Heaven's Land-Three
"So, Junior Warrior, did you have any dreams last night?" Hikari's father asked just as he did every morning.
"Yes, sir." Takeru said, strongly but weakly. "But it wasn't like the one's I've had before."
"Oh? What's different?"
"My dream was dark and full of blood. Much like the end of the world would be imagined."
"How grim," Mimi said while she served a cold glass of milk to him, "you shouldn't hear such things at the beginning of a day."
"Why not?" Hikari asked.
The maid smiled and simply said, "It can ruin your outlook for the future. And the future is the base of what you do."
"Dreaming is the base of doing." Takeru replied. "Without dreaming, the future can't take place."
"But the future does exist. Do you know what you're going to do in three seconds?"
"No-"
"I do."
"But now three seconds ago has came."
"But in the next few seconds, I'm going to talk to you about how time flies. And by the time I am done, it'll leave you completely dumbfounded." Mimi finished and exited the room.
"What'd she say?" Takeru blinked. "Hey, maid, what'd you say? Where'd you go? Was she here?"
Hikari giggled at the fancy little comeback Mimi gave. Earlier, Takeru had scared her by opening the door too soon. She had lost her grip on the breakfast and it fell to the ground. That cost her another half-hour in the kitchen. He claimed it was for earlier incidents with the knocking him over the head whenever turning around… Hikari herself didn't get the feud, but she enjoyed the performance.
Takeru lifted his plate and blinked. "I didn't get served. Why didn't I get served? Aren't I supposed to eat? Hey, Mimi! Where are you? Where'd you go? Why won't you answer me? Where's my food? Some service…"
Hikari shook her head and pulled her hair behind her ears. "Speaking of where someone could be… Where is Sir Daisuke?"
"He wanted to get some extra training in." Taichi said, biting into the slice of buttered bread. "Something about preparing for an upcoming fight or something. He said it was really important."
Takeru stopped his constant question asking and looked at Taichi. "Did he say what kind of fight?"
"No," he answered, "he didn't get into much discussion either. I bet he's fighting for a girl now."
"I bet," Takeru grumbled. He still hadn't told Hikari about the little 'game' he had gotten himself into.
"Pardon?" Hikari tried to comprehend his speech.
"Nothing," Takeru said and then raised his voice, "I'm just wondering where the food has went!"
Mimi appeared through the door with another metal pitcher of milk. She walked by Takeru and purposely bumped the metal onto his head before stopping beside Hikari. The blond rubbed his head and glared up at the maid. She in turn went back into the kitchen with another bump on the head for Takeru.
"Service these days," Takeru whined and lifted his drinking glass into his hand. Another giggle from Hikari was heard.
The Junior Warrior sat up in his bed and hung his feet off the side of it. He watched as his girl friend Hikari paced around the room with her pink dress bouncing each time she took a step. A speech was to be delivered by Hikari at her brother's banquet. Ceremonies like these were always popping up ever since her brother started wandering through town and helping those who needed help.
"And so," she concluded, "Sir Yagami Taichi is to be rewarded. …Too brisk of a conclusion?"
"Uh, no?" Takeru rubbed his head. Frankly, he wasn't paying attention to the speech, more or less the movement that the girl made.
"You are correct. It made a firm statement of how well my brother has been doing and it congratulated him in the process. Therefore the conclusion summarized it fairly and I have nothing to fret about. Valid? Yes. Short? Yes. Fair? Completely. Right?"
"Uh," he blinked, "no?"
"Takeru!" she whined and grabbed his head between her hands. "I have never been beseeched to speak for my own sibling."
"It was good! Really it was!" Takeru said with his cheeks pushed inward. "You can't pace around like you were, though."
"I was pacing?"
"Yeah."
"I was?"
"Yeah."
"I did not realize that…"
"Yeah, well, you were." Takeru pried her hands off of his face and held them in his own. "But don't worry about the speech. You did great. I didn't understand some of the words--but hey! Everyone out there will be smarter than me."
"Than I," she corrected with a little smile. "Thank you, Takeru. You do not perceive how much I appreciate this."
Takeru smirked, "There's ways of repayment."
"Oh yeah?" Hikari asked, catching onto his tease in a jiffy, "I'm afraid to even ask you how to repay you."
"Come with me into town," Takeru said quickly.
