Happy early Thanksgiving, folks! I'm truly thankful for those who have read, favorited, followed, reviewed, or did all four! I truly appreciate the feedback and hope you all enjoy this chapter! I wanted to get it up before Thanksgiving came tomorrow.
I do NOT own Madoka or Digimon!
Chapter 6
Kyubey watched a slumbering Yamato through the hospital window, knowing it was only a matter of time until Takeru's friends found out the truth. And he couldn't help but wonder what Takeru would do in that situation. "I knew Takeru would not be able to keep magical people and witches a secret for long. His friends are on to him and will soon find out what he's hiding. Who knows? He may need all of the help he can get to 'eradicate all beings of darkness,' which is impossible. But he will figure that out for himself."
"I'm concerned for him..." a wise-sounding male voice said, "especially after the last witch he and I fought."
Kyubey turned to see a hooded figure behind him, face hidden and perched on a nearby incomplete staircase. It also watched the sleeping Matt.
"Maybe T.K. does need help," the figure continued. "Not to destroy all forces of darkness because, like you said, that isn't possible. He needs someone to keep his rage in check. I seriously thought the fight with MaloMyotismon would be the last time I would see that side of T.K. Now I'm scared for him, Kyubey."
"That was why you rejected his assistance in the labyrinth," the catlike creature realized.
"Yes, but I do understand T.K. was trying to protect me the same way he avenged Ken, Yolei, Davis, Kari, and our Digimon," responded the hooded figure, hugging itself out of fear. "I know the story behind it, which was Angemon's sacrifice to stop Devimon on their first trip in the Digital World. He doesn't want anyone else dying at the hands of evil beings like Devimon again."
"But they fell, anyway," said Kyubey. "And it was not to this Devimon you are speaking of."
"I know, and we need to get T.K. to understand that he can't save everyone, nor can he entirely destroy the powers of darkness. I definitely think getting Matt, Sora, Tai, and Izzy involved is a wise move. T.K. is so prone to bloodlust that he might lose focus and even pay for it."
"Even though Takeru insists that he doesn't need assistance?"
"I don't care what he says, even more so since Agumon and Tentomon know and were actually caught in that garbage can labyrinth," the hooded figure responded, finality in its voice. "We've been through worse and weirder things together, so this is no different. Except it's not Digimon we're facing, and that's just another reason for everyone to be involved."
Kyubey studied the hooded figure with its beady red gaze. "Your wisdom never ceases to amaze me, Iori Hida. It is no wonder you possessed the potential for magic."
The hooded figure removed his hood to reveal a pale, olive green-eyed boy with a bowl-shaped haircut. His stern expression exuded wisdom.
"And I'm glad I did make that contract before MaloMyotismon's deadly attack and used my projection right away. I'm still a little...frustrated it didn't work on Armadillomon." Iori fought back tears at the last part. "But I know he's getting reconfigured. He'll be back, but in the meantime, I'm fighting in his place, and it starts with keeping T.K. in check."
"Do not worry, Iori," Kyubey assured him, gaze back on Yamato. "It will not be long until you get your reinforcements."
…
T.K. yawned as he sluggishly climbed out of bed. He glanced at his porch to see that it was already night. Moonlight shone through his glass doors, lighting up his room.
"I must've been more tired than I thought," the Child of Hope realized. "I feel much better now and ready to take on anything." He headed to his bathroom to shower and get dressed for what was left of the day. He was still stinking from the witch battles the previous night and knew he was definitely trashing those sheets. Not only would they be nearly impossible to clean at that point, they would most likely stink up the apartment.
After he finished in the bathroom, T.K. headed into the kitchen for a trash bag to discard the soiled bedsheets. A click of the lock soon stopped his action, causing the blond to rush back to his room and hide. His mother and clone were home, and T.K. did not want his mother to walk in on him now; otherwise, there would be a lot of explaining to do. Explaining he would rather not go through right now.
The Child of Hope ducked into the bathroom and kept quiet so as not to attract his mother's attention. He heard a sudden click of his door knob, which decreased some of his anxiety a little. T.K. knew his mother would never come into his room unannounced. The blond craned his head outside to see his clone had stepped into the room, confused and glancing around. The blond let out a breath of relief.
