Author: Nadz
Email: vegitto02 at yahoo dot com
Disclaimer:
The title "Nightmare", as well as its storyline, is owned by the author.
All Tekkaman Blade characters are the property of Tatsunoko.
Any original characters are strictly owned by the author of this fan fiction.
This story may not be distributed to anybody without the author's permission due to version control. However, the author does encourage you to welcome your friends to read Nightmare on FanFiction dot net. Much thanks...
Tekkaman Blade III: Nightmare (Second Saga)
Chapter 25 - Bitterness
Removing another lid and tossing it to the side, the man dug his fingers into the contents of the tin box. Moving its contents around quickly, he only grunted in frustration as he shoved the box off to the side, only to pick out the next container from the closet. Around him lay several boxes with their contents strewn on the cracked, wooden floor. Another closet down the hallway had been left open, a mess lying in front of it. The man had spent the last two hours rummaging through the place in which he had not lived for years. It was his old house – his family's house. It was a place of emptiness; a place of sadness.
Night had already fallen outside, and the only thing that provided him light was the lamp he placed on the floor nearby. Just as with all other nights, the house remained in darkness and silence. He had sought refuge in this old house for the past several days. It gave him the solitude he needed, but it only served to sadden him further. He had always been reluctant to go near the dwelling; it had taken him a good deal of courage to return to it with Aki during the first war. Yet, when disaster struck one week ago, it was the only place he could think of going. He couldn't bring himself to stay at the base.
Now, he continued his furious search yet again. He had searched the entire house the previous night, only to turn up with nothing. Yet, that did not stop him from trying again. He had gone through everything imaginable – drawers, closets, pantries, dressers, and even cupboards. Every grunt of frustration led him to move on to the next possibility. He knew he had to find the evidence of a missing memory.
Watching the frustrated man through the window, a boy standing outside lowered his eyes.
The men had already begun their work. The events of a week prior had left several buildings of the Space Knight base in sad shape, and they had already begun repairs. Bugger attacks, as well as the Voltekker blasts fired by both Radam Tekkamen and Blade, contributed towards the damage. They had not gone near the area where Hiver had hung, but now that her body had been removed, albeit mysteriously, they began to fix that area as well. The sound of power tools and construction equipment pierced the air as the men worked furiously and efficiently.
Meanwhile, inside the makeshift infirmary, Milly continued to look after Neilus as he rest in bed.
"He didn't even get a chance to explain himself," she whispered, lowering her eyes. "Honda."
"Have you forgiven him?" the man asked gently, placing his hand on top of hers. Milly frowned.
"I'm torn, Neilus. I really am," she responded, her throat tight. "He was so central to our victory in the first war. Without his hard work, diligence, and support, we never would have won. I knew he cared for all of us, that he was so protective of us. He was so kind; I never imagined he had the capacity to…"
Milly stopped in mid-sentence as she felt the moistness in her eyes. She took in a short breath.
"I should have told you this sooner, but I guess I shouldn't keep it from you any longer," sighed Neilus, closing his eyes and inhaling before continuing. "Over a week ago, I had run an extensive background check on Honda and looked into whatever information was available on him. To make a long story short, he too, was a victim of what you accused him of doing."
"What?" whispered Milly, snapping her head towards him.
"Not only was he ridiculed in school for his obesity when he was a kid, he was even abused by his own father," the man confessed, shaking his head. "Even after his old man was arrested and jailed, Honda had to go through two years of therapy before he was able to recover emotionally. The psychology reports say that he was able to sufficiently suppress his emotions after the treatment."
"Honda-san," Milly felt her heart beating hard as Neilus spilled the details. "I never knew…"
"Unfortunately, it's clear that he never fully recovered from that abuse," Neilus slowly opened his eyes. "As to how that drove him to do what he later did to those boys and Okita – I really don't know."
"Honda-san," the lady felt the tear roll from her eye. "I never knew, Honda… I never knew…"
"What he did was appalling," said Neilus. "But I don't know if it warranted a death penalty."
"Honda," choked Milly, raising her hand to wipe the wetness from her eyes. Neilus gave her hand a tight squeeze, and Milly bent forward, placing her forehead on his hand as she continued to weep. Despite what he had done, the fact that he was permanently gone was too much for her to handle. Learning about his past didn't make it any easier – Milly felt more divided than ever. She was torn.
