Willoffire123: We at Willoffire123 productions have our serious faces on today. Last chapter was a serious chapter, and this chapter will be a serious chapter.

Kiyo: Where am I?

Megumi: You're home.

(p.s: Willoffire123 doesn't own Zatch Bell. On with the chapter!)

Sherry

"Are you sure?" she asked Kiyo. "You've only been here for two weeks."

Kiyo's gaunt face gave Sherry a small smile.

"I'm sure. We have to get back to normal, right?" he said softly.

An equally gaunt Zatch squeezed his hand. "Yeah. I'm ready to go home."

Through their stay, Kiyo and Zatch had refused to leave each other's side at all. Whenever the doctors or Sherry or even Brago tried, one would have a panic attack and they'd have to bring the other back to him to prevent him slipping into a flashback. Sherry wasn't quite sure why they remained with the two of them in the hospital, only that she felt obligated to protect these broken boys. Zofis had erased their memory, but not well enough, it would seem, as they would slip into flashbacks without warning.

Brago clapped Zatch on the shoulder. "I still want to fight you someday, Zatch, so you better not turn into a vegetable before then."

"Brago!" scolded Sherry.

Kiyo chuckled weakly. "It's alright, Sherry. I think our friends are coming to stay with us for a while to make sure we don't, how did Brago put it? Turn into vegetables."

Kiyo's father, Professor Takamine finished packing the boys' medication and other, few possessions. "We'll be going now, Miss Belmont. Our plane leaves for Mochinoki Airport in one hour and their mother will kill me if we miss our flight."

"Thank you, Sherry, Brago," said Zatch. He hesitated for a moment, then gave Sherry a quick hug.

"You're very welcome, Zatch," Sherry said warmly. With that, the three of them left, Zatch helping Kiyo into the car while Professor Takamine took his crutches and placed them on the seat next to Zatch.

"You think they'll be okay?" Sherry asked Brago absent-mindedly.

Brago snorted. "What you should be thinking is why we even bothered to stick around for so long."

Sherry gave him a playful smack on the shoulder. "Oh, I think you wanted to help Zatch."

"Don't be ridiculous," said Brago. "Now let's go. It's time to get back to the hunt."

"Of course, oh scary one," Sherry chuckled, jogging to keep up with her mamodo stalking out of the hospital.

Kiyo

Everything still felt numb.

Everything still felt numb, but like he and Zatch both agreed, staying at home with his mother wasn't changing that.

"I can't persuade you to stay at home any longer," said his mother, helping him into first his shirt, then his school jacket. "I know that, but maybe you'd consider coming home a little early? If you-."

"I know, mom," Kiyo tried to assure her. "If anything happens, we'll come home immediately."

"And, you're okay with Zatch coming with you to school," his mom asked hesitantly. "Usually-,"

"Zatch stays with me," Kiyo insisted at the same time that Zatch said, "I'm staying with Kiyo."

Kiyo shared a comforting look of solidarity with his mamodo. "We're not ready yet to be separated."

"Well," said his mother. "Then I suppose it's time for school. But Kiyo, Zatch, please come back to me."

Kiyo looked at his mother. He, like Zatch, didn't remember much over the past three months; only their stay in the hospital and the days they spent at home, at last, with his mother. Then there were the flashes of feelings. Ever so often, no matter what he was doing, if he allowed his mind to wander far enough, he felt the cold overtake him and the panic would make his body numb and his head foggy until Zatch would notice and bring him back to reality. Kiyo also knew the feeling of bringing someone back from a panic attack since Zatch had them as well and would need Kiyo to ground him.

"We'll be off now," he told his mother, hopping out the door with Zatch.

"Take care, boys," said Mrs. Takamine. "Remember to take it easy; the doctor said you can come off the crutches soon. And if you need anything, your dad's teaching the archeology class for the 8th graders."

"We'll be fine, Kiyo," said Zatch for what felt like the millionth time as the two came through the schoolyard. "We have to be."

As they made their way to Kiyo's classroom, Kiyo couldn't help but notice everyone's eyes trained on him and Zatch. He wasn't sure how, but his hearing had improved drastically since they'd been kidnapped and he could hear everything.

"It's Kiyo."

"And Zatch."

"Where have they been?"

"Look how tan they are! They probably went on holiday while the rest of us slave away over homework."

"No you dummy! They were kidnapped by a crazy person!"

"A crazy person? How are they alive?"

"Probably luck."

"Do you think they're crazy now?"

"I don't really want to find out."

"They're treating us like glass," Zatch pointed out.

"Ignore them," Kiyo told him as they pushed past and entered his classroom. "As long as we're together, our flashbacks can't hurt anyone."

