Okay…this is placed half IN the series and half AFTER the series. The AFTER is that Takuto became a FULL Shinigami…not saying anything about the others. BTW, Takky is pronounced Tah-key NOT TaHHHHH-key (tacky)…do you understand?
All Rights belong to Arina Tanemura EXCEPT MERUTO! She's mine!
Also, I wrote this after reading 4 of the mangas…that's IT. So, don't yell at me if I did something wrong. I'm sorry in advance.
One Shot. (My very first)
A little girl ran down the street, tears flying from her eyes. Her face was that of a 6-year-old's, but her heart held so many more years than that. The reason: She had found the love of her life…The problem: He was nowhere to be found.
Suddenly, the little girl tripped and fell face first to the ground. She sat up and stayed there, her knees scraped and her face hurting. 'How could Takky leave Meruto?' she asked herself and wept into her hands. 'What did Meruto do?'
"Meruto! Meruto, where are you?" a voice called from behind the little girl. Her face shot up and she stood up and ran some more. She had no clue where she was going, but all she wanted to do was to get away. Her mother would never understand the heartache she was going through…never…
After the little girl couldn't run anymore, she sat down against a tree. She tried to figure out where she was, but she was just so tired. Suddenly, she started coughing horribly. She fell onto her back and gasped for breath. Her tiny body couldn't take all this exercise. She had really overdone it with the running.
Still, she didn't want to get caught. The little girl stood up, leaning against the tree, and started slowly making her way through the trees. 'Meruto has to find him…Has to find…' she thought before passing out
The little girl's mother had run after her, but was having no luck finding her daughter. She couldn't just give up though because her daughter was everything to her after she hadn't died, but her true love did. He was her first love …but he had died long ago…
She had no clue why her daughter had run away, but she wanted to figure it out. She couldn't help but wonder how her daughter knew who the man she yelled was. All she did was start yelling at him not to leave and then, she just ran out. It all didn't make sense to her.
"Eichi, I need help…please…" she whispered almost silently. "Where are you?"
Nothing stirred in the area around her. The mother's eyes filled with tears and she cried out, "Meruto? Meruto, please come back!" She fell to the ground where she stood and wished with all her might that Meruto would be safe, her daughter would be safe.
"How did you know Takuto? Could you see him? If so, then why? He's…a Shinigami now…" Then, it hit her. If Takuto, a Shinigami, was able to be seen by Meruto then maybe she was going to die soon. "No…you can't take her, Takuto; I won't let you."
And so, the mother stood up and walked on…wanting to find her daughter so badly.
Meruto opened her eyes slightly only to see her mother's bright blue ones. Meruto shot up and yelled, "No, Meruto has to find Takky! Takky ran away! Meruto can't stay here! Meruto won't get sick, she promises!" She had no idea that these really weren't her mother's eyes at all…well, they were, but not the mother she knew.
"Who's Takky?" the girl with blue eyes asked. She had two cute little pigtails in her grayish hair and had a smile on her face. There were 2 other people in the room, a taller girl with long pink hair and rabbit ears and-
"TAKKY!" Meruto screamed and jumped up from the bed and into the arms of a teenage boy with darker hair and cat ears. "Where did Takky go? Takky left Meruto!"
The boy seemed really creeped out by this girl and just sweatdropped. "I don't know who you are, but get off of my Takuto!" the pink-haired girl yelled and pulled Takuto away from Meruto.
Meruto's eyes started to tear. "Um-excuse me, but who are you?" the little girl with blue eyes asked. "Takuto said he found you outside lying on the street and brought you in."
"Meruto…" Meruto replied softly, looking to the ground because she didn't want to see the pink-haired girl hanging onto Takuto like she was.
"Mer-" the pink-haired girl started.
"-uto?" Takuto finished. "But, why do you have the first three letters in her name and the last of mine?" Takuto asked Meruto who was still looking down, not wanting to look at him.
Meruto pointed to the blue-eyed little girl and said, "Mummy named Meruto."
"MuMmY!" all three of them yelled in surprise and astonishment. "I'm/She's not old enough to have kids yet!"
Suddenly, Meruto closed her eyes, frightened, and said, "Meruto was left all alone in the park and Mummy saved Meruto…"
"I don't remember saving any little kids today…" the blue-eyed girl replied, scratching her head.
