Here we go, here's the Chapter that I promised. So, I noticed something that I sadly hadn't before. No on receives a notification when I replace Chapters. So while there was an Author's Note originally last Chapter there is an actual Chapter now so if you didn't read Chapter Seventy-Three you should probably read it. The Chapter is a bit odd, in my mind but hey. Also, what do you guys think about the new cover image? I personally love it then again I might be partial since I actually drew that. I had always wanted to have a 'custom' cover but I didn't work up the courage to draw it or post it until just recently actually. [If you can't see it well I do have a link on profile that leads to where it is posted on DeviantArt, if you want to see a bigger version of it.]
Chapter Seventy-Four: Forgotten
[Takuya's P.O.V]
I spun around, my surroundings weren't familiar at all. I listened to the buzz of the crowd, trying to hear something like my mother's voice or maybe the babble of my brother.
"Mama!" I cried out afraid.
"Papa!" I spun as I called but no one stopped.
No one was offering any kind of help. People just edged away from me and gave me looks of disdain. I didn't want to move from here because they would come to look for me here, right? My eyes widened as I stumbled forwards, the crowd pushing me forwards. I was pushed all around since I was shorter than the adults that crowded the street.
I groaned as I was pushed out of the crowd and ended face first on the ground. I pushed myself up slowly but as I did so a pair of feet came into view. I lifted my head to look at who was standing in front of me. In front of me stood a girl with shoulder length black hair and purple eyes.
"Are you ok?" Her voice was soft and I barely heard her over the crowd.
"Yeah." I stared at her.
She shifted and grabbed the bottom of her dress, pulling it down. She looked so uncomfortable – I looked away when that registered. I stood up and dusted my pants off. I looked around to see if her parents were around but there was no adults around or any that were paying attention to her. Did she get separated from her parents like I was?
"Um, where are your parents?" I asked it as I scanned the crowd trying to find my parents.
"I got separated from them." There was something funny in her voice but I didn't know what it was.
"We can look for our parents together then!" I turned towards her and offered her my hand.
She stared at my hand with a look of shock on her face. I tilted my head, waiting for her to take my hand or say something. She looked from my hand and instead looked to my eyes. She stared into my eyes and as she stared I noticed something awesome. Her eyes might've been purple which was odd but there were flecks of both blue and red within her eyes.
"Your eyes are awesome!" Her cheeks went red at my words.
"R-really?" I nodded and she took my hand even if she hesitated.
She gave me a wide bright smile, "Let's look for your parents!"
She ran into the crowd dragging me behind her. As we ran I caught sight of pale strands of purple mixed in among her black hair. After a couple of moments we stopped running because the crowd had thickened and because we were both winded.
"What's your name?" After my question she turned her head to look at me.
"I'm Raven, what's your name?" I found myself blushing slightly for some reason.
"I'm Takuya." She shook my hand that she still held and giggled slightly.
"Nice to meet you Takuya." I laughed slightly.
"Takuya!" I turned my head when I heard my name get called.
I looked around though because I couldn't figure out which direction it had been called from. Raven tugged on my hand so I looked to her. She was pointing to the right and I got the message so I nodded – she took off running once again and she was still leading me since she still held my hand. Raven shoved her way through a crowd of teenagers that were blocking the way.
"Ah!" I yelped because someone had grabbed the back of my shirt and snatched me from the ground.
I kicked the air and tried to grab at the person that held me. Raven had stopped and turned around. I looked to find that one of the teenagers that she had shoved through had grabbed me. They were smirking and had dark looks. I gulped and stilled – afraid suddenly.
"Let go of him!" People stopped and my head whipped back to Raven.
Her voice didn't sound soft any longer and she glared. Her purple eyes were darker while the specks of red popped more in her eyes. Her hands were curled into fists.
The teenager that held me laughed, "Oh no, I'm so scared! Help me before the munchkin bites my ankle off!"
One of the other teenagers stepped forwards and cracked his knuckles. That action brought the attention of the adults that were around. Different families now were watching in near horror because they probably knew what was going to happen like I knew what was about to happen. I started to struggle again.
"Someone should teach you some manners." The one that had cracked his knuckles stepped towards Raven but she didn't flinch.
Raven narrowed her eyes, "I said excuse me but you didn't move. It's your fault."
"Raven!" I screamed her name as others just screamed.
The teenage had actually lunged at her. Raven though jumped to side the boy stumbled slightly while Raven shot forwards without even stopping. She kicked him in the back of his knee, his legs shook and he actually dropped. He grabbed Raven but Raven jabbed his arm and after a yelp he let go of her and she then punched him in his throat.
I was dropped and I barely landed on my feet but my legs shook. I dropped to my knees while Raven rushed to my side. She placed a hand on my back and knelt beside me. Her eyes were back to being clear and light in color. I noticed that the teenagers had grabbed their downed friend and took off running.
"Takuya, are you ok?" I stared at her though.
"I, should be asking you that." She laughed and just smiled.
"Ah, don't worry about me. I'm pretty good at fighting." From what I saw I would have to say that she is.
She stood up and offered me her hand. I took her hand and she pulled me up. I rubbed my throat since it hurt a little from how my shirt had been pulled against it. The wiggling I had done probably didn't help and might've given me some kind of burn.
"Takuya!" I heard my father's voice loud and clear that time.
"Come on, this way!" Raven was running once more, pulling me along behind her.
We ran through the crowds but then the crowd suddenly broke, it was like the crowd just magically vanish. Looking around I caught sight of my parents. I released Raven's hand and ran towards my parents.
"Mama! Papa!" They both turned to look at me when I called out.
"Takuya!" My father caught me and picked me up.