"Then why do you have a hand on the book?" Zatch asked softly.

Kiyo flinched. Sure enough, without even realizing it he'd been extending his hand down past his crutch the entire walk to the school so that his fingertips brushed against the book.

"Kiyo!"

"You're back!"

"What's up my man?"

"You had me worried there for a second."
"Thank goodness you're both alive!"

As his friends Iwashima, Yamanaka, Kane, Mary-Lou and Suzie closed in on them, Kiyo had to go through his breathing exercises just to convince his body that this was real and not another nightmare. Where was Zatch? Zatch always calmed him down.

Zatch squeezed his hand reassuringly. "We're back!" he announced. The shock of static electricity that pinged Kiyo's hand told him that Zatch was just as nervous as he was.

Fine, they'd be nervous together.

"Where have you been?" asked Mary-Lou. She never had been one to beat around the bush. "You've been gone for three months!"

"Thanks," Kiyo found himself saying before he could check his thoughts. "We hadn't noticed."

Their friends chuckled weakly.

"We've been worried sick," said Suzie. "And then Megumi and Folgore and Tia and Kanchome came on Fitness Testing day asking for you."

"Did they save you?" asked Mary-Lou. "They promised they would."

Kiyo thought back to Megumi. Thinking about her usually calmed him down long enough for Zatch to snap him out of his flashback, but the pop-idol and her mamodo, like the rest of their friends, had respectfully kept their distance until Kiyo and Zatch were ready to leave the house.

"Yeah," Kiyo said at last, remembering that Mary-Lou had asked him a question. "Our friends brought us back."

"That's enough, class!" said a voice from the door. A new teacher entered the room. "Everyone take your seats!"

Kiyo found a desk near the window and settled in, Zatch stationing himself in his gym bag next to his desk.

"My name is Mr. Touyama," said Mr. Touyama, writing his name on the board. "But of course, most of you already know that," he said pointedly, noticing Kiyo. "Mr. Takamine, so nice to finally meet you."

Kiyo sensed his classmates cringing at the teacher's every word, leading him to believe that this man wasn't a very popular teacher.

"Thank you, sir, it's nice to meet you as well," he said politely.

"How dare you not stand when you address me!" Mr. Touyama said angrily.

Kiyo felt Zatch tense next to him. He nudged Zatch's gym bag slightly with his foot to assure him that he was perfectly capable of dealing with a nasty history teacher.

"Forgive me, sir," he apologized. "I have a little trouble with standing."

"I said stand, Takamine," said Mr. Touyama.

"He's on crutches, sir," said a new voice from the door. Kiyo felt both relief and confusion at the sight of Wonrei and Lien at the door, wearing his school's uniform.

"You must be the new transfer students," said Mr. Touyama, following Lien's lead and switching to English.

"Yes, my name is Li-en," said Lien. "But everyone calls me by both names: Lien. And this is my friend Wonrei."

"We've just transferred here from Hong Kong," said Wonrei, locking eyes with Kiyo. Kiyo could see that Lien was silently asking him if he was okay. Wonrei, on the other hand, didn't seem to be asking the same thing, rather, he was silently saying, "I know you're not okay; that's why we're here."

"They don't speak any Japanese, sir," Kiyo told the mean teacher. "But their English is flawless."

"Hmm, yes, well, you two can take these two desks in the front," grumbled Mr. Touyama. "You should be grateful, Kiyo, your friends-it's still unclear how you know them, by the way- saved you from being the only clueless one in the class."

Kiyo balled his fists. Why now? Why did he have to deal with this now? True, compared to whatever it was he went through over those two blank months, this was child's play, but still…

"Pop quiz time!" announced Mr. Touyama to the chagrin of the rest of the class. "And the bonus question's a real stumper: where has Kiyo Takamine been for the last three months?"

Kiyo's heart raced as the eyes of everyone in the class turned on him.

"Care to enlighten us, Mr. Takamine?" Mr. Touyama asked slyly while handing out quizzes.

Kiyo gulped. "Well, um, I don't know," he mumbled.

"What's that?" Mr. Touyama asked in a sing-song voice as he made his way up Kiyo's row of desks. "We didn't quite hear you."

"He said he doesn't know!" Zatch burst angrily. "He can't remember anything from the past three months!"

"I'm very disappointed in you, Mr. Takamine," said Mr. Touyama, rounding on Kiyo's desk. "Not only are you telling lies to your class," he pointed at Zatch. "But you're also bringing children into the classroom! Get rid of him immediately."

"No!" Zatch shouted at once, to Kiyo's relief.