"Huh?" she blinked. "I was thinking that you would-"
"If you don't wanna…"
"Where will you take me in town?"
"Places."
"Like where?"
"Like around the corner and under the mulberry bush."
Hikari looked at him strangely and he chuckled. "Come on," he said and stood up, "I'll take you to a late birthday surprise."
While walking on the dry cobblestone of fine Paris, Takeru took his friend to the most fantastic places one could imagine. Well, it was the most magical place when he pointed out each fine character of each rose, drop of water, or fallen leaf of the nature around them. He had taken her for a stroll in a nearby forest, on the path and beside the river. Though Hikari had been in the woodland many times before, she was forced to look at it in a different perspective.
She watched leaves fall from the trees just as the wind swept through. The ripples in the water kept her amazed for the longest while and the smell of wildflowers gave her the new meaning of Mother Nature. Small blades of grass tickled her when she ran her fingers between the greenness. The caring breeze darted through her brown hair and swirled around her body. It was the most relaxing moment she had ever had for the longest she could remember.
"Aren't you done yet?" Takeru asked, looking at the girl who was smelling a gentle pink flower.
"Of course not," she said and looked up at him, "you brought me here, I want to enjoy."
Takeru set his arms behind his head and looked up. Lying in the grass, he watched as the clouds silently moved along the blue sky. Few birds were seen, but they could be heard in the forest. Finally, Hikari came tumbling onto the soft earth beside him and his arm automatically fell around her shoulder.
"This is the most beautiful flower I have ever seen." Hikari said, staring at the red and white petals of a carnation. "I wonder why the florist has never put any in the garden."
"Sora gardens," Takeru pointed out, absentmindedly, "she has a huge garden filled with roses and wildflowers. It's really a site to see. It smells so good when you wake up, like Heaven's welcoming you as you open your eyes."
Hikari stared at the flower again; "Can I meet her sometime? Sora, that is."
"I don't see why not. She's great! Not the best cook in the world, but she's priceless."
She giggled, "When can I meet her?"
"Whenever…" he sighed, "whenever I get through with this Junior Warrior shit."
"I will never tire from hearing you speak," Hikari smiled brightly, "such bright and… interesting words you use."
"Bright? Interesting? Tch, you've got to get out more."
Hikari set her chin on his chest, "What drove you to come to Paris anyway?"
"I don't know," he admitted and glanced at the clouds. "It's just that the song Sora sings says that Heaven's Land is really peaceful and stuff. And since she's been here before, she's told me a lot about the land and how much freedom and beauty it had. Every since I heard of her stories, we called Paris Heaven's Land. "
"Interesting…"
"You have a craze for that word, don't you?"
"What--interesting?"
"Yeah. I mean, you think my words are "interesting" and my story of why I came here is so "interesting" to you."
Hikari giggled and sat up. "Bluntly, I am amazed by what you have done in your life. By reasons, I think you are greater than even my brother."
"By coming here and speaking like a natural ruffian?"
"No," she giggled again, "for living a life so great, that you can tell it to another and keep them coming back for more."
"Never thought of my life story as interesting."
Hikari twirled the flower between her fingers. "Your life is not the only thing that is interesting."
"Ah, really? So then what else? My words? My ways o' persuasion?"
"You."
Takeru took his eyes off the clouds and looked at the brown eyes staring back at him. "You've got to be kidding."
"Why do you think I have fallen for you, Takaishi Takeru?"
"Because I'm better than Daisuke?"
She hit his shoulder. "In ways Sir Daisuke is finer than you."
"Fine, okay. You're right. He'd make a good doorstop."
"You are so cruel!" she hit his shoulder again.
"Hey, move it a little to the right and you can give a massage."
Hikari laughed and tilted her head near his. She quickly kissed him on the nose and voiced, "When will I tire of your strange sense of humor?"
"I don't know," Takeru announced with a kiss to her lips. "Will you ever get tired of me?"
"Never, I will never get wearied by your presence." Hikari said in between kisses on the cheek.
"Good," he smirked, " 'cause I wasn't planning to bore you anytime soon."
The youthful boy kissed Hikari once more and brought her into an embrace. There in the forest, they kissed with the passion they held for each other. As the kiss intensified, Hikari dropped the flower that she held in her hand and brought her fingers to entwine with his.