He held me tight while my mother reached out and grabbed my cheeks. She was crying slightly and she looked so afraid. She started to kiss my face again and again. She was shaking as well.
"You're safe." My mother took me from my father and held me tightly.
My mother was now softly sobbing into my shoulder. She was hugging me so tightly that it hurt a little bit. I didn't say anything though because if I had been afraid a bit she must've been terrified. I looked at my father when he ran his hand over my head. He smiled slightly, he seemed to have calmed down now.
"Ah, that's right!" I turned around the best I could while mother was still hugging me.
Raven stood back and she looked a bit sad for some reason, even if she was wearing a smile. She pulled at the dress that she was wearing a bit. She was rocking back and forth on her feet. She ducked her head and looked away after our eyes met.
"Who is that Takuya?" I looked to my father and grinned.
"That's my friend, Raven, she helped me find you two!" I grinned and mother sat me down.
"Really, she helped me!" I ran over to Raven and grabbed her hands.
"E-eh, Takuya?" I pulled her over to my parents.
"This is Raven, Raven this is my parents!" Raven seemed to shrink slightly but she bowed.
"H-hello, it's n-nice to meet you." Raven stood after a couple of moments.
"It's nice to meet you as well Raven." My mother had knelt down so she was at Raven's height.
"Where are your parents Raven?" At my father's question Raven shifted and gave a nervous laugh.
"Well, my mama isn't with me anymore while my papa is fighting." My parents seemed sadden hearing that.
"Who are you here with then Raven?" Wasn't Raven here with her parents?
"Well, my aunt brought me here but she got called into work so she left me here. She said I was old enough to stay by myself." I looked at Raven.
"How old are you?" My mother asked the question but since Raven was my height she had to be the same age as me, nine.
"Despite my height I'm eleven, almost twelve." My jaw dropped, she was older than me!?
"Y-you're eleven?" She nodded and looked at me.
"Y-you're the same height as me and I'm nine!" Her face flushed at my words.
"Y-yeah, I'm gonna get taller one day. I know I will." She sounded both sure and unsure at once.
Well, at least that explains why she seemed so calm through everything, also why she hadn't seemed intimidated facing off against the teenagers. She was older than I was and probably actually closer to their age since they were probably thirteen or fourteen.
"Thank you for helping my son." I looked to mother when she said that, as had Raven.
"Oh, well I couldn't just leave him when he looked so lost. You never know what could happen, especially when no adults seem to spare a glance at all." My parents smiled hearing Raven's words.
"Do you have any younger siblings?" Raven shrugged.
"No but there is this boy, I took him under my wing as a brother since he lost his family. Someone has to help him adjust so I took him in." Something about her answer, sounded off.
"Raven!" At the call of her name both Raven and I turned around.
A boy was running towards us, he had messy brownish red hair. It stuck up in every direction and he had a cut on his cheek that was actually stitched. He didn't look happy one bit and Raven crossed her arms, glared at him actually.
"What are you doing here? You're not supposed to be here." She walked to him and grabbed him by his ear.
"W-what hey, ow that hurts!" She dragged the boy away.
I was confused but I frowned. I didn't even get to say goodbye to her. I shook my head and looked away from where she had disappeared. She has to live somewhere around here so I would probably get to see her again at some point.
"Everything alright Takuya?" I turned to face my parents.
"Yeah, just hungry now since Raven and I were running around trying to find you two." My stomach growled at the same time so it worked out.
"Come on, I saw a food stand not too far." I nodded.
My father grabbed my hand when we began to walk this time. Mother carried Shinya, who was looking around at all of the lights, as we made the way to wherever father had seen the food stands. As we walked I looked around, hoping to spot Raven even if she had gone in the other direction. Everything kind of linked together so it wouldn't be too hard for her to have looped around down a different path.
"What do you want Takuya?" I looked up and found that we had approached a bunch of booths.
My stomach started to growl when all of the scents started to hit my nose. My mouth watered as I could smell so many delicious things and I could taste a few from smell alone. There were so many smells that assaulted my nose. I couldn't decide what I wanted. I could smell takoyaki, yakisoba, karumeyaki, taiyaki, crepes, and dango. Besides that I could see cotton candy, chocolate bananas, kakigori, candy apples, and even candied strawberries.
"Well, I want some kakigori," Mom shot me a look, "but mom's gonna say actual food so, ah I want a crepe!"
Mother nodded and began to head to the crepe stand. I looked at my dad when he ruffled my hair. He winked at me and I grinned knowing that I would get some kakigori before we left at least. We caught up to mother and she had ordered a crepe. As we stood waiting I looked around to see if I could catch sight of anyone I knew. It was hard to believe that I hadn't seen anyone from school yet.
I turned around when something caught my eye. I tilted my head as I looked at the familiar looking black haired boy. He had short hair and there was a girl beside, messy blonde hair that reached her waist. She wore a kimono that had a pattern that looked like it moved. I rubbed my eyes since the pattern played with my eyes. When I looked back they were walking away but the black haired boy had stopped and turned towards me.
Ah, he must've noticed that I was staring at them! I gave a nervous smile and I wasn't sure what to expect from him. He tilted his head as he stared at me, he looked confused but looked like he knew who I was. The blonde haired girl turned to look when he started to approach me. I also felt like something drew me towards him – as if we met somewhere before.
"Koichi!"
"Takuya."
The black haired boy turned to look to the blonde haired girl while I turned to look at my mother. She smiled as she offered me the crepe. I took the crepe and looked back but the boy, Koichi, was gone. Well I could see him still, he had walked away while holding the hand of the blonde haired girl.
"Did you know that boy?" I looked to my father, he stared at me.