"I'm sorry," sneered Mr. Touyama, grabbing Zatch's duffle bag, "Did that sound like a request?"

Without waiting for an answer, Mr. Touyama threw the bag through the door, slamming it shut behind Zatch.

And there it was, the numbness, slamming back into him as forcefully as Kiyo knew Zatch had hit the wall outside. Kiyo tried to control his breathing, sending warning glances at Wonrei and Lien. It was only a matter of time before the numbness reached his head. Then-

"You're going to pay for hurting my friend," he found himself saying without his permission.

"Kiyo!"

Suzie's exclamation brought Kiyo back to reality. When his mind cleared, he found himself crouched atop Mr. Touyama, holding him to the floor in a threatening manner. Kiyo's hands felt hot. He saw the spot on the teacher's shirt where he was grabbing him smoldering, almost as if by electrical burns.

Kiyo scrambled backwards in horror. "Mr. Touyama, I-,"

"GET OUT OF MY CLASSROOM!" roared the teacher.

A strong pair of hands helped Kiyo to his feet, another handing him his crutches.

"Mr. Touyama, Kiyo has a doctor's order to go and find his father whenever something like this happens," said Lien.

"We'll be taking him there," said Wonrei.

"GET OUT!" repeated Mr. Touyama, who looked ready to throw something at Kiyo.

"Wonrei, Zatch," Kiyo tried, unable form the sentence he wanted.

"I know," said Wonrei, opening the classroom door. "We'll get you two back together again, we promise."

Kiyo leaned heavily on those words when he saw the empty hallway. "I hope so, Wonrei. I really hope so."

Zatch

After the teacher had thrown Zatch out of the classroom, Zatch knew he needed to get away from the crowded school quickly before the numbness came back and he hurt someone. So for the third time in the past month, he found himself teleported from the school to the park.

Zatch stumbled and hit the ground. He'd obviously discovered this power during those two blank months, but losing his memory meant he'd also lost all knowledge of how to control this power.

"Zatch!"

No, not now; anything but her.

"You have some nerve missing out on three months of races!" spat Naomi.

"Naomi, now really isn't a good time," Zatch tried to explain. "You all need to get away from me; it isn't safe to be near me right now."

"You can't scare me, Zatch," said Naomi. "You should know that already, baby!"

Naomi pushed him to the ground with her car. The other children circled around them. Some, unlike Naomi, saw the dangerous panic on Zatch's face, and looked frightened. Others egged their friend on to 'kick Zatch's butt' as they put it.

How dare they talk to you that way.

Zatch stiffened. There was the voice again, always haunting him in his moments of weakness, his moments without Kiyo.

"C'mon, cry baby!" Naomi sneered. "You got three months of torture to make up!"

She knows nothing of torture.

With that, Zatch agreed. When he'd awoken in a hospital in Paris next to Kiyo, with no memory of the last two months, he'd been shocked to discover various scars all over his body, and even more so to see all the scars on Kiyo once the bandages were removed. But Kiyo was with him, and the two boys helped each other to cope with their trauma.

Show them.

Zatch scrambled away from Naomi, frightened for what he might do to her and the others once he lost the will to keep fighting the voice.

Make them feel your pain.

Zatch tried to ignore the voice. "Naomi, if I give you one race, you and the others need to get the hell out of here once we're done."

"Whatever," said Naomi. Zatch could see that even she was beginning to feel uneasy. But of course she couldn't call off the race; she'd look like a chicken in front of her friends.

Zatch took off. Something that became very obvious very quickly was that Zatch was now much faster than Naomi's car. He overtook her easily, making his way to the safety of the jungle gym before Naomi had finished her first lap.

Zatch had no time to revel in his victory though; no, he needed to get everyone as far away from him as possible before-

"Get down here, Zatch! I want a rematch!"

"A deal's a deal, Naomi!" Zatch shouted down to her. "I gave you one race, now all of you need to leave!"

"Not until I get my rematch!" Naomi whined. "I want my rematch!"

Insolent girl

Zatch cried silently, despairing for his doomed friends. He felt himself leap from the jungle gym to the ground, sending his friends flying in all directions from the impact. The air crackled with electrical energy.

Then, everything went dark.

Willoffire123: Hi! Hi! Hi!

Tia: It is TOO early in the morning for you to be this awake.

Willoffire123: I guess mornings are just my thing.

Kanchome: Yeah, for about an hour before you realize that it's too early to be that awake.

Willoffire123: Duck-boy has a point. I should probably go get ready for school now. We're nearing the end, everyone, so I must ask you to remain patient with me for just a little longer!

Tia: Until next time!