smile, one that Nagihiko had only seen during her character changes. Kusu-Kusu giggled quietly.
"I missed your teasing. Oh my god, I... I-I'm sorry I just... I wasn't expecting this at all, I-I'm happy of course, I-I just..."
"I would be surprised too if someone I knew woke up after being unconscious for five months." Rima slowly walked toward him, and like everyone else, hugged him, although much gentler than the other three. Blushing slightly, Nagihiko hugged her back, leaving the other three to watch them awkwardly.
"Five months... it seems so long... I missed you Nagi," Rima whispered, resting her head on his shoulder.
"I can't quite say I missed you since I don't remember being in a coma, but I'm definitely happy to be with you again, now that I'm healthy." Rima smiled.
"That's right! We survived the X-Virus, and we can actually be a real couple." Nagihiko held her tighter. "Unfortunately, everything sucks outside, but at least we have each other fully healthy."
"Kukai was just explaining everything that I missed," Nagihiko pointed out. Rima let go of him, and turned to Kukai. She stayed sitting comfortably on Nagihiko's lap, leaving his face to be as red as a tomato. Yaya and Kukai snickered at his facial expression. He shyly wrapped his arms around Rima, who appeared to be as happy as a little girl eating candy (hence, Yaya).
"Oh sounds like fun," Amu muttered sarcastically. "Wow Nagi, you must have been so confused when you woke up."
"I was," Nagihiko admitted. "I honestly had no idea where I even was... The idea that I was out for five months just seems so incomprehensible."
"It's hard for even us to believe!" Yaya exclaimed. "Yet it seems like years you've been out!"
"...Sorry?"
"Well Yaya, time doesn't exactly fly when the world around you falls apart," Rima pointed out.
"Nagi is still confused, so I'm going to finish! Amu, you were the one who purified him, so do you want to finish explaining?"
"Where did you leave off?" Amu asked.
"I just explained that you purified him and I was getting to what's actually going on," Kukai explained. Amu turned to Nagihiko, and sighed.
"Before we get to that, I'll explain what happened exactly when I purified you. So basically, I was floating with Dia, who had re-hatched as Kukai probably explained. She answered all of the questions we had. The prophecy was everything we guessed: Ikuto was the catalyst, Kairi and Yaya were the eternal love, you were the obstacle, and I was the person who could save the world from 'incoming darkness,' which is all of this. The reason I was immune and able to purify was because I had already been infected with the X-Virus, well, an early strain. Remember Ikuto's Death Rebel? When I hugged him that time, it got me infected with a minor version, and I built up immunity." Nagihiko nodded slowly.
"Cut to the chase. He's probably curious about what truly resulted," Rima muttered, leaning back onto him. Nagihiko found it difficult to lie that he was mostly interested about what exactly happened. All four of them exchanged glances, deciding who should tell him. Amu sighed, conceding to telling him. She turned to him, and sighed.
"As you could have probably guessed, the darkness surrounding the world is X-Energy. It was released from everyone's Berserk Phases, mostly yours. It was Gravatus's ultimate plan to attract his brother. This X-Virus infected not only people in Japan, but it went globally. Overall, the infection rates were outstanding, nearly surpassing that of HIV. Fortunately, the death toll wasn't too high. Well, the result from everyone exerting X-Energy was the growth of this. You may recall Gravatus injecting you with X-Energy before you fell unconscious for five months. Throughout the first portion of your coma, X-Energy flowed out of you, further preserving the darkness in the world. This Virus devastated the world, as you could tell from the markets. Money and resources are scarce. It is extremely dangerous to go outside now. People are advised not to leave unless it is for shopping or something important, hence why we are living here instead of with our parents. We have visited our parents briefly, but it has to be extremely limited. The entire world is...a terrible place to live now." Nagihiko didn't say anything for a while. He couldn't think of anything that would ease the situation. They were all caught up in a dire world.
"Gravatus... Have you seen him at all?" It seemed like a dumb response to realizing his life turned upside-down, but he was at a loss of anything better.
"Not since your Berserk Phase," Rima explained. "He has been in hiding, but from what we know, Aruto still has not returned." Nagihiko nodded slowly, still in disbelief. He turned his head and glanced out the window. Everything was so different, and it was mostly his fault.
