Disclaimer: KHR's not mine. Nor is the song "Sing for the Moment" by Luka. This is just to clarify that when the uses of the pronoun 'him' or 'he' pops up in sentences along with It, it's not referring to It because It doesn't have a gender yet in this story. Also, guess what the bracelet acts as the parallel of. (Smirk, smirk)
'No! That's not it! No! No! Please! That's not it!' The boy sobs and falls down to the ground, trying to reach out for the retreating back of those who were beside him, yet they're leaving him all alone now.
He claws at the ground, wanting to get away from the painful reality along with wanting something solid to hold onto in this shattering world of his. He's floating in the darkness with no escape presented to him. But he needs a foothold yet he also needs something to stay afloat in the world above and not what the cruel reality will give him. He doesn't know anymore, he doesn't want to do anything anymore, can't he just sleep? Sleep would be good...
He could see that the boy was letting go, giving up. The other person present looks on, helpless, sad, worried, grieving, and unable to do anything. Suddenly, another person comes to the scene and says, 'No, you can't. Not yet at least.' The helpless one from before looks hopeful now, praying that the one who had just come could do something to help. They're the only one able to put the parts back together, and even if it won't be complete it's okay, he just needs the boy to be okay. That's all he asks for.
The boy slumped onto the ground and thinks why he can't. It's just so hard now without them. They were the ones always with him. They were the ones he trusted wholeheartedly, no one else but them... No one... They left though, and now he's all alone.
'You have your family...' The person interjects, interrupting his train of thought. Odd, you can't tell if it's a girl or boy by the voice. The boy looks up and the image in front of him is of a distorted person, you can only see flickers of the real person and nothing more.
'Who are you?' The brunet asks curiously, but he retains his reticent nature that he has recently gained after they had left. Now, all that reminds him of them are these horrible terrors that plague his dreams during the night.
The flickering image chuckles and says, 'Someone who knows you very well and someone whom you should recognize.'
The young teen looks confused, wondering as to what the person is talking about. He wonders on, and tries to look at the place where the eyes of this person was supposed to be. Then he saw something flash pass through the image, he knows. He knows that he should know this person, but he can't remember who it is or what it is. He wants to know, he yearns to know who it is, but it's of no use anymore. He's all alone now, and this mysterious person won't drive that fact away.
The figure now looks directly at the boy -It was looking away from him earlier and staring at something else- like It heard what the brunet was thinking.'What about your family?'
The small child -he is one and would be one, no matter his age as long as he is as vulnerable as a babe- lowers his head back down to the space between his knees where he now sat on the ground in fetal position and answers. 'I don't have any.' The forgotten person who was also present flinches, feeling the pain of his nails digging into his palms and of his lips splitting from biting them so hard so as to not scream aloud at the lost boy.
[It], as the boy now refers the image, looks upon the slumped form condescendingly. 'Your mother? Brothers? Father?'
He laughs bitterly, not believing that It actually asked, he didn't bother giving an answer for that question. Anyone who knew him would know that his relationship with his family wasn't all that great. An airhead of an older brother who's abroad and a younger brother who barely talks to him. Then there's his mother who's as much of an airhead as his older brother and his father who barely comes home - a father who decides that it's better to stay in Italy than in Japan with his family. Even if it wasn't because of all those things, he still won't rely on his family. He doesn't want to burden them anymore than he already does. After all, he is 'Dame-Tsuna' who drags the perfect family down.
His father provides them with a wealthy income that could support more than three normal families, thus allowing his mother to be a house-wife and for his older brother to study abroad in Italy. His mother, the lovely woman she is, still can't look upon her second son with pride because of all his failures. All she really says when he fails is that he'll do better next time, but he could always see the glimpse of disappointment in his mom's eyes before it's replaced by forced cheer. Then, moving onto his brothers-they were perfect, nothing else could be said. Takafumi was always smart, could play sports, had good looks, and in addition to that he had a great, outgoing and cheerful personality. But he was never there when Tsuna needed help. Then when he witnesses the bruises that Tsuna bears from rabid fans that thinks he drags his family down or bullies who just hurt him for the sake of it, he goes berserk and everyone then has a gigantic problem of a raging monster. Then there's Youmei, the youngest Sawada who's an ice prince. No, he really isn't emotionless but he just can't express his emotions very well. Tsuna knows that, but he can't help but feel hurt when his brother looks at him with cold eyes and sighs exasperatedly when he messes up, he doesn't need to burden his family more than he already does, he doesn't need to ruin it anymore as it is. His mother never had a husband to raise the children with, always crying in the dark of the lonely nights without someone to support her. He and his brothers can only listen just outside of her room late into the night to wait until she's fallen asleep before putting her to bed. His brothers do their best to fill in for their missing father while he only causes more trouble and worries in the household. He's nothing but extra baggage in this seemingly perfect family.
'What?' It asked. Seems like he said the first part of his 'perfect' family speech out loud by accident -where he just stated that he was Dame-Tsuna since It seems confused, at least It didn't hear all of it. Either way, he's not going to grace It with an answer. So seeing that the boy wasn't going to talk, It decided to ask about something else. 'Why were they, your friends that you barely had the time to get to know, so important to you?'
A pained expression descended upon the boy's face from being reminded that his friends, the ones that he treasured so much, were gone; they left him all alone, just him, himself, and no one else. He understands why they would do such a thing, he really does but it doesn't stop the agony from hurting any less than it does.
