Chapter XIII: Tsubasa Loses His Memories
A while later, Taro and Wataru decided to teleport to the latter's apartment, where Azumi was waiting along with the Archangel of Hatred's cat.
-Misaki-kun! –exclaimed the young woman when she saw her old friend after such a long time, but it was hard for her to see him using crutches.
-Hi, Azumi-chan. Long time no see, right?
-Don't mention it.
-Hey, Misaki-kun, let me introduce you to Hester. He's my roommate.
Wataru's cat jumped to Taro's shoulders and rubbed his furry little face against the Archangel of Water's face.
-Pleased to meet you, Hester –said the guy peacefully; he loved cats (and so do I ;D).
-Meoow.
-Well, now that you're here, you want something to drink?
-You don't know how much I'd appreciate that.
Wataru went to the kitchen and brought three glasses with fruit juice. Azumi offered to help, but the guy with the mismatched eyes didn't let her.
-You're my guest –was his only explanation.
-If you say so then.
The three of them sat down on the soft, cozy sofa, while Hester played with one of Taro's shoelaces.
-And, how's it been in college? –asked the latter.
-Fine. It's hard but it's fine –said Azumi.
-I can't complain; I love my career –admitted Wataru.
-And how have you been? –asked Azumi.
-Well, I've tried to make my best to heal from my injury without resorting to my powers.
-How's that?
-If I used my powers to heal myself, don't you think it'd be too suspicious? I guess the doctors would begin to examine me like a freak.
-You're right on that one, Misaki-kun –said Wataru. –That's why you're using crutches all the time, right?
-Yes.
-But Wataru uses his powers to walk without his crutches.
-Only when I'm alone, Azumi-chan. I couldn't arrive to college walking normally if everyone knows I've got cerebral palsy.
-Then again, your palsy isn't that serious.
-Don't think so; I'm very lucky of only not being able to move my legs much, Azumi. I could've suffered mental retardation or epilepsy too, but I don't know why it didn't happen.
-Your powers could've avoided that.
-Nah, I doubt it; when I was born, my umbilical cord tangled around my neck or at least that's what my mother told me. I don't think I knew about my powers then.
-And then, when did you know you were a Black Archangel? –asked Misaki.
-I don't remember.
-Weird… -said Azumi, looking at the time. -Oh, man! Guys, I have to go.
-What happened? –asked both guys, curious.
-Er… It's none of your business –and Azumi left.
-Well, Wataru-kun, I hope you take care. I have to go; it's going to be 7 PM in Japan, and well, I have to pay the rent today.
-OK, pal. Take care –and Taro returned to Japan. Wataru was again alone with Hester, but he let himself fall on his sofa again.
-Man, I'm still so rusted. I haven't fought like this in a long time!
-Meow?
-You wouldn't understand it, little guy… You didn't even exist in that time.
Well, let's leave the Archangel of Hatred in Paris for now, and let's go to La Coruña. Tsubasa took a quite long nap, and right now he was finishing his never-ending college work.
-Well, I was expecting this, but there's just a little left now –the guy told himself, while he kept on reading. However, he couldn't stop wondering how were his friends right now …Now that they were back in action. But he didn't have any time to think, since one of his teammates went in, startled.
-Tsubasa, did you hear?
-What happened? –asked the Japanese man, surprised by his teammate's scared voice.
-I heard someone attacked Bayern Munich's star player, Karl Heinz Schneider.
-What? He was attacked?
-Well, for what I heard, a photographer saw him with scratches on his face.
-Could've been an accident or something.
-I pretty much doubt it. Rumor says someone or something attacked him.
But Tsubasa didn't believe in rumors so easily. Something told him it had really been the opposite.
-I guess we must be very careful then, huh?
-Yes, but, what if someone attacks us or something like that?
-I doubt it. It was just an isolated incident. Now stop being so paranoid, dude –said Tsubasa finally, once again burying himself in his homework.
-Ooookay… Remember: Lunch's at twelve o'clock.
-Yeah.
Tsubasa kept on doing his homework, until at last! He completed it. After that, feeling very relieved, he went to the hotel gardens to take a rest. The soft breeze that blew in that instant refreshed him, but although his room wasn't hot, he did need a change of environment.
However…
-Is it me, or you just never change? –asked a voice behind him, scaring him. As usual, Tsubasa let an energy wave escape and someone fell behind him.
-Who's there? –and Tsubasa turned to see that Hyuga was sitting on the floor behind him.
-Hyuga-kun… Don't scare me like that, dude. You know what happens.
-Tell me something I don't know. But, what would've happened if instead of me, it had been an Antiarchangel the one behind you?
-I'd be probably fighting right now.
-I see. There's any new data?
-In fact, there is. Remember the dream you had?
-Which?
-The one where you saw yourself dead.
-Sure do.
-Well, it seems that creature you saw… is already alive. Misaki-kun, Imawano-san, Ikazuchi-kun and Wakabayashi-kun fought against her.
-Her?
-It seems it's a feminine entity. Misaki-kun told me she called herself Kurai, and it seemed she was identical to Sanae.