As the week went on, the disappearance with Daisuke became more frequent. He and Takeru started to miss breakfast as well as lunch to "train" some more. Taichi knew nothing about the duel of life that both were determined to win, nor did Hikari or anyone else for that matter. When gone from the mornings, Takeru readied himself with the sword he had; equal in length, equal in weight compared to Daisuke's. Everything about this duel had them faced against each other. The only reason they even somewhat trained together was due to the fact that they didn't wish for the other to get too far ahead than he. It was nearly a test of who had the larger ego; a mere shadow compared to the test to see who was stronger.
The night before Takeru was to fight with Daisuke; he sat in the garden, the same place where Daisuke had found him and Hikari together on the bench. It seemed as if the week had held onto each minute, trying to stretch it longer, trying to make tomorrow never come. Takeru didn't wish to fight with swords, he didn't wish to fight at all! But if he were to back out, as rules went, Daisuke would win, gloat, and claim Hikari. How could he have done such a foolish thing? Daisuke wasn't that weak soldier he met the first time in Paris. It was going to be a tough combat. Takeru knew it. The question wasn't whether he knew it was going to be tough, but it was … is he ready for such a clash?
"Up late?"
Takeru slipped from his thoughts but caught himself before jumping from the bench. He looked up and saw Yagami Taichi standing before him. "I uh, just needed to think things out."
The older Yagami sat on the bench and folded his hands. "Daisuke told me about what you're going to do tomorrow."
"Why'd he do a stupid thing like that? He commanded me not to say a word-"
"To tell you the truth, Takeru, he's just as afraid as you are."
The blond looked at Taichi, bewildered. "What do you mean? I'm not afraid of anything."
"Yeah you are, stop trying to be brave. On the flip side, my sister told me what you've done to her throughout the week. You're on her favorite list and she's not giving you up. Now, as I see it, you're fighting for my sister. A fight to the death, right?"
"R-right…"
"If I were in your shoes, I'd be scared to death. If I won, I was a murderer. If I lost, well…"
"If I lost, I'd lose your sister, and that would be death's grasp already."
"Normally, I'd strangle you for even touching my sister," Taichi said with a growl. "But the way she looks at you--the way I look at you… I still don't see why you are going through with this."
"I've never backed out of any fight in my life." Takeru leaned forward and gazed at the ground. "I can't let her go without a fight, you know? If I don't go through with this, Daisuke is able to take her away."
"Haven't you thought of how Hikari would feel?"
"She doesn't know anything about it."
"If a soldier dies, she's most likely going to figure out. She's smart, not stupid."
"Maybe I can talk things out with Daisuke. Then I wouldn't have to fight him and uh, everything'll be just fine."
Taichi stood up and held his hand to Takeru's for a handshake. "I trust you'll do what your heart says. Daisuke is a good friend to Hikari. If something happens to him, she becomes upset. However, you're the guy I'm looking out for."
"What?" Takeru asked. There wasn't a reply; Taichi was already walking away.
What did Taichi mean by "However, you're the guy I'm looking out for."? Takeru was just as skilled as Daisuke. He was a friend to all, even Mimi who was Hikari's good friend. He was trusted with the guards and royalties. It was as if he were in a higher rank than Daisuke. So why was Taichi so worried? Didn't he believe that Takeru could pull this off?
"Well I can," Takeru said to himself and leaned back on the bench. "I know I can."
For the rest of the night, Takeru thought to himself and stared at the stars. The sky was clear and the temperature was warm and soothing. A cloud covered part of the lunar light, but the rest gave a fair glare on the garden. Everything had a shadow. Everything had a dark side. Even the loveliest rose had the shadow falling behind it.
Takeru looked at himself as one of those objects in the garden. Here he stood with many others like himself, but out of all of them, he was the only flower totally bathed in light. The others around him blended easily with others, having a dark shadow beneath the lovely sight. But then there he was, in midst of the people--the flowers, pushed into the middle as if some performance monkey. The spotlight was on him. No one cared about his shadow that everyone else had. No one else cared for the past he carried. No one even cared to call him Takeru instead of Junior Warrior.
Here he was, once a thorn, now a rose. But for what? He hadn't been brought into this land of roses just to perform--just to be that one in the spotlight. He had come here to do his dream, to find it and complete it. Now that he found his destiny, there wasn't a reason he should stay. …Right? Takeru had found the girl he loved, he had been to Heaven's Land, he was now ready to go home. But wait! One last thing dragged him back to this place. It was the fight. Somehow, he couldn't just leave it alone. All his life he had avoided to-death combats, only being involved in things that had a good outcome. What good could come out of death?
