Welcome back to Warped.
First of all, I want to thank everyone for the support they have shown me after my author's note in Accidental Reverse. I'll respond to the many amazing reviews there, but I wanted to say thank you anyway! You guys have no idea how much it means to me.
Now, since it's late, I'll keep this short and move onto the reviews!
Anime100: So far, I'm not quite sure how the story will continue. Raimon will remember eventually, but I don't know yet if the other teams will make an appearance. Please enjoy!
Meri7: So am I, and thank you!
Hoshi no Hoshi: You're welcome! ^.^
Hey: Hey there! Thanks!
UnicornTalesLol: Tenma was taken after the ''mysterious match'' from the first chapter that Raimon completely forgot about XD But that's all I will say about it! The sadistic motherfucker, as you call him, is Neji :'D You like dark? Well, then you'll certainly enjoy this chapter! Ooh, so you believe the clone story~?
Sonia Kumar: Hm, it's going to take a little longer for Raimon to remember Tenma - there's some other stuff first! Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed the previous chapter! I think this chapter will only cause more questions, sorry... although it answers some stuff, too! I hope you enjoy this chappie too! (Wow it's been so long since I updated this, oops)
Anonymous Person: No, it's not quite like that. It's not an AU, it's set after the Galaxy series - Tenma is taken after that, the Chrono Stone timeline is never changed, and Tenma's powers are forcefully awakened. Revolve doesn't have much to do with what happened in Chrono Stone, but I can't say anything more about that without spoiling XD I can see why you'd think that, though!
ScuroCielo27: Glad you liked it, I hope you enjoy this chapter too!
Tenma287766: I was really busy and I lost all my inspiration, but I hope you like this chappie!
Disclaimer: don't own
Now, let's get to the real fun, shall we?
''When are you going to kill me?''
Nagai pauses, turns to look at him. One eyebrow raised, amusement swirling in his one visible eye. He takes a sip of his tea, swirling the liquid in his cup and watches it, as if it holds the answer to understanding the universe.
''Must you put it like that? And please, drink your tea. It would be a waste to throw away perfectly good nourishment.'' As if to demonstrate, he takes another sip of his own cup, long and slender fingers curling around the fine china.
A glare is his only answer.
Nagai sighs, condescendingly, like he would if he was dealing with a particularly slow and troublesome child. ''You are as eloquent and delightful as ever.''
Tenma's glare only hardens. ''This is literally the first time we're drinking tea together, 'as ever'. And you didn't answer my question. When are you going to kill me?''
''You know,'' Nagai's lips quirk upwards in a charming smile, ''most people would sound a little less… composed, would they happen to talk about their possible death.'' He reaches for the plate of biscuits, taking one and dipping it in his tea for a few seconds. ''Will you really not drink your tea?''
''I should throw it at you.''
Nagai tuts and shakes his head. ''Tenma, Tenma, violence is never the answer, you know this. Must you be so aggressive?'' His pleasant smile grows and he sets his cup down, resting his elbows on the table and supporting his head with his folded hands. ''Now, I'll say it again. Please, drink your tea.''
The brunet narrows his eyes and, not breaking eye-contact, raises his cup to his lips. He takes a sip, small, and swallows almost immediately.
''Very good, well done!'' Nagai smiles lightheartedly, tilts his head slightly to the side. ''That wasn't so hard, was it?''
Tenma places his cup down, his hands resting on the fine porcelain. ''You still,'' he reaches for a biscuit, taking one and bringing it to his lips, where it hovers a few inches away from his face, ''didn't answer my question.''
The other male shifts so only one hand is supporting his head, the other taking his cup again and lifting it into the air. ''I'd tell you, I really would,'' he pauses for a moment to take another sip of the hot liquid, not reacting to Tenma's narrowing eyes, ''but truly, I do not see why I should. After all, you won't be around long enough for it to matter in the long run.''
Grey eyes flash purple.
Nagai's expression tightens. ''I'd appreciate it if you didn't do that.''
Tenma stares at him for a few moments longer, his gaze still glowing an eerie purple, and then he scoffs and his eyes fade back to grey. ''You said I won't live long enough for it to matter,'' he states, drawing figures on his porcelain cup, ''so it wouldn't matter either if you did tell me, isn't that right?''