"Hey," T.K. greeted, stepping out to meet his projection. "How'd it go today?"
The clone's expression turned grim, which was not a good sign.
"What happened?"
The projection grabbed a piece of scrap paper and a pen from the Child of Hope's desk and scribbled Matt's in the hospital because of a witch attack. They don't know it was a witch, but they're on to us.
"What?" T.K. blurted out, then remembered to keep his voice down on account of his mother possibly home as well. "Is Matt okay?"
Yes, the clone wrote, and they're on to us. They know something's up, so be prepared for questions, especially from Matt when he gets discharged tomorrow.
T.K.'s chest tightened upon reading his clone's notes, as the blond wondered what he was going to do. He knew Agumon and Tentomon would spill everything they had experienced to the others, but T.K. didn't think what little info the two Digimon had would be enough to lead his friends to him. He couldn't get them involved; he would think of a story to tell Matt and the others. As the Child of Hope had said to Kyubey, he doubted his friends would believe witches kissed the suicide victims. They would probably ridicule him for thinking that and believe he was referring to the stereotypical, green-skinned crones. And Azulongmon knew that T.K. was not facing those witches.
"T.K., are you in there?" His mother's voice was heard followed by a knock.
"You need to go," the blond hissed as he absorbed his projection into his Soul Gem. "Yeah, Mom!" he responded and answered the door to face Nancy, whose expression emitted disappointment and displeasure. T.K. didn't like that face. He liked it even less when he didn't know what the clone did to upset her.
"We need to talk, T.K.," she said simply. "In the kitchen. Now."
"Oh boy," T.K. muttered under his breath. What happened that upset his mother?
T.K. and Nancy sat down across from each other in the kitchen area, meeting each other's eyes. Nancy's were a storm cloud of slight anger, which didn't sit well with T.K. and made him wonder even more what had happened in the hospital.
"Why did you bolt like that when everyone asked if you knew something?" his mother finally asked.
So that's what happened, T.K. realized. Probably wouldn't have been the best move by my clone, but why is Mom so irate about that?
"Do you know something, T.K.?" Nancy pressed on.
"About what?"
"The creatures Izzy, Tai, and Matt were talking about in the hospital, and when they asked you, you ran. Which means you do know something but don't want to tell them. Or your dad and me. You've been quiet all day." Nancy's hard expression pierced into her younger son's, awaiting a response.
"Look, I'm sorry, Mom," T.K. finally said. "I was...so stressed out seeing Matt hurt that I was confused. I was more concerned about my brother than what those creatures are. It was just too much happening for me all at the same time." The younger blond shook his head, upset and anxious. "Besides, I don't know anything about those creatures. And about my not talking today, I was just having one of my quiet days and didn't feel like talking. I'm still mourning over Kari, Cody, Yolei, Ken, and Davis."
Nancy's expression softened upon listening to her younger son. "I see." She placed a hand over T.K.'s. "I miss your friends, too, honey. I know everyone else is in mourning, as well. You were thinking about Kari, weren't you?"
"And everyone else, too. I mean, Davis and I had our fights like Matt and Tai, but we became best friends because of that. It feels like yesterday that I forgave Ken, but now that he's not coming back, we'll never be able to get to know him better. Yolei and Cody were our neighbors, with Yolei acting like the big sister and all. Cody was my DNA partner and he had just understood why I get angry when it comes to darkness. And then there's Kari, my childhood friend." T.K.'s cheeks burned at the mention of the Child of Light. "I'll never tell her how I feel." Tears burned in his eyes and ran down his face. "I wish they were here so we could figure everything out together."
"I know, T.K." Nancy went over to grip her son's shoulders. "I know. It hurts. It hurts me, but none of them would want any of us to cling to the past. Yes, we will always remember them, but they would want us to move on and do everything in our power to prevent more deaths. Which is why we need all of the information we can get on those creatures."
"Again, I wish I could help," T.K. repeated, wiping tears from his eyes. "I'm just as at a loss as you guys."
