I don't own anything from the Danball Senki series.
Authors note: Hunt for the Element Stones will take place six months after Different than You. In case you get disappointed by how the first chapter goes, I have to inform you that the first few chapters will not be on the search. But it'll eventually get there.
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PS: It's short because it is a prologue.
Full Summary: Sequal to Different that You. Thousands of years ago, ten element stones were created by the council of the Valorites and Vigilnites to restore the power of the Gem of Wishes should its power be drained. Now, Arata and his friends must start the search for the stones in order to restore the power of the Gem of Wishes and banish the Night Lurkers back to their dimension. But with a corrupted politician also looking for the stones, the search might be harder than they originally thought.
1 April 2054, Entry from Houjou Muraku
Six months, that's how long Arata and Reika left the island along with Maya, Nick and Wataru with the former two graduating from Fantasy and returned to LA. Wataru on the other hand stayed at Fantasy and I heard that he's making good progress in his studies.
Kamui Daimon Comprehensive Academy has also taken a change for the better. Thanks to the efforts of various supporters, it is now a full fledge school for LBX. The system has also changed such that the Second World has been converted into an arena for various LBX-related competitions. It's too long for me to describe the competitions here so I'll save that for a later entry. The classes has also changed such that there are no more virtual country division. Each class is a team of its own and divided further into sub-teams. Of course, all of us had stuck with our platoon arrangements since it was more convenient for us and we are fond of our teammates. Students who become LOST are no longer expelled but they have to spend their pocket money to buy a new LBX instead.
But Mia is still in a coma even until now. I don't know why, but the doctor said that it is natural because her brain is still recovering from being controlled by the slave collar for days. But she had healed from the gunshot from Seredy since. Given how she tried to fight back the collar, she mentally exhausted herself without knowing it. In fact, had Lara not shared her powers with her and we did not save her in time, she would have died.
I always visit her during the weekends with some of our classmates tagging along most of the time. I usually do not see Arata or Reika then since the former is busier during the weekends than he is in the weekdays but he tries to visit her on Mondays and Thursdays since he's free then. Reika's visits vary since she's been travelling a lot with Jin-san recently but she always sends cards weekly which Arata or I read to Mia.
Otou-san has been training me both in martial arts like Fantasy and my powers. He's changed a lot, I can tell. He's no longer the cold person who shunned Mia and by extension, me. Now, I'm stronger than I was before and he said that I am very close to Arata's level.
As for Lara, while she was not prosecuted, she was under watch by the government in case she turns back to the World Sabers, which I doubt. I heard that she's staying with a man name Yagami Eji but there has been no trouble from her so far. In fact, they are considering releasing her from watch soon. I'm starting to forgive her as she tried her best to help Mia even though she was the one who made her like this…
Muraku looked up from writing as he felt a breeze from the window. He had been so engross in writing that he forgot to close the window of the hospital room that Mia was staying in. He put down his diary and went to close the window. As he did, a soft moan made him stop in his tracks. He jerked his head sharply at Mia. He looked at her closely and saw that her fingers were twitching while her eyelids were moving. In fact, the monitor beside the bed was showing an increase in brain activity.
Muraku gasped and quickly pressed the button beside the bed to call for the doctors. Soon enough, the doctors came in and the nurses made him wait outside while they checked on her. While waiting, Muraku could not contain his relief and collapsed on the seat.
He covered his mouth as he choked back a sob of relief. 'Mia's waking up…she's waking up…'
The doctor soon came out but had a grim expression which made all the relief Muraku had just now evaporate. He rushed over and grabbed the doctor's arm. "Sensei, how is my sister?"
"She's awake now. We'll have to continue to monitor her though for any signs of relapse and start her rehabilitation." The doctor said.
"Can I see her?" Muraku requested.
The doctor sighed at that and gestured for him to sit down at the seats with him. "I have to warn you about this. When we were examining her, we discovered that she has amnesia."
Muraku could not react to that for a moment he slowly said, "Amnesia?"
"I'm thinking that being shot and the damage done by the slave collar created some traumatic impact on her mind so as a natural defense against these memories, her brain has sealed all her memories away to protect her body from shock." The doctor explained.
"Is there any way to treat it?" Muraku asked apprehensively.