They lock gazes again, both unreadable, and for a long while only silence hangs between them.
Then Nagai chuckles.
''Well well, seems like you have learned something after all, good job,'' he compliments, leaning back in his seat. ''Do tell me about your time with your delightful friends.''
''They aren't,'' says Tenma slowly, ''my friends.'' He casts an unreadable look at his companion, tilting his head slightly. A small frown pulls at his features. ''In fact, I have to ask. Clones? Is that really the best you can come up with? I think I speak for all of us when I say I'm disappointed.''
There's a moment of silence between them and then Nagai throws his head back, laughing. He almost spills his tea, but manages to avoid making a mess. Once he catches his breath, he wipes nonexistent tears away, shaking his head good-naturally. ''Come now, you cannot say it isn't a good joke.''
The brunet rolls his eyes. ''Your sense of humor astounds me.''
''Careful, wouldn't want to say something we'll both regret, now would we?''
''Only if you stop patronizing me.''
Nagai huffs an amused laugh, resting his chin on his hand as he leans forward, as if interested in something. ''You can't expect me to lie. This is the truth room.''
A single, unimpressed eyebrow raises. ''And yet you tell me to do the exact same thing. Hypocrite.''
Revolve's captain merely sighs. ''You chose this.''
Tenma grits his teeth, purple sparks flashing in his eyes before he manages to force his powers down, remembering Nagai's warning. ''You make it seem like I had a choice!'' he hisses out, the grip on his cup so tight the fine china might be in danger of breaking.
''Because you did, Matsukaze Tenma,'' finally, finally the teen in front of him loses some of his composure. ''You chose Raimon's lives over your own and yet you keep denying any affection you hold for them. You are the one who allowed yourself to be turned into our puppet if it meant sparing your team – you are the one who goes along with our plans, for what?''
The captain pushes himself to his feet, his hands slamming down on the table. ''You go along with our lies, you are as much of an enemy to Raimon as we are, yet you say it is to save their lives? In exchange for your own? And you have never told us why you would do as such, especially if you hate them as much as you claim to do, which is something I would very much like to know!''
The tables have turned.
Nagai seems to realize that a little too late.
But Tenma is already grinning, all sharp teeth and bitter humor. ''Oh would you, now?'' he taunts. ''What was it you said again? At this point, no one knows me better than Revolve does? Turns out it isn't quite as true as you make it out to be.''
Their gazes meet, grey flecked with purple caught up in an icy blue one, and for a long moment, neither of them speak. The staring contest goes on for what feels like an eternity, but Nagai is losing and they both know it.
''Why are you risking this?''
The prisoner raises a single eyebrow, a silent gesture for the other to elaborate.
Revolve's captain tries to hide his annoyance, but the tightness of his jaw gives him away. ''After everything we put you through, why are you challenging me? Aren't you afraid of what we'll do to you? And all to protect people who abandoned you, people you hate?''
And Tenma throws his head back and laughs.
(they will never understand)
(no one will, because they search for lies that aren't there)
(it is a concept so simple no one, not Raimon, not Revolve, will ever understand)
Isn't that just hilarious?
Tenma wakes up to a kick in the ribs.
A grunt of pain rips itself from his throat as he curls in on himself, one arm protectively around his middle. The drowsiness that might have lingered after waking up is gone within seconds at the potential threat, and he's immediately on high alert.
Said alertness leaves when he catches sight of dark eyes staring down at him.
The brunet glares at his attacker, allowing the tension to flow from his body. Ignoring his companion for now, he takes a look around his cell. It's clean, although that isn't very surprising.
''Don't ignore me! Or I'll kick you again!'' comes the suspected whine.
Tenma glares up at the other teen. ''Or you could just say hello like a normal person.''
Neji grins, all sharp teeth and crazed eyes. ''Now where would be the fun in that?'' he sing-songs, crouching down next to the prisoner. The grin is replaced by a cheerful, excited smile. ''I got bored of waiting. How can you sleep so looong?''