My mother looked around, "What boy?"
"He and Takuya were practically having a staring contest, they were starting to walk towards each other before they were snapped out of it." I blinked a couple of times and tried to figure out what had just happened.
"He just, seemed familiar for some reason." Where did I see him before?
Did we maybe go to the same school but have different classes? Did we live close by and he was one of those kids that went to a different school? Were we in the same class in a previous year? I took a bite into my crepe as I thought harder. Maybe we just passed each other a lot? Koichi, that name sounded so familiar for some reason though. He had a brother didn't he? His brother's name started with a K as well. A fuzzy image appeared in my head.
The harder I tried to focus on the image and trying to remember the other two names that seemed to be on the tip of my tongue the image became blurrier. Why was thinking about it making it harder to remember? Why was it as if the memory was being chased away instead of being pulled back?
You can't even remember your friends?
"Takuya!" I blinked rapidly as I looked to my parents.
"Are you sure you're ok?" I grinned at mother and nodded.
"Yeah, I just got lost in thought. I was trying to remember where I saw him boy." It bothered me that I couldn't remember someone who I feel like had been a friend.
"So you do know him then?" I looked to father, he seemed happy for some reason.
"I think, I don't remember him but I feel like I know him." I actually felt angry at myself for not remembering for some reason.
"Come, eat your crepe then you can play some games Takuya." I nodded and started to eat my crepe.
We moved to some benches that were set up and sat down. I ate my crepe slowly and tried to think about that boy, Koichi. He seemed so familiar for some reason. He seemed so familiar to me that it bothered me. The fact that the more I tried to remember him the more I forgot him bothered me. I felt like that I was missing something big – that there was something missing from my memory. It bothered me because I knew there was a day's gap in my memory. The day that I had mysteriously vanished according to my parents actually – I didn't remember anything and no matter what I did I couldn't remember.
I stopped thinking about it when there was a flare of pain. The pain seemed to blossom in the middle of head, it's something that's always happened when I tried to remember that day. Was that boy linked with that day since trying to remember him made it hurt? If I could figure out who he was then maybe I could finally tell my parents where I was that day.
"Takuya, let's go." I looked to mother as she spoke – also realizing that I had eaten my crepe while deep in thought.
Shinya was crying and fussing. I frowned. Ever since Shinya was born I never really got to enjoy the fairs. Shinya didn't do crowds well and would just start wailing if there were too many people. He was my younger brother so I hated him crying but at the same time I miss the days when I was the only child and got to enjoy the fair as much as I wanted to and got to play whatever game I wanted to, when I got to go on the rides I wanted to but now I couldn't play the games since they were crowded usually while the only rides I got to ride really were the kiddy rides that Shinya seemed to be attracted to.
"Yuri, why don't you take Shinya home? I'll stay with Takuya, he's had a lot of stuff going on so he should get to have some fun." I smiled and looked at my father when he said that.
Mother was kind and tried to let me have fun but with Shinya wailing or with Shinya crying when he didn't get what he wanted it wasn't much fun tonight. Though if I got to stay while Shinya went home I would get to play some games and I would get to have fun.
"How would you two get home?" Mother sounded worried, we had drove here.
"I think Takuya could handle walking home, it isn't that far away, right son?" I nodded quickly when father asked me.
"Uh huh, I could handle that!" I turned to mother and gave her my puppy dog eyes.
Mother stared at me before leaning down and she kissed my cheek. She gave me a smile and I laughed slightly when Shinya lent forward in mother's arms and kissed my cheek – before he went on to slobber all over my face. I wheeled back and wiped my cheek off. Shinya was laughing and clapping his hands while our parents were laughing.
"Alright, take care of him Hiro. He comes back with a single bump you're sleeping on the couch for a week." I snickered when I heard mother threaten father, who smiled but nodded.
"Do not let him gorge himself on junk food either!" After father nodded, mother began to walk away with Shinya in her arms.
Shinya seemed confused but smiled and waved back to us. I waved to him and he grinned widely. He was a good little brother – I would never admit that out loud though. I didn't mind having a sibling either despite how much friends seem to dislike having siblings that were younger since they got the attention. Those who were the youngest though enjoyed the heck out of being the youngest though because they got whatever they wanted it seemed like.
"Alright, what do you want to do now Takuya?" I grinned as I turned to look at father.
There were so many things that I wanted to do. I wanted to go on the rides. I wanted to play games. I wanted to have some junk food. What did I want to do first?
Did you forget your friend so easily?
"I want to play some games!" Father grinned and began to lead the way back to the games.
As we got back into the crowd I grabbed his hand. He looked at me, worried a bit but I smiled up at him. I didn't want to get separated from him again. Even if Raven had helped me find my parents I didn't want to go through that again. I doubt Raven would just appear once again though. She wouldn't appear and help me a second time. It was a coincidence that I had met her the first time. It was luck that I had met her.
"Everything good Takuya?" I nodded and looked around since we had reached where the games were.
"Yeah, it's just crowded here." Once I spoke he tightened his grip on my hand.
"Yeah, it is." As father spoke my eyes locked onto a game.
I pulled on father's hand and tried to drag him to the game. I saw one of the prizes and I wanted it. The prize had caught my eye and I wanted. Once to the stand I looked at what game it was. I would have to knock down a tower of cans with a baseball. I frowned since I was never that good at that type of game.
"Wanna try?" I looked at father and then my eyes settled on the prize.
The stuffed animal kind of stood out to me among the various ones that were offered, it seemed to be one of a kind. The stuffed animal was a dragon however it had wide blue eyes and blonde tuff coming out from what looked like a mask. Wings that were stylized as fire came from the plush plating that covered the dragon's body. Something about it called out to me.
