A/N: long chapter, but that's a good place to end it and, hopefully, the next chapter won't be too short in comparison. Particularly since it's also Takuya's.

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Wish Journeys 1.1
Three Brothers

Chapter 13/Takuya

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Takuya was relieved but also a bit concerned when Kouichi cast a shield between him and the other warrior Chosen. Because he didn't look pleased – and though he hadn't seen Kouichi fight yet, mages must be powerful and he had teleported them all in and he did have three spheres.

No. Takuya corrected himself when he saw the little black stone occupying one of the previously empty spots. Make that four.

That guy was just one step away from fulfilling his wish.

But they still had loose ends regarding this sphere. Like what would happen now that the sphere was gone. And where the monster supposed to be guarding it was.

The other warrior pulled back. He also noticed the sphere. He almost looked like he was about to leave – and why not? There was no sphere left and the guy didn't look like he cared about damage control.

But Kouichi said something, and that held him back.

His head (and his aching body) were telling him that was a bad idea. But maybe it wasn't. If they could beat some sense into the other guy, it might be a good thing.

Except hadn't Lopmon said the sphere of darkness was stopping their enemies from getting into the castle?

Takuya looked at Lopmon, who was focused entirely on the fight.

And, at some point during the perfectly matched parries (and they were too perfectly matched, especially considering how different the weapons were), the other warrior looked at Lopmon as well.

That was where Kouichi cast his first spell of the bout, and the other slipped.

Takuya winced as the other tried to scramble back to his feet. It seemed like a low blow – but maybe Kouichi thought pride was a better cost than the body? He possibly did, if he got angry at seeing something that was the equivalent to elastic bands been shot at the dopey kid in the class. Or, more likely, it was bullying he was against.

But still – if he could use an ice spell, why not freeze the feet instead? Why make him slip? It seemed…unnecessary. And, therefore, unnecessarily cruel.

He looked back at Lopmon. That gaze was just…too intense.

He was still looking at Lopmon when the sword came out of nowhere to strike him.

And Kouichi, without warning, collapsed.

He opened his mouth. He meant to cry out (and he wasn't quite sure for who) – but suddenly there was another problem. Lopmon was growing. Moulting. Becoming…monstrous.

There was soon a gigantic and scary looking rabbit looking down at them. A rabbit who was about five times their height. And purple. And green. And black. And maybe there was a little brown as well.

'So you're the demon king of this castle.'

Takuya looked at the speaker: to his surprise, the other warrior Chosen, who was missing his sword.

Well, he said to himself. Of course he was missing his sword. He'd thrown it.

And somehow it had hit Lopmon – or, he suspected, it was on purpose – and changed him into this.

Or, maybe, he was always like that.

The giant rabbit roared.

Takuya held his own sword in front of him. Bokomon and Neemon cowered.

'The pink things are gone.' Neemon sounded scared. Takuya had never heard Neemon scared before. 'They're gone.'

Takuya looked at the edges of his peripheral vision. They really were gone.

He wondered if they'd all gone towards making the monster in front of them. Kouichi's friend Lopmon…and all those pink things.

Suddenly panicked, he looked for Kouichi.

He was still there, just lying face down.

The other warrior tried to step forward and slipped on the ice again. Takuya offered a hand. He glared, then set his expression into a scowl and took the hand.

'Thanks,' he said grudgingly, picking up his sword.

'Are we really going to fight this thing?' Bokomon quavered.

'I'm not taking my chances with the ice,' the other Chosen said.

'Takuya,' Takuya said.

The boy stared at him.

'My name,' Takuya clarified. 'If we're going to fight side by side, we might as well know each other's names.'

'Hnn.' The boy turned to face the giant rabbit again. 'It's Kouji.'

The rabbit straightened at that point, then took a step that caused the castle to shudder.

They both dodged out of the way and struck the fleshy skin.

The rabbit roared, and dark lightning appeared from the roof to parry with them.

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They struggled. Neither of them were mages so neither of them could really fight magic with magic. They could only swing their swords and hope something would come of it. The other's sword burned and singed where it struck the giant rabbit. Takuya's turned into a flying skateboard again and he leapt on it to avoid the lightning.

And apparently act as the decoy, because the giant rabbit seemed to find him more pesky than the sword slashing at his legs.

He dodged and swerved and hung on for dear life, wishing he could fight while flying as well because it didn't look like the other guy's super-powered sword would be chopping the rabbit down to size any time soon.

And flaming wings emerged from his sword, enveloping him in a cocoon.

He almost let go, but there's a magnetic pull that won't allow him to fall. It's enough for him to adjust his grip, to hold on. To cannonball straight into the other's chest otherwise he'll crash into his ally, however tentative he may be.

The monster stumbles back and, suddenly, the other warrior is glowing with light and forcing a leg to slip.

The monster crashes. The castle shudders and Bokomon and Neemon squeal and run.

And then there is shouting approaching them. 'Go look!' and 'Run!'

They freeze. Angels fly in: white wings covering the room. One snatches up Bokomon and Neemon and flees with them. Others reach for the three children, one still unconscious and, miraculously, untouched.

Takuya feels a stab of guilt that he hadn't been more mindful of that motionless boy.

