Death Is Eternal: Chapter 3
"Manta, go to the store." Ordered Anna.
Silence.
"Manta?"
* * *
Faust was glad they left early this morning, he hoped it would turn out better than the day before. Though it wasn't all bad. Manta had lifted a large burden off him and it felt great. He smiled and directed his view downward toward said angel only to find him smiling back.
"Let's try this again, I'll be right back."
Manta returned safely minutes later holding two ice cream cones. They sat on the nearby bench and ate quietly. Half way through, the silence was abruptly broken when Manta burst out laughing.
"What is it?" Faust asked with a puzzled look, not noticing the ice cream he'd gotten on his nose.
Finally Manta managed to restrain himself long enough to wipe it off for him.
"Ne Faust, would you like to go somewhere for dinner tonight? Ryu spends all his time with Lyserg and won't cook for us so Yoh's been making the same thing all week. Onegai!" Pleaded Manta.
"With pleasure." Faust replied and instantly Manta's eyes lit up.
After they made arrangements for where and when, they parted and went to their separate rooms.
* * *
In an unfortunate turn of events, a severe thunderstorm chose to pass over Patch Village. All shaman fights were temporarily delayed until further notice.
Manta was getting ready and eagerly awaiting the next half hour. Tonight was the night he would tell Faust, he couldn't keep it secret any longer. He was about to leave early but wasn't so lucky.
"Manta, go to the corner and buy me an umbrella." Anna demanded.
"Well actually I was just going out to see Fau-"
He stopped when Anna held up her beads threateningly.
"Go."
There was no room for argument. He had to do it.
He tried to run for it but couldn't escape the pouring rain. It quickly soaked him from head to toe. This made him completely miserable. The only thing he could do to cheer himself up was picture Faust with ice cream on his nose. Even now he couldn't help but laugh out loud. He was interrupted when a cloaked figure stepped in his path.
"Yo, Manta-kun."
"H-Hao!"
"I'm here about my nii-san." Declared Hao.
He tried to back away but Hao only advanced. Soon Manta was backed against a wall.
"Your friendship is a disadvantage for Yoh. Caring for people makes you weak, and I wouldn't want nii-san to be weak. I want him strong or he's of no use to me."
* * *
Faust thought he would stop by Manta's room first and see if he had left yet. He soon learned from an enraged Anna that he'd been gone for twenty minutes and never returned. This worried him greatly. He pulled his hat down tightly around his head and trudged back into the rain, proceeding to the location Anna had mentioned. Visibility was at an all time low, the best he could do was concentrate on the ground in front of his feet. As he neared the shop he noticed something, a stream of crimson flowing with the rainwater into a close by sewage drain. His fears became reality as he struggled to see something slouched against the wall.
"Manta!" Faust shouted as he hurried over to him.
"Faust." Manta started but began coughing violently.
"Try not to talk, save your strength."
"Faust- Aishiteru." Manta managed before he started coughing again, this time ending up with a handful of blood.
"I Love you Manta, that's why you're going to make it. You have to!"
He tried to do something, everything that modern medicine allowed. But with god forsaken rain it seemed like closing the wound was impossible. All that left him with was his last resort, a furyoku infusion.
The energy was forced from his body and into Manta's. He wasn't a shaman but he prayed that it would work. It infuriated him to think the only thing he, Faust VIII of a long line of doctors, could do was pray. He remembered this feeling of helplessness. He remembered what others had told him. That you can't fight death, that death is eternal. He wouldn't let the past repeat itself.
Manta's pulse was gradually weakening. It wasn't working! There's nothing, nothing left that he could do except let the burning tears slide down his face. Seeing this, Manta raised a hand to dry them, right before it went limp.
"No! Don't leave me! You can't leave me alone again!"
He pounded on the boy's chest madly until he could no more.
"He's, gone?"
That night, everyone in the Patch heard one of the most Horrifying screams.