"Mitsuki…I don't think that's what she means…" Takuto told her.
"What does she mean, Takuto?" asked the pink-haired girl.
"I don't think she's from here…literally," Takuto explained.
"I'm still lost," Mitsuki added.
"In simple terms, I think she's from the future," Takuto stated blatantly. Then, he bent down to Meruto's eye-level and she looked up at him. "You're saying Mitsuki takes care of you?"
Meruto shook her head. "Mummy only told Meruto to stay inside so Meruto wouldn't get sick. Takky took care of Meruto. Takky told Meruto that as long as Meruto wanted to go outside, Meruto could, but only if she was careful."
"And you think I'm this 'Takky'?" Takuto asked.
Meruto nodded quickly and pointed to the girl with pink hair. "Who's her?" she asked.
"Meroko," the pink-haired girl stated firmly. "How is it possible that you can see Takuto and I?"
"Meroko, I doubt she would know-" Takuto started, but was interrupted.
"Takky told Meruto that she can see him because soon, Meruto is going to die. Takky also said that Mummy was the same way and Takky had stopped her from dying, but was made a Shigi," Meruto answered, repeating what Takky had told her.
Silence filled the room for a few moments. "How do you know all that and what's a Shigi?" Mitsuki asked the little girl, confused beyond belief.
"She means Shinigami…" Takuto stated and then turned to Meruto. "Right?"
Meruto smiled for the first time since she got there and nodded. It was her Takky, the only one who could understand her…
"How is it possible that you managed to be a full Shinigami when you supposedly saved Mitsuki?" Meroko asked, confused.
Suddenly, a random voice called from the doorway, "I can answer that."
Everyone turned towards the doorway and standing there was a second Takuto! Meruto's face lit up as she ran to the new Takuto. "TAKKY! Takky came back for Meruto!"
Takky (future Takuto) hugged Meruto with a smile on his face. "Just like I said I would, Meruto. Now, how did you get in this time?"
"First answer my question…Takky…" Meroko stated, glaring at Takky.
Sighing, Takky picked up Meruto who was contented by it and looked up at Meroko. "I didn't exactly save Mitsuki. I helped, sure…but making me a full Shinigami was just to replace the Shinigami they lost…"
Meroko looked at him, wondering what he could possibly mean. "What are you talking about?" Mitsuki asked, downright confused.
"That's what I'd like to know…" Takuto added. "But it is quite cool that I get to talk to my future self."
Takky laughed. "Talking to yourself, eh?" he asked and then both Takuto's laughed.
Meruto felt very comfortable in Takky's arms and started to fall asleep. It wasn't long before she was asleep, but Takky didn't seem to mind. He just sat down on a chair and held her in his lap. (a/n: goes awwwwww…Sorry, I love Meruto…)
"Basically, Meroko saved Mitsuki and…" Takky paused for emphasis. "…became an angel."
Silence filled the room. Meroko was speechless. She was going to become an angel? Because she saved Mitsuki? Wow…
"An angel?" Meroko asked and then smiled. "That's amazing…to go from being an Angel of Death to an Angel of Life…"
"A great honor…only for the best," Takky added with a smile at Meroko.
Mitsuki hugged Meroko. "Congratulations Meroko!" she said happily. "Let's go tell Izumi and Johnathon!" And so, they left the room happily, leaving the two Takuto's alone with Meruto.
"Okay, explain her to me," Takuto said, pointing to Meruto. "Why does she call you-me-Takky?"
"She can say Takuto…but she just loves the fact that she has a nickname for me," Takky replied. "It's a bit weird…but I kinda like it, having a fan."
"Fan? She doesn't seem like a 'fan' to me," Takuto asked, glaring at his future self.
Takky's face got just the tiniest bit pink. "Look..erm…myself…okay, that's too weird…Takuto, okay? I've been through a lot…Mitsuki…after all these years still loves Eichi…"
"So, what? You're substituting her for her daughter? That's not very fair to her," Takuto replied, again pointing to Meruto.
"No, I'm not. Meruto told you I ran away, right?" Takky asked.
"Yea…so?" Takuto asked in response.
"I ran away just because of that reason…" Takky replied and looked at Meruto. "I came 3 years ago to take this girl's soul…but I never did. It was only because she hasn't died yet…Why they sent me three years early, I'll never know, but they did and they knew they did. Soon, I began to feel what she was feeling…her suffering, pain, and anguish…"
"What do you mean?" Takuto asked, interested now.