-No kidding?
-I don't really know, Hyuga-kun; I've never seen her, but they said she's terribly powerful. The others are surprised of still being alive.
-As if fighting Hino wasn't enough –griped Hyuga, bothered.
-Hino? You're talking about Hino Ryoma?
-Yeah; he's another Antiarchangel. I fought with him and because of my rashness I got a cut on my scalp. Heck it hurts.
And Hyuga showed him the scab.
-Up to now, I know that Santana, Pierre, Hino and Kurai are Antiarchangels… But I'm missing someone.
-What do you mean that you're missing someone?
-There should be five Antiarchangels, right?
-Oh, that makes sense. If there's Santana against you and Ishizaki, Pierre versus Misaki, Kurai against I don't know who…
-Sanae, I guess.
-Well, and Hino against me, don't you think it'd be someone Wakabayashi knows? And I have a wild guess.
-Who?
-Schneider. Karl Heinz Schneider.
-Hey… No wonder those scratches!
-What?
-A teammate told me a while ago that 'someone had attacked' Schneider, but something told me it wasn't true.
-And it seems that in fact… He could've attack someone.
-But who did he attack?
-And when?
But none of them noticed the one observing them calmly.
-And why don't you try to investigate that personally? –said the one behind them.
-Schneider! What are you doing here? –exclaimed Tsubasa, scared.
-Does it matter to you?
-Hey, answer; I hate it when someone answers a question with another one –said Hyuga, expecting the worst.
-My senses have developed incredibly ever since that night; I heard you all the way from Munich.
Well, it seemed Karl wasn't exaggerating; it was still the middle of spring and it was already getting a little hot in Span, but Karl had a black, long coat on and sunglasses. He looked very odd there.
-You don't say –said Hyuga. –You can't stand sunlight?
-How did you know, Archangel of Fire?
And man, were the two Japanese guys dumbstruck!
-Not another one… This is getting worse by the minute –mumbled Tsubasa, who was still shocked.
-What do you mean with 'worse?' But the party hasn't begun… Oblivion!
However, his attack didn't work, since Tsubasa and Kojiro avoided the attack, and because of the heavy coat, Schneider's movements had been slowed down. Tsubasa formed the barrier immediately, while Hyuga distracted the Antiarchangel.
-I thought you had had enough with the Juvenile Cup, Schneider.
-You may not be my real rival, but an Archangel is an Archangel. I'll finish you once and for all!
-Your real rival? What do you mean with that? –said Tsubasa, already seizing his loyal sword.
-It's none of your business… Or wait… Yeah, it is, since you two are friends with that scum.
-Stop talking in riddles! ¡Fire Storm! –Hyuga attacked furiously, but Schneider deflected it easily. -What?
-Your attacks are too weak, Hyuga. Well, what could you expect from a bunch of Japanese creeps?
-Shout of the Gods! –Tsubasa attacked too, and though Schneider repelled it too, the Shout of the Gods hurt his hands.
-Dang… This one was stronger…
-What? Tell us who's your 'real rival' right now!
-Gee… Didn't I just tell you my hearing's extremely sensible right now? Or you forgot what you had been talking about?
And both the Kami no Tsukai and the Archangel of Fire realized that Schneider was an Antiarchangel… Genzo's mortal enemy.
-Wakabayashi-kun… -murmured Tsubasa.
-Exactly. That scum and I are rivals from before we were born…
-And yet he was your friend –said Hyuga threateningly. –Both of you were in the same team.
-He never was my friend! Both of us, no, every soccer player has the same dream… And it's always been my greatest challenge to beat him…
-Don't be an idiot, Schneider! Genzo was your friend, and though now you were seduced by the powers of darkness, he has always considered you his friend. I know it because of the letter he wrote to me –said Tsubasa, angry.
-Don't make me laugh… Oblivion!
-You never learn! Shout of the Gods!
The attacks collided in midair, but it seemed that Schneider's Oblivion was stronger. And for bad luck's sake, Schneider's attack hit Tsubasa, who fell cataleptic.
-Tsubasa! Get up, man! –hollered Hyuga when he saw his friend immobile and blank.
-He won't get up. My attack erases the mind of anyone who gets hit by it. Now he's merely a zombie –said Schneider, chuckling.
-It can't be… I claim at my fate for the burden given to me! Phoenix Flame!
For some weird reason, the fire that flew out of Kojiro's hands didn't fly towards Schneider, but targeted Tsubasa, who was instantly covered in the blinding flame. However, Hyuga didn't stop to see what had happened; so great was his fury (and remember he's really explosive) he only attacked Karl, until he had Karl cornered, with one of his daggers near the German's jugular.
-Now you'll pay for all what you did, and for the time you kicked me in the stomach, Schneider –said the Archangel of Fire, his aura blazing around him and his face a mask of unleashed fury, out of being really hurt; don't think that Schneider didn't defend himself.
-Try to kill me if you have the guts to do so… -said Schneider derisively. –You're so weak I bet you're not capable of thrusting your dagger in my throat.