The brunet rolls his eyes, not bothering to get up from the floor. ''First of all, you have the attention span of a squirrel on drugs. Second, there's a difference between falling asleep and passing out from blood loss.''
The dark-haired teen pouts. ''But that's no fuuun!'' he whines, sounding like a little kid asking their parents for candy. ''And the blood is so pretty!'' he grins for a second, before it disappears again behind a pout. ''Nagai made me clean it up, though…''
Well, that explains the positively shining white floor.
Tenma glances down at himself, grimacing at the sight of faded bruises and almost-healed cuts on his arms. Deciding his powers have healed enough for him to sit up, he carefully pushes himself up, leaning against the wall behind him. Neji moves from his crouch to sit cross-legged in front of him, rocking slowly from left to right, and the brunet lazily tilts his head. ''No breakfast? Disappointing.''
The other teen waves his concerns away, giggling. ''Nagai said you slept so long, you missed out on breakfast!'' Tenma's eyebrows raise, he hadn't realized he was out that long. ''I'm not even supposed to be here! So don't tell him!''
Of course he is. ''Then why,'' mutters the brunet, ''are you?''
''Because I missed you!''
''Shame I can't say the same to you.''
And then another sharp grin, teeth flashing. ''Ah, I was wondering where all the sassiness had gone to,'' says Neji, the childlike note to his voice completely gone. ''Raimon didn't make you go soft, did they?''
Tenma rolls his shoulders, meeting the other's dark, clear eyes with an annoyed look of his own. ''Sorry for being a little preoccupied by everything.'' He waits for the navy-haired teen to pout, or giggle, but he doesn't. ''You're surprisingly sane right now.''
A snort is his answer. ''You call this sane?'' he gestures to himself. ''But yeah, I suppose I am. Nagai needs me in my,'' Neji pauses, grinning sharply, ''right mind. Did you miss me?''
''Oh yes, absolutely. Your bloodlust is refreshing, certainly, but at least now you can understand my insults.'' He tilts his head, smiling mockingly. ''Most of the time.''
Neji laughs.
Tenma keeps smiling, eyes flashing purple.
His temporary companion stills, the smile melting from his face and a warning glare taking its place. Something flashes in the dim light and then Neji is holding a knife, almost defensively. ''Don't do that,'' he snarls in warning.
His only response is an even brighter flash of purple as the brunet tilts his head. ''Or what?'' he drawls, grinning at the narrowed look shot his way. ''You're going to kill me anyway.''
There's a low hiss, the cold glint of dark blue eyes reflected into the blade of the knife. Neji is suddenly in front of the prisoner, but the teen doesn't even wince.
''Nagai's pissed, you know.''
Tenma, decidedly, isn't impressed enough by that to bother formulating an answer.
The navy-haired teen shifts from his crouch until he's sitting cross-legged on the floor, absentmindedly playing with his knife. ''Your little session in the truth room pissed him off. You shouldn't lie while you're there.''
The brunet rolls his eyes.
''That you don't understand my reasoning doesn't mean I'm lying. The world isn't that black and white.''
''Maybe not,'' agrees Neji, leaning backwards a little, ''but you're… different. Two months ago, the only reason you were alive was because we made sure of it, but now…'' he watches the brunet, almost as if it's a riddle he can't find the answer to. ''You found something, didn't you? A goal.''
He frowns when there's no reaction, the prisoner's face carefully blank, now grey eyes staring past Neji and into the hallway to avoid locking gazes by accident.
''What is it?'' the hiss is long and drawn out, thirsting for an answer. Intense, dark eyes are locked on the brunet's face, hungry and crazed and obsessed. ''You have not awakened in years. This- this resolve, it shouldn't exist. So why do I see it right now?''
He lungs forward, like a snake, and his hand coils tightly around the brunet's upper arm. Tenma hisses at the sudden pressure on his injuries, gritting his teeth when they're jostled even more as Neji pulls him close. The teen's eyes are dark, the knife forgotten on the ground next to him, although the brunet doesn't let that fool him – if he were to try anything, that same knife would be at his neck in seconds.
Since ignoring clearly isn't an option right now, the prisoner returns the glare, purple sparking in his eyes. ''You're a psychopath,'' he hisses, leaning back to create some distance between them. ''And a murderer.''