"But we mustn't forget his many noble qualities," said Neilus. "Or his painstaking dedication."
The man shielded his eyes with his hand as he traveled ferociously fast through the dark sky. He turned his head upwards to look at the mask of the armored figure that continued to look only forward. In his Tekkaman form, Hayato kept his arm tightly wrapped around the waist of the gentleman that had been robbing cadavers only a few moments prior. Feeling his strength beginning to fade, the youth frowned. Yet, his destination was close, and he would arrive within minutes. He continued to sail through the night sky, leaving a turquoise trail – little did he realize that two buggers had begun to follow him.
Rearranging the contents of yet another box, the man cursed in irritation as yet another search came up empty. Placing the lid back on, he roughly placed the item in its appropriate place. The man brought his fingers to his face and rubbed his forehead before slamming the closet door. He shuddered as the sound echoed through the entirety of the silent house, but he soon bent down to pick up his lamp.
The sound of a door slowly opening caught his attention. Grasping it tightly in his hand, the man quietly tiptoed towards the source of the sound – the foyer where the front door lay. As he passed through the dining room, he walked by his father's desk and increased the wattage on the lamp. Turning to his left, he inhaled with surprise as he saw the figure of a boy standing patiently in the middle of the foyer.
The youth sported black jeans that ran down to his sneakers, and a navy blue jacket that reached just below his waist covered his upper body. His brown-black hair stood up in spikes, different from what they were before, and his hazel eyes gently reflected the light from the dim lamp. Immediately recognizing the newcomer, the man made a motion to generate his emerald crystal, only to see the boy put up a hand.
"I'm not here to fight," the youth shook his head calmly. "I'm here to tell you something."
"Okita," whispered D-boy, his shoulders tensing. "Tell it to me outside. You don't belong here."
"If this is your house," the boy raised his eyes, surveying the area, "then it's mine too, father."
"Don't you dare call me that," Takaya's voice lowered a notch. "You and Delta are liars."
"Are we?" the boy looked back at the man. "Then why are you looking so hard for evidence?"
"You…" D-boy narrowed his eyes. "Don't you have anything better to do than spy on me?"
"We made sure that this place was cleaned out a long time ago," Okita ignored the question. "All traces of my mother were removed. The only way you'll get to see what she looks like is in person… that is, if you don't already remember."
"Hurry up and tell me your message," Takaya frowned, his throat tight. "And then get out."
Corpse-Robber took in deep breaths of relief as he felt the ground below him once again. His heart palpitating, he felt his knees tremble as the closed his eyes. Hayato chuckled in amusement before de-transforming and stretching his arms and legs. He had just taken the man on a flight faster than the man could have possibly experienced, and the person was obviously shaken.
After taking several moments to catch his bearings, Corpse-Robber turned his eyes to look around. The boy had taken him to a debris-filled parking lot. Burned cars filled the parking spaces, and the shopping buildings nearby suffered severe structural damage. The only light visible came from the light reflected off the moon as well as fires burning in the near distance. The man began to open his mouth, only to see the youth step towards the building in front of them.
It seemed to be a store of some sorts. The name had fallen to the ground, but Corpse-Robber could tell that it was at least a store. The man got to his feet and caught up with the boy, who had almost entered the dark building. Upon entering the doors, Hayato picked up the powerful flashlight he had left on the side and illuminated his way inside.
"This is…" started Corpse-Robber, looking at the items lying on the floor. "… A supermarket?"
"Amazing that it's still holding up, isn't it?" answered Hayato, walking deeper into the place. Corpse-Robber looked in amazement as canned and bottled food items messily lounged about on the vinyl tiles below. Many things had been knocked off the shelves, but a good handful still remained peacefully stacked. Jams, jellies, bread, honey, and soup – he saw everything he could ask for that moment.
"It does have some structural damage though," continued Hayato, shining the light diagonally upwards. Corpse-Robber turned his eyes upwards, seeing the large portion of the roof that had been ripped open. The missing portion of the roof had actually crashed down on several of the aisles on the other side of the store, rendering them completely inaccessible. The night sky could be seen through the hole.
"I didn't see any bodies when I found it," said the boy, turning his hand and shining the light around. "Maybe they were closed when this city was attacked. Or maybe they all evacuated first."
