Chapter 2 Pain and a Heavy Heart
(A/N): Sorry about the wait, my computer broke and I lost everything I had typed so far. I am also sorry for how short the first chapter was. I just really wanted to get at least something posted. Don't worry; the next chapters are hopefully going to be longer from now on.
Disclaimer: I forgot to do this last time but now, here it is. I regrettably do not own To Love Ru or any of the characters associated with it. If I did then I wouldn't have a pack of rabid lawyers trying to break down my door. There! I said I don't own it! Happy now!
(Rito's POV)
I should be dead. I feel as though I am dead. But the pain says otherwise. I can feel it coursing through my body, like fire in my veins. I want to writhe in agony, but I cannot move. I want to open my eyes and scream to anyone that is there to kill me, but everything is black, and I cannot make a sound. It is only now that I truly appreciate the pain I have been put through since Lala arrived. For I know that, without those many painful encounters, I would not be able to think at all.
As I am thinking back to all the times I have been hurt, and how that pain felt like sleeping on a pile of feathers compared to this torture, I realize that the pain seems to be withdrawing, and instead concentrating into certain areas. My bones are on fire. My skin is being torn off my body. My head feels as though my brain is being destroyed. And my back feels like it is being ripped apart. All these things I feel, as the pain vanishes everywhere else. It is torture but, compared with the all-consuming pain that it was before, it is now bearable.
I feel as though I can finally almost relax somewhat, when all of a sudden, the pain flares up. In all the places that it gathered, it begins to consume me. It is worse than even the pain immediately after everything went black. As the pain spikes even further, I find that I can finally scream, and scream I do. I can feel the air rushing out of my burning lungs, and out into the world that seems so far away right now. I don't know how long I've been screaming, when the impossible happens. The pain gets even worse. As my screaming intensifies, I find that I am able to think around the pain. As I become aware of this revelation, I began to almost sense that there are people surrounding me. I can feel them, out there in the real world, far away from this pain. They feel so familiar that I know that I know them, but just as I am beginning to figure out who they are, I am torn from my thoughts as the pain increases still. I can feel my sanity beginning to slip away when, just as soon as it appeared, the pain left. I stop screaming, and remain silent. I can hardly believe that the pain has stopped. After recovering for a while, I open my eyes, and it feels as though I am seeing for the first time.
After being in pain and in the dark for so long, the world has taken on a new beauty in my eyes. The lights seem brighter, the colors more vibrant, the air much sweeter, and every sound is like a ringing melody. After a moment taking it all in, I notice the people standing around me. To the left of the bed I am lying on are Lala, Haruna, and Yui. To my right are Nana, Momo, and Yami. At the foot of my bed stand Oshizu, Mikado Sensei, and Mikan with Celine in her arms. I look at them all, and they smile back at me. After a moment of silence, Celine cries out, "Maauuuu!" and launches herself out of Mikan's arms and on to me where she begins hugging my head as if for dear life. Then, Lala and Haruna's eyes begin to water. "Rito!" Lala cries as she throws herself at me. "Yuuki-kun!" cries Haruna as she follows suit. As I hug the two sobbing girls, I sigh quietly, smile at them, and say "Remind me to never complain about your inventions again, Lala."
(24HoursEarlier)
It had been nearly a week since Rito was shot and brought to Ryouko Mikado's clinic. Neither Lala nor Haruna had left Rito's side since arriving. After all their friends at school had heard about what had happened, they were never far away as well. As a result, the sound of tears being shed had become an all too common occurrence in that house. As Lala sat, holding Haruna as she cried yet again, tears began to well up in her eyes as well, as she thought back on what had led to this nightmare that was now her life. The man she loved was seriously hurt, maybe even dying, and it was all her fault.
Flashback
(Lala's POV)
BOOOOOOOMMMM!
The sound reverberated throughout the entire house as I screamed and fell off the bed and onto the floor. I looked up to see that one of Rito's walls was blown apart, and standing in that space stood a man I didn't know with giant bat wings. After looking around for a moment, he spotted me lying on the floor "Where is the one called Yuuki Rito?" he asked in a guttural voice. "Eeeehhhh?!" I said slightly confused. "What do you want with Rito?" His mouth opened in a gruesome semblance of a smile. "Why, I am going to kill him."
I gasped and then gave him a glare that would've made my father proud. "I won't let you lay a finger on Rito, Peke, dress form" Yes Lala-sama."Peke then transformed into my clothes, while I pulled out my Almighty Tool and turned it into a sword. "Hm, since it seems that you have decided to get in my way, and you appear to be the greater threat, I shall simply have to end you first." And with that he raised his hand and white energy began to pool in his palm. I jumped through the broken wall, dodging the blast that exploded on the spot where I had previously stood. I had Peke grow my wings, and I began to fly as fast as I could towards the school, thinking only about how I had to warn Rito before something happens to him. Suddenly, the building in front of where I was currently flying exploded. I glanced over my shoulder, to see that the strange man who was trying to kill Rito was following me. I began dodging the blasts as I continued to fly, hoping I would get there in time.
