Nata blinked against the bright afternoon sun. So bright it was nearly blinding. Why was that so? He ignored that thought and sought more important answers. Like, where was he? Or how did he get there?
Eyes finally adjusting to the light, the small boy found that he was lying in a grassy field. Now why was this familiar? He got to his feet and started walking in any random direction, for no reason at all really. Perhaps it was because he was curious for clues about this place. He knew he'd seen this all before; it was on the tip of his tongue, darn it!
As Nata pushed his way through the tall grasses, he noticed an old wooden two-story house. He felt like he'd been in there before too. It stirred something in his mind...a word...envy? That's a strange word to come to mind, staring at an old decrepit cabin...
As a matter of fact, it didn't seem near as interesting as those buildings beyond that hill...
"...that..." he managed to choke out, though he didn't know what about them that had coaxed him to speak. Not to mention his voice was hoarse as if he'd been screaming for a long time. That too was a mystery.
Shrugging off this hindrance as well, he started to make his way faster towards the buildings that were indeed much more familiar; he felt as if they were calling out to him. He broke out into a full-fledged run, up over the hill and then down it, the grasses ending and meeting with hard cement. All of a sudden the buildings didn't look so welcoming. Actually, they seemed to be broken. Wait, broken? That triggered another feeling in his memory- fear. He didn't know why, but he didn't like what he was seeing. Something bad had, or was about to, happen.
Closer he moved, there was more added to the debris. Oh God, were those-?
Bodies lay amongst the rubble, some not in as bad a shape, others so entirely mutilated their faces were unrecognizable. Nata walked though them slowly with a hand covering his face. He did not want to see this...but why were his feet insisting on moving, forcing him to continue on? What was drawing him into such a place of depression? His heart began to grow heavy with dread as it became apparent his feet were bringing him to a particular body. He even started to feel panic; the body of someone he knew? The feeling of fear was close to overwhelming, he wanted to turn back but could not find the strength to do so. As he got nearer...
This feeling...
...and the features became clearer...
That face...
...sharper...
A name...
"...Kaito..."
"KAITO!"
aeaeae
Nata bolted up into a sitting position, covered in sweat and panting heavily. It took him a few seconds to register that it was dark out, and he was lying a few feet from a campfire with someone's coat acting as a blanket.
"Nata, are you okay?" a voice asked. He couldn't tell whose it was, but he found himself surrounded by four other boys. In the dim light he could make out the similar looks of worry on their faces.
That's right...he was with these guys now...
"I think you just had a nightmare is all," another voice added.
A nightmare? He couldn't tell if it was the same voice or a different one, he was so out of it. That or it could be the added effect of the fire dying out while they were fussing over him. It was near impossible to tell who was who now in the growing darkness.
"You had us all really worried about you, you just up and collapsed like that."
Collapsed?
One face got closer and tried to push him back down, "Maybe you should just rest some more."
Whoever it was turned his attention to the others this time. The profile silhouette had neat long hair, he recognized this shadow to be Envy.
...a word...envy...
"Hey why don't we move into the house? There's no one else in there, right? It'd be a little safer for us all to get some sleep, and somewhat comfy too." Another shadow nodded and moved closer, perhaps trying to lift him. As he leaned over, a braid fell over his shoulder. Edward?
Wait...house...?
"This way, c'mon!" The two other silhouettes ran ahead, which had to be the younger brothers. They ran up to a wooden house across the field and waved their arms excitedly.
Nata rubbed at his eye with a tiny gloved fist, trying to make his vision adjust to the dark. Getting closer to the house he froze in his movements and stared at it. Envy's house...but that's not the only place I've seen it before, is it?
Suddenly a rush of images flooded his mind; bright light...grassy field...old wooden house...broken down city...bodies...Kaito...
"Kaito...Kaito...!" Nata cried into Ed's shirt, latched onto him tightly. Ed was taken aback by this sudden change but was quick to comfort, "Nata, what's wrong?"
He gained the attention of the others as well who now swarmed around him, but he was oblivious to it.
"Kaito...!"
There were so many voices, so many...and Nata thought he heard the voices of the four players he traveled with now, thought he felt the arms he was in, but the world was spinning around him and there were so many voices screaming in his ears. His body felt paralyzed and he squeezed his eyes shut tight as if that action alone would drown out the noise.