"Yeah, I wanna try." He nodded and before I could go up I watched as the blonde haired girl from earlier picked up one of the balls.
"Come on Storm, you know those games are rigged." The black hair boy whined slightly.
"Oh shush Koichi, you want the cat like thingy and I think it's cute. Besides even if they rig it I'll win." The girl laughed as she tossed the ball up and caught it.
"It's embarrassing that you're gonna try and get that for me, it's usually the other way around." The boy was blushing slightly.
"Hey, you broke your arm thanks to whatever adventure you went on and carelessly forgot you know." I looked to 'Koichi' when she said that.
This time I noticed the cast that was on his arm. Judging from how he still seemed to move it as he pouted told me it was more than likely his used arm. My head seared with pain as a quick flash crossed my mind. I could almost see the boy hitting the ground after being flung, landing painfully on his now broken arm.
I whimpered in pain that accompanied the odd image. That boy, was he with me that day I couldn't remember. No, it wasn't the question of 'was he'. He was there, I just knew he was. As the pain vanished I approached the boy, I had to ask him. I was surprised my father hadn't tried to stop me from leaving his side and approaching Koichi.
"Hey." The boy looked at me, confused.
"Yes?" He sounded hesitant.
"You look, really familiar." He tilted his at my words.
"Yeah, you do to but I can't remember from where." So I look familiar to him.
"Do you, happen to remember the first?" His eyes widened.
"N-no, why are you asking?" He also had a gap for the first.
"Haha, I won!" The blonde girl cut in, shoving the stuffed black cat like thing towards the boy while she cut me a look.
The look made a chill shoot down my spine.
"Next!" I turned my attention from them – Koichi had turned rather silent as the blonde haired girl gushed and tried to get him to take the prize she had won.
I stepped up and my father paid. I picked one of the balls and then I threw it. I watched as it missed the cans by a little bit. I got three chances thankfully. I tried a second time but I missed yet again. I frowned and picked up the third one. I gripped it and focused. I threw the ball but as I did there was a massive commotion that drew everyone's attention, I didn't look though. I frowned as the ball missed but there was a spark of black that seemed to burst right in front of the cans which caused them to crash down.
"Ah, looks like you knocked down all three!" The stand manager looked at the cans when my father spoke.
"Y-yeah, looks like you did, you can choose any prize you want." I quickly responded by pointing at the dragon.
The dragon was taken down and handed to me. I took it and I stared into the blue eyes. Something about it seemed like it belonged to me. I turned around and as my eye caught another stand I heard someone call my name. I turned around and I found that Raven was in the ring of people who had been watching me try to win.
"Raven!" I smiled seeing her.
"Where's your brother?" Raven looked at my father when he questioned it while Raven sighed.
"His aunt showed up with his cousin, she couldn't take him in but wanted to spend time with him. I snuck off though since it was rather awkward for me." She gave an awkward smile to my father.
"I was just coming to play some games when I spotted Takuya – he's the only person here I know and its kind lonely at fairs if you're all alone." She continued to stare at my father.
"Awesome! I get to hang out more with a new friend!" Raven looked at me when I called her my 'friend'.
"Friends?" I nodded and she smiled so widely suddenly.
The blue in her eyes popped suddenly and it was cool as I watched her eyes. She seemed to stand a tad taller suddenly and seemed to bounce on her feet. I did find it a bit odd that Raven didn't wear shoes but I didn't really care to question it since I found it fun to run around barefoot at times myself. If it wasn't for mother making me wear shoes all the time I probably wouldn't wear shoes half the time myself.
"Alright, where to next?" I smiled hearing that.
"Yay!" I cheered and grabbed Raven's wrist, dragging her behind me this time.
"H-hey, Takuya don't go running off by yourself!" My father shouted after me but I didn't slow down.
I laughed as I led Raven towards where the rides where. I heard Raven giggling behind me and once we reached the rides I looked for one that we could get on and then I spotted my favorite. I rushed towards the ride that was usually here whenever they had the fair, it changed every year but it was a haunted house type of ride. We reached it and a couple seconds later my father caught up.
"Don't do that again Takuya or we'll go home, understand me?" I frowned but nodded.
We waited in line and once we got to the front I found out that this year there was no 'ride' but we would just walk through the haunted house. As we entered Raven grabbed my hand, we were plunged into darkness rather quickly. Lights flicked on but they were broken since they were flashed on top of being only bright enough to show a couple feet in front of us.
I took a deep breath, gripped Raven's hand and my dragon prize as I tried to be brave and walk forwards. As we walked there were noises that came from nowhere; moans and groans that seemed to come from the walls while red liquid oozed from the wall. My father walked behind us, chuckling slightly.
"Ah!" Raven screamed suddenly which caused me to jump, something that had glowing eyes had darted right at us but vanished before it had reached us.
"T-that wasn't scary at all." My voice shook as I gripped the dragon tightly.
"Y-yeah." Raven gave a nervous laugh.
"Come on, let's keep going before it comes back." My father's words had Raven and I moving once more.
As we went down the path there was a thumping behind us. I looked back to see only my father but then I noticed something gleam behind my father's shoulder. My eyes widened and I turned around. I barely thought about as I took off running, just as I did there was a roar that only made me run faster. Raven was screaming as we ran. As we came a fork in the path something jumped out from one of the path and Raven pulled us down the other since I had been headed towards the one that had the thing jump out from it. A couple of seconds later we were greeted with the outside.
My heart pounded as we stopped. The previous years had never been that scary.
"Are you two ok?" I looked up, one of the workers looked worried.
"Y-yeah." He looked to Raven so I looked but I was caught off guard.
