A song from a distant memory awakens his eyes to a dark thought... a thought that will slowly become a infected wound that will not heal.

Chapter Seven: Karaoke

" What was that about?" asked Dawn as she gave Raven a hard stare.

Standing in the elevator of Sunset Mall was Amy, Ami, Dawn, and Raven, who are heading for the 2nd floor.

" What do you mean?" responded Raven in a confused manner.

The Wong sisters started laughing as the doors to the elevator opened. Dawn walk out, not even giving eye contact to Raven. Amy laughed even harder as Raven approached them.

" Why is she angry?"

" It's a girl thing," answered Ami.

" A girl thing?"

" She's mad that you were talking to Rei," shouted Amy in the direction that Dawn was heading, " after all, they hate each OTHER!"

" Hate...each other?"

" Like Ami said, it's a girl thing."

Amy runs after Dawn as Ami grabs Raven's hand and follows in pursue. Dawn looks in the corner of her eyes and sees them coming and starts to think to herself as she continues looking at Raven.

' I can't let my feelings cloud me...'

" Hey, Dawn! Wait for us!" shouted Amy.

' That's what THEY want to happen, but Raven is...'

Suddenly, Dawn runs into the wall ahead of her as the Wong sisters look on in shock and Raven looks at them and approaches Dawn. He extends his hand out as Dawn looks up at him.

" Is this a girl thing too?"

" Shut up, Raven" replied Dawn as she lifted herself up, " just shut up."

" At least he was nice enough to help you," responded Amy in Raven's defense, " but you ruin THAT now."

" I don't need his help," said Dawn in a angered tone, " so can we go now."

" I apologize,"

Dawn turn towards Raven as did Amy and Ami, but it was only for a second before she continue walking to the Hot Topic close by.

" What's with Dawn all of a sudden?" asked Ami to her sister, " it can't all be Rei, can it?

" Who knows."

They ran after her as Raven looks at his hand and turns toward the elevator in the distant.

" I don't understand their ways," said Raven quietly.

He closes his hand and heads for the elevator, which has the doors forcefully open, suddenly.

" Humans are like that little brother..."

Two hands reach out for Raven within the elevator as Raven extends his hand to them.

" Shall we go?"

" Yes, dear sisters," responded Raven as he looks back before entering.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Within Hot Topic, Dawn is looking around, ignoring Amy and Ami, who are trying to get her attention.

" What you did was wrong," said Amy as she step in front of Dawn.

" Let it go," responded Dawn, who turn around and met Ami in her face.

" Your acting like..."

" Like what?" answered the upset Dawn to Ami, " myself!"

Dawn pushes Ami to the side and approaches the cashier with a couple of shirts and jeans. Ami looks at her sister, who turns and walks out the store. Ami lowers her head and takes a deep breath as Dawn hands the cashier some money.

" Raven is naive in a lot of things, but he has a kind heart," said Ami, who turn and follow her sister outside, " I know he's different."

Dawn looks back with red eyes that slowly begin to water as the cashier tries to get her attention.

' You don't know him like I do'

Outside of Hot Topic, Ami notices her sister looking around and approaches her.

" What's wrong?" asked Ami curiously.

" Raven, he's gone..."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

As the sky darkens, Eden, Rain, and Raven head for home as the street lights of Hawke avenue start to come on

" It seems you bought some things," said Rain happily, " can I see them?"

Raven hands his bags to Rain as they come to a stop, waiting for the light to change.

" What's in the bags, Rain?" asked Eden eagerly.

" Lets see now," replied Rain as she lifted a item from the bag.

First, she pull out the first volume of Elfen Lied and gave it to Eden to look at.

" It's about this creature that is suppose to replace humans," answered Raven.

" How intriguing," responded Eden as she put the dvd back in the bag.

The light change and they continue walking as Rain grab another item from the bag.

" Princess Mononoke?"

" I've heard of this," said Eden excitedly, "the art is beautifully done."

" I'm surprise you pick this, Raven."

" I didn't," responded Raven, " Rei did."

Eden and Rain come to a stop with smiles on their faces as Raven looks back at them.

" This is VERY interesting, Rain."

" I agree, Eden."

" You can tell us more at home, but first..."

" We feel like singing."

' Singing?' thought Raven to himself.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

" The first time I saw your tears, I couldn't do anything but hold your hand. When you're exhausted from crying, you whisper to me and smile...that was you!"

Eden begins clapping happily as Rain takes a bow. Raven looks around the multi-colored room and sighs as Rain passes the microphone to Eden as she gets up.