As I neared the school I began searching for Rito. Finally, I spot him, Nana, Momo, Haruna, and Yami about to enter the building."Rito!' I cry out. "Run Rito!" While I was trying to get Rito's attention, the assassin had snuck up behind me and managed to blast one of my wings. I began to fall in a downward spiral, and somehow I managed to land on Rito. We were just beginning to get up, when another energy blast landed near us forcing us off our feet. For a while we all began dodging blasts left and right. After a while Peke suddenly spoke up. As I continued to dodge back and forth I heard Peke yell something to Rito. Just as she was done talking, an energy blast came too close to me and left me dizzy after the impact. "Lala!" I heard Rito shout. And the next thing I knew I was lying on the ground watching in horror as Rito, the man I love, took the blast that was meant for me.
"Rito!" I yelled as I saw him slam into the building and collapse onto the ground, unmoving. I quickly got up and ran to him, praying that he was still alive. Upon reaching him I saw, to my surprise, that it wasn't a scratch on him and, after checking his pulse, but he was still breathing. "Oh, thank you God. Thank you for saving my Rito." Hearing another blast, I reluctantly turned my head to see that Yami was fighting the assassin in the air. I watched as she dealt blow after blow to him, until finally, he fled. Yami landed and ran over to where we were all gathered around Rito. "Is Rito alright?" Yami asked, her normally even tone a bit wobbly. "I don't know, but we have to get Rito inside to Mikado-sensei." I said with my voice cracking. "But Mikado-sensei isn't here," Haruna with tears in her eyes. "Oshizu told me yesterday that today is her day off." I sat and thought for a moment before getting an idea. "If Mikado-sensei isn't here, then we'll go to Mikado-sensei." As I said this I pulled out my D-Dial and summoned Pyon-Pyon Warp-Kun Enhanced. (A/N): for those thatdon't know, this version allows the user to choose the destination). "Haruna, come here) I said while putting on the bracelet. "O-Okay" she replied as she walked over to me. I grabbed hold of both Rito and Haruna and said "Meet us at Mikado-sensei's". I then activated the device and we were gone, on our way to hopefully get Rito some help.
End Flashback
(No one's POV)
As Lala forced herself to stop reliving that horrible memory, she noticed that the beeping of the heart monitor had begun to speed up. And on the bed next to Lala and Haruna's, Rito was beginning to breath faster and sweat began pouring down his face. "Mikado-sensei!" Lala yelled "Something's happening to Rito!" Almost instantly, everyone gathered in the house waiting for Rito to wake up began to crowd into the room, all of them worried about the boy lying on the bed. "Everyone move, I need to get to Yuuki-kun" ordered Ryouko Mikado upon entering the room. As she reached the screens and machines monitoring Rito, he suddenly began screaming. "Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!" He sounded as though he was in agony. Ryouko looked up with a somewhat panicked look on her face. "Everyone leave now. Oshizu, help me get Rito into a healing tank."Yes Mikado-sensei." Oshizu rushed over to Rito's bed with Ryouko. Lala, Haruna, and the rest of the girls reluctantly leave the room, throwing anxious glances at the now screaming and thrashing Rito.
Ryouko quickly gave Rito a sedative to stop his thrashing. After he had stopped seizing, Ryouko and Oshizu undressed him and put him into the healing tank. "Will he be alright Mikado-sensei?" Oshizu asked with a worried look on her face. "Yes I think he will. Despite these strange fluctuations in his bodily functions, he appears to be healing nicely." 'Although, I am very worried about what all these strange readings could mean. I thought that I had seen everything medically possible in the universe, but I simply do not know what is wrong with Rito.' After these thoughts Ryouko was no closer to discovering what the problem was. "Huuuhhhhh" Ryouko sighed. "For now all we can do is wait and hope that he continues to heal properly." Oshizu nodded in agreement. What neither of them realized, was that an out of the way, dust covered monitor was beginning to flash somewhere behind them. The screen read 'WARNING patient is suffering from genetic modification. Implementation of newly acquired DNA is eminent.'
(Present)
(Lala's POV)
It has been a few hours since we were all kicked out of the medical room. Me and the other girls are sitting on an assortment of couches and chairs, while Celine was sitting on Mikan's lap with tears visible in her eyes. All of us seem to be worried and keep glancing at the door that Rito lay behind. After a while of this, the door suddenly opens to reveal Oshizu. Me and Haruna quickly stand at the same time and say, "Is Rito alright?"How is Yuuki-kun?" Oshizu looks to be a bit startled at our reaction to her appearance, but after a moment she says, "Yuuki-kun is alright. He is fully healed and is just sleeping off the sedatives he was given." With that, she turns around and begins to head back into the med room, with all of us following behind her. When we enter the room Ryouko looks up and says, "Oh, good you're just in time. It seems like he might be waking up." We all gather around the sides of the bed, anxiously waiting for Rito to wake up. We all watch as Rito slowly stirs, and then opens his eyes. After a moment or two of Rito staring at all of us, Celine cries out, "Maauuuu!" and launches herself at Rito and begins to hug his head. Mine and Haruna's eyes both begin to water. After a moment we cry out, "Rito!"Yuuki-kun!" and we both throw ourselves at Rito. I look up to see him smiling at me and say, "Remind me to never complain about your inventions again Lala." I sigh and close my eyes, content that everything will be alright.
In all the commotion, again no one notices the small dust covered machine's screen light up with text. 'Patient has fully absorbed new DNA. DNA shall be activated within minutes of the patient regaining consciousnesses'
(A/N) So, what do you all think? Was it worth the wait? Alright, review and tell me your thoughts. Tell me what you like, what you don't, and even ideas of your own. If the ideas are good enough, I might put them in the story. Well until next time. Soul, Sight, Sinari.