"So, back to baby! Ava was born?" Kukai asked, breaking the silence. Amu and Rima turned to him, and nodded. Rima moved off of Nagihiko's lap and sat beside him instead, resting her head on his shoulder.
"Yeah! She's so cute!" Amu exclaimed. "Rima, you have the picture on your phone right?" Rima nodded, pulling out her phone and glancing through the photos.
"This is her," Rima whispered, holding up her phone. Nagihiko turned back to the others, and glanced at the image on Rima's phone.
"OH MY GOD SHE'S ADORABLE!" Yaya squealed. "She has cute little freckles!"
"Look at how her skin looks!" Kukai pointed out. "It's so red and eek!" He looked up at Amu and Rima and smirked for a moment. "I assume you guys weren't there for the birth?"
"EW!" Amu exclaimed. Rima's eyes widened. "No, yuck! We were actually outside, acting as support for Kairi. Gosh, you should have seen the look on his face. He was so nervous!"
"Yukari was screaming really loudly," Rima pointed out. "It was echoing throughout the entire hospital."
"Aw Kairi-Kun! Is he still with them?" Yaya asked.
"Yup," Amu told her. The door swung open again, revealing Tadase. Amu smiled up at him, but he completely ignored her glance. Amu's smile faded almost immediately. Nagihiko glanced up at him, noticing a huge gash on his cheek.
"Tadase, what's on your cheek?" Rima asked.
"N-Nothing," He admitted. "I tripped and fell, but it doesn't hurt." Nagihiko knew for sure that he was lying.
"What really happened?" All eyes turned to Nagihiko, Tadase's eyes widening immediately. A smile crossed on his face.
"Nagihiko!" Tadase exclaimed. "It's great to see you finally awake! Oh, I hope you don't mind if I refer to you so informally; I've been starting to call people by their names." Rima snorted loudly, elbowing Amu. Tadase lowered his eyes.
"Of course I don't mind, Hotori-San, err, Tadase. We've been friends for so long, so it seems weird that we even do that in the first place," Nagihiko smiled, although it didn't match his inside. Tadase smiled back, and turned to the girl beside him.
"Is she born?" Tadase asked.
"Mhm. This is a picture." Rima held up her phone to Tadase.
"She's so cute!" Tadase exclaimed. At that moment, Rima's phone started to ring. She turned it back to her, and picked it up.
"Hello?" Rima asked into the phone. There was silence for a moment, speaking from the other end. "Okay great! Tell them I say hi. Oh, and also Nagi's awake!" Rima smiled, moving her phone to her other hand and slipping her arm through his. Rima hung up the phone, and put it away. "That was Kairi. Ikuto and Utau are giving him a ride home and Yukari and Yuu are staying at the hospital a bit longer with Ava."
"YAY KAIRI-KUN!" Yaya screamed.
"Finally! It'll be great to see the Tsukiyomi siblings! So, any more questions?" Kukai turned to Nagihiko. "Anything else you are curious about?"
"Do any of you have any idea where my charas are?" Nagihiko asked.
"No..." Amu admitted. "I'm sure you'll get them back soon though; it took Rima and Kukai a bit, and Tadase and Ikuto even less time." The door began opening again, revealing Kairi and the Tsukiyomi siblings.
"OHMIGOSH KAIRI! YOU'RE AN UNCLE!" Yaya sprung off of the couch, and hugged him tightly. Kairi smiled to Nagihiko's dismay and hugged her back.
"It seems quite unfathomable, but I suppose that being an uncle is reality now. I am quite pleased Ava turned out healthy." Kairi let go of Yaya, and smiled at Nagihiko. "I am quite pleased to see you conscious Nagihiko-San."
"Thanks... Congratulations regarding Ava by the way," Nagihiko told him.
"Thank you, although it was my sister that endured the most throughout the course of the pregnancy."
"Nice to see you Fujisaki." Nagihiko turned to the Tsukiyomi siblings, and smiled at them. Tadase frowned.
"Aw cousinly love!~" Yaya squealed. Nagihiko remembered that aspect suddenly.
"Can we talk to you?" Ikuto wondered. Nagihiko nodded, sliding his arm out of Rima's. Rima picked her head up, and watched as he stood up and walked toward them.