Raven was sobbing however blood leaked out of a cut that was on forehead. When did she get hurt? She shook and I felt bad. I didn't know she was so scared of things. If I had known I wouldn't have gone through the haunted house.
"She should go and get that checked out, there's a first aid station over there." The guy pointed towards where I could see a pole sticking up, it had the red cross symbol on a flag that flapped.
"Come on." I pulled Raven along, father was bound to be right behind me so I didn't bother looking back since Raven was hurt.
"I'm sorry." I spoke as I gently pulled Raven along towards the first aid center.
"I didn't know that you were easily scared. If I had known I wouldn't have insisted we went through the haunted house." Raven gripped my hand tighter.
"I-it's ok. I d-don't often get scared but I thought I saw the monster that took my dad away." I frowned but some of those things were straight out of nightmares and it seemed like a lot of my friends had nightmares that involved their parents or family dying somehow.
"They won't hurt you though Raven, I'll protect you." I grinned when I saw the first aid tent in sight.
"R-really?" Raven was surprised while I pulled her along as I picked up speed.
"Yeah." We arrived just as I spoke.
One of the ladies smiled and took a look at Raven. The lady seemed a bit troubled after cleaning Raven's head. She ended putting something that she called 'butterfly stitches' on the cut despite them not looking like butterflies at all.
"Where did you get this cut, Raven?" The lady asked it and Raven kicked her feet a little since she sat in a chair.
"Well, Takuya and I were in the haunted house." The lady frowned and then looked at me.
"You're Takuya right?" I nodded.
"Where are your parents?" When she said that I was confused.
"My father was just behind us." I looked around but I didn't see father anywhere.
"He had gone through the haunted house with us." I gulped – I was separated from him once again.
"A-ah now it's my fault that you got separated from him!" Raven had jumped up and was now at my side, looking all around.
"You shouldn't be moving around too much Raven, the cut on your head is kinda deep so if you move too quickly you might get dizzy." Raven waved her hand at the woman's worry.
"I've had worse before, growing up with fights everywhere you get caught up in the crossfire at times." Her words confused me while it seemed to have drawn all of the adults' attention.
"Ah, there, I see him!" I looked in the direction that Raven was now dragging me towards.
I spotted my father and when he us he lost the worried look.
"Are you two ok?" He had bent down to our height once we reached him.
"Yeah, sorry for running off again." He placed a hand on my head and he eyed the cut on Raven's head.
"We should call your aunt, I'm going to take Takuya home tonight and since you're hurt you should go home." Raven frowned.
"I don't have a home." How didn't she have a home?
"Yes you do." She looked at me.
"No I don't." She stressed it but I tilted her head.
"What about your papa, he's bound to come back from 'fighting' soon." She frowned hearing me say that.
"He won't, they said that he isn't coming back because he's a hero and heroes aren't allowed back." Why couldn't heroes come back?
"It's time that you go back to your aunt Raven." Raven's shoulders fell.
"I can't be Takuya's friend then. If I go back to auntie I can't be his friend." Why couldn't we be friends?
"Well, I guess you two can't be friends then." Raven's eyes widen while I looked at father.
"Raven's my friend!" I shouted the words while my father sighed.
"Well, if you're going to keep vanishing because of Raven then I'd rather you two not be friends." I was surprised by how blunt father had been.
"W-well." I didn't know what to say.
I looked at Raven as I thought but her eyes narrowed. She grabbed my arm rather harshly and took off running. I yelped from how tightly she gripped my arm and I dropped my dragon prize as she pulled me along rather forcefully.
"Hey! Get back here!" My father yelled as he gave chase.
"Raven, what are you doing?!" I was confused and scared suddenly.
"I can't be Takuya's friend so I'm going back to auntie." Her voice was cold and made me shiver, fear bloomed within.
"W-why are you taking me with you then?" We took a corner but suddenly we weren't at the fair any longer.
We were running down a long hallway. Raven's feet slapped against the tile harshly and echoed through the empty hallway that seemed to go on for forever. I tried to ground my feet into the ground. I managed to stop us but Raven let go of my arm. I crashed to the ground since I lost balance while Raven turned to me, she glared at me. Her once purple eyes with blue popping out was purple with the red popping out this time.
"Since I can't be Takuya's friend I have to go back to auntie. Since I'm going back to auntie I can't be Takuya's friend." Her voice seemed so hollow.
I started to crawl backwards when she walked towards me. I felt scared. I don't think I've been this scared in my whole life. My heart pounded and the friendly Raven that I had known seemed to be gone. It was as if I was staring at someone else completely. Did Raven have a twin maybe? Maybe this was someone pretending to be Raven.
"Y-you're not Raven! You can't be Raven!" She stopped and her eyes widened.
She started to laugh suddenly. She threw her head back and laughed, her laugh echoed through the hallway. I managed to force myself up to my feet. I turn and I ran down the hallway. I had no clue where I was going. I didn't even know where I was. I just knew that that I had to get away from the Rave-look-alike. I saw something shimmering farther down the hall, it looked like the fair. I ran faster since it was fading – something told me I had to get there before it vanished.
"You're not getting away!" My eyes widened as I was sent to ground.
Everything went black after my head hit the ground harshly.
I opened my slowly. My head ached, it felt like I had run full force into the soccer goal post again. I groaned and pushed myself up. My arms shook badly and there was a couple drops of blood that splashed onto the ground. I looked around, expecting a hospital once again but there was no sign of the hospital room. I was in room that had grey walls yet there was art drawn upon the wall into shapes and figures that my mind thanks to the headache couldn't piece together.
"W-what happened?" As I scanned the room I saw Raven.
