Hatred For His Family, Love of His Sibling, Birth Of An Anti-Hero


Disclaimer:

Digimon is owned by Toei Animation and Bandai Co. Ltd.


Although I only got one review, it is okay with me and I'm inspired to bring in the next chapter, and here Akihiro Kurata enters the fray, and starts to charm his way to Franz Norstein's "good graces" while earning the ire of Touma as he senses that the scientist's intentions are not what he see as beneficial towards Relena...


Ch. 7: Inbō no Kagaku-sha

A few days have passed since Touma had taken a beating from Kouki and his gang, things slowly hit the net as Relena's "video" went viral online, which earned the "praise" of perverted delinquents, but also earned sympathy of those who met Relena, and the concerned citizens at Kyoto relentlessly urged the police to find Kouki and bring him to justice as they are angered upon learning of what he and his gang did to her and Touma, and some are incensed as the police repeatedly stated that they are doing all they could, yet the citizens find it unacceptable as reports flowed in that several more victims piled up due to Kouki's misdeeds.

At the Norstein house, Franz got an overseas call from his mother, and Grandma Norstein is pissed upon seeing the "viral video" of Relena and told him that the scandal is causing a lot of groundless rumors and is affecting the Norstein family's standing in the aristocratic society and sternly told Franz to do something about it, as she is getting stressed at the persisting reporters' queries about this video scandal which Franz repeatedly assured his mother that he is "getting things under control".

"How could you, Franz? How can you let this happen?"

"I'm sorry, mother...even I was taken..."

"The video is viral...everyone has watched it!"

"I'm really sorry, mother..."

"Do something about this! Our reputation is at stake here!"

"Yes..."

"That Touma...he's a good for nothing grandson!"

"I'll get right on it..."

At the bedroom, Touma had to comfort an emotionally distressed Relena when she learned of the viral videos, and he assured to her that he will find Kouki and make him pay for what he did, though Relena urged her half brother not to act irrationally fearing that he might get jailed if he comes in to conflict with authorities, though Touma stated that as long as Kouki is stopped for good, he won't mind it and told her that what Kouki did to her is virtually unacceptable.

"I promise...I'll find that bastard and make him pay..."

"Nii-san..."

"I'll kill him if I have to..."

"Don't! You'll get jailed!"

"I won't mind it..."

"I do!"

"Relena..."

"Please...don't do anything rash..."

However, Franz came in and told Touma that he caused this dilemma and stated that this wouldn't have happened if he did not brought Relena around town, and that she should've stayed at home, and this triggered a word war between father and son, and their shouting can be heard downstairs which also included Relena, trying to stop her dad and half-brother from verbally tearing each other out.

"If you only do as I say...none of this would've happened!"

"Relena's not a bird that needs to be caged!"

"I make the decisions here, boy!"

"Relena does not deserved to be locked up here!"

"It is for her own good!"

"You're only alienating her from other girls her own age!"

"This is for the sake of the Norstein family!"

"To hell with your reputation!"

"Dad! Nii-san...stop arguing...uuuhhhnnhh..."

However, the recent stress as well as trying to stop her loved ones in front of her from arguing took a toll on her and she collapsed from the wheelchair and fell on the floor, and this caused the two to stop arguing and they helped her set on the bed as Franz calls for a doctor while Touma tries to wake her up, to no avail, and he mentally blamed BOTH Franz and Kouki for causing her much distress, and wished that there is a way to find the bastard of causing her much pain.

-x-

Somewhere at a secret hideout, Kouki and his gang are drinking beer and they are "toasting" for their successful caper - sending "viral videos" of Relena on the internet, and their site received a lot of "likes", attracting a lot of perverts and even pedophiles worldwide, yet the gang managed to keep their place secured so as not being tracked down and Kouki is laughing hard at the humiliation that the Norstein family is getting.

"Ha-ha-ha!"

"That was great!"

"Those Norstein brats got real good!"

"I wish that blond-haired was a bit older...I want to touch her boobs..."

"I wish I could "do" her..."

"Me too..."

"Let's wait for a few years...then we can "do" her again..."

"Sounds fun..."

"Yeah..."

By then, an unseen figure spoke and thanked Kouki and his gang for a "job well done", yet he tells the gang to "lie low" as police visibility has been doubled, and told the gang to head for the "specified place" to stay hidden until they are to be summoned by him, in which the gang and Kouki nodded and asked if they are to be paid on their next delinquent caper, which the unseen figure nodded and left the scene as the gang also took their leave.

-x-

At Kyoto Hospital, the doctor came out after doing a series of tests, and told Franz and Touma that Relena is stable for now but advised that she musn't get stressed or her condition would worsen, and as Franz told Touma that Relena will not go outside for her own good, the doctor advises against it, as "keeping her locked" inside her house would only make her worse, yet Franz reiterated that he is doing this for her, and no one else can dictate the Norstein family, and as Touma aruged against this, Grandma Nortstein came and slapped her grandson on the face, reminding him of his place.

"Silence, boy!"

"You witch!"

"How dare you..."

"How dare you treat Relena like that?"

"This decision is final...no more arguments! Relena is now the object of immoral people, and I will not let any more of this to happen!"

"You can't just..."

"Silence, Touma! Do as your grandmother says!"

"Damn you..."

As Touma glared at his grandmother and dad for their selfish attitudes, someone came and introduces himself to the two adults and brought out his calling card and began charming his way to the two aristocrats, which started to work, though Touma became suspicious at how the stranger, who identified himself as Akihiro Kurata, a "self-proclaimed" scientist, began "praising" the Norstein family for their status and how they carried themselves within society, which seemed to impressed Grandma Norstein, and there he proposed a way on how to help cure Relena of her current medical condition to Franz.

"I have a proposal for you..."

"Really...?"

"Yes..."

"And what can you offer?"

"A way to cure your precious Relena...and the chance for her to walk again..."

"If you can do that...then I will listen to what you can recommend..."

"Thank you..."

"Now here is how things would go..."

Kurata then told the Norsteins that Relena will be staying at his lab for "full observation" and that he will personally see to it that she will be given the "best treatment" and that in less than six months he promised that Relena will be restored to "full health", further enticing Franz and Grandma Norstein and they agreed to Kurata's terms that the scientist will have full custody of Relena as long as she can be cured.

Touma was against this as he doesn't trust the scientist seeing how he "charmed" his way and that he is a complete stranger and protested, but Grandma Norstein used her authority to shut her grandson up and Franz commanded his son to do as they say and that he will focus on his studies and assured to him that Relena is in good hands, and as he protested, he is incensed that Relena is being carried away towards an ambulance and that Franz and Grandma Norstein forbade Touma from following them, and he is forced to return home.

Touma is angered at this and his frustration boiled when he received an e-mail which came from Kouki, where a fake sex video about Relena is shown and he punched the wall vowing to find Kouki and make him pay.

To Be Continued…


Hope you like this chapter, as Kurata is introduced and managed to win the trust of the Norstein family, and gained custody of Relena in the promise of finding a cure and that promising that in less than six months she will be restored to full health, something Touma finds it suspicious yet finds himself powerless to prevent his from happening.


Preview:

Touma encounters Kouki again and discovers that it was him how ran over his biological mother years ago, and after being humiliated again, he gains a means to combat him, thus signalling his evolution to become an "anti-hero"...