I'm back with another chapter! Happy New Years 2015 everyone! Enjoy! The title for this chapter is "Hard to Find" by, as usual, Skillet.
Grunting and snapping sounds were the only thing to be heard in the silence of the night. That, and an occasional owl hooting. Fierce eyes shone through the darkness, as wild animals scattered from the path of the approaching figure. Low growls sounded, combined with angry muttering.
"Doji… That idiot…" Kyoya snarled, mostly to himself as he walked.
Although Kyoya hated to admit it to anyone, he had considered Gingka as a close friend, as much as he considered him a rival. He had not counted his recent tournament win against Gingka as a true victory. In Kyoya's mind, the tie still stood, as it had for the last eight years, since the World Championships. Nothing could break it now, without the Pegasus blader. Kyoya snarled in anger. How dare Doji mess with his rival? He may have not always been on the best of terms with the redhead, but that didn't mean he didn't care, despite his cold exterior. Rage filled the Leone blader like fire, coursing through him. He wanted nothing more right now than to find and defeat the DNA for what they had done. He had felt the pain through the battle with Pegasus, had felt it again as he stood in the hospital after explaining to the others what had happened.
"Why does this stupid village have to be so deep in the mountains?" Kyoya groaned, inching along a narrow ledge of rock.
Leone pulsated in the carrier case at Kyoya's side, making the blader feel slightly warmer inside. He sighed in relief as he stepped once again onto solid ground, rather than the treacherous ledge he had been on formerly. Turquoise eyes narrowed at a few twinkling lights in the distance, undoubtedly coming from Koma Village. Kyoya reached into his shirt pocket, pulling out a small object that was slightly warm from being against his body. However, a coldness radiated from it, causing Kyoya to shiver slightly, his eyes becoming tinged with sadness for a moment before they again steeled as he replaced the item in his pocket and continued walking.
"Halt! Outsiders are not welcome here!" a gruff voice said as Kyoya finally reached the village a couple of hours later.
The Leone blader grunted. "I've been here before, in case you're worried that I might wander in and cause some sort of problem."
"I cannot let you take one step further."
"I'm a… Friend, of Gingka's. Hyoma can confirm that I'm allowed to be here." Kyoya said calmly, crossing his arms.
"What do you want?" the villager asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at the greenette.
Kyoya sighed. "I have to return something that belongs here."
"What, exactly?" the villager asked.
"I'd rather not say. Just get Hyoma to tell you that I'm allowed to be here, and I'll tell him what I have to say." Kyoya growled.
"Relax, he's alright." Hyoma said, stepping up next to the other villager, who stared at him in surprise.
"I thought you were staying home for a while longer, because of you-know-what." the villager said.
"I was, but I needed some fresh air." Hyoma sighed, running his fingers through his hair.
"Hyoma." Kyoya said, narrowing his eyes slightly as he noticed the tired and stressed, sorrowful look on the Aries blader's face.
"Long time no see, Kyoya." Hyoma replied, faking a smile.
"You probably already know why I'm here."
Hyoma looked surprised at Kyoya's comment.
"This way." he said, turning and walking off. Kyoya shot a triumphant smirk at the villager who had been blocking his path, following Hyoma. The greenette's face soon returned to its usual cold scowl, however, as Kyoya solemnly followed Hyoma across the village. After a few minutes of walking, Hyoma stopped at a door. He took a deep breath and opened it, entering.
"Mom, I'm back, and I've brought a friend." he called.
"Lots of people up, for how late it is." Kyoya commented.
"Yeah, just some crazy stuff been happening lately." Hyoma muttered.
Kyoya nodded silently. Words were not needed for the two bladers to know exactly what, no, who, the other was talking about.
"You're probably tired. I'll get you a bed set up out here if you don't mind. The guest room is already occupied." Hyoma's mother said, coming out of a back room and closing the door behind her.
Kyoya shook his head. "No. I only came to do something, and then I'll be off."
"It's late, and you've probably been walking for a while. You sure you don't want to just stay the night?" Hyoma asked, raising an eyebrow, although Kyoya could tell that his eyes were not focused on him, but on the door that Hyoma's mother had left slightly ajar.
"I'm sure."Kyoya said, reaching into his shirt pocket once again. "I figured that this belonged here, if anywhere." he held out something in his hand to Hyoma, who gasped lightly in surprise.
"Doji doesn't have it." Hyoma whispered, reaching out with a trembling hand and taking the gleaming silver and blue bey from Kyoya's hand.
"No, he doesn't. After our battle in the tournament, I picked it up, figuring that it'd be better for it to be in my hands than in the hands of the DNA."
"The DNA?" Hyoma looked up from staring at Pegasus, raising an eyebrow at Kyoya.
"It's a long story." Kyoya sighed. "And you should go to bed. Staying up late won't make him any less dead."
"Kyoya…" Hyoma muttered, then turned away. "Follow me." he walked towards the back room.
Kyoya blinked in confusion, but followed anyway, his ears picking up a faint beeping sound that grew louder as the two bladers approached the partially-closed door. Hyoma opened it and stepped aside, motioning Kyoya inside. The Leone blader tensed, his eyes widening in surprise and pupils constricting at the sight before him.
"He's… Alive?" Kyoya stammered out, barely daring to step closer to the pale, unconscious figure laying deathly still on the bed, with Ryo asleep in a chair next to him.
"Barely. His chances of survival grow with each hour he keeps breathing." Hyoma sighed. "He's still unstable, but he seems to be showing signs of recovery."
"How in the world did you…? Doji told us all he was dead!" Kyoya exclaimed.
"He was still alive when Doji dropped him off practically at my doorstep. My mom did the rest." Hyoma sighed. "We've had someone watching him constantly, to make sure that his vital signs stay steady. Here. You may as well return it to him."