The laugh that follows is cold and harsh and it lasts for a few seconds too long.
Then Neji is grinning down at him, too wide, too twisted to belong to any sane person.
(ha)
(sane)
''Oh no,'' he laughs, the words barely holding together through his chuckles, ''no, no, no! You don't get to say that, you monster. I've killed but I've only killed abominations like you – without us, you wouldn't even be alive, would you? I'm only taking back what you owe us. You on the other hand- you killed him, didn't you? You know you did! You killed your own friend!''
The brunet reels back as if slapped.
''Hey, are you okay?''
Neji lets him, his lips curling into a grin that shows his teeth. Tenma moves backwards, eyes wide-
-his eyes snapped open at the sudden sound and his gaze immediately found the figure on the other side of the cell. He hissed, almost animalistically and he pressed his back against the wall even though his injuries screamed in protest.
The other teen – a boy – held up his hands in the universal peace sign. ''Woa, calm down! I won't hurt you,'' he said, his eyes wary and guarded as he watched his new companion. ''See? I'm not going to do anything.''
The brunet paused at that, not able to detect any lie from the boy, and he slowly, slowly, relaxed-
Is he breathing?
He's not sure. He might be, but if he is, he can't feel it. Somewhere in the back of his mind he's aware of Neji in front of him, laughing and laughing and laughinglaughinglaughing, but it doesn't reach him.
''-who…'' his voice was hoarse and he couldn't finish his question. When he coughed, he could taste the blood in his mouth.
The other teen slowly moved closer. ''I'm-'' he paused. ''I don't know who I am,'' he finished softly. ''My memories- they did something to them, I can't remember my own name.'' There were only a few feet between them now and the boy settled down, crossing his legs and smiling weakly. ''You're- you're like me, aren't you? A Second Stage Child?''
They stared at each for a very long time, neither daring to say something.
Then Tenma gave a hesitating nod-
He clamps his hands over his ears, as if he can block out the voices from so long ago. They echo through his head and he clenches his eyes shut but the only thing he sees is purple, purple everywhere, and they snap open again. Yet the purple doesn't disappear, it only darkens with shadows as it swirls around him, coating his skin in an inhuman glow.
Tenma was painfully aware of the new presence in his cell.
How long had it been? Days? Weeks, maybe?
The other teen wasn't always there. Sometimes a Revolve member would come for him, sometimes they came for Tenma, and they'd be lead out of the cell and towards their own personal torture. Never together, though. The risk of escape was too big with two Second Stage Children.
They didn't speak. Tenma shied away from any contact, but he could feel the boy's eyes on him when he wasn't looking.
His lips are moving, forming words, but it takes him too long to register their meaning.
''Stop it stop it stop it stop it-''
His voice is almost inaudible as he repeats his mantra, over and over and over again, and he doesn't know if Neji is watching. He could've left by now and Tenma wouldn't even know it.
Not that it matters, the psychopath wouldn't be able to get to him anyway. The purple aura swirling aura will attack anyone coming too close, and Neji has had enough close calls not to risk it.
Tenma doesn't care.
It must've been at least a week, probably longer, when the silence between them is finally broken.
''What's your name?''
The brunet froze at the sound of the other boy's voice.
Then he turned his back towards his cellmate, a clear dismissal, and curled up in one of the corners of the small room. He heard the other boy give a soft, disappointed sigh, but he didn't care.
(liar)
He ignored that little voice, pushing it to the back of his mind, and they fell into silence again.
Until-
''Tenma.''
The boy's head snapped up when the brunet spoke, for the first time since that first day they were put together, but Tenma wasn't looking at him. In fact, if he didn't see the tension lining the other's shoulders, he would've thought he'd imagined the barely audible voice.
Yet he didn't.
The boy smiled. ''It's nice to meet you, Tenma!''
There's cold, seeping into his skin, into his bones.
It freezes him, leaves him shivering and devoid of any warmth and he still doesn't know if he's breathing. His lungs burn, burn with ice, and maybe he's gasping or screaming or not doing anything but he doesn't know.
(monster)
(you're a monster)
They talked.