"Are you sure, T.K.?" Nancy questioned. "Tai and Izzy said Agumon and Tentomon saw you out there dressed in cosplay."
The Child of Hope cursed silently. He knew that was coming up. He tried to think of a response to that. He had to; otherwise, his friends would be at risk, and he did not want to go to another funeral.
"I'm sure," the younger blond lied. "That person Agumon and Tentomon saw last night was probably a doppelganger created by one of the creatures. Or a Digimon."
Nancy raised an eyebrow again. "A doppelganger, huh? Come to think of it, you have been home helping me out last night, so it had to have been a creature disguised as you. We all have seen weirder stuff like Digimon, so I shouldn't have been surprised something like that happened."
"Yep, we date weird, Mom," T.K. agreed.
"Almost on a daily basis, it seems." Nancy let out a small laugh. "Anyway, I'm sorry I got upset with you about all of this. I should've known you weren't involved in last night's event and I didn't realize you were that stressed out."
"It's okay, Mom. And don't worry, my friends and I are still figuring stuff out about the creatures. Izzy, especially, is probably going to be pulling an all-nighter."
"Your father does those himself." Nancy couldn't help but giggle at that. "But I know Izzy is doing it to keep this world safe."
"And don't be surprised if I start pulling all-nighters, too, Mom," T.K. added. Considering last night's witch hunt that dragged into this morning.
"You know I would understand, T.K." Nancy stared at her son with a smile.
Suddenly, T.K. noticed his Soul Gem sticking out of his pocket, emitting its golden glow along with a faint hint of black. His clone had been out all day, after all. Regarding his mother, he asked, "You want some pizza tonight, Mom? I'll go and get it."
His mother nodded. "Sure, thanks, T.K. You know how much I love mushrooms, so make sure at least half of a pizza has mushrooms. And you just like extra cheese, Plain Jane."
"Hey, I don't like a lot on pizza, okay?" T.K. countered playfully. "I'll go ahead and call it in for take out."
"Okay, dear. I need a cat nap, so if I'm not awake by the time you come back, just wake me up." Nancy headed for her room next to her office, yawning along the way.
When T.K. was certain she was out of earshot, he let out a relieved breath. He barely dodged a bullet there, having thought Nancy would see through and dismantle his lie. His friends and family now knew too much and he didn't know how long his lies would tip them off. He had really screwed up upon being seen by Agumon and Tentomon the previous night, but it was either his secret or his friends, who had been saved by that hooded figure. The figure had taken his thanks but pulled away from him after the witch fight. T.K. still wondered who he or she was.
But of course, it had to wait until he grabbed pizza for himself and his mother, which he'd do after he hunted down a witch or two.
...
"I knew T.K. needed help," Cody said, peeking through the peephole of the Takaishis' apartment. He had been listening in on the conversation between T.K. and his mother, specifically the confession his DNA digivolution partner had made about needing help. He hadn't had any trouble following them without being seen, having made sure to cloak himself with his magic to avoid detection. He knew T.K. needed help, and hearing it from the blond himself clinched that suspicion. The Child of Reliable Knowledge would make sure T.K. received the help he needed...whether the Child of Hope accepted it or not.
…
"How are you feeling, son?" Hiroaki asked.
"I'm fine, Dad," Matt replied, leaning against the passenger's window. He and his father were on their way home from the hospital on an overcast Saturday morning. The doctors had decided that it was best for Matt to wait until Monday to return to school to make sure the blond was fully recovered. That meant Matt wasn't going anywhere, not even to see T.K., so his talking with his younger brother would have to wait until at least Monday. Unless, of course, T.K. himself came to visit him before then.
"You know I'll be staying with you this weekend, right?" Hiroaki asked.
"What? You think I'll sneak out?" Matt challenged.
"I didn't say that, Matt." Then his father sighed and said, "Yes, it is because of that. Well, your mother thinks you might get some ideas about sneaking out. And to be honest, me too, which is why it's best that you're watched for the weekend. We want to make sure you're well enough to go back to school on Monday."