-Don't look for trouble where there isn't any.
-Let him go, Hyuga-kun! –said a voice.
It was Tsubasa, completely healed and back to his brain.
-¡Tsubasa! –exclaimed Hyuga and Schneider, surprised. It seemed that Hyuga's new-found power had cured Tsubasa completely, including the Oblivion's secondary effect.
-Hyuga-kun, if you kill him, it'll be a world scandal, since Schneider's supposed to be in Munich, not here in La Coruña. Besides, I'm positive that if you destroy Schneider, Kuro will look for someone else and so on. We'd only be acting like them, or even worse.
-OK, Tsubasa-kun. But, how is it that you're cured?
-Yeah; no one survives my Oblivion –said Schneider, with a mixture of cynicism and confusion before running away.
-I don't remember… But when I woke up, I saw a huge flame healing me.
"Then my Phoenix Flame countered the Oblivion's secondary effect…" –Hyuga thought quickly. "That means we don't have just one attack."
He had discovered the same thing Jinko did; it meant their power was growing.
-You're lucky; goodbye –and Schneider disappeared. Tsubasa and Hyuga looked at each other and let escape a sigh of relief.
-I think I have to get out of here; I should be finishing packing up my things –and Hyuga vanished too.
However, Tsubasa went directly to his bedroom. His head was spinning, and he felt he had forgotten something, but couldn't remember what.
- I think I still have some of the Oblivion's consequences. I think I did lose part of my memory.
Tsubasa had forgotten part of the memories he had before moving to Shizuoka, when he was a lonely boy and only had his mother, since his father was always working and his grandparents lived in Shizuoka. However, some fragments of those memories had been saved. But, for how long? Would he lose other parts of his memory in time, as if he had Alzheimer's disease? Or only if he was hit by Schneider and someone else's attack?
Tsubasa ignored it, and he was awfully scared. And if he forgot his parents? His friends? Or Sanae and their child?
No; he couldn't forget them in any way. He couldn't forget them nor the precious moments he had lived with them
He was still in that pensive, meditating stance, lying on his bed, until Rivaul, annoyed, opened the door of the bedroom.
-Tsubasa, what do you think you're doing? You know it's lunchtime and the trainer called us to have a long practice –said the Brazilian soccer player.
-Huh? Ah… Rivaul. Sorry; I think I have a memory loss.
-I hope you don't get it in the game.
-I hope so too. Then, should we go?
-Hop to it, man!
However, when they were walking to the dining room, the tanned player noticed that Tsubasa looked strange.
-Oi, Tsubasa, what's wrong with you?
-I don't know… I feel I forgot something, but I don't know what it is.
-Up to where I know, you forget things while you grow older. Think of your brain as a computer; while you learn new things, you erase the old matters and memories. The babyhood and early childhood memories are the first you lose, or that's what I read.
-How do you know that?
-I said to myself that if I couldn't be a pro soccer player, then I'd be a neurologist.
-Heh… And I'm studying Languages…
-Yeah, yeah, very funny. Let's see… Do you remember when's your wife's birthday?
-March 24 (NOTE: I know Takahashi didn't give Sanae a birth date; that's why I gave her this one)
-Well, that's normally the first data people forgets, so I think your problem isn't serious, Tsubasa.
And they arrived to the dining room. Everyone had lunch calmly, and they later practiced for the match.
But while the day passed, the Messenger of the Gods couldn't help but be afraid of losing his memory completely. He couldn't take that fear out of his head.
However, his cellphone rang, scaring him.
-Hello? Tsubasa speaking.
-Hi niisan. It's me, Daichi
-Daichi-kun? You should be sleeping right now!
-I know, but… but… -and the change Daichi's voice had scared the Kami no Tsukai. –But I have to talk with you, Tsukai.
-Shiro!
It couldn't be! The White Guide was inside his little brother.
-I know that one of the Antiarchangels' Oblivion hit you squarely, and luckily the Archangel of Fire found the way to save you. You may have lost part of your memories, but thanks to him, you're free from the secondary effects of Oblivion.
-But, what if I lose my other memories? What if I forget everything?
-You never forget what you've lived although you don't… remember it…
-Shiro… How is it that you're talking with me?
-Thanks to… Daichi… –and the call ended.
"So thanks to Hyuga I won't lose my other memories…" –thought Tsubasa, relieved. "However, I'm not going to let those attacks hit me or anyone I know. Now I knower that the Antiarchangels' attacks aren't just utter damage; there's also collateral damage… Worse that what anyone could imagine."
And more thankful than ever with the one that had died and now possessed Daichi to help in some way or other, Tsubasa decided to dedicate himself to leveling up his powers.
-From now on, I won't let Santana and his minions use their attacks on people, now that I know how damaging they are –he told himself firmly.
And when he stuck one of his hands in his pocket, he got a pleasant surprise: The fragment of pure light his dear grandmother had given him was there!
-First Shiro and now my Grandma… Thank you, both –Tsubasa made his sword appear under the shape of the Dagger, freeing the gem with the pebble, and his sword appeared without being in battle.