This baffled him. Takeru placed himself as that rose that was bathed in light. Everything he had done was for someone else. This fight was for him. It was to claim him to be better than someone, to get that girl, to be the one with the sword. If he was to back out, it was because it was better for someone else.
Hours came across until finally, the bathed-in-light flower caught the light at an angle and gained its own shadow. He had to fight this fight. He had to prove to himself that he could do something the way he said it would happen. If it was to fight Daisuke to complete his dream, he would do just that.
"Damn it," he muttered, "my head hurts…"
Takeru chuckled at himself and stood up to go to sleep for the rest of the night. As he stepped into his bedroom, the sight of a feather, ink, and a sheet of paper filled his mind. Sitting down and writing his thoughts came by naturally. Afterwards, he blew out the candle and closed his eyes to rest.
In the morning, Takeru woke up to the sound of Mimi banging on the door. Obviously, she wasn't exactly over the fact that he tied a bucket of water above her chamber door. It was made to be poured over once the door was opened. Once at breakfast, he sat with silence, straight across from Daisuke who had finally "found the time" to join for the meal. Takeru thought that it was because he was aware that this may be the last breakfast with Hikari he could get. Then again… it could have been the same for himself.
Training was unusually silent. Pierre and Taichi yelled their minds off at the other soldiers, excluding Daisuke and Takeru. They had been doing exactly as told and had impressed both beyond compare to the others.
Hikari saw the tension between those two warriors and reported it to Miyako. The glasses-wearing girl said that something was going on that she didn't know about. This only drove Hikari to Mimi, the Paris parrot. She could repeat anything anyone has said ten days ago. Unfortunately, Mimi hadn't heard anything about the two. Finally, she confronted Takeru about his silence in the corridors.
"What troubles you, Takeru?" she asked, causing him to turn around.
"What do you mean?"
"You are silent, dull, and serious. Highly unlike yourself."
"I just have things on my mind. I-I've got to go, Hikari." He said and kissed her on the hand, just as he did to Sora such a long time ago. "Adieu, Angel Hikari, adieu."
Before she could question him on anything else, he disappeared through the doors and down the hallways. She watched him hurry out the entry gates and glanced up at the sky. Grey clouds started to roam over the blue. Something was going to happen… and she didn't know anything about it. Hikari quickly shrugged off the feeling and rushed down the hallway to recite her speech in front of the mirror.
"What am I doing?" Takeru questioned himself as he walked onto the green lands. "I'm going up here to talk to Daisuke, that's what. I'll settle everything. He'll understand. Daisuke's an understanding kind of person."
Takeru looked over at the figure sitting down with his head tilted towards the rolling clouds. Beside the angry looking Daisuke was a sword he had never seen before."
"I'm ready to go home," Takeru whimpered in his mind and froze in his steps. It was too late; Daisuke saw him and stood up. In a matter of minutes, Takeru would be fighting for Hikari. No, his life. It was his battle. In a matter of minutes, blood could be spilled to claim that Hikari was Daisuke's or Takeru's.
"Ready?" Daisuke asked, tightening his grip on the sword. The blond glanced back at the town and swallowed hard. He suddenly realized that this wasn't a dream at all. Someone will leave permanently. Someone will not get the girl. Someone… will die.
He turned back and drew his own sword from the sheath on his back. It seemed twice as heavy as Daisuke's looked but twice as small. Cold was the metal even though the setting sun gave warmth. Takeru could change his mind and talk things out… but he wasn't about to let that happen. It was now all waiting on a single word. A single word that made Takeru shiver. And he said it.
"Ready."
There was no hesitation after that word. Daisuke skillfully gave the first attack and Takeru dodged nervously. It wasn't his wish to fight a friend. He was scared of losing, and worse, he was scared of winning. To him, there was going to be a loss no matter what.
They fought vigorously, metal against metal, and man against man. Takeru had to fight himself from dropping the sword in defeat.
"I don't want to admit it," Takeru thought, "but I might not win this match…"
The first cut of the flesh was seen on Takeru's lower left arm twelve minutes later. He had gotten careless at the timing of swings.