Matt groaned at that, knowing that he would never sneak out and that he understood he needed to make sure he was at his best for Monday. But school would be the least of anyone's problems if the creatures were left unchecked. Matt would think his parents would understand that, especially when they were aware of occurrences beyond the norm, like Digimon. Then again, Matt had been injured by one of the creatures and his parents were only trying to make sure he was fully recovered before going back out there. They were well aware of what was going on, but they would much rather keep their on-the-mend son indoors to recover than to let him get involved in another attack and more than likely die this time. And that the Child of Friendship did understand. But the school part? Seriously?
Matt's musings were cut short when his father's car suddenly began to fishtail and weave from side to side.
"What the fuck?" Hiroaki swore as he tried to regain control of the car, constantly attempting to right the steering wheel, but to no avail.
"What's going on, Dad?" Matt shouted, then he watched as the world around the car began to waver and change.
"I don't know! We need to get out!" Matt's father took off his seat belt, followed by the blond himself, but it was too late. Both closed their eyes as the car prepared to make contact with the first obstacle in front of it. Time suddenly stopped for a moment around Matt as he knew that was how he was going to die. The older blond thought he would live to see old age before he perished. He never had the chance to get his band off the ground, at least not nationally. He wanted to help bring his family back together, and most of all, he wanted to tell Sora how he felt after all of this ended. Unfortunately, he'd never have the chance to do any of those things now; the creatures made sure of that, and as the car made impact, everything went silent.
Matt opened his eyes to see that the world surrounding them was now a candy-themed city with graham cracker buildings and gelatin-made roads. The sidewalks were made of cookies, and pink cotton candy formed clouds. The sky was amber with a lemon drop-like sun. Was Matt in Heaven, or was it some sort of twisted hell? Whichever one it was, Matt knew if that was how the afterlife was like, maybe...
Matt shook his head, refusing to think like that. Death was not a good thing, no matter what the afterlife looked like. But if this was the afterlife, why was he sore on one side of his body? And why was his father unconscious against the steering wheel? Matt regarded Hiroaki to see that his father was in worse shape than himself. Gashes marred his arms and face, with one decorating the entire left side of his cheek. If this was the afterlife, both should have healed.
"Something's not right here," Matt said. "Are we really dead?"
The Child of Friendship's musings were cut off by a force that caused Matt to stumble forward. Matt turned around to a massive syringe stuck to the gelatin street. He looked up to see a red-headed, freckled rag doll wielding a giant syringe identical to the one in the "ground." Its blue button eyes glanced down at the blond, and the doll's smile stretched across its face. Energy coming from the demented doll billowed from the totaled car's hood. Was that creature responsible for the accident?
Matt had no time to ponder that question, as the doll aimed its syringe at the Child of Friendship, ready for another attack on him and his father.
"I have a feeling this is not the afterlife. I don't think it's even Hell," said Matt. "We didn't cause enough trouble to land there. Granted, I fought with Tai a few times, but that was petty. It can't be enough for me to go to Hell. If this isn't Hell or Heaven, where are we?"
The doll slammed its weapon to the "ground," Matt rolling out of the way just in time but still receiving collateral damage. That clinched his decision right there. Fuck figuring out where they ended up; Matt had to get his father and himself out of there and get Gabumon. Unlike Matt, Hiroaki had no Digimon partner.
"Dad!" Matt rushed to the totaled car to try to rouse Hiroaki awake, but his father didn't stir. "We need to get out of here!" When his father still didn't wake up, Matt hauled him out, positioned him on his back, and proceeded to head back to the hospital.
However, Matt was once again met with a syringe that blocked their way. Unlike the last two, this one emitted an acidic substance that ate away at the "ground," creating a large gap between Matt and safety. No way could he jump over that, especially with his dad on his back. Otherwise, it would have spelled instant death for both of them.
"Damn, I wish Gabumon were able to visit me at the hospital, but with nearly everyone knowing what Digimon are now, I can understand why the doctors wouldn't have allowed it. Besides, he would have been treated like a pet." The older blond turned back around to face the doll, then gazed back at the syringe-made gap that blocked his progress. He didn't need another shot of medicine, especially from a nightmare nurse, nor could he risk leaping the newly-made chasm before him. Gabumon wasn't with him, and running was out of the question. Matt was cornered by a syringe, a gap, and their demented owner.