Kyoya wordlessly took Samurai Pegasus from Hyoma's outstretched hand. The Leone blader moved over to his rival, noting with a small amount of worry the almost-deathlike tone of Gingka's skin. Kyoya narrowed his eyes slightly, anger once more rising in his veins as he took in the full reality of what Doji had done. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, the greenette gently pressed the slightly warm metal bey into a cold hand.
Pegasus pulsed slightly, glowing blue for an instant before returning to normal. Hyoma's eyes widened as Gingka's fingers slowly closed around the bey, the redhead's face gaining a look that could almost be described as peaceful, although it still reflected the pain, both mental and physical, that he had endured so far.
"I see that someone beat me to getting here." Kyoya grunted, motioning to Ryo, who sniffled in his sleep and shifted slightly.
"He arrived a few hours ago… Gingka was awake earlier, for a bit." Hyoma muttered.
"He'll live then?" Kyoya asked solemnly.
"It's still a bit in the air, but since he was able to regain consciousness, my mom thinks so." Hyoma replied.
"And what do you think?" Kyoya narrowed his eyes at the Aries blader.
Hyoma sighed. "There's no willpower left in his body. Doji broke him thoroughly. He wanted us to let him die."
"Don't you dare let him die. If there's any hope left of beating the DNA, Gingka may be one of the few who can revive it. He has to survive."
"He's given up entirely. He didn't even want us to go after Pegasus… When we thought that Doji had it."
Kyoya sighed. "I see."
A weak cough brought the attention of the two men back to the redhead laying on the bed nearby. Ryo had already awoken at the sound, his parental instinct on high alert.
"Easy, easy." the Phoenix whispered, slipping one arm behind Gingka's back and carefully maneuvering him into a sitting up position.
Gingka kept coughing for several minutes, tears falling from his eyes. Kyoya watched, his eyes wide in shock at the extent of the damage Doji had caused. The greenette stepped over to the side of the bed as Gingka's coughing fit finally died down and ended.
"Gingka."
Partially glazed-over, golden-brown eyes opened and wandered to Kyoya as Gingka somehow managed to get his breathing under control.
"Ky...oya…" the redhead breathed, his eyes narrowing slightly in confusion.
"You feel it. I can tell." Kyoya said. Ryo looked confusedly at the Leone blader.
"What are you talking about?" the Phoenix asked after a few moments.
"You're not allowed to give up, Gingka." Kyoya growled.
Gingka sighed and looked away. "I… Can't fight… Anymore…"
"Shut up and listen!" Kyoya snapped, causing everyone but Gingka to jump back slightly.
"I didn't come all this way for nothing. I expected to see a grave, yes, but instead I find you alive. Know this: I don't count our last battle as a victory. I have yet to defeat you at your true strength."
"That… Will never return…"
"You're wrong, Gingka." Kyoya growled, the lion blazing in his eyes. "It's already returning, you're just too blind to see it."
"Kyoya, please. Go easy on him." Ryo pleaded quietly.
"What, because he's injured?! That's no excuse!" Kyoya snarled. Ryo instantly snapped his mouth shut, seeing that there was going to be no point in arguing with Kyoya.
"You were strong enough to survive, Hagane. I'm not going to let you give up because that half-witted Doji pulled a few strings and turned you into his puppet for a while."
Gingka merely grunted and turned his head away. Whether he did so because of lack of strength or lack of interest, only he knew. No matter which was the case, Kyoya wasn't about to stop.
"You have to make those wings come back. The DNA didn't clip them, they merely tied them down."
"No… They ripped them off…" Gingka whispered.
"Then grow them back." Kyoya huffed.
"Kyoya, I really think that-" Hyoma began, but Kyoya cut him off with a fierce glare.
"Shut up and let me finish! The battle has not been lost!"
"I don't… Have wings… Anymore… They were stolen... "
"Stop lying, Hagane. I know that you can feel it." Kyoya growled. Leone pulsed in the greenette's hand. Gingka let out a startled gasp as the bey in his hand pulsed in response.
"Take your wings back." Kyoya smirked, glowing green as Ryo glowed orange, Hyoma glowed fuchsia, and Gingka glowed a dim blue.
"P-Pegasus…?" Gingka whispered, trembling slightly as the bey pulsated warmly in his hand. He let out a sharp gasp as three beams of light connected with his aura, expanding it ever so slightly. Ryo watched worriedly as Gingka's body arched slightly, his head tilting back as his eyes closed, a slight smile breaking through the tears before all fell dark and silent once more.
"G-Gingka…?" Ryo whispered.
"He sleeps… Under the guard of Pegasus." Kyoya muttered, smirking triumphantly. "This battle… Is all but won."
"We still have a long way to go." Hyoma said. "He's not recovered yet."
"The bonds are being reestablished. As soon as his body has healed, we can heal his mind." Kyoya grunted. "Until then, we tell nobody that he is alive. If word spreads too quickly, Doji may strike while we are unprepared."
"I never knew you as one to strategize, Kyoya." Ryo muttered, casting his gaze over the sleeping form of his son.
"Things change." Kyoya grunted, turning to leave. "I will return… But first I must disappear entirely. Look for me in a month."
With those words, Kyoya left. He left a pair of speechless men and a new spark of hope in a heart that had grown cold and weak. He left a pair of tattered wings that had already begun to heal. He left three freshly repaired bonds that would strengthen and repair completely over time.
Ryo shook his head slightly in amazement before turning back to his son. A slight smile of relief crossed his lips at the peaceful look on the face that had so recently been filled with pain and sorrow.
"So it begins… The true healing… The battle… What was taken will be regained. What was shattered will be rebuilt. What was lost… Will be won."