Is That You? By: OtakuSailorV

Chapter 4: Holly Arrives

Everyone in the room was rigid. Genki felt his sudden burst of energy drain from him. His legs shook and he lowered back to the springy, soft bed.

Hikari's eyes were wide and her mouth was open slightly. Her head was turned slightly so that she could see the door, but still see Genki as well.

Genki sighed, and watched the door, his eyes and jaw set. A single drop of sweat ran down the side of his head before he gulped, unsure if he wanted the person outside the door to come in or not.

What if it was Holly? What would he say? What would SHE say? How had she gotten here if it WAS Holly? Why was she here with Hikari? Did she have the Monsters with her? How were the others doing? Had the Phoenix really died?

Images from memories long passed past before his inner eye. He suddenly felt sad again, remembering what had happened. If the Phoenix had died. . .Holly wouldn't want to talk about it. . .Suezo had been part of the Phoenix. . .and Mocchi. . .

His head drooped in the memory, the same hard ball entered his throat that had always been there when he thought of the Phoenix.

He had helped save the world of the Monsters. He should be happy. . .but he wasn't. . .he had wanted his friends to live, to stay with them. . .

He sighed again. But he lifted his head when the door moved slightly.

It stopped almost as soon as his head rose.

A new thought suddenly entered his mind. What if it WASN'T Holly? Then what? He would really look like a fool, and. . .he might lose hope of ever seeing them again.

His hand played with the quilt he was sitting on, some strange embroidery was set in it. But he wasn't paying any attention to it, he felt horrible. So confused, and lost. Had he really just dreamed of the Monsters world? And sleep walked all the way to that place in the center of the city? And had still dreamed the part when they had talked to him in his own world? Was he delirious? Had that really been what had happened?

He wasn't sure. Everything felt of one world now. He couldn't differentiate the difference from the world of a video game and what happened in real life anymore. Was he STILL in the world of the monsters? Was he even alive? Had he died when he had fallen from the Pirate Dragon and thought that he had come back home? Was he stuck in a hell where all he was was confused and lonely?

He felt a hot tear come to his eye. He wasn't sure. He wasn't sure of anything anymore.

Hikari gave a soft sigh at the sight of his face. Her hand touched his back and she smiled at him, her own loneliness shining through. "Hey kid. . ."

Genki looked up, the door was still ajar, and Hikari's head was in the way of his view. "Yes?"

She smiled and cocked her head to one side a bit. "You can come in Holly."

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion.

The door opened all the way.

Hikari got up and offered to carry the heavy bundle outside of the door.

Genki's heart beat 100 times per second. His head flew with questions, answeres, happiness, sorrow. He couldn't tell if he wanted to run to her, or hide from her. He had told her he wouldn't be sad, that he wouldn't cry for them. But he had, and more than once. . .

The hand moved from the door, and a leg pushed through. Then another leg, and then a torso, and finally, Holly. . .

She stood in the doorway. Smiling at him, half cheerfully. Hikari had pulled the bundle to the side of the house and had walked off with it on her shoulders. Holly watched her only briefly in disbelief before turning back to Genki.

She walked over and sat down, and immediately, the roar of emotions and ideas left Genki's head. He felt utterly alone in his mind, with not one clue what he was supposed to say. He didn't avert his eyes from hers, he wasn't sure if he should or not. He didn't wipe the tears away, he had forgotten that they were there.

He pulled at the quilt lightly with his fingers, his eyes staring blankly at Holly.

Finally, he gave a soft smile in return to hers. "Hey. . ."

She nodded. "Hey Genki."

He looked out the window, and all the memories came back again.

He was watching Moo and the Phoenix fight.

He felt raw energy flow through him, out of him. . .and hit the Phoenix. . .

His memories skipped ahead. He was riding back triumphantly on the Pirate Dragon.

He slipped, something had pulled him.

He could only watched in shock as he fell downward, all the Monsters, and Holly screaming his name and reaching toward him.

'Genki!!!!!!!!!!!!!'

He remembered his own hand reaching toward them. . .and then. . .darkness. . .nothingness. . .

He reached out in his memory. . .and gripped wet mud.

It was raining in his real world. People walked by the area he was lying in, but he wasn't seen or heard.

That's the first time the horrible memories had come back.

They had rent his mind to pieces, made him wish he were dead.

That's when she had come. . .

Holly. . .

'Don't cry Genki. . .'

They had all come to him. . .

Holly watched as the tears rolled down his cheeks. She narrowed her eyes, trying to hold back her own sorrow.

"I promised. . ." Genki finally spoke, making Holly lift her head, small droplets of water were tossed into the air in her action.

". . ." She sat there. . .watching as he turned toward her, pain, misery, hurt in his eyes. Tears let loose and fell to the quilt below.

But his voice was steady, and he didn't once sniffle or wipe the tears away. Like he was used to this. . .to this crying. . .

"I promised that I wouldn't cry. . .that I wouldn't be sad. . ."

He hung his head.

"I promised that. . .and still. . .I wallowed in tears and pain all summer, and all during the new school year. And when Summer came. . .mom could tell there was something wrong with me. . .so she sent me to Grandpa's. . .but I didn't get better. . .so she sent me back again, this summer. . .and I still wasn't better. . .I took the games and the console with me everywhere, and played it every place that I could find a TV. . .I just wanted to see you guys again. . .but the portal never opened. . .and I was still crying. . .and then. . .there was a rumor. . .in the town. . .that there was a girl who had been seen with Monsters. . .and I. . .I was so sure it was you. . .so I took off. . ."

He let the fresh tears run down his face and stain the quilt. Holly moved and put an arm around his shoulders.

"Genki. . .it's ok to cry. . ."

He looked up at her.

He opened his mouth, but no noise came out. He wanted to say something, to stop crying and talk to her.

"But there was no need to cry, Genki."

He looked up at her suddenly. "?!"

Holly smiled. "There was no need to cry. . .we were always with you. . ."

There was a noise outside and muffled voices. Genki's face suddenly lit up as he looked at the window.

"Holly?!" He asked her, his face turning toward her. The tears instantly stopped, and she smiled back at him.

She nodded and Genki tried to get up, but Holly had already gotten up, and was pulling the door open.

"Genki?"

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Yo! I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while! I really meant to, but everything's been hectic for me. I want to thank all my lovely reviewers, and I'm so happy that I finally got the Monsters in on this. I'll try to update again soon, so please stick with me. ^_^

Thanks so much again! Ja!

Review!!!