My heart sped up when I remembered what happened. Raven though, she seemed so peaceful. She was sitting at the table that was in the room drawing something. She was humming softly as she kicked her legs back and forth. From what I could see there wasn't a wound on her head either like the wound she had.
"R-Raven?" I called out hesitantly, afraid.
"Ah, Takuya!" She chirped as she looked at me.
She smiled while her eyes where just purple. There was a cut on her forehead at all. She seemed perfectly fine. She seemed like the friendly Raven that I remember meeting at the fair. She had to have a twin. An evil twin at that.
"You're awake, I was worried you wouldn't wake up after the tumble you took." She stood from the table and walked towards me.
"How are you feeling?" She smiled at me as she stopped in front of me.
"M-my head hurts." She frowned and nodded.
I noticed that she didn't wear the dress that she had worn at the fair. She wore a dark blue t-shirt that had a small green dinosaur on it along with a pair of black pants, her feet still bare though.
"Do you wanna go home Takuya?" I nodded but that made my head throb more.
"I want to go back to my mama and papa." She offered me her hand.
"Where are your parents?" I was confused by the question.
"At the fair, well my papa is while my mama is at home." I raised my hand slowly and reached towards her hand.
"How did you get here?" I stopped at her question.
"S-someone who looked like you brought me here." She tilted her head.
"What do you mean someone that looked like me?" I gulped.
"S-she brought me here when my father said that she had go back to aunt and after she said that if she went back she couldn't be my friend my father said that we couldn't be friends then because she had to go back to her aunt." I couldn't find it in me to take her hand for some reason.
"You're my friend right Takuya?" I looked into her eyes, the specks of red and blue seemed to flicker.
"I want to go home, I'm scared." She frowned and her other hand curled into a fist.
"Are we friends Takuya? If we're friends we can go back to your parents but if we're not we can't." My eyes widened.
"Y-you're the same girl that brought me here." I pulled my hand back and scrambled away from her.
"Y-you're the one who took me away from my father!" Her hand fell to her side.
"Fine, then. I was going to help you if you wanted to be my friend. But since you don't want to be then I won't help you." She turned away from me.
"Why can't you just take me back home!" She laughed and as she did so the door opened.
"You made enemies with the only people who care for poor little Raven. Raven here has been taken in by the very people who you took down alongside of those other foolish children – thought you were making some big difference but you were only removing the last seal of their banishment. It'll still be a while before poor Raven gets to see anyone who cares for her." Raven walked to the woman.
"Auntie, I'm sorry I almost let him get away." The woman had dark blue hair that looked black, her pale blue eyes had an evil gleam to them, placed her hand on Raven's head.
"It's alright sweetie, you thought you finally had a friend after everything. You're forgiven but don't make the same mistake a second time. You'll only get yourself hurt again." Raven nodded slowly and glanced at me.
"What does she mean, 'after everything'?" I was confused.
"Raven lost everything and everyone she ever knew. Her parents murdered by their own kind because they dared to defend the Digimon when the humans learned of the Digital World. Raven was forced to sit and watch as human and Digimon killed each other. The Digimon attacked the humans and the humans waged war on the Digimon. The little family that Raven had left was sent off to die in a war that they would never win." My eyes widened yet I watched as Raven turned so she could bury her face into the woman's stomach.
"Raven joined us after seeing how rotten and filthy human and Digimon can be. She's helping us purge all who are unworthy of the paradise we desire to create." I gulped.
"Digimon? Digital World? What are you talking about? Are you crazy?" When I said that Raven turned and glared at me while the woman laughed.
"Don't even try to say that we're crazy! People like you don't deserve to exist in our paradise! You're so quick to turn on your friends so you can be happy!" I flinched at Raven's word.
"You don't even remember what Digimon are? You don't even remember the Digital World? Let me guess, you don't even remember the Demon Lords." The name made my head flare painfully, my head felt like it was splitting in two at this point.
You forget things so easily.
"I don't know what you're talking about!" I yelled the words by my voice echoed and only made my head hurt worse.
"What about your friends? Do you remember them?" I grabbed my head and closed my eyes, begging the pain to stop.
"I don't know what you're talking about." I would never forget my friends.
"Kari?" The name sounded familiar but I didn't recall anyone with that name.
"Koji?" That name also sounded familiar but I didn't recall anyone with that name.
"Koichi?" The boy from the fair, the one that also had a gap of memory missing for August 1st.
"Remember any of them?" I whimpered.
"N-no." I gripped my head tighter, wishing for the pain to stop but it just wouldn't.
"You really did forget your friends. You forgot the days you spent with them. Ha." The woman was laughing while I heard someone walking towards me.
I opened my eyes slowly. Raven stood in front of me now. She stared down at me. She was glaring at me and the cut was back on her forehead, seeming to have appeared from nowhere.
"You can't even remember your friends? You refuse to be my friend because it wouldn't help you." She raised her hand and I noticed the golden ring on her wrist.
"You're just like those other humans, you remember what helps you but forgets everything else. You don't care about anyone if they don't help you." My eyes widened because out of nowhere she seemed to have pulled one of those kunai things that the ninjas in the animes used.
"Raven, why don't you go and check on how Daisuke is doing? He may need your help dealing with what I sent him to do. He's still too weak to do the hard jobs on his own." Raven glared at me and turned away.
"He's too soft hearted. He can't bring himself to hurt the mirror image of his first friend." Raven left the room after that, leaving me with the woman.
"What should I do to you first? Maybe I should see if you can bring out that stupid Angel. Oh, I know maybe I can get your father to come here." My eyes widened.
"I want my father!" She grinned widely.
"Alright, let's get your father here then." She came to me and before I could stand up she grabbed me by my hair.