He is not the one who can kill me. Live, and come back for me...
"...Ka..."
What we want isn't you...it's what's inside you...
It's guarded...but SHE can break it. You'll be erased...
"...i..."
-will not allow you to access...Gamerz Heaven. Fools!
I'm a hero! I'm going to save the world! I'm going to save Nata!
"...TO!"
aeaeae
"D...did you hear that?"
"Well of course I did, that had to've been the biggest lightning bolt to ever hit Japan! ...though lightning itself doesn't make noise. Hm..." The girl flicked her wet bangs out of her face and pushed up her glasses, while re-adjusting the small umbrella she held to shield them both from the heavy downpour.
"No, that's not what I meant...that scream...like someone was calling me. You didn't hear it?"
"Suzuki..." She put a hand on her best friend's shoulder but he pulled away roughly, "I'm not imagining things, Kawashima! It was Nata's voice...he's-"
Kyoko punched him in the face; not as hard as she used to but still effective enough to cut him off, "You're just reminded of these things because we came to visit Ren and Rio's graves today. We both miss Nata a lot, but...I have to agree with your mom. Maybe you should stop gaming. It's starting to mess with your mind..."
Kaito gaped at her, "I can't believe I'm hearing this, Kawashima, from YOU of all people! You love gaming just as much as I do! You know how important it is to me!"
"Yeah, but-"
"No! I won't stop! Gaming is my life! And I'm not going crazy, I know I heard him!"
Kaito took off running out of the graveyard and down the street, not caring that he was soaked to the bone already. He didn't care if everyone else thought he was insane. He didn't care what they thought, they didn't know the truth. But now even Kawashima, his best friend in the whole world and the only one who knew what he really went through, was starting to doubt him! He refused to shed tears though it tore him up inside.
Kaito ran all the way home, burst through the front door and up the stairs, past his mother who worriedly called after him. He slammed him bedroom door shut and locked it, then fell against it and slid down to the floor. Maybe I am going crazy...
He glanced over to his PlayStation and stack of games. But I need to be sure. I'll find Gamerz Heaven again if it's the last thing I do!
aeaeae
"Does he always pass out like that?" Wrath asked. That was the question in all their minds, but Envy shook his head, "I don't think it's normal. I'm starting to worry about him...video game characters can die, right?"
Ed was unconvinced, "Anything's possible here."
"But what was that light?" Al asked, "It looked like he summoned a lightning bolt when he screamed."
"Like I said, nothing we see here can be considered absolutely impossible. He probably did summon a lightning bolt. Do you think its part of his powers that everyone's after?"
"I thought his powers were some sort of teleportation thing," Wrath answered, "It said something like that on the tape." As if to prove his point, he held up said tape.
Envy lunged at him with an enraged cry, "STOP WITH THE GODDAMN VIDEO TAPE!"
They struggled over it for a while, rolling around on the floor.
"Gimme it!"
"No it's mine!"
The blonde brothers just sighed and went back to tending to Nata. The poor NPC had gone unconscious for the second time that night. He'd screamed something fierce out of the blue, and then a bolt of lightning shot up right next to them, disappearing into the clear night sky. Ed rubbed at his eyes and rummaged around in his pockets for a watch. He pulled out a silver pocket-watch that he had gotten from his uncle- old-fashioned bastard- and flipped it open. Almost morning.
He slumped against the couch where Nata rested (too lazy to carry him upstairs) while trying to stifle a yawn. Damn. With everything going on the night before, none of the group had gotten any sleep. He was so bloody tired he could just...uh...well he couldn't think coherent enough to make up something right now. He just laid in that position for a while longer slowly nodding off, Al already asleep curled up at his side, when Envy approached him- or maybe it was Nata, he couldn't tell which- obviously done quarreling with Wrath. He kneeled closer to Ed and told him, "Something's up with Nata. I think we should try to find this Kaito person and ask him what he thinks...before something BAD happens."
Ed blinked, forcing himself awake, "Define 'bad'. What do you think could happen?"
Envy shook his head, "I don't know. I just have a feeling that, whatever it is...we won't be able to help."
aeaeae
A/N: BWAHA. I might just make this longer than I originally planned. Sorry if this chapter seemed a little too Nata-centric, or even Kaito-centric if you look at it that way. Just trying to lead up to the end.