"He's not even lightening up!" the blond screamed at himself. "What have I put myself in? Weeks ago I was being chased by French guards and being a kid. Sora was always scolding me for coming home late. Weeks ago I had never touched a sword or alcohol. I didn't know who Hikari was and I was living like I should've been living--like a ruffian. And then I come into this town and everything changes. I am now fighting for my life. I have in my hand a murderer who can kill another. What would Sora say?"
Thunder rolled into the sky and a crack of lightning decorated it. The setting sun started to disappear behind the horizon as rain started to fall from the thick, black storm clouds. Metal clanks blended dangerously with the thunder and Daisuke's hits became stronger. Another flesh wound was delivered to Takeru's arm and the rain didn't help it very much.
"What happened to the weak soldier I once knew?" Takeru asked himself as he held his sword to block the other. He remembered how easily he had beaten Daisuke up in training. And even before when he first met Hikari. Now, he could barely keep him away. Here, his fast footwork was overpowered by the sword. Takeru was weak in the field of war.
As if things couldn't get worse for the Junior Warrior, Daisuke finally managed to bat away his sword. Takeru fell onto the wet ground to retrieve it, when he prepared to stand; the metal of his enemy's weapon greeted his throat.
"Daisuke," his blue eyes stared in horror at the blade. The loud crash of thunder filled the silence.
"Takeru," he said back and tightened his grip. Just as the blade pressed against his skin, Takeru swept his leg behind Daisuke's and caused him to fall. He grabbed his sword and rose to his feet.
"Do you really want to do this?" Takeru asked breathlessly, praying for him to end it.
"No," Daisuke answered. "But people like you cause me to desire death."
The brunette swung his sword directly at Takeru's face. Takeru in return tried to pull back, but it still made a minor cut on his neck. Startled, he stumbled back and brought his hand to the cut. Blood had already risen from the nip and trickled down his skin.
Infuriated, Takeru's rage took over his mind and he made fierce contact from his sword to Daisuke's leg. With his free hand, he punched Daisuke on the jawbone. Taking his astonishment for granted, the light-haired warrior then backhanded his foe. Finally getting in step with the ambush, Daisuke thrust his sword forward and a loud clank met his ears. Takeru had gotten into the battle at last.
The last ray of sunlight was easily hidden by the storm clouds. Rain fell even more and even harder, but those two soldiers did not care.
Meanwhile, Hikari sat on her bed, brushing her gentle brown hair and humming Takeru's lullaby. It hadn't occurred to her that Takeru was late from training. She began to worry, however, when Taichi called her to dinner. If Taichi was home, Takeru should be too…
At the dinner table, Hikari finally asked that question…
"Taichi" she said, giving him a warning look, "where is Sir Daisuke and Sir Takeru?"
"Uh, I don't know, Hikari," he lied.
She caught that lie and confronted him. When he mentioned the duel, Hikari's heart nearly stopped. With a moment of plead, she weaseled the information of the whereabouts of this duel from her brother. Instantly, she dashed out of the dining hall to cease the fight.
Takeru took a hard punch in the gut and while he lurched forward, Daisuke then kneed him. Falling backwards into the now muddy ground, Takeru looked up at him, fear still in his soul. Seconds could pass and it would be his last. But Daisuke didn't drop the heavy sword on him. He was allowed to stand up to fight fairly once again.
"I'd rather die now than go on," thought Takeru. He stood up again and fought with his sword.
Hikari ran out of the gates and onto the cobblestone. Just seconds in the rain and her dress was already soaked. Her brother's hands dropped onto her shoulders just as a flash of lightning filled the sky.
"Hikari, leave them alone!" he demanded, yelling over the falling rain.
"I will not," she protested," I will not allow either of them to die."
"They won't listen!"
"Takeru will!"
"Hikari, please! It's dangerous with rain like this."
"Please, Brother. Please understand. Now that I have found the one who cares for me the way I do for him, I do not wish to lose him. Taichi, please let me go!"
Taichi looked at his baby sister and the determination on her face. As much as he didn't want her to go, he knew that he had to let her go. His hands slipped from her shoulders and he stepped back.
"Thank you, Taichi," she smiled weakly and continued to run down the streets.
"Be careful!" he called, watching her disappear in the rain.
"I still can't believe you did this to me," Daisuke bellowed and smacked Takeru.
"With a jerk attitude like yours, you were practically beggin' for it!" he snapped and tackled the other into the mud. Both reached for their fallen weapons and hurried to their feet.