I screamed as she dragged me by my head. I struggled against her but my pounding head wasn't helping any. I stopped screaming because it killed my head. I started to whimper and tears found a way down my cheeks. When we passed through a hall that had reflective walls I knew why my head hurt so badly. Blood ran from some kind of wound that was hidden by my hair, half of my face was covered by my own blood. She stopped and looked at me, I saw her in the reflection.
"Pretty isn't it? I hadn't thought that Raven would fly so far off the handle. Cracked your head pretty good, that girl just can't stand people. I'm surprised she played nice for so long. She's the only human who I've seen catch the eye of the Demon Lords." I closed my eyes out of pain when I was being dragged once more.
Everything swam and I lost focus on myself. The next time I opened my eyes I was lying on my side. I was in some kind of room. There was nearly nothing besides a huge computer which the woman stood in front of. There was some odd symbol that seemed to have a line of dashes going to another odd symbol. After what seemed like hours an image of my father appeared. My eyes widened and I tried to push myself up however I couldn't find the strength to move.
"Amaya." My father growled the name out.
"Oh, it's so nice to see you to Hiroaki. It's been so long since I last saw your face." She knew my father?
"What do you want?" My father hissed the words while 'Amaya' laughed.
"Oh, why don't you tell me the stupid prophecy that you got from Shiki? In exchange for that so I can tell the names of the others I'll spare your son." My father's eyes widen while I tried to figure out what she was saying.
"Takuya, you have Takuya?" My father sounded defeated.
"Oh, I have Takuya. In truth, I actually don't know if your son is gonna wake up. Someone set off poor Raven who thought she finally had a friend. When Raven was rejected she lashed out. She cracked your poor son's head open. He passed out a while ago from pain and blood lost. He might not wake up." My father's eyes widened.
"That girl, she said if she went back to her aunt she couldn't be Takuya's friend but if she didn't go back then they could be friends." Amaya laughed.
"Aw, she called me 'aunt' to you? How sweet." My father narrowed his eyes.
"You're not gonna be happy Amaya. I swear you won't live this down!" My father yelled the words out, turning angrier than I had ever seen him before.
"How are you going to get to me Hiroaki? You turned in your status as Runner when you settled down with cute lil' Yuriko. Speaking of her, how is she and your other son – what's his name, Shinya?" My father hung his head when she spoke the name of mother and Shinya.
"Just you wait, you made your mistake. You don't touch my family or threaten them Amaya." My father raised his head just enough to glare at Amaya.
The image vanished and Amaya turned around, laughing. Her eyes settled on me and when she saw that I was awake she grinned. She giggled like a crazy person and rushed to me.
"Did you hear that? Your father thinks that he can actually touch me! He won't ever be able to get to me. It would be fun if he came here though, don't you think Takuya?" I stared at her, she seemed to giddy yet I was so confused.
"HiAndromon, prepare for the very small chance of a visitor!" Amaya called out the words as she grabbed my hair once more.
"We get to have some fun!" I closed my eyes as I was being dragged once more.
"Let's see, what do I wanna do first? Oh I know, let's see if Hiroaki can save you before I figure out how to make a human a Digimon – it might mean you'll die in the process but don't worry I'll make sure you come back completely loyal to me and then you'll be on the winning side." I couldn't help but scream as I was lifted into the air by my hair – it felt like my skull was being peeled off.
"Oh my, all of that blood." The words were barely heard – darkness claimed me rather quickly once more after that.
I whimpered and all I heard was loud crashes and thuds. It was as if someone was fighting. I opened my eyes and I stared at the sight before me. A robot that was mostly dark grey besides red veins and a red-orange head that was on his left shoulder and a blue head that was on right shoulder was facing off against a massive fire lion that stood on two feet.
"H-how, you're not supposed to be able to get him to Mega any longer Hiroaki!" The woman's voice sounded somewhere out of my field of vision.
"Arrow of Apollo!" The lion had spoken the words, arrows of fire rained from his hands and went towards the robot.
The robot tried to dodge or counter all of the arrows but one struck him. The arrow tore right through the robot and sent him flying through the air. The robot was stuck to the wall since the arrow had buried itself into the wall without releasing the robot. The metal robot started to melt slightly. Drops of metal started to drip from the robot.
"HiAndromon!" The woman screamed the name out.
"Apollomon, send that poor Digimon back to an egg. Hopefully it'll end up in the hands of someone that isn't her." My father's voice was cold, it sounded so close to me.
"Perhaps he won't reform." The fire lion responded as the orb that floated behind him grew larger.
"Solblaster." A ball of fire was sent at the robot.
"HiAndromon!" The woman screamed as the robot exploded into a mess of particles.
"No matter what you do, that boy isn't going to live! He'll bleed to death before you get him to the hospital! I won't let you leave the same way you came! Ophanimon has already been taken care of! She's under our control now and no matter what she won't open that portal for you! There is no Digital Ruler here either so you aren't leaving this world!" The woman was screaming but I was carefully moved, held to someone.
"Apollomon, open the gate and let's go home." I was lifted off of the ground and the fire lion nodded.
"Understood." He raised his hand while the woman just screamed.
"I won't allow it! I won't allow it! Raven, kill that fucking lion!" Why had she called out to Raven?
"What do you think a human can do to Apollomon? Apollomon is one of the Olympus XII, most Digimon have trouble against Apollomon." My father was nearly laughing.
"Raven isn't a simple human!" The woman screamed but I saw something black tearing through the fire lion's chest.
The fire lion dropped to his knees, the ground shook if my father's sudden stumble was anything to judge by. The black thing slowly left the shapeless form to take the form of Raven. Raven had black crystals swirling around her. Suddenly the golden flames of the lion started to turn black.