Sometimes they went without speaking for hours, other times they'd talk. Tenma would talk about what he remembered of the outside world, although the memories seemed blurry after a year of captivity – sometimes he wondered if it even existed, if there was something more than these too bright lights and too dark shadows and the glowing purple and horrible, horrible red, or if he just made it all up.
His friend – were they friends? – would ask questions, with the same excitement of a child in a toy store, desperate to learn more of the world and maybe remember something that way.
''Hey Tenma?''
The brunet opened his eyes, searching out the by now familiar green gaze. He'd been trying to sleep, but was in too much pain to really do so – seems like his companion realized that as well.
''What is it?'' he asked quietly, wondering if he had another question. He carefully pushed himself into a seating position since he couldn't sleep anyway, and immediately gentle hands reached out to help him up. He'd spent the morning in Neji's company, and although his cellmate had had a session only yesterday, his powers had already healed him quite a bit and was able to assist the brunet.
Green eyes looked away.
Tenma frowned at that. If there was anything he knew about his friend, it was that he never seemed to have any doubts. If he wanted to know something, he'd ask immediately – sometimes he couldn't shut up for hours – and if he was in pain he'd try to smile through it as to not worry anyone. He'd crack jokes that made the brunet laugh even though they weren't all that funny.
Even though he couldn't remember his own name, he was so incredibly alive.
And somehow, it awakened something in Tenma he thought to have lost. He didn't think he could talk or smile or laugh this much ever again, yet he did.
So to see the other so hesitant now, caused the brunet to frown. ''Hey, are you okay? What's wrong?''
A soft, sheepish laugh. ''Ah, it's nothing, it's just a little embarrassing- forget it, please?''
Tenma should've.
He would've, only a week ago.
Yet now, for some reason, he shook his head. ''No, tell me,'' he said and he didn't even know where the words were coming from. ''What is it?''
Green eyes hesitantly glanced up at him, a weak smile curling on his friend's lips.
''Would you… give me a name?''
The brunet paused.
(wait, what?)
The other chuckled awkwardly. ''Ah, it's weird, I know. Don't- don't mind me!'' he put on a smile, but it was a weak one.
Tenma didn't fall for it.
''A… name?'' he repeated, a frown crossing his face as he thought.
He knew a lot of names and he almost wondered if he should use one of his teammates for inspiration, but then immediately shook that thought away. That wasn't fair, not to his friends, who didn't even know him anymore, not to his cellmate – he deserved to be his own person, even if it was just for once in his life – and not to himself, either.
But then what…?
''Kazuki.''
Green eyes snapped up. ''Huh?''
Tenma watched him, his lips curling up in a smile so small it was barely there. ''Kazuki. That's your name,'' he said. ''Kazu means 'harmony' or 'peace', and ki means 'hope','' he explained. ''Do you like it?''
He watched as his friend repeated the syllables quietly, trying to get a feel for the name.
Then his green eyes lit up, a grin brighter than Tenma had ever seen it on his face.
''Hm! I like it!''
And Tenma couldn't help but smile too, watching as his cellmate – as Kazuki – bounced around the small space with renewed energy.
The light pulses around him, growing stronger with every beat of his heart, until the purple is swirling around the cell in a horrible imitation of his memories. It burns in his eyes and roars in his ears, everywhere and nowhere at once.
He doesn't even know if it's real or not.
Red seeped through his clothes and onto the white ground of the cell and that's when the silence was broken.
Someone was screaming, loud and horrified and angry and desperate, and he blinked his heavy eyes open – it was the only thing he could do, too weak to lift his head or talk or think beyond the pain coursing through his veins.
''What did you do to him, you monsters?!''
He'd never heard that familiar voice so terrified, and he sought out the source until he finally found Kazuki's form. He was restrained by some of Revolve's members, fighting and struggling with everything he had. ''What did you do, what have you done?! You're going to kill him!''
A terrifying voice, as familiar as Kazuki's, but completely different. '''He'? Don't you mean 'it'?''
Tenma made a strangled sound of protest as he watched Kazuki partly break free from his captors and lunge at the teen in front of him. He couldn't call out like he wanted to, his voice failing him, and his limbs trembled from pain and fear as he saw his friend being restrained again. ''He's a person, just like you! He was alive, you monster!''