"Hikari was my girl." Daisuke swung his sword at Takeru.
"Was is the keyword," the blond blocked.
"Start dreaming of what you want on your tombstone," warned Daisuke with a strong thrust of the sword.
"I'd like your name to be on it!" Takeru growled and swung back. He finally managed to rip some of Daisuke's flesh on his arm.
"Keep dreaming," he yelled and threw his fist at his face.
"Mama-Sora," one of the orphans back in Cherbourg asked, "what's wrong?"
"I've just got this funny feeling, that's all." Sora whispered and stared at the pouring rain.
"Is it about Takeru?"
"Yes… I'm worried about him…"
"It's raining hard, Mimi," Miyako cleaned her glasses then looked at her friend.
"Yeah," Mimi agreed and pulled a sewing needle through cloth. "Jyou, why wasn't Takeru and Daisuke at dinner?"
"I do not know," he shrugged.
"I heard something about a duel," Ken spoke up after a bit of silence.
Miyako looked up at him, "I hope Takeru'll be okay."
"Don't think he won't," Mimi whispered. The four looked out the window and listened to the falling rain.
"Damn it," Taichi looked out at the dark town, "I shouldn't have let her go…"
The dark streets pierced into his mind and his little sister's tears did as well. He knew she was going to get hurt somehow… physically or mentally.
"I never said I didn't like her," Takeru danced his way to avoid the blade.
"But you never said you did," Daisuke turned in a quick circle to ad momentum to his swing. The tip of the blade sliced through Takeru's cheek.
"You know that hurts," he hissed.
"Yeah, well, deal with it."
Takeru deftly sliced at Daisuke's arm and successfully made a cut. It had been at least a half-hour of this to-death duel. Neither of them let up on strength.
Takeru never stopped thinking of the end. He hoped that the finishing swing would happen and everything would be back to normal. To wake up from this nightmare was all he wanted now. All this boy wanted to do was go home. He wanted to see Sora again, to hug her and tell her of his adventure.
"Sounds like you had a blast!" she would say.
"I sure did!" he would reply, "but it's good to be back home."
"Dinner's ready. Let's go."
That's how it should end. Not like this--not fighting to the death!
"What would you wish for?"
"I would wish to go home,"
. . .
Takeru's last wish did not come true. The tip of Daisuke's blade pierced just to the left of his heart. Rain poured onto his body as his once blue eyes turned gray and cold. Daisuke removed the sword and stared with fear. There, in midst of the rain, Takeru fell.
"Takeru!" Hikari's voice screamed louder than the thunder. Running to the fallen boy, Hikari dropped to her knees and lifted his head. Daisuke dropped the sword and stepped back from what he did.
"Takeru! Please, speak to me!" Hikari brushed his wet blond hair out of his face.
In his mind, everything spun. Everything echoed, from the simple droplet of rain to Hikari's voice. Hikari… he had to force his eyes open somehow. Just to see that face once more would give him heaven. He finally did open his eyes and they fixated themselves on her lovely face.
"I thought you would leave me," she whispered.
"Hikari, I'd never leave you," Takeru said through his pain.
"Is everything okay now, Takeru?" she asked, hope in her tone.
"I…I…" he wanted to say: "Yes, Hikari! Everything is fine! Everything is just fine." and he wanted to stand up and walk away. But he couldn't. His mind studied the pain, much more severe than he hoped.
"Takeru?" Hikari called, her voice fell from his concentration and her face faded from sight. Everything turned dark, cold, and lonely. Death had finally caught the Junior Warrior.
"Takeru!" Hikari yelled and patted his cheek with her hand. "Takeru, please!"
When there wasn't even a flinch, she hung her head and held her lover close. The rain only seemed to get heavier.
"It suddenly got cold," Mimi said, looking up at Jyou.
"Do you suppose…" Miyako's sentence was cut off by a crash of thunder. Each of the youths stared out the window as if waiting for an answer that they all didn't wish to know.
"Jyou, maybe we should…" Ken started. He didn't have to finish; the doctor was already gathering the items and rushing for the door.
"Mama-Sora! You don't look too well!"
Sora held herself against the bed and hid her face in the pillow. "I just know something happened to Takeru! It hurts to think about him now…"
"Mama-Sora…" a little boy said and held one of her fingers in his tiny hand. "If Takeru isn't coming home… that means that he's watching over all of us now… right?"