"Meet Raven Hallows, she bears the fruition of my experimentations! She holds Digital Cores, dark Digital Cores." The woman was laughing again while Raven looked at me.
"Apollomon!" My father cried out the name but I focused on Raven.
"If you're not my friend then you are my enemy. If you are my enemy then you must fall." The fire lion had tried to attack her but was stopped, the crystals had created a shield so she didn't even flinch when she spoke.
Raven turned to look at the fire lion, "Apollomon, you are unworthy of the paradise."
Two crystals left the shield and tore through him. There was more of the glittery substance before the giant fire lion shrunk. There was now a much less strong looking fire lion. The fire lion barely found the strength to jump away from Raven and towards father and I. Raven frowned and held a hand towards us.
"End them already Raven!" Raven narrowed her eyes as a blast of shadows came at us.
"Goodbye." Raven's voice was hallow.
"No!" I screamed the word and I barely thought about it.
I twisted out of my father's arms and there was a spark. A flash of something shiny around my hand before it swallowed me. Fire seemed to surround my hand that had some kind of fancy glove on it. The fire sparked out wildly and clashed with the shadows. I almost fell but something rushed through me.
I'll lend to you my power brave Warrior of Fire. You do not know me but you will know me one day, when you need my power just speak my name it is –
"Takuya!" My father caught me when there was an explosion and I noticed that the fancy glove was gone.
I looked at Raven when she screamed. Fire had consumed her. I felt like someone had pushed me underwater suddenly before trying to ring me out as if I was a wet shirt. When the sensation was gone I was staring into the sky. I was confused. What just happened?
"Coronamon, did you do that?" My father asked it, sounding as confused as I felt.
"No, I didn't do that." Where were we?
I watched as a pink rabbit popped out from behind a rock – I had looked to our surroundings when I noticed it. The rabbit ran to us and once close to us it held its hands out. I was surprised when the pain that I felt was starting to vanish. What was the rabbit doing?
"Cutemon?" My father sounded shock.
"Let me focus on your son Hiro. He's sustained heavy injuries that I need to focus on before he slips away once more. It's a miracle that he's woken up considering his injuries." I was laid down and I saw my father's face, he looked worried.
"Hiroaki!" The voice that called out sounded different than the last woman, someone else?
"Rani, what are you doing here?!" My father moved and I turned my head, a woman with blonde hair had approached us.
"I heard about what was going on from Kaname. When I heard that your son was captured, I couldn't sit back and let it just happen. I snuck in and just when I arrived you guys looked like you needed out so I opened a gate." I closed my eyes because now that the pain was gone I felt sleepy.
"I'm sleepy." I muttered the words.
"H-hey, don't go to s." I never heard the rest since I fell asleep.
I opened my eyes slowly. My head hurt slightly when I was greeted with the harsh lights. I looked around and found that I was in a hospital room. I raised my hand and reached towards my father who had fallen asleep with his head on the hospital bed.
"Papa?" I called it softly but it was enough to wake him up.
"Takuya, you're awake." He sounded scared for some reason.
"What happened?" I tried to remember what happened but I couldn't.
"What do you remember?" He asked the question hesitantly.
"I, got separated from you and mama. Everything after that, is a blur." I couldn't recall anything that happened after I got separated from them in the crowd.
You forget things so easily.
He stared at me before giving me a shaky smile. He hugged me, carefully. I was confused by what was going on. I felt like I was missing something really big. I felt like something important happened but I couldn't remember it at all. I feel like I should remember what had happened but I couldn't remember it at all. It was as if something or someone had wiped my memories.
"We played some games at the fair. Your mother took Shinya home early though so it was just us. We were walking home when a car almost hit you. I got you out of the way but you hit your head pretty hard on the concrete. You got a concussion and they said you might not remember what happened." Something about what he said, sounded wrong.
He pulled away and we sat in silence. I stared at him trying to figure out what happened. Something about his story seemed wrong. Something told me that those events didn't happen. I looked to the door when it opened. Mother stood there and she seemed out of breath. She rushed to my side.
"Takuya, how are you?" She grabbed my hands.
"I'm ok, I think." I didn't know what to think at the moment – I had two gaps of memory now.
"You think?" She looked to father.
"He doesn't remember what happened. I'm sorry I failed you Yuriko, I said I would protect him but this happened." My father sounded like he was about to cry.
"Hiroaki, this isn't your fault. You never could've seen that coming, you saved him from getting hurt worse than this. Out of what could've happened, this is better. Even if I wish he wasn't hurt at all at least he's still here with us." Mother moved to comfort father but I looked to my hands.
I blinked as I looked at the red marking that seemed to glow on my hand for a matter of seconds before it vanished. I was confused but I contributed it to the concussion that father said that I had. I looked to my parents when they both hugged me. I closed my eyes and I heard screaming so I opened my eyes but suddenly I was looking downwards. I was being held by my father while my mother was screaming, doctors rushed into the room suddenly.
"Mama?" I called out but she didn't turn to me, she didn't even react.
My parents were ushered out of the room, "Mama! Papa!"
I screamed for them but I couldn't move. The doctors rushed around the room as I was laying on the bed. The monitor beside the bed had a flat line and I froze seeing that. I had seen enough television to know what that meant. I had heard enough about that flat line to know what that meant. I started to cry when it hit me. When the meaning of that flat line that belonged to me hit me I couldn't control the crying.
"Mama! Papa! Shinya!" I cried out, screaming into the void but no one could hear.
This is the end.
Also just to clarify the parts like 'this is the end' Takuya does not hear at all. That's why he didn't react to them.