"Meruto was abandoned four years ago…that's when Mitsuki found her and healed her. Then, I came. Meruto was in a trance when I arrived. Mitsuki never let her outside for fear of her dying if she did too much…for she had a heart condition that made her weak. I remember the day I came like it was yesterday…Meruto could talk somewhat…little phrases and words mostly…she was very bright for her age…"
Takky walked towards the three-year-old Meruto who was sitting on the porch of her house, staring out into the world with dark eyes. In setting his hand on her shoulder, Meruto looked up at him, still with dark eyes and tilted her head at him like she was asking, "Who are you?" with no words.
"Meruto, I'm Takuto, a Shinigami, an Angel of Death, and I've come to take your soul," Takky said and sat down beside her.
Meruto turned to him with a look of confusion on her face. "Merri soul?" she asked in a small voice.
For some odd reason, Takky understood what she meant perfectly. "Yes, your soul…you're going to die soon and I'm going to take your soul. They sent me down early just because you're such a small girl." Meruto still had a look of confusion on her face. She looked up at Takky with her dark eyes and tilted her head again.
"Merri already dead," she said slowly and then looked back out at the world.
"No, you're not…" Takky replied and put his hand on hers and then placed it on her heart. "Your heart is still beating." Then, he took her hand and put it on the place where his heart was. "And mine's not."
"Takky dead?" Meruto asked in reply.
"I'm Takuto, not Takky," Takky replied, a bit annoyed.
Meruto tilted her head once more and asked, "Takky?"
Just when Takky was about to respond, a voice yelled for Meruto, "Meruto, I told you not to go outside! Come back in here!"
The figure walking towards them was the grown-up Mitsuki. She grabbed her daughter's hand and started dragging her inside. Takky looked towards the ground, knowing that Mitsuki couldn't see him anymore. Suddenly, Meruto stopped right where she was and yelled, "Takky!" Her arm was stretched out to Takky while her mother kept trying to make her move.
Takky looked up at the little girl with surprise. "What are you saying, Meruto? We have to get you inside before you get sick again…" Then, Mitsuki picked up Meruto and carried her into the house, Meruto all the while, screaming Takky at the top of her lungs and coughing every so often.
With the same look of astonishment on his face as he had the first time Meruto called his name, Takky followed Mitsuki to Meruto's room. Mitsuki set her daughter down and tried to calm her down. Meruto calmed down the second Takky entered the room. Mitsuki sighed. "I'm glad you're better now…well, Mummy has to go make dinner…so stay here, Meruto. Don't go outside, okay?"
Meruto looked at her mother and then looked at Takky. Mitsuki left and Takky walked over to Meruto. Meruto suddenly smiled and exclaimed, "Takky!"
Takky sighed and sat down in front of Meruto. "I guess you can call me that if you want…" he said and Meruto grabbed his arm and hugged it. He blinked at her, but she just smiled in return and said, "Takky…" again.
"The last thing that happened before I ran away was that I held her…and when I did, I didn't feel like her guardian anymore. I didn't want to be her guardian anymore."
"You say guardian when you're going to take her soul away when she dies?" Takuto asked in a serious tone.
Takky looked at the ground. His past self was right. It wasn't right to call him a guardian when he was out to take her soul.
"Takky sad?" Meruto asked suddenly, cutting the silence. She had awoken and was looking up at Takky with sadness in her eyes. Takky set her down on the chair beside him and replied, "No, not at all. So, are you ready to answer my question, Meruto?"
"Meruto answer Takky's question now," she stated with a nod.
"Okay, how did you get here, Meruto?" Takky asked.
Meruto was just about to say something when Takuto interrupted. "You really think she'd know that? Aren't you expecting a bit much from her?"
(a/n: Commenting, sorry. I made the two Takuto's SOOOOO different…wow. LOL. Continue…sorry)
Meruto's face saddened and she looked at the ground with her sad blue eyes. "Jeez, Takuto, now you made her sad! I mean, I made her sad! I mean, ah, heck, forget what I mean." He turned to Meruto and asked nicely, "Meruto, can you answer the question?"