Taichi stared at the dark town, knowing something happened. No more minutes were wasted, he ran to the green lands at top speed. Once he arrived, he couldn't even gain the courage to say his sister's name. He fell to his knees beside his sister and fear inched through his body while he looked at the dead friend. Even more terror filled his mind when he saw the pain of his sister.
Minutes passed and Jyou was just making his way up. He was greeted by Taichi and Daisuke, who kept his head low. News was spread swiftly and Hikari was left alone to tend to her own feelings. During the whole time, the rain never let up. The town that was once called Heaven's Land had fallen into nothingness and it brought a bright young man's life along with it. Heaven's Land was no longer heavenly.
It had been nearly two full years since the day Hikari lost her love. Though she never fully recovered from such a loss, a new blond hair, blue-eyed boy took over her heart. This time, she protected him with her life.
A tiny little hand reached up and grabbed the fork from the dining table; a woman's hand pulled him back and forced him to drop it.
"Stop that," she warned and lifted him into her arms, "your father wouldn't want you to be playing with knives, nor would your mommy."
The little blond-haired boy stuck his tongue out and the woman giggled. "Takeru, go wash your hands for supper. Okay?"
She set down the child and he made his way through the jungle of adults just to get to the washroom. Sora smiled at Hikari and strolled to sit down beside her.
"I swear, he's going to grow up to be just like Takeru." Sora said, watching as the child pushed his way through again to get to the snacks.
"Not if I can help it… When he grows up, he won't know what swords are and he won't know what girls are like either." Hikari crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair with a sly smile.
"Ha! You can't keep a boy from girls. Never!" Sora giggled.
Hikari smiled brightly and watched her son climb into the arms of Taichi. "Yeah, well… dreaming is the base of doing. And maybe if I dream, Takeru won't leave my side."
The two girls smiled faintly at each other and soon dismissed each other from the conversation. Later, Hikari took her son into her arms and wandered into the hallways. She swirled around the corridors, humming a familiar song in the ear of her little boy. Turning the corner, she then stopped by the doors of her chambers and opened them quietly.
"Get some rest, okay?" she whispered and kissed little Takeru on the forehead.
"I'm not tired!" he protested stubbornly.
"Oh, yes you are. You know you want to go to sleep to dream of wondrous things."
"Sing Daddy's song," he demanded, still stubbornly.
"What do you say?"
"Mommy!"
"Ah-ah! I'm not going to let you forget about manners even though you are tired."
"Mommy, please?"
She smiled and looked into the bright blue eyes. "In Heaven's Land, the angels speak your name. They dance around the stars and the moon…"
After the soft lullaby was sung, Little Takeru drifted to sleep and Hikari stood up from her spot. She glanced out the window to see a bright display of stars. Walking to the window, she leaned her head against the wall and stared at the moon.
In the dark, she recited the poem that Takeru wrote the last night he stayed in his bedroom:
" When hope becomes an angel,
It'll sprout wings and fly away.
It'll leave this wretched town,
And find the light of day.
Feuds will be forgotten.
And peace will spread the land.
The angel will find a loved one,
And hold out its shiv'ring hand.
But also in that moment,
The angel loses its being,
To the selfish desires of
The locked heart that it was freeing.
The moral of the story,
Is that when the angel cries,
That means that confusion ends,
That means that the angel dies.
Though parted from my loved ones,
I'll still hold out my hand
To guide the ones who loved me,
And take them to Heaven's Land."
The girl took one last look at the moon and then pulled herself into her bed. She closed her eyes and then waited for the familiar face to great her in her dreams. For it was in her dreams that Takeru was still with her, so in spirit, she had never lost him in the first place.
The end
Nope, there's no more.
I know it's a lame ending, but that's it!
Stop giving me that look that says you hated it…
I know it sucks! You don't have to give me the look though.
That look hurts and author! Stop it! Geh!!! Fine! I'll stop writing stupid stories like this.
But really, I'm not good at writing fight situation stories, so it sucks there.
And since my writing "talent" has seemingly disappeared…
Well, I just expect some flames, okay?
So go ahead and flame away.
Just be sure to review.
Please?
By the way,
Hikari got pregnant the day
She and Takeru went into town.
Yeah, I suck at writing stuff like that too…
So I just skipped it.
I know I suck.
Review.