" When you scold me for the first time, I couldn't say anything and I looked down on the floor. You turned your back and your heart grew cold. You made the same scar I made in your heart...that was us!"

Rain starts screaming out in joy as Eden jumps up and down in excitement. Suddenly, she notices Raven is getting bored and she walks down the stage and hands him the microphone.

" It's your turn to sing," said Eden happily, " have fun with it."

Raven grabs the microphone as the lights start to dim. He approaches the stage as the tempo of the song slows down. The room changes into a grassy meadow with raindrops falling one at a time. Figures that resemble young boys and girls playing, surround them as Raven, who doesn't notice the sudden change puts his lips against the microphone.

" Today, they will meet, they will understand each other, they will separate and it repeats. The one thing that will never change is the scar that they made in each other's hearts!"

The children start laughing as Raven looks up, his eyes widening to the sight of them. They start throwing rocks at him as he quickly covers himself, looking for his sisters, who seem to be nowhere in sight.

" How long should we leave him in there?" asked Rain, who lock the door to the room.

" Until he starts having some fun!" answered Eden with a grin as she walk down the hallway, " or until THEY find him."

Within the room, Raven was in the fetal mission, quivering as the children throwing more rocks at him. The rain started coming down hard as more figures started to appear, but this time, it was adults.

" You little monster!"

" We wish you were NEVER born!"

Suddenly, one of the adults run up to him and stomps him in the head. While another one comes and kicks him in the chest. More and more adults come and start attacking him as the children laugh at the sight of it.

" MOTHER! FATHER!" cried Raven frantically, " HELP ME!"

A women spits in his face before kicking him in the face. Raven cries out as blood flies into the air and to the ground. Two men lift Raven up and hold him by the arms as the adults take turns punching him in the gut and face. Raven begins to cough up blood, which gets onto one of the women's skirts. She notices this and slaps him across the face, sending more blood flying.

" Your an abomination..."

" A freak of nature."

They continue their assault as two figures slowly make their way to Raven, who the adults allow to fall to his knees, before hitting the muddy ground face first.

" Are you alive, Raven?"

Raven struggles to open his eyes as he is confronted by his mother and father. A slight grin appears upon his swollen face as he tries to lift himself up.

" Mama...Pa..."

Before he can finish his words, his father kicks him in the jaw, shocking him as he stares into his mother and father's hateful gaze.

" Your a mistake, Raven!"

Tears fall from Raven's eyes as he roll onto his back.

" I love you," cried Raven sadly.

His mother fell to her knees and started to strangle Raven as he gasp for air.

" I HATE you! I HATE you! I HATE YOU!" screamed Raven's mother at the top of her lungs, " YOU'RE NOT MY SON! YOU'RE A MONSTER!"

The children started cheering in approval at the sign of Raven's suffering as he went in and out of consciousness.

" Please, STOP IT!"

Suddenly, everyone was gone, the meadow had return to karaoke room it was before and all of Raven's wounds had vanish as well. Raven continue to lay on the floor as tears continue to run down his face.

" Why did you kill them, Raven?"

Raven glances at the stage as the spotlight hits a feminine figure wearing a white tanktop and black baggy jeans. Raven's mouth opens in awe at the sight of someone familiar to him. She had long white hair that went to the very ground as her pale, yet rosy face gave a saucy smile. Her small hands grasp the microphone tightly as she kneel down and pointed it in his direction.

" Totoshi," answered Raven as he wiped away the tears and close his eyes, " they needed to die!"

" No one deserves to die!"

" Then why did you kill me?"

" Because I love you..."

" Is that so?"

" Do you question my feelings?"

" I do..."

" Why?"

" Because you choose them over me..."

" I had to or..."

" Or what?"

Walking through the halls of the karaoke bar, Dawn, Ami, Amy are taken to the room at the very end. The manager tries to open the door, but it seems to be locked.

" Maybe someone is already using it," responded Ami.

" That can't be," said the manager as he pulled out his keys, " they left an hour ago."

The manager opens the door to find Raven in the empty room, laying on the floor with his eyes close. Amy sees this and rushes in as does her sister and Dawn. The manager tells them that he is going to go get some help and quickly leaves. Ami approaches Raven to see if he's alright as Amy stares at Dawn.

" I killed you, Totoshi," said Raven softly.

Dawn is startle by that name and begins backing away. Amy notices this as Raven slowly opens his eyes.

" Raven is opening his eyes," shouted Ami happily as she help him up.

Dawn stare at him as a look of fear came across her face for what looked back at her were two apathetic red eyes.