Meruto's Choice

Sequel to Meruto's Wish...It's been 10 years since she went back in time...so now, she's 16. Meruto found her own Takky, but he died. She told herself to never love anyone else. And a Shinigami has come to take her soul. Will she go?

No, I don't own Full Moon, Takuto, etc. They are all owned by Arina Tanemura, a wicked, awesome, outta-sight, spectacular manga-ka!

Which reminds me. I have news to all Tanemura fans: Shinshi Doumei Cross is coming out in English manga in March 2007! - Be prepared!

But I do own Meruto! XD And Tomoko...and Mrs. Kilaman (in this chappie). And any other random charries not in FMWS.

Chapter 3

Running...

Meruto reached the race spot just before the race started, but she was panting from running there. No...I have to race for Tai... she thought just before heading to the sign-in desk. For once, her steps weren't difficult to make when she was breathing hard and she wasn't about to pass out. She...could breath...

"Would you like to sign up for the race, miss?" the lady at the desk asked Meruto who replied with a firm nod. "Just sign in here and the race starts in five minutes."

Meruto nodded once again and then took the pen in her hand. "Erm...is it alright if I just sign my nickname or do I have to sign my real name?" Meruto asked before signing the sheet of paper.

The lady looked up at Meruto with a skeptical look, but replied, "Any name is fine. If you have to use a fake name, you probably can't run anyway."

Meruto ignored the woman's last comment and signed her favorite nickname on the paper, Neko-chan. It was in honor of the person who saved her life, Takuto. Even if he wasn't a cat anymore that would always be Meruto's symbol for him and now it was hers.

So, to get ready for the race, Meruto grabbed a water bottle from the concession stand and sat down on a bench near the track. The race was one full mile, more than she'd ever ran in her life. And the winner of this race would go on to the County Race...and then more races after that... If she could win just one of those races, Tai would be proud of her...and she would be doing something he loved...and maybe, she'd love it too...

"Hey girly?" a voice stated behind Meruto, making her jump in surprise. She spun around only to see Tomoko, the Shinigami, standing behind her. "You gunna race?"

"Yes," Meruto replied, determined and annoyed. Why ask such a stupid question? Of course she was racing!

"Then, I suggest you get up on the starting line," Tomoko stated with boredom and then pointed to the starting line where people were lining up.

Meruto looked at the starting line and then rolled her eyes. "Ba-ka," she stated simply.

Tomoko was taken aback. "What?" he growled. "I was just trying to help you out, you stupid girl!"

Meruto sighed and pointed at the starting line. "You race in groups of six. It doesn't matter if you win your race...it matters if you have the best time. So, I'm probably going to be in one of the last groups."

"But won't that...Takuto fellow know you're gone?" Tomoko asked as the whistle blew for the start of the first heat.

"How do you know Takuto?" Meruto asked, confusion all over her face.

"I had to study up on you before I came down here. You know, family, friends, etc." Tomoko replied simply in a bored voice. He sat down on the bench beside Meruto who sighed. "What?"

"People are evil," Meruto stated simply, shifted her position so her feet were on the bench as well.

Tomoko looked at the girl as if she had just sprouted antlers. "Aren't you a person?"

Meruto shrugged. "I wish I wasn't..." She paused and then added, "People are greedy and selfish. Because of them, the world is dying and everything else is miserable."

"I see you don't think very highly of yourself..." Tomoko chimed in, rolling his eyes away from Meruto.

"Maybe that's why I'm so agreeable to dying..." Meruto said as they called her name. She stood up and turned to Tomoko who had a shocked look on his face from what Meruto has just said. "Wish me luck!" Meruto added with a smile.

Tomoko watched as Meruto jogged lightly towards the starting line. That is one seriously messed up girl...

As Meruto lined herself up on the starting line, she realized just how much age difference there was between her and the other five people there. Everyone else was so much older than her...and their legs were so muscular compared to her scrawny ones.

Nervousness overcame her as the bell rang for the race to begin and she ended up tripping over her own feet. Luckily, she didn't receive any scrapes or bruises.

But in order to catch up, she had to sprint. So, she lifted herself off the ground and ran. The wind caught in her hair, making it fly behind her and out of her face, but her eyes narrowed in determination. She was only 1/4 mile behind everyone else. She could do this.

Breathing was easy for her and her legs carried her down the track. It was like she was flying. Flying like an angel...flying like Tai was flying then...because Meruto certainly believed he had become an angel. It was true...running was exhilarating...and a chance for a mere mortal to fly above her limits.

Three laps later, Meruto could no longer feel her legs...and yet they kept pumping and she kept racing down the track. Her persistence to win overcame her tiredness and her weakness. Her will conquered everything. No one lay ahead of her and it was the last turn. She didn't have the slightest clue of how she passed the others or even when she passed them, but when she looked up, all she could see in front of her was the outline of a ribbon.

As soon she felt the ribbon tug against her, she receded to a walk...and closed her eyes. Whenever they were open, all the images came in blurry and suddenly, her feet gave out on her and she fell backwards. Awkwardly, she felt herself hit against something hard and when she opened her eyes, she realized she was sitting on the bench again. She had no idea how or when she walked over tot he bench, but...she was there...

"Yo, girly, you awake?" a voice asked her and her eyes sprang wide open as she turned to her side, but sitting there was only Tomoko, not Tai... His voice had that same soft yet annoyed tone in it...but it wasn't Tai's. She would never hear Tai's voice again...not his human one anyway.

"Yeah...I'm alive..." Meruto replied in an annoyed tone and grumbled. With how horrible she felt, she knew she didn't win the race, let alone place in the top 3. "Just leave me alone..."

"Yeah...whatever...but I doubt you'll want that lady with the medal leave you alone..." Tomoko replied in his bored tone of voice and just as he said it, a medal was placed around Meruto's neck. Meruto blinked and looked up into the shining face of the lady behind the desk.

"Congratulations, Neko-chan! You get the first place medal! You ran away so fast, we didn't get to award you properly!" the lady stated and then suddenly, a swarm of reporters and photographers gathered around her.

"Ah! But what about the other competitors?" Meruto asked, noticing only 12 people raced so far.

"Who cares about them? You just worry about training yourself for the County Race in two weeks." the lady stated. "And I can be your manager. Mrs. Kilaman's the name, nice to meet you."

Meruto was taken aback by the woman's friendliness, but didn't get a chance to reply for about ten reporters started asking different questions all at once, not to mention about a dozen cameras were going off. "Uh..."

"Sorry boys, but Neko-chan can't talk today. We'll schedule something later...kay?" Mrs. Kilaman replied and took Meruto away into the girls' locker room under the bleachers.

"Um...excuse me...but what am I supposed to do now? And what happened out there? Why were all those people fawning over me?" Meruto asked Mrs. Kilaman who smiled and laughed at the girl's thoughts.

"You just broke the all-time record here and I'm sure you broke some other ones as well...maybe Olympic even?" Mrs. Kilaman stated and Meruto widened her eyes in astonishment.

"That's not possible." Meruto stated, shaking her head firmly. "I'm not fast."

"Oh yes you are." Mrs. Kilaman reinforced and then popped out a card from her pocket and gave it to Meruto. "Call me later and we'll set up a lunch."

Then, Mrs. Kilaman disappeared out of site. Meruto blinked at where she once stood and then blinked at the card in her hand and asked out loud, "What just happened?"

Sorry for the boring chapter. I rushed to finish it...just so I could update. I'm sorry... But soon, I have to get some action!

And the "people are evil" thing will make more sense later. R&R.