"There has to be something I can do." Matt punched the "ground" in frustration.
"There is, Yamato Ishida," a voice said, which sounded familiar. Matt remembered hearing that from his dream the night before last and the one from the previous night, where the same events occurred. Matt had ended up in the Odaiba wasteland, witnessed his friends' having been knocked out, was met by a catlike creature, and then hit by the dragon's purple flames. That same feline creature's voice rang through his ears. It couldn't be real. It just couldn't. He had just been part of a dream.
But when Matt turned around to see the white catlike creature, the Child of Friendship realized the voice was indeed real. The creature's beady red eyes looked up at the older blond.
"You were in my dream," Matt realized as he knelt down to the being's height. "Who are you?"
"I am Kyubey," the cat creature responded. "And you have the potential to stop that witch." It nodded to the demented nurse doll.
Matt raised an eyebrow at what Kyubey had just said, then looked up at the massive doll, which the feline creature had just described as a witch. "A witch? That's not a witch; it doesn't have green skin, a black dress and hat, or a broom it flies on. Plus, what do you mean 'I have the potential to stop it?' I don't have any powers. Gabumon does." And why did I just say that out loud?
"And who might this Gabumon be?" Kyubey asked. "Wait, is he one of those Digimon I have heard so much about?"
"And how do you know about Digimon? You clearly aren't one of those?"
"I am not, but I have heard about them, and while I believe that your Gabumon would be of assistance here, he is not present, meaning you must rely on your own powers to save yourself and the man on your back."
"My father," Matt clarified. "Again, I don't have any powers, Kyubey!"
"On the contrary, Yamato," the white feline creature rebutted. "You have the potential to use magic."
"What?" Matt was taken aback, not believing what Kyubey was saying.
"Yes, you have the potential to become a magical boy," Kyubey explained.
Matt suddenly heard the clang of metal on metal. He looked up to see the hooded figure. The exact same one he had seen in both the alley and his dream. The Child of Friendship studied the figure carefully, as it parried the doll's syringe strikes with its silver staff. Was it Cody? Matt wondered as he saw that the figure's attire fit Cody's description in his dream. Same silver staff, same white cloak with purple and gray trim along the edges. The only difference was that the figure wasn't showing its face, which didn't give Matt a clear answer as to whether that was Cody or not. But it couldn't have been Cody; he was dead. T.K. said he was. So if that wasn't Cody, who was it?
That was a question for another time, though, as the figure released a stream of silver light at the doll Kyubey called a witch, but was overpowered by the doll's injections and sent flying into a graham cracker building. Matt gasped, his eyes widening. He started rushing toward the downed being.
"You can save him, Yamato," Kyubey said. "You only have to make a contract with me to become a magical boy."
Matt raised an eyebrow at that, still not buying it.
"I understand it is difficult for you to take in," Kyubey continued. "However, you really do possess the power."
Matt moved his gaze from the white feline to the hooded figure, who was still down and was at the mercy of the witch. The witch raised its syringe over the figure, ready to strike.
A sudden stream of golden light destroyed the syringe and knocked the doll back. Matt looked up to see T.K. leap from the downed building, firing another stream of light at the witch and causing it to fall backward to the "concrete." The Child of Friendship examined his brother more closely to study T.K.'s strange attire, which consisted of a tan and gold tunic, tan pants secured with a brown belt, fingerless gloves, and a box-like hat decorated with a brooch shaped into the Crest of Hope along its right side.
"T.K.?" Matt wondered. "What is he wearing? Was this what Agumon and Tentomon were talking about?" The older blond remembered Tai and Izzy mentioning the two Rookies saying something about T.K. wearing cosplay and being in a strange world that hadn't looked like the Digital World. This was obviously one of the odd realms, ruling out Matt's earlier afterlife theory. Besides, Matt didn't think T.K.'s costume looked like any form of Heaven or Hell attire. To top it all off, T.K. could fight without Patamon, considering how he was faring against the demented ragdoll. His brother was definitely involved in all of this. He may not have been responsible for the suicides, but his involvement in everything they've discussed was unmistakable. That explained why T.K. had fled when he was asked the previous evening. It all made complete sense now. But that didn't mean Matt had the ability to use magic, too. Did it?