"How did you find this place?" gasped Corpse-Robber, taking a piece of candy and opening it.
"When you're desperate for something, chances are that you ultimately find it," stated the boy.
"And you were desperate for?" questioned the man, jamming the sweet into his mouth.
"Something to eat, of course," chuckled the boy as he led the man down the aisles. Within minutes, the two stepped over all the fallen food and reached the back of the store. In front of them lay two metal doors that each possessed a solitary, small glass in the shape of a square. Behind each glass was taped a piece of cardboard, preventing anyone from peering inside.
"Heh," grunted Corpse-Robber, shrugging his shoulders before stepping towards the door.
"Stop," commanded the boy, his tone low and sharp as the other man froze in his tracks.
"That is the Cold Room, where they freeze their meats," Hayato said slowly, his tone icy. "It's off-limits to you and anyone else but me. It's my own place. For your own sake, don't go in there."
"For my own sake?" the man raised his eyebrows, now somewhat curious. "Is it dangerous?"
"No… But if I catch you in there, you'll become the next cold cut I put in my sandwich. Got it?"
"O… okay," stammered the man, a bit intimidated by his words and the crazed look on his face.
"Well, then, now that that's settled," an innocent smile appeared on the boy's face. "Let's eat."
"I've come to tell you about your son," Okita started, clearing his throat. "Your other son."
"Shinya," whispered D-boy, his hand tightening the grip on the lantern. "If you did anything…"
"There is nothing to worry about. Shinya is in good condition," came the response, a slight smile plastering itself on the boy's face. "He isn't hurt, and we won't hurt him. I've been feeding him well."
"I don't see any reason why I should believe anything you say," Takaya muttered, frowning.
"Don't you trust your own son?" the boy asked innocently, keeping his hands in his pockets.
"Would my own son betray me and kidnap his brother?" rasped D-boy, glaring at the boy.
"Would my own father impregnate my mother and betray her by dedicating his life to another woman?" whispered Okita, seeing the man taken aback by the question. "Apparently, he did just that."
"It's all a lie," spat D-boy after a brief pause. "You're not my son! You're a monster…"
"Would a monster go against his mother's word and tell his enemy that his baby son is safe?"
"Cover it up as much as you like," came the answer. "But what you did to Honda proves…"
"Did you ever bother finding out what Honda had done to me?" Okita responded, his throat tightening slightly. Remembering that he was in the presence of his adversary, he quickly subdued any emotions and tightened his jaw. There was no way he would let Blade, of all people, witness anything.
"What you did to him was far worse than anything he could have done to you."
"You didn't witness what he did to me," the boy tightened his fist. "And you weren't his victim."
"It doesn't matter," D-boy paused, studying the youth. "Don't think I'll ever forgive you for that."
The two looked at each other before Okita lowered his eyes, avoiding the glare from the other.
"So," started D-boy, his arm starting to tire. "Why did you come and tell me about Shinya?"
"Long ago, I asked you whether a father's first born is always special," Okita said. "You agreed."
Takaya gently placed the lantern on the floor and relaxed his arm, waiting for the boy to continue.
"But I know," stared the youth, "that you're far more concerned about your second-born."
"Don't play that card," snapped the man. "You won't get an ounce of sympathy from me."
"You almost vaporized me," Okita averted his eyes. "Why would I think you'd give me any?"
D-boy continued to stare at the boy as several more seconds of silence passed. Breaking the tension, the youth turned and took a step towards the front door. Slowly reaching for the doorknob, the boy paused, almost as if he wanted to glance at D-boy again. Okita frowned, shaking his head and opening the door. As D-boy saw the youth step outside, a yellow light soon covered the boy. Within moments, Okita had taken off to the sky.
"Okita," whispered D-boy, picking up his lantern and walking towards the door. As he reached out to touch the doorknob, something small caught his eye. On the ground, just outside the door, lay a rectangular item that resembled the backside of a photograph. D-boy picked it up and saw writing on the white surface. Reading the text, he lowered his eyes and tightened his jaw before turning the photo over.
Hayato chuckled as he watched the hungry man jam the piece of bread into his mouth as if he hadn't eaten for days. While that may have been true to some extent, it provided the youth much amusement. Hayato took a bite into his apple while the man chugged a can of juice down his throat.
