BATTLE NETWORK CYBERSYSTEM: The Manic Saga

Volume 1: The Darkness of Our Pasts

Chapter 6: The Past Always Catches Up

ONBA couldn't find Manic ever since he disappeared, even with the help of the newly-established World Three, so Ryuu and I set out to find him on our own, along with one of Ryuu's friends who was living with him, Ms. Tenjou Miyuu.

"Any luck yet?" Ryuu asked us as we met up on Beach Street after we were done looking for any information for the time being. ONBA had given up the search for Manic about a week ago, but we weren't ready to give up yet. We even asked Joseph and Shinzuka to help us out. Joseph even asked his father, Edric Katsuya, to search through the ONBA system for anything about a sighting of someone being kidnapped. We all questioned my landlord, the landlord of ACDC Apartments, but he said that he didn't hear anything the night Manic was kidnapped. We had our doubts about him, but we knew that he didn't have any motives whatsoever for taking Manic away as prisoner.

"No leads..." I responded to Ryuu.

"None..." Miyuu responded as well. We had searched well over half the day for anything, but in the end it didn't matter. Manic was gone and there was no trace of him. The apartment across from mine would stay a lot quieter now that he was gone. I could tell that everyone, even Miyuu, who didn't know Manic that well, didn't want Manic to disappear like that.

"Well," I sighed, "I guess we should stop..."

"I can't believe that he vanished just like that," Ryuu said, looking at the ground. He then looked up at me and said, "Kinzoku, are you sure that the ONBA did a thorough search of his apartment?"

I nodded. They searched everywhere in and near his apartment, but couldn't find any traces of a struggle. I didn't want to believe it. I wanted to believe that they didn't check everything out, that they had missed somewhere, but it didn't seem like there was another place they skipped over. But they didn't. I was even there when they searched. This was the only time where I felt powerless to save someone, like I couldn't do anything to bring him back. I just felt anger inside of me building up. Whoever did this would pay dearly. That I was sure of.

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"Wake up."

I felt someone throw ice water onto me, shocking me awake. I was still bruised from the day before, and I somehow knew that today would be worse than yesterday. That was how it always was. I shivered a bit from the water, but then tried to focus my eyes and see the figures past the bright light shining in my eyes. My legs and arms were tied to the wooden chair I sat on, my clothes torn and bloody and my spirit dropping steadily. I had never wanted to die more in my life than now, but I willed myself to keep going on through their tortures. I needed to outlast them, to prove to them that I wasn't going to give into them. I wasn't afraid of what they would do to me.

"Now then, Mr. Grave," the surly voice from behind the light spoke again, "Do you know why you are here?"

I shook my head slowly. I tried to squint my eyes to see past the light, but it wasn't any use.

"Well, then, you should be happy, today's your last day with me..." the voice sounded evil and cold to me, even though to others he would have sounded like he were a kind and gentle man. I knew that wasn't the case. I squinted my eyes to below the light and saw pairs of feet standing there. I counted ten legs. Five people.

"Anyways, I'm getting my money's worth out of you today," the voice said again. He started to circle around me. "Now, I'm going to ask you some questions, and I want you to answer them truthfully. If you lie to me, then I'll just have to ask my boys here to teach you some manners... is that clear?" While he said that, I tried to gather up enough energy to turn my head to focus on the man, but it was no use. I was completely drained.

"Now, question number one," the man started as he hid behind the light, "Where did you get that silver necklace?" He was referring to my tribal necklace.

"Don't know..." I answered simply, with a smirk on my face. Suddenly, I felt a sharp crack across my neck. My head snapped forward and a pain ran through my body.

"Now, I'll ask you again. Where did you get that necklace?"

"None of your busin--" I then felt a loud thunk across the side of my face from a metallic bat. I looked to the side and spat out some blood. I was starting to lose consciousness again.

"Fine, then... since you won't be kind enough to answer that question..." the man said evilly, "Then I'll ask my final question." He then snapped his fingers and footsteps came towards me. Finally, I could see someone's face through the light. He had dark, messy hair with silver in a few places. He was a young guy, but I could tell that he was older than I was. However, his face was what shocked me the most.

He looked a lot like me.

My eyes went wide as the head was pulled back for a while. I could see that, even though he put on the face of a cold and emotionless killer, he still felt sorry for what was happening to me.

"Now, do you remember who that person is?" the voice said again.


"Remember? I knew him?" I felt another sharp whack across my cheek again.

"Well, then..." the voice said, "I've had my fun with you, although you refuse to answer my questions truthfully... boys, have fun." I could hear the dial of an old radio turn up some music as I heard two sets of footsteps leave the area. I squinted back at the person I saw clearly and saw a look of sadness upon it.

"Now, boss told us to have fun, so..." one of the thugs said. I could recognize their voices easily because they were the same thugs who kidnapped me from the apartments. I could hear a metal pipe beating slowly on a table while someone picked up the metallic bat again. I could also hear someone lightly hit a piece of wood on the ground. Suddenly, the light turned off and I was met with blow after blow from each weapon. I screamed in pain as one of them broke my arm and another broke my shin. I had never longed for death more, especially from this Hell. My eyes were now shut because of the blood dripping down my face. The details were gruesome, but I finally felt my consciousness fading away, but I could still feel the pain surging through me. It was almost unbearable.

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"Yeah, mom, I'll be back in an hour!" I was off to see my friends in Marine Harbor to take our license tests. I was so happy! I had turned twelve just last week, so I was old enough to take the test. I ran down the sidewalk to the station and ran down the stairs, holding the rail as I went so I wouldn't trip. I ran over to the ticket machine to get a ticket for the train. I smiled as I took the ticket and walked towards the train.

My ticket slipped out of my hand and I bent over to pick it up. When I looked at it, it had two red dots on it. I thought that was a bit weird, then another red dot dropped onto it, then another and another. I looked up to see where they were coming from.

And I ran out of the station screaming.

*This just in, the ONBA Official who went missing a week ago, Manic Grave, has just been found in the ACDC Metroline Station, laying on top of the ticket dispenser. No one knows who took him or who put him there, but it is obvious that he did not get up there of his own volition. It has also confirmed rumors about a possible kidnapping of the young Official, but the kidnappers are still unknown. Grave is in critical condition over at the Beach Street hospital and his recovery chances are slim. We'll have more information as it comes, thank you for watching Digital News Network.*

Chapter 6 done. Review, please.