Matt still didn't believe the nonsense Kyubey shoveled on him. Magical people? Witches? Contracts? From how Kyubey used the word "contract," it sounded like a deal with the devil. Those were never sweet ones, so how could Matt trust one feline creature's deals? It sounded a little too good to be true, not to mention shady. What if by making a contract to save his brother, he would put himself in danger? Matt pondered every possibility that could result from Kyubey's contract, knowing he had to think it over carefully and weigh benefits against risks.
However, he didn't have too much time to think things over, as the witch recovered and smacked T.K. down. The Child of Friendship now knew he only had one choice as to how he and everyone else were going to escape alive. And it sat right next to him, emotionlessly witnessing the hell unfolding. He could grill his brother when they got out of the mess surrounding them. If they got out of it. Matt may still be wary of what Kyubey was saying, but considering that Gabumon wasn't with him, the Child of Friendship would take advantage of any possible opportunity to save himself and his friends, regardless of risks. His brother's life was more important, and if there were risks involved in making a contract, the older blond would deal with them later.
"You said I had the power to help, right?" Matt asked Kyubey and motioned to his downed brother and the hooded figure, both of whom close to meeting the business end of the witch's injection.
"That is correct, Yamato," Kyubey responded."All you have to do is make a contract with me. I see you know Takeru."
"He's my brother, and if my contract with you works, I can save him?"
"Yes. Your contract will work," the feline being assured him.
"Then I'll give it a try," Matt decided. "Just tell me how to make this contract and what I have to do."
"When you make a contract with me, you receive one wish," Kyubey explained. "It may be for anything you desire, Yamato."
"Then I know my wish, Kyubey," Matt said without preamble. "I wish to protect my friends. I won't allow anymore of my friends to die."
"Are you certain that is your wish, Yamato?" The feline creature sought for confimation in the Child of Friendship's words.
"Yes, Kyubey, I am!" The second the final syllable left Matt's lips, pain seared through his chest, as if splitting it in two. The teen blacked out for a brief moment, but woke up to find himself still standing as if he'd been sleepwalking for a few seconds. The Child of Friendship then noticed a blue raindrop-like orb hovering before him, brimming with energy like his Crest. Matt grabbed the sapphire droplet, and when he opened his hand, the orb became a blue oval-shaped charm..
"That is your Soul Gem," Kyubey pointed at the piece of jewelry in Matt's palm. "You have made the contract."
Matt faced the witch, knowing he had to save his brother and father and get them out of the saccharine nightmare surrounding them. The older blond could protect them now. Now he just needed to see how well he could without Gabumon. Setting Hiroaki on the ground, Matt cluched his Soul Gem, causing wisps of blue light to consume him. The older blond was filled to the brim with strength he never knew he had. His street clothes were blown away and replaced with a pair of ripped jeans with a skull, a buckle covering his chest, fingerless gloves, and spiked brass knuckles. His Soul Gem appeared on the skull's forehead, and his blond hair extended to his shoulders. When the blue light subsided, Matt took a double take at himself to realize he was exactly the same as he had been in his dream. His attire was just like WereGarurumon's.
So this was what I was in my dream, Matt thought. A magical boy. So that meant my friends and Cody were magical, too. And the dragon was a witch.
But the witch looming before Matt and threatening to give him a lethal injection wasn't that dragon. Pondering his dream could wait; right now he needed to take care of the monstrosity in front of him.
Just as the doll slammed its syringe into Matt, the blond rolled out of the way, perched on all fours like a wolf. Or rather, like WereGarurumon. Matt crouched on his haunches, then climbed the doll's syringe and, using his spiked knuckles, slashed the witch's face dead center, causing it to unravel into ribbons of cloth, wisps of thread, and clumps of stuffing. The doll fell backward again, losing its grip on the syringe.