"You can take your time," smiled the boy, taking another bite. "The food isn't going anywhere."
"This is delicious," the man said, putting down the can and chewing on beef jerky. "Thank you."
"You're very welcome, Corpse-Robber," answered Hayato, only to see the man turn his head.
"You know, I do have a name," he frowned, this time slowly bringing the jerky to his mouth.
"Of course you do," said the young man, narrowing his eyes and grinning. "It's Corpse-Robber."
"Heh, fine," grunted the man, shaking his head and taking a sip from the can. "And your name?"
"The Angel of Wanton Slaughter," rasped the boy, contorting his eyes into a menacing scowl.
"The Angel of Wanton Slaughter… how frightful," sighed the man as the boy burst out laughing.
"Sorry, I couldn't help myself," Hayato made sure he didn't choke on his apple. "Name is Nibal."
"Nibal?" mumbled the man as he sucked on the juicy jerky. "Never heard that one before."
"Oh, it's just something I came up with," Hayato smiled. "Now that I'm a Tekkaman, that's me."
"Yeah, I was going to ask you about that," nodded the man. "Then, are you a Space Knight?"
"No," the boy quickly shook his head, tossing the apple core into the trash bin. "No affiliation."
"I see," the man said, only to gasp. "Then… then you're… with… with Radam?"
"Nope, wrong again," the boy reached for a can of juice and popping off its cap. "I don't really like either of those parties. I guess I'm more on the 'Independent' slate, so to speak."
"Hm," thought Corpse-Robber, puffing his cheek before looking up. "Then do you fight Radam?"
"Haven't yet," said the boy, his eyes narrowing slightly as he opened a bag of chips. "Nachos?"
"Sure," the man said, reaching for the bag as Hayato suddenly pulled it away. "Hey! What…"
"That's what you get for asking too many questions," the grin appeared on the boy's face again.
Corpse-Robber only sighed, returning his focus to his food as Hayato munched on some crisps.
Meanwhile, the two buggers that had followed Tekkaman Nibal hovered patiently outside and high up in the air. They continued to float as they looked downwards, seeing the dim lights from inside the damaged supermarket building. Turning towards each other, they made several clicking sounds, almost as if they desired to communicate. Before long, one of the two buggers took to the sky while the other remained and watched its target below. It flashed its eyes red, clicking its claws as it debated an assault.
The three Tekkamen flew in triangle formation as they headed for the land of Greece. Flying over the remains of several ruined cities along the way, the armored warriors soon arrived at the coordinates specified by their Warlord. Wraith, Plague, and Beast stopped in the air and hovered above the remains of the Parthenon, an ancient temple that stood majestically on the steep-sided hill called the Acropolis.
"Interesting that Raze would hide a deadly virus inside such a sacred place," commented Wraith as he floated through the pillars of the building, which lacked a roof. "Maybe it's because the Parthenon is sitting on a hill, making it less likely for it to receive the damage the valley below suffered."
"Or maybe it's because Raze was half-Greek and admired the Goddess Athena," suggested Beast.
"I'm impressed, considering you're from Io," nodded Noal. "Correct, the Parthenon is dedicated to that Goddess. In fact, it's suggested that the entire Acropolis is associated with female power."
"Maybe Delta's 'feminine power' inspired Raze to leave it here," smiled the female Beast smugly.
"A wonderful theory!" cut in Plague, very uninterested. "Now can we just find the damn thing?"
The three Tekkamen began their work, overturning collapsed bricks and other stones that lay on the floor of the ancient temple. Even though the expansive structure had no special rooms visible, it had many nooks and crannies in which Raze could have hidden the cylinder containing Xyla. The trio searched for a half-hour, overturning everything they could find. They regrouped in the center upon finding nothing.
"Damn it," muttered Noal, frowning as he shook his head. "Where did that bastard hide it?"
The three paused for a moment, trying to think of other searchable areas when they were distracted by a soft chuckle. Looking around them, their eyes zeroed in on the figure that stepped out from behind a pillar nearby. The figure, a girl with black, shoulder-length hair, walked slowly towards them and nodded.
"You won't find what you're looking for," she said, narrowing her blood-shot eyes. "Wraith."
"Seline?" Noal raised his eyebrows, looking inquisitively at the young lady standing before him.