Meruto nodded her head in response. There was silence for a few moments until Meruto started, "Meruto ran from Mummy into the forest and lost her breath…Mummy wants Meruto inside but Meruto wants outside…Meruto's always wanted outside…" At this point, small tears fell down her face. "Meruto dreams of outside…Meruto never dies outside…Meruto never thinks Takky would leave for outside without her…Meruto just wanted Takky then. No more outside…no more…outside took Takky away…Outside hates Meruto."
"Meruto…" Takky started, but Meruto interrupted him.
"Takky loves Mummy." Meruto stated, tears streaming down her face. "Meruto loves Takky. Mummy no loves Takky. Meruto wants Takky happy…so Meruto no want loves Takky. Meruto want Mummy love Takky." She paused and then said again, "Meruto want Mummy love Takky!"
"Meruto," Takky started and then took a breath and continued, "your mother doesn't love me, but I love her. You know that much already. But your mother loves you and she wants you to be happy. So, you have to go back…"
"No go back," Meruto returned firmly. "Mummy hates Meruto! Mummy hates Takky! Mummy wants Meruto dies! Mummy lives happy then! Meruto wants Mummy and Takky together!"
Takky didn't know how to respond to that. He couldn't respond to it. He just looked at the ground with a sigh. There was no way he could make this work…
"Meruto, if you want that, then I'll make sure it happens," Takuto said suddenly. Takky and Meruto looked up at him with surprise on their faces. Takuto walked over to Meruto and put his hand on her cheek. "I'll make sure your mother and I are together. But, now, you have to go back, okay?"
Meruto hugged Takuto and cried on his shoulder and he just held her. Takky sat, stunned by what just happened. Then, he looked back at the ground. "You can't assure that," he stated firmly.
Takuto looked up at him and replied, just as firmly, "Yes, I can."
Meruto broke her hug with Takuto and went over to Takky. She set her head on his lap and said, "Meruto will go back now, Takky. Meruto wants see Mummy one more time."
Takky smiled and then looked up at Takuto. "You better keep your promise to her," he said just before disappearing with Meruto.
Right after they disappeared, Takuto said, "Don't worry, I will…"
Suddenly, in through the door comes Mitsuki. "Ah! Where are the little girl and the other Takuto?" she asked, searching her room.
"They went back home. And I think things will be a bit different for them there," he said and smiled at Mitsuki who just smiled back, wondering what he was talking about.
Meruto awoke in a bed in her room and wondered what had happened. Suddenly, the door opened and Takuto came in with a tray of food, but he wasn't wearing his usual clothes. "Takky?" she asked, confused.
Takuto put his finger up to his mouth and smiled. "It's not Takky anymore. Don't worry. I promised to be with your mother and I am."
The door opened again to reveal Meruto's mother, Mitsuki, full grown. "Takuto, what are you doing to Meruto now? Don't you dare make her cry again!"
"Ah, jeez, Mitsuki, that was one time! Don't keep worrying about the past! It won't happen again!" Takuto replied, sticking is tongue out at her.
Mitsuki smiled in return. "I know. I just wanted to see your reaction." Her smile widened and Takuto smiled back.
Meruto's face lit up and she jumped up from her bed. "Mummy and Daddy love each other!" she yelled with a genuine smile. "Now, Mer-I can love Daddy too! And someday, I'll find my own Takky!"
Mitsuki looked at her daughter as if she was crazy. "Ah, Meruto, you're hallucinating again, aren't you? Just lie down and I'll take your temperature…"
As Meruto lied down and Mitsuki went to get the thermometer, Meruto and Takuto had a moment where they each smiled at one another, knowing that Takuto had come through with his promise to be with Mitsuki.
"Daddy…?" Meruto asked.
"Yes, Meruto?" Takuto replied.
"I will find my own Takky someday, won't I?" she asked with loving eyes.
"Yes, you will…and hopefully, he won't be as hard for you to love as Mitsuki and me." Takuto and Meruto shared one last smile before Meruto drifted off into sleep.
(a/n: WHEEEEE! I'm done!
Yes Yes Yes! I'm finally done!
This was all to help my Takuto fangirl-ism…I needed to write this for myself. It's a Mitsuki/Takuto one…even though it seems like it isn't. I just felt like making this thing up. This is another reason why he loved Mitsuki…because he wanted to make Meruto happy. It's kind of confusing and maybe a little boring to you…but I'm sorry. I love it.)