It was far from finished with Matt, though, as it swatted blindly at the older blond, who dodged every attempt before delivering a kick to the doll's arms to clear a path for its chest. Assuming that was the weak spot, Matt brandished his knuckles and sliced through the witch's chest. The doll split into several sections before collapsing in a pile of fabric, stitches, thread, and stuffing, which rained around Matt. In one of the mountains of fluff, he spied a small black, kernel-shaped object. Picking it up, he inspected it.
"What's this?" he wondered as the confectionary surroundings returned to the familiar street he and his father had driven down before crashing. The totaled car was nearby, having met with a fire hydrant, which was now dry after its torrent of water soaked the pile of smashed metal.
"That is a Grief Seed." Kyubey hopped up to the Child of Friendship's side. "Magical girls and boys use them to purify their Soul Gems after they defeat a witch."
"How do I use it?" Matt asked.
"Touch it to your Soul Gem," the catlike creature instructed. "I am quite certain it needs to be purified."
The Child of Friendship looked down at his Soul Gem that now held a hint of black smoke sullying the once-pristine sapphire within. From what Kyubey had just explained about purifying Gems, Matt was certain even that little taint wasn't a good thing. Returning to normal, he touched the Grief Seed to his Soul Gem, where the slight taint moved into the Grief Seed and restored the bright azure shine in Matt's Gem within seconds. Matt then noticed a hint of a dark aura now stirring in the Seed, which worried Matt slightly. What if the Grief Seed revived that terrifying doll?
That was the least of Matt's worries right now, as he noticed his brother slowly recovering and the hooded figure healing a still-unconscious Hiroaki. He still didn't know who the figure was, but he decided this was the time to unmask him or her.
"Hey, thank you," said Matt, approaching the figure that now moved on to heal T.K. The mystery ally responded with a nod and didn't even spare a glance at the older blond. "Who are you?"
When it was done with the Child of Hope, the figure froze for a second. Without meeting Matt's confused gaze, it turned away.
"Your Grief Seed can be used a second time," said T.K., who made it to his feet and was now back in his civilian form. "Give it to him...or her. He or she needs it more than I do."
"It can be used more than once?" Matt asked.
"It depends on how much the Grief Seed absorbs the first time," Kyubey interjected.
"If it takes in too much, it can hatch into another witch," added T.K. "Yours looks like it has a few more uses out of it because you didn't use too much magic. Or maybe just one in this case since our friend needs it more. He or she has been healing Dad and me." T.K. nodded to the retreating figure.
"What about you, T.K.?" Matt regarded his brother.
"I have one more Grief Seed I can use," said the younger blond. He then nodded to the now-retreating figure. "He or she needs yours more."
Matt started after the figure, who was surrounded by silver light as it moved further away from the bedlam that had ensued.
"Hey, wait!" Matt called after the figure and offered the Grief Seed to it.
The figure stopped and turned slightly to regard Matt, who thought he saw a hint of an olive green eye through its hood. They stared at each other briefly before the figure accepted the offered Grief Seed and walked away. The figure vanished in a blaze of silver after a few seconds.
After that was done, Matt regarded T.K., who was lifting Hiroaki, albeit with a little difficulty due to the younger blond's sapped strength from the fight. Even though his wounds were healed, he wasn't back at full strength. The Child of Friendship rushed over to help T.K. lift their father, each draping an arm on their backs. The older blond delivered a glare to his brother, none too pleased at what he had been through and found out. Especially when it was exactly what he and the others had been left in the dark about.
"Look, Matt, I know you're probably angry with me, but..."
"I need to know what the hell's going on." The older blond cut T.K. off before the younger one could get another word in, possibly another lie, but Matt had enough of his little brother skipping around. "And this time, you're not leaving my place until you tell me everything. I want the truth, T.K., and you're going to tell me when we get to Dad's and my apartment."
"What about school?"
"Fuck school at this point, T.K.. Besides, we need to make sure Dad's okay and then call Mom and let her know what's going on. She might come over, too, and I can promise you she will not be happy that you lied to us."