"I'm afraid that there is nothing much I can do." The doctor shook his head. "It all depends on her. But this may be my personal opinion, but I believe that it would be better for her to do her rehabilitation on Kamui Island while staying with you and your friends. That would be the best method to get her to regain her memories."
"I'll call my father." Muraku finally said. "He'll make the arrangements for the transfer."
"Alright." The doctor nodded. "You should go and see her."
"Thank you." Muraku swallowed thickly and went inside.
Mia's eyes instantly landed on him and frowned. "You are…?"
Muraku's heart sank but he mustered a weak smile and sat down next to her. "I'm your twin brother, Muraku. Mia, do you remember anything at all?"
Mia's face scrunched up in thought but all she could come up with was a blank. She shivered as she shook her head. Muraku saw this and closed the window which was still open. Mia observed him for a moment and felt a tug on her heart. While she could not understand it, she knew that she could trust Muraku because of it.
"Alright." Muraku sat down again. "Are you still cold?"
Mia slowly shook her head and Muraku smiled. "You have no idea how relief I am now that you are awake, even though you cannot remember me."
Mia frowned and looked around. "Where am I?"
"You are in the hospital." Muraku tried to keep his voice steady.
"Why?"
Muraku had to pause to maintain his composure and carefully thought of what to say. "You were shot and was injured. Also, you were controlled by a slave collar that made you do bad things for a bad guy. It made you extremely mentally exhausted that you were sent into a comatose state."
Mia's eyes became wide and flashes of what happened six months ago appeared in her mind. She gasped and her breathing became hoarse as she started to hyperventilate. Muraku's eyes became wide and he hugged her close. "Mia, it's alright! You're safe now. No one can hurt you now."
Mia calmed down at his words and her breathing slowly returned to normal. Muraku sighed in relief but he did not let her go yet, slowly smoothing her hair to comfort her.
"I'm scared." Mia whispered. "I-I can't remember anything."
"It's alright." Muraku reassured her. "I'm here. I'll help you regain your memories. So will our friends."
"Friends?" Mia said, sounding confuse.
"…I'll show them to you when you come out of the hospital." Muraku said, deciding that it would better for them to reintroduce themselves than for him to tell her about them for obvious reasons.
"Amnesia?" Arata frowned. Currently, he, Muraku and Haruki, the representative of Jenock, were having a three way chat on Skype regarding Mia.
"Yes." Muraku nodded. "The doctor thinks that it has to do with trauma but this is Mia we're talking about. I know that she would not easily give in to trauma."
"That's hard to say, Muraku." Haruki gently cut in. "I agree that Mia's strong but you have to think about if from Mia's point of view. She was already stressed mentally because of the slave collar and experienced shock from the gunshot. It's hard to tell if she would succumb to trauma or not."
"What do you think, Arata?" Muraku asked him.
"It's hard to tell." Arata shrugged. "Does she remember anything regarding her powers?"
"No." Muraku shook his head.
"Good. For the time being, don't tell her about them. She cannot use them if she doesn't remember that she has them."
"Why not?" Muraku frowned.
"Because if she knew, she still would not remember how to control them. Better for her to not know about her powers until she fully regains her memories than for her to lose control of them." Arata said seriously. Muraku unconsciously shivered when he remembered the last time that happened.
"Anyway, did the doctor say anything regarding her condition?" Haruki asked.
"He recommended that she comes back to the island with me next week if he can discharge her from the hospital then. She can do her rehab at the hospital there. What's important is that she is around her friends and family. The doctor believes that she can overcome the trauma and regain her memories that way." He turned to Arata's screen as he spoke next. "Arata, I know that you are very busy, but I was hoping that you and Reika would come back and stay for a few weeks. You don't have to come to school, but you can help Mia and support her like you always did."
"Consider it done." Arata immediately said. "Let me know when Mia is going back so that I can call Reika to come back in time. I'll inform Yuko-nee of this but I'm sure that she'll agree to it."
"Thank you." Muraku nodded gratefully.
"I'll inform the class about this so that they will know to not overwhelm her or you when you come back." Haruki promised.
"Thanks a lot." Muraku hung up and glanced at Mia who was now sleeping. He grasped her hand tightly and smiled grimly. "Don't worry Mia. We'll help you through this. You don't have to deal with this alone."