Moonlit Destiny
Author's Note: This story contains boy/boy romance, so if you don't like that kind of stuff, don't read. Otherwise, enjoy the story and R&R.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to or of the Rockman Exe. Series.
Japanese Terms: Utsukushii- Beautiful
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Chapter 21: Reminiscence
Netto was expecting the hellhounds' claws and teeth to sink into him. "What's taking so long? How come they haven't killed me yet?"
A soft blue glow shone from behind the boy, enveloping each of the dogs one by one. Its aura was beautiful, yet silent and depressing at the same time.
"Utsukushii…" Netto lifted his head from the dirt, staring into the light's cold expanse.
In mere moments, the light had subsided, leaving a black path in the fog. The hounds were gone, incinerated by the luminescence. Netto stood up, wiping a small patch of mud from his cheek.
"I guess it's best if I follow it," the boy began walking.
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In what seemed like an hour, Netto decided finally to take a break. He sat on the ground, admiring the flawlessness of the metallic ground.
"There are no creatures here," the boy looked around.
There was nothing but bare reflectivity. "This place is void of anything."
"This is the Memory Scape," a soft voice came from behind.
Netto turned around, his mind filling with questions when he saw the same child he had seen from before. "It's you!"
"Hai…" the child answered.
"Who are you?! Why do you keep following me?!" Netto demanded.
"It is not I who follows you. Your own will to see me makes this true. You've descended into the madness of Paradise Lost…but you find comfort in believing I exist."
"You said that this place is called the Memory Scape, didn't you?!" Netto listened intently, as he was no longer afraid of the shorter boy.
"Yes, this is the Memory Scape. The location in Paradise Lost with the most concentrated sadness and sorrow. This is a place of death and despair, more so than the rest of this world."
"Were you the one who lead me here?"
"Yes, indeed I did. You wanted to save yourself from the pits, so I made it so."
"I still don't know who you are." Netto leaned over, eyeing the pale boy.
"You already know who I am. You've seen the past that you cannot lose…" he put a hand to Netto's forehead.
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"Do you want to try?" the boy asked.
The other boy remained silent, responding only with a nod.
"Let's be friends forever!" they both grasped a toy shovel simultaneously.
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"It's that vision again," Netto sighed, "You're in it…why?"
"It is a memory. One that cannot be lost, but also one that you cannot recall."
"My memory?" Netto grasped his arm, squeezing and wrinkling his bandana.
The boy nodded, a cold wind suddenly blowing through the glassy hills. Circular objects appeared around the two boys, glowing as they floated around Netto.
"Nande kore?" he touched one of the objects, pulling his hand away when he felt pain shoot through his index finger, "It's sharp."
"These are your memories," the short boy explained.
Netto gasped, looking into the cloudy images. "Their sharp…was what I bumped into earlier a memory?"
"Yes…but it is a shared memory…not only yours."
"Not only mine?"
"It's mine as well," the pale boy replied.
"Then the other boy in the vision…that's me?" Netto questioned.
"Yes. You cannot remember. It was a long time ago…you were young…"
"I don't understand. Who are you then?"
The boy paused, moving his small hands to his hood. He slowly pulled it back, revealing his childish, yet solemn visage. "My name is…Hikawa Tohru…"