And he wonders if he really should be fleeing when he's a Chosen, with a weapon that could beat that monster.

But the monster stands up. Roars. Spits lightning over them again and maybe, maybe, they're not strong enough after all. He lets the angel pull him out. So does the other Chosen. Another swoops down to pick up Kouichi's unconscious form and they flee as the castle crumbles around them.

One stays. Except he's not an angel, but a mage. Not human though. A creature like the other strange inhabitants of that world. 'I'll keep him in,' he promises to the angel carrying Takuya as they pass.

They leave him there, even as Takuya turns his face to stare after.

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'Are you hurt?' the angel asks. It was a female, Takuya realised with some surprise. She had eight wings and a ribbon wound around her shoulders and arching over her head. She wore a war helmet as well, but her gloves looked like they belonged to a rich lady rather than a warrior. Her face was soft, but her eyes sad as she watched the castle, then him.

'I'm fine.' He was tired, but otherwise he told the truth. 'What about –'

'The Bokomon and Neemon are fine,' the angel said with a smile. 'We offered to take them home, but they seem to enjoy travelling with you. I assume you are a Takuya?'

'Yes…' Takuya replied, wondering why there was an "a" in front of all of the names. Maybe that was just her way of speaking. 'What about the others?'

'The other warrior chose to go to the castle of light and an Angemon carried him there.' She pointed at a group of angels. Male, with blue togas and yellow rods.

Maybe Angemon was a species? Maybe all the names were species. It was confusing, and he was glad it was one Bokomon and Neemon rather than two of one or the other.

'The mage has not woken yet,' the angel finished. 'And, I'm afraid, we can do nothing for him.'

Takuya sat up at that, only then realising he'd been lying down on a pallet. He looked around. There was a campfire. More pallets. Most rolled up but one occupied. There was an angel there as well. Another woman, it looked like, dressed in a tunic and battle armour and impossibly tall. As tall as the giant rabbit from before.

He froze.

'That is Ofanimon.' The angel with him noticed their gaze. 'When we were unable to wake the mage, we called her. She is one of the greatest angels and the one with the gift of feeling. But she too cannot help.'

Takuya got to his feet, and stumbled. The angel reached out a hand to steady him and together they walked over to the other pallet.

Ofanimon shook her head at their approach. 'I cannot explain,' she said sadly. 'To me, it seems like his soul is not quite in this plane, but I have never heard of anything like it.'

Takuya didn't understand. He supposed, if one of the greatest angels in the world couldn't understand, then it wasn't a big deal that he couldn't. He'd never been academically strong.

But looking at that pale, unmoving face reminded him all too much of his little brother.

'There has to be something…'

'Maybe,' Ofanimon allowed. 'He is a Chosen, so perhaps the root of the problem is in his world and not ours. If he is returned…but also maybe not.'

Takuya looked at her.

'If a soul is damaged,' she explained, 'it heals with time and love. If a soul is scattered, it heals when all its parts come together. If a soul is destroyed however, there is nothing that can bring it back. A new soul can inhabit the body, but it's not the same. A new soul can come any time there is not a full soul in a body.'

'That rabbit…' That sort of explained things. Lopmon or whatever that monster actually was had been using the mage. Controlling him like a puppet. That was why he couldn't seem to remember things. Why Lopmon had always coaxed him towards an answer. And now it made sense why they hadn't waited until he'd gotten his fourth sphere as well. He would have been able to go to the Tower of Destiny and it would have been too late to reap the reward of freedom.

'He was once an angel too,' Ofanimon said sadly. 'Cherubimon, why did you drag an innocent child down with you?'

Takuya wondered how the angel knew Kouichi was innocent. What made her so sure.

'The Gate has only been open two days,' she explained. 'Today is the third. He has drowned in his darkness longer than that.'

Time. Of course.

Time had stopped for yet another person. First Shinya, and now…

He swallowed bile. 'Could I try…taking him back?' Maybe the doctors would help. Or maybe there was something else. He didn't know anything about Kouichi, but surely he could find out. Maybe he wouldn't even need to find out.

Ofanimon inclined his head. 'You may, if you are willing. But remember it may not help.'

He didn't want to heed that, but he had to. He could not go with false hope.

And…

'Are…you able to heal comas?'

'A coma is where the soul has been damaged,' the angel replied. 'Time and love with heal it.' She touched a finger to his temple. He shivered. She nodded and removed it. 'Your love is strong enough. Don't forget what you've learnt and you will see him awake again.' She sounded apologetic when she added: 'a healed soul does one of two things; wakes or dies. Without your wish it is a fifty-fifty chance either way. Or thereabouts, depending on the circumstances.'

He felt like he'd been dunked in ice water, but he was relieved as well. His time chasing that wish had not been wasted. But, he thought he could have dealt with it having been a waste if only Shinya's life didn't rest totally in his hands.

And not just Shinya's.

'His life is not your battle.' Ofanimon followed his gaze. 'I see…he may save himself with his own wish. Or another's. Or no wish at all. It may not be a coma in your world.'

She knew more than she explained, Takuya thought. But he didn't think he could hear the truth so he accepted that. Because, otherwise, he would have two lives on his hands and only one wish.

And, of course, he'd choose his little brother over a boy he barely knew. Even if he was about the same age as him.