Nagai didn't bother to respond, instead turning his cold blue eye towards Tenma.
And then there was pain, white-hot, excruciating pain like he'd never felt before and he was screaming until his voice broke and he choked on his own blood-
He remembers that, yet he doesn't.
Kazuki had fought, fought until they had to knock him out. It was the first time his friend had seen him like that, had seen him convulse as crimson stained his lips, had seen him gasp for air that wouldn't come.
It was the first but not the last time Kazuki had seen him die.
''Tenma!'' the brunet felt like he could cry at the sound of the familiar voice, and he threw himself at it. Arms wrapped around him, a voice shushing him, warm and gentle and safe.
He was sobbing. ''I can't- please, I can't go through that again,'' his voice broke, but he didn't care. The pain was overwhelming, frying every single nerve until all he could feel was the freezing fire, ''p-please…''
He curls up into a tight ball, clenching his eyes shut even though it doesn't help. Purple light dances behind his eyelids.
(no)
(anything but this)
Is he crying? He thinks he might be- his body is shaking, his breathing heavy and unstable, and energy crackles through his veins.
''Stop it s-stop it stop it- stop it-''
His voice is breaking and he's stumbling over the words, sobs wracking his frame. The light only seems to grow stronger and he shivers at the overwhelming cold.
He's freezing, his fingers going numb.
''You're okay, it's okay,'' Kazuki's voice barely reached his ears, the comforting words distant and the warmth from the embrace drowned out by the sheer cold.
He was shivering now, something sparking underneath his skin, and he couldn't breathe, his lungs freezing yet burning at the same time as he gasped for air that wouldn't come-
''Tenma-?''
His body was shaking, uncontrollably, and he could hear his blood rushing in his ears-
When he looked down, there was an aura of violet light gathering around him, growing stronger with every passing second. Kazuki next to him gave a startled yelp, moving backwards when the purple energy lashed out at him.
''Tenma? Can you hear me?''
The brunet finally reacted at the sound of his name, turning his blank eyes towards the other teen.
There was no recognition in his empty gaze. The purple light swirled around him, growing stronger and stronger, as if it was compressed around the brunet's body.
Suddenly he tensed, unmoving-
A surprised shout broke free from Kazuki's lips as he was suddenly flung backwards, and violet exploded through the cell, and Tenma screamed-
He's so cold.
A weight pressed down on him, so heavy the air barely makes it to his lungs, and even though he wants to shiver, his body is so numb it won't move.
The floor was stained, a handprint smeared on the wall–
Somehow, he manages to open his heavy eyelids, barely enough to catch sight of the world around him. There's a storm of violet swirling around him, the flares of energy cutting like blades.
–an ear shattering sound, going on and on–
(screaming)
And it wouldn't stop, it was all redredred, there was so much red-
The brightest glow, around him, keeps growing stronger and stronger, darkening to a deep, inky indigo.
There was red on his fingers and on his face too, the tiles of the cold floor beneath him.
And all he could do was stare at the dark stains-
(it was everywhere)
The pressure is building until it's all he can feel, chaining him so that he's frozen in place.
(and it's not even from cold)
(isn't that ironic)
And then there's agony.
-until his eyes were dragged towards the other side of the cell.
There was something there, a shape he slowly started to recognize in the darkness, and his eyes moved upwards until he caught sight of dull, empty green–
The world around him explodes (once again, just like that time) and everywhere there's violet and indigo and lilac-
-and he screams.
(you killed him)
Soooooo... that happened.
Tenma-centric. So yeah. Ma boi's got issues XD
I know this chapter is confusing, but this actually has a lot of important information? Especially between Tenma and Revolve, and also about Tenma's powers/his time in captivity. It's dark, though... but I did say this story would be dark XD
So, what do you think happened to Kazuki? This part builds further on one of the scenes from the previous chapter, and as you can probably see here, Tenma blames himself. I'm curious to hear your thoughts on this!
Anyway, I don't know when the next chapter's going to be, so bye for now! And again, a huge thank you for all the support I have received, you guys are absolutely amazing.
- Yara Meijer