- End of Chapter 3 -
"Manta, go to the store." Ordered Anna.
Silence.
"Manta?"
* * *
Faust was glad they left early this morning, he hoped it would turn out better than the day before. Though it wasn't all bad. Manta had lifted a large burden off him and it felt great. He smiled and directed his view downward toward said angel only to find him smiling back.
"Let's try this again, I'll be right back."
Manta returned safely minutes later holding two ice cream cones. They sat on the nearby bench and ate quietly. Half way through, the silence was abruptly broken when Manta burst out laughing.
"What is it?" Faust asked with a puzzled look, not noticing the ice cream he'd gotten on his nose.
Finally Manta managed to restrain himself long enough to wipe it off for him.
"Ne Faust, would you like to go somewhere for dinner tonight? Ryu spends all his time with Lyserg and won't cook for us so Yoh's been making the same thing all week. Onegai!" Pleaded Manta.
"With pleasure." Faust replied and instantly Manta's eyes lit up.
After they made arrangements for where and when, they parted and went to their separate rooms.
* * *
In an unfortunate turn of events, a severe thunderstorm chose to pass over Patch Village. All shaman fights were temporarily delayed until further notice.
Manta was getting ready and eagerly awaiting the next half hour. Tonight was the night he would tell Faust, he couldn't keep it secret any longer. He was about to leave early but wasn't so lucky.
"Manta, go to the corner and buy me an umbrella." Anna demanded.
"Well actually I was just going out to see Fau-"
He stopped when Anna held up her beads threateningly.
"Go."
There was no room for argument. He had to do it.
He tried to run for it but couldn't escape the pouring rain. It quickly soaked him from head to toe. This made him completely miserable. The only thing he could do to cheer himself up was picture Faust with ice cream on his nose. Even now he couldn't help but laugh out loud. He was interrupted when a cloaked figure stepped in his path.
"Yo, Manta-kun."
"H-Hao!"
"I'm here about my nii-san." Declared Hao.
He tried to back away but Hao only advanced. Soon Manta was backed against a wall.
"Your friendship is a disadvantage for Yoh. Caring for people makes you weak, and I wouldn't want nii-san to be weak. I want him strong or he's of no use to me."
* * *
Faust thought he would stop by Manta's room first and see if he had left yet. He soon learned from an enraged Anna that he'd been gone for twenty minutes and never returned. This worried him greatly. He pulled his hat down tightly around his head and trudged back into the rain, proceeding to the location Anna had mentioned. Visibility was at an all time low, the best he could do was concentrate on the ground in front of his feet. As he neared the shop he noticed something, a stream of crimson flowing with the rainwater into a close by sewage drain. His fears became reality as he struggled to see something slouched against the wall.
"Manta!" Faust shouted as he hurried over to him.
"Faust." Manta started but began coughing violently.
"Try not to talk, save your strength."
"Faust- Aishiteru." Manta managed before he started coughing again, this time ending up with a handful of blood.
"I Love you Manta, that's why you're going to make it. You have to!"
He tried to do something, everything that modern medicine allowed. But with god forsaken rain it seemed like closing the wound was impossible. All that left him with was his last resort, a furyoku infusion.
The energy was forced from his body and into Manta's. He wasn't a shaman but he prayed that it would work. It infuriated him to think the only thing he, Faust VIII of a long line of doctors, could do was pray. He remembered this feeling of helplessness. He remembered what others had told him. That you can't fight death, that death is eternal. He wouldn't let the past repeat itself.
Manta's pulse was gradually weakening. It wasn't working! There's nothing, nothing left that he could do except let the burning tears slide down his face. Seeing this, Manta raised a hand to dry them, right before it went limp.
"No! Don't leave me! You can't leave me alone again!"
He pounded on the boy's chest madly until he could no more.
"He's, gone?"
That night, everyone in the Patch heard one of the most Horrifying screams.
- End of Chapter 3 -