"HEY UTAU! YOU DIDN'T EVEN GIVE ME A HELLO!" Kukai yelled. Utau acknowledged his presence and rolled her eyes. Ikuto turned to Amu and winked seductively at her, making her face turn as red as a tomato. Nagihiko glanced at Tadase for a moment, who looked ready to explode. He pitied Tadase, since it seemed extremely evident that Amu and Ikuto were actually a couple now. Ikuto and Utau led Nagihiko away from everyone else.
"What's up?" Nagihiko asked, turning to them.
"Did the others explain everything?" Utau asked suddenly.
"Yeah, they did..." He admitted.
"Fujisaki, we just wanted to say, if you need anything, you can talk to us. It must be stressful waking up after this long, so come talk to us if necessary. We're family." Nagihiko smiled, although the entire thing seemed odd coming from them.
"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind," He told them. They smiled softly, seeming really odd to Nagihiko. Maybe family was important to them and finding their cousin seemed special? "The others mentioned that Gravatus planned this whole entire thing for your father to find. Do you know if he has?" The two of them glanced at each other, and sighed.
"I've asked Tsukasa, but he doesn't really know," Ikuto admitted. "We'll just have to wait and see, just like everything else."
"I hope he comes. He'll be able to stop this. This...This terrible place. It has ruined everything. Damn Gravatus, and his stupid plans."
"I highly doubt the others would just give up. Have you met your boyfriend?" Utau crossed her arms, and sighed.
"I'm pretty sure even he doubts there's a way out of this. It's been five months and there is no sign of hope. We're all just doing everything we can to survive," Utau muttered.
"Maybe not all hope is gone..." Both of them turned to Ikuto. "Well, you survived impossible odds Fujisaki. Ava was born in this world. Maybe not everything is doomed."
"Well, we should get going." Utau and Ikuto turned to each other and sighed. They faced Nagihiko. "Remember, talk to us about anything. I know you never really had a secure family at home, so feel free to be with us."
"Thank you... Where are you guys going anyway?"
"We're just going out for a bit," Utau said quickly. Nagihiko knew that wasn't the full truth, but he decided to drop it. He smiled.
"See you two later!" The three of them walked towards everyone else, and the Tsukiyomis exited the house.
"What did they tell you?" Nagihiko turned, facing Tadase.
"Not much really, they were just being friendly..." Nagihiko pointed out.
"I know you're their cousin, but family doesn't mean trust with them." Nagihiko raised an eyebrow. "Don't trust them Nagihiko, even if they tell you that you are important because you're family. They are completely arrogant; they could care less about anyone except themselves. They're just using you." Tadase walked away after that. Nagihiko watched him walk away, completely flabbergasted. He knew that there was a lot that occurred between Tadase and the Tsukiyomis, but from last he remembered, they were beginning to restore their past. Clearly, something completely backfired, and Amu's relationship with Ikuto probably had some connection.
"Hey Nagi!" He turned, facing Kukai. "Did Utau say anything before she left, about where she's going?"
"She said she's going out somewhere with Ikuto, meaning she's clearly hiding something," Nagihiko observed.
"They've been so mysterious lately..." Amu sighed. "I hope they're okay. Oh Nagi, want some dinner? Su makes an amazing chicken!" Su floated up, grinning.
"Oh okay, thanks." Amu character changed with Su, and began cooking really rapidly. While they were cooking, Nagihiko turned to the other four. Yaya was on top of Kairi's back, clearly not Kairi's choice. Yet, Kairi seemed extremely happy, due to the birth of his niece. Rima was sitting on the couch, brushing her hair neatly. She had removed the pigtails. Kukai was still glancing over at Nagihiko. He sat beside Rima, making her glance up and smile at him.
"What exactly happened between Amu-Chan and Tadase?" Nagihiko asked quietly.
"I don't really know," Rima admitted. "Well, her and Ikuto are finally official, making Tadase pretty envious. Amu tried to preserve their friendship, but Tadase doesn't like that."
"They're crazy!" Kukai pointed out. "That's why I like a normal romance."
"Kukai, you're dating a girl who randomly disappears everyday," Yaya pointed out. "Look at us for a normal relationship!"
"Yaya-Chan, I am pretty sure you are the sole reason that our relationship is not quite ordinary," Kairi deduced. Yaya grinned mischievously.
"Dinner's ready!" Amu announced, ending her character change. "Does someone want to get Tadase?"
