Vile: And here I am again, folks! Numbershot 71 is here!
Yuma: All right! I've been waiting for this one!
Vile: *grins* Like I promised, this Numbershot brings our Photon-using friend Kaito back into the fray!
Kaito: *smirks*
Vile: It'll have a better ending than Numbershot 10, trust me. This Numbershot takes place the day after the end of Numbershot 10. I don't own ZEXAL or any of its characters. I only own my OCs and cards. Enjoy, everyone!
Numbershot 71: The Hunter Reborn
Chapter 1
*Within a Dream*
"Haruto! Oi, Haruto!" A twelve-year-old Kaito called out as he walked through a part of the forest. Haruto had run off again, and the older Tenjo boy was having trouble finding him. "Where are you, Haruto?"
"Over here, Nii-san!" A younger voice called out. Kaito looked and saw a five-year-old Haruto waving at him happily. Kaito smiled and ran over, but partway through his stride…
"Gotcha!" A third voice, this one female, called out as Kaito was suddenly tackled to the ground by someone with long hair.
Haruto was laughing giddily. "Tricked ya, Nii-san!" Kaito couldn't resist the urge to laugh alongside his brother and their friend. He hoped times this good would never end.
*End Dream*
Kaito suddenly stirred from his sleep, awoken from a ray of light. His gray eyes blinked slightly, squinting to see the light being sunlight coming in through a blinded window. He was about to ignore it when he realized something. 'Wait, window? There's no windows outdoors!' He then noticed a blanket and sheet covering his body. All this added up to him realizing that he was not sleeping on that park bench anymore. Kaito sat straight up, wide awake as he took in his surroundings. He was in a bedroom, mostly painted a light lavender with some white. The bed he was in was a plain one, with a nightstand nearby and a dresser. "How the heck did I get here?" He wondered. He noticed his clothes had not changed. His eyes floated to the nightstand, which had a lamp and a picture. Upon seeing the picture, his eyes widened. "What the?" He grabbed the picture and stared at it. There were three kids in it. One of them was… him, back when he was nine years old. He looked happy, and was holding up a happy-looking two-year-old Haruto. The third person, who was eight in the picture, he also recognized. "This is…"
"Good morning, Kaito-san." A soft voice said, startling Kaito. He looked to the door to the bedroom and saw a girl peeking in with a smile. She was sixteen like him, but a few months behind, with fair skin, long salmon pink hair, and forest green eyes that seemed to sparkle… just like the girl in the picture with him and Haruto.
Kaito's eyes widened. "Jenaveve…" He breathed. "Is that you?"
The girl gave a closed-eye smile. "You remember me. I'm so glad."
Kaito gave a small smile. "How could I forget you? You were and still are my best friend." Jenaveve giggled and walked in. She was wearing light purple pajamas with pink streaks on them. Kaito noticed how much she had grown since the last time they had seen each other, having been three years. She grown noticeably taller (though still shorter than him by a couple of inches), her chest had become bigger, and her body had become nice and curvy. Even so, the smile she wore hadn't changed. "If you don't mind me asking, how did I get here?"
"I was outside last night, and I went through the park." Jenaveve said. "When I saw someone sleeping on a bench, I looked and saw that it was you. I picked you up and brought you here to my house. You slept like a little baby." She giggled. Kaito looked away, a little embarrassed, as his face began to tint. Then, Jenaveve changed her tone. "…Why were you even out there? I thought you were looking after Haruto-kun."
Kaito's smile suddenly vanished, and he looked to the floor sadly, shocking Jenaveve. "…I don't know if I can show myself to Haruto anymore…" He said solemnly.
"What do you mean, Kaito-san…?" Jenaveve breathed.
"I doubt you could understand what I'm going through." Kaito said. "Things have changed for me recently… I'm not the same person you know."
Jenaveve had a scrutinizing look for a few seconds, then looked away. "It's because of the Numbers… isn't it?"
Kaito's eyes shot open, and his head snapped to her. "H-How did you know about-"
"I've seen you… how you hunt them down." The pink-haired girl told him. "I admit, I was scared at first at what you seemed to have become… but I knew that you were doing it for Haruto-kun. To save him from what is wrong with him."
"You… know?" Kaito sputtered. How did she know this stuff?
Jenaveve nodded. "…I saw Haruto-kun." Kaito gasped slightly. "Mr. Heartland heard about me, and how we were close… so he tried to recruit me. He brought me to see Haruto-kun, and I was shocked. I agreed to aid Kaito with the Number Hunt, then I was given a Number myself by one of Heartland's closest associates. But then… the Number went berserk, spewing darkness that tried to corrupt me."
Jenaveve couldn't see it, but Kaito's hand was clenching, and he was glaring at the floor. 'Damn you, Heartland… first you take Haruto… then you try to corrupt my best friend!'
"But what he didn't take into account was my own power." The girl continued. She noticed Kaito's clenched fist and laid her hand on top of it. Kaito noticed this and looked surprised, his face tinting slightly. He looked at the girl, who was smiling softly again. "You remember, right? I can connect with anyone by their soul and mine, and bring them to a state of comfort." She squeezed his hand, causing a soft pink glow to cover both hands. "You need it most of all, Kaito-san."
Kaito gazed in awe at the glow. His anger seemed to fade, and he felt a fuzzy feeling in him, giving a comfortable sigh. He felt as though Jenaveve's soul was hugging his own. "…Arigatou, Jenaveve. I could always count on you to help me and Haruto when we were down." Still smiling, Jenaveve wrapped her arms around Kaito, laying her head on his shoulder. Kaito did not expect this and blushed, but nevertheless returned the hug to give back comfort. "I don't know what I'm going to do…"
"What do you mean?" Jenaveve asked.