"SHOT NOT!" Both Yaya and Kukai put their fingers on their noses. Nagihiko watched them, rolling his eyes. Rima cocked her eyebrow, and faced the stairs.
"Tadase, dinner's ready," Rima called to him.
"Rimzy-Tan, that was so quiet! Here, like this: TADA-TAN DINNER!" Yaya screamed. A few seconds later, Tadase descended from the stairs. He smiled at everyone, with the exception of Amu. Everyone made their way to the dinner table, and began eating the food Amu prepared.
"Wow Amu-Chi! You haven't made chicken like this since Valentine's Day!" Yaya exclaimed. Nagihiko ate the chicken, observing the taste of it.
"Don't remind me of that terrible holiday," Rima muttered, shuddering. Nagihiko glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, feeling guilty that she was probably the only one, besides Tadase, who wasn't able to spend the holiday with anyone. He knew she must have hated the day because of her parents, and it must have been worse that her boyfriend was in a coma. Nagihiko knew he would be upset if Rima had been in a coma during Valentine's Day.
"Yummy yummy!" Kukai announced with food in his mouth. He patted his stomach. Amu beamed. After finishing, Tadase took his plate and washed it.
"Thanks Tadase-Kun!" Amu called to him. He merely grunted, and walked away. Amu's eyes lowered. "I try so hard just to be his friend..."
"Don't worry about him," Kukai pointed out. "Yaya and I will confront him at some point. I mean, I'm not Nagi, but I can clearly tell he's hiding something."
"That gash is quite suspicious," Rima agreed.
"Well, today's been a great day!" Yaya pointed out.
"It's difficult to come across those," Rima murmured quietly, only Nagihiko hearing her.
"Yeah! Nagi is finally awake!" Kukai messed up his hair. He sighed, smiling at Kukai. Yaya grabbed another piece of chicken before going to hug Nagihiko again.
"AND BABY AVA-CHI!" Yaya squealed. "Yaya cannot wait to meet her!~" Pepe floated up beside her, grinning. Kairi smiled softly.
"Halt everyone!" Everyone faced Kukai. "Nagihiko Fujisaki. There is something that is required to be done." Nagihiko cocked his head to the side, as he lifted his plate. "BASKETBALL!" He laughed slightly, washing the dish.
"It has been a while," Nagihiko pointed out, smirking at Kukai.
"You kiddos have fun!" Yaya pointed out. "Kairi-Kun and Yaya are going to hang out!" Before Kairi could protest, Yaya dragged his arm. Amu and Rima turned to each other, and smiled. Kukai dragged Nagihiko's arm, and ran outside, leaving Nagihiko shivering in the snow without a jacket.
The waters were a mixture of blue and black. They were especially rough, despite the tranquil weather. The waves rocked the boat back and forth. However, Aruto was determined. Him and his crew had been stuck on an island for months, and now their boat had just been rediscovered.
"Sir, are you sure this is safe?" A sailor asked, concerned.
"Safety isn't the concern. We must keep pushing forward. This darkness... I can only guess it is X-Energy. Easter has come back...but why?"
"How close are we?" Another sailor asked. "I'm getting sea sick."
"I can see the land now. It should only be a few minutes," Aruto reassured. It turned out he was correct. The ship pressed on, going at an unsafe speed. Finally, they reached land.
"We are here," Aruto announced. He climbed down a ladder, and latched the anchor onto a pole. The crewmen hopped off, admiring the land around them.
Aruto's thick black hair matched the X-Energy around. His hair was unique, with strands of dark blue within it, the color his son inherited. It was a mystery to why his daughter had blonde hair. Aruto was a handsome man. Of his family, including his mother, father, and brother, he stood out as being attractive. His mother and father were completely messed up. His brother could have been sane, if Aruto had stayed. However, he was the most insane of them all. The darkness of the world lit up underneath the shining moon. Gravatus laughed, watching the world from his balcony at the beach. He could see Aruto exiting the ship, examining the surroundings.
"Soon big brother; I will face you soon. However, I still have some final things to prepare." Gravatus turned around, and laughed menacingly.
Well, I hope you enjoyed the very first chapter! Similarly to the first chapter of X-Virus, a ton of hints for future events were dropped. I hope you enjoyed Nagi waking up finally! I wanted to include much more RimaHiko, but I was afraid I would make it too fluffy. You'll have to wait and see for the fluff. Please review/alert/favorite!