"I have given up my hunt for the Numbers, so I must find another way to cure Haruto… if another way exists." The Hunter explained. "But I am sure that Heartland knows of my defection… so I have nowhere to go."
"That's not true. You're staying here." Jenaveve said softly but sternly, bringing Kaito's eyes to hers. "And don't try to talk me out of it, Kaito-san. My parents are already fine with you staying here, and it's no trouble to us."
Kaito was speechless. This was the most kindness anyone had shown him since hunting the Numbers, even from Yuma. "Are… Are you sure?"
Jenaveve nodded. "Yes. We'll help you in any way we can. Since you can't go back to Heartland Tower, this isn't just somewhere to stay." She placed her hand on his. "This will be your new home."
A genuine smile came over Kaito's face. "Doumo arigatou, Jenaveve. I can't refuse such kindness."
The girl smiled. "It's my pleasure, Kaito-san."
Kaito's smile became playful. "Didn't I tell you before that you didn't need honorifics for me?" He teased. Jenaveve let out an 'eep', getting a chuckle from Kaito. That made Jenaveve giggle, and soon the friends were sharing a laugh. For Kaito, it felt good to laugh again. He knew that now he had his first true ally (aside from Orbital 7) in his quest to help Haruto.
*Later That Day* *At Heartland Tower*
Orbital 7 continued typing on a computer in the tower. Then, on the monitor, Mr. Heartland's face appeared. "Orbital 7. Haruto has said that he wants to see you." Heartland said.
Normally Orbital 7 wouldn't have listened to Heartland in the situation Kaito was with him, but since Haruto wanted to see him, he knew what to do. "Understood. Arigatou." The robot said before hopping off the stool by the computer, leaving the room as Heartland's face vanished. Orbital maneuvered through the tower, bypassing a few guards, and entered the elevator, being taken up to Haruto's room, entering in a disc of light. Haruto was laying on his bed. "Haruto-sama? You wanted to see me?" Orbital asked.
Haruto turned his head to see the robot. "Orbital…" He breathed. "…Where is Nii-san? He didn't come to see me last night. And he's not back yet… Where is he?"
Orbital didn't expect Haruto to ask that. But he couldn't just lie to him. "…I do not know. Gomen-nasai, Haruto-sama. Kaito-sama left to find a way to help you… and he wanted me to look after you. He put his trust in me… and I am not going to let him down."
Haruto turned his head to look at the ceiling. "Nii-san…" He breathed. "Please be alright…"
"Kaito-sama will be fine, Haruto-sama. He won't give up until you're safe." Orbital told him. A small smile managed to come on Haruto's face as he looked out the window, out at the city.
*With Mr. Heartland*
Mr. Heartland saw Orbital and Haruto through the computer, a small smirk on his face. He chuckled. "Haruto…" He mused.
*Flashback*
Kaito sat by Haruto's bedside, a worried look on his face. The younger boy had mostly recovered from the trauma sustained during Tron's ritual, but he was still unconscious. "How is he, Kaito?" A voice asked. The Hunter turned and saw Mr. Heartland walk up to him. Kaito couldn't form any words as he looked back at Haruto. This gave Mr. Heartland a sympathetic look. "I am terribly sorry about this, Kaito. I know this must be hard for you."
"Gee, ya think?" Kaito snarled sarcastically. "This isn't YOUR little brother unconscious."
"Calm down, Kaito. I have good news. I have found a way to return Haruto's powers from you to him with no pain involved." Kaito looked at Heartland, who was smiling. "Please, place your hands over Haruto's forehead." The Hunter did so. Heartland then laid his own hand over Kaito's hand. He began uttering an odd chant, and a red glow suddenly emanated from the area where their hands were. Mr. Heartland's chanting increased in volume, and so did the glow. Suddenly, Kaito's coat glowed red, just as it did with he and Yuma Dueled III and IV. He felt power begin to drain from his body, and the red glow slowly peeled from his body, converging onto his hands. Then, the glow transferred from Kaito's hands to Haruto's body, covering him. A small moan was heard from him, but Kaito sensed no pain from him. Then the glow became too bright for him to watch, and he had to shut his eyes. Then, a sudden flash of the light occurred.
When the light finally died down, Kaito saw that Haruto was still out cold, but he heard something from him: "Nii-san…" The small sigh of a word eased Kaito.
Mr. Heartland checked a few systems linked to Haruto's vital signs. "Hmm… Very good! It was successful! Haruto has regained his abilities, and his vital signs have not changed at all."
"…What was it that you did, Heartland?" Kaito asked, skeptical.
Mr. Heartland flashed him a smirk. "Just a little trick I learned from a kindly stranger. He should be fine once he wakes up." An eerie chuckle came from him as he left the room, allowing Kaito to be alone with his brother. He didn't notice Kaito looking at him with a light glare.
*End Flashback*
Mr. Heartland let out a chuckle as he remembered. "It was awful, what happened to you… and your brother." He mused. "Such a shame that the bad times are not over yet…"
"A shame, indeed." A low voice said next to him, chuckling darkly. "Shall I go ahead and get him 'prepared' for the next step?"
"No, not yet. Let's wait for a little while. The poor boy deserves some more rest." Mr. Heartland replies, an eerie laugh coming from him.
An evil chuckle came from the associate. 'Kaito… You'd better come see your brother soon… It will be the last time you ever see him...' His chuckle became louder as he stared intently at the young boy on the monitor…
Vile: Kaito's back with an old friend, but It seems that Haruto has dark days ahead.
Jenaveve: Who was that man with Mr. Heartland?
Vile: That will be secret until later. As if you people couldn't already guess.
Kaito: *crosses off possible suspects from a list*
Vile: Heh heh. If you guys liked this chapter, leave a review for me! See ya next chapter!
Computer Voice: Vile, logging out!