It had saw the tortured face of the boy's, but It needs to know why, It needs the boy to say it out loud for himself to hear, for him to understand so he could let go, so It forges on even if It might not receive an answer. 'Those friends of yours, why were they important?'
He still hasn't given It an answer, he couldn't, for he was swamped by the onrush of all his memories.
"Tsuna!" A happy Yamamoto's smile flashed into his mind, something that he yearns to see once more.
"EXTREME! Sawada!" He saw Ryohei pumping his fists in the air with enthusiasm that he hasn't witnessed for quite a bit
"Kufufu." He hears Mukurou chuckle, something that he hadn't thought he would've missed.
"Tsu-chan!" A quiet voice, whom he recognized as Nagi, murmured with excitement that he's obscured from.
"Gyahaha! Give me grape candy Tsu!" A hyper Lambo yells as he jumps up and down, an action that creates sounds that Tsuna finds the room to be empty if without.
"Yo," Was growled with reluctant respect, something he always wanted to have more of, but also something that he could've done without if he could've earned Gokudera's friendship instead.
"Omnivore..." A certain prefect named Hibari Kyouya murmured, and Tsuna just didn't know how much that pulled at his heart strings.
That was when that time came back to him. He remembered the pain, the hurt, and the tears made towards his being. He couldn't take it anymore. He didn't want this anymore. He was rescued, but they couldn't finish the job of saving him completely. He spirals down and down and down, drowning in the never ending darkness that's known as his heart and soul.
After all of those came back to him, he was screaming and crying on the floor, begging for the pain to be stopped. He doesn't needed to be reminded anymore than he already does. This is too painful, it's torturous, he's in agony, he can't stand it! He... just needs to... sleep... it... off...
The image could infer what was happening and It was at a lost. Then the feelings flooded in and suddenly It knew just what to do, It knew what could ease the pain, if only for a bit. It started to sing and the voice dances around Tsuna's head with a beautiful rhythm. The song thrums with a hauntingly ethereal melody, and the boy can't tell what is and what isn't anymore. He just wants to let it all go.
'At the intersection of dawn
I walk down alone
I count the things that I lost
I cry at the dream I can't reach
The bright days of boyhood are gone
Dry reality pierces in front of my eyes
I want to let it all go, the pain in my chest
This mediocre me put my regrets on this song
In the empty room
I sleep alone again
Sense of hopelessness, swallows me
I hope that I won't break apart
I'm attack again by overwhelming rusted memories
I didn't expect becoming an adult to be this painful
I want to let it all go, the pain in my chest
I wish hopes of this young and cocky me were destroyed
I want to let it all go, the pain in my chest
This mediocre me put my regrets on this son'
When the song was over, the small child was in a deep sleep. It stood in front of him and then knelt down, bringing Tsuna's head to rest on It's lap. Then It softly caressed the soft strands of chocolate hair, soothing touches chasing away the nightmares that plagues the boy's dreams. Then the person who stood by everything, came to stand in front of It.
It didn't spare him a glance, concentrating only on the now slumbering brunet and humming a little lullaby for him. Then he, the person who witnessed all those passing events, spoke, 'Thank you...' The words were spoken so quietly that It thought that the words were only provided by It's imagination. Then It finally directed It's attention towards the boy. Fiery orange met It's widened murky eyes.
He frowned and looked away from It's surprised gaze. Was it that weird for him to thank someone sincerely? He shook it off. It doesn't matter at the moment, he had more important matters to attend to. He then returned his intense gaze back to It and spoke. "I wish for you to do me a favor."
It's eyes narrowed in the midst of the flickering image, hands unconsciously coiling tighter around the slumbering brunet in It's arms. 'What is your so called favor?'
The boy flinched at the cold glare he received. He meant no harm, really. He just needs this small favor from It to completely shield Tsuna, and for him to be happy. So he steeled himself and said, "His memories...," he faltered and then he took a deep breath before starting again. "His memories of them and that, please erase it."
It's eyes widened once again, surprise flickering through the wavering eyes before a calm facade was put in its place. 'Why would you need such a favor from me?' It didn't need to ask what the memories that the boy wants erased are, It knows it's what caused Tsuna this Hell.
Ah, you might be wondering why It knows of what happened and yet still questioned Tsuna about it earlier. Easy, It needed and wanted Tsuna to face forward and fight against the feelings invoked from those times that dominated him.
The boy hesitated, he didn't feel comfortable speaking about it seeing as he doesn't talk much anyways. But he met It's eyes and knew that if he didn't give It a reason It will never help. So with a renewed resolve he talked. "Because you're the only one able to do it. You're the only one with the capability to do it. Just because he," he points towards the unconscious brunet, 'doesn't remember nor recognize you-" It flinched at what that meant and the teen saw it, so he abruptly stopped in the middle of his speech.
He knew what he said, and he knew what that meant to It. He couldn't help but feel guilt for digging up that old wound, knowing that that must have been a harsh blow to It for Tsuna to not remember. So he muttered a small "Sorry." and watched It compose Itself before he continued on with what he was saying before, but with a calmer demeanor. "As I was saying, you're the only one able to help me with this. You know why, and I know why. No need to say it out loud for everyone to hear, even walls have ears as they say."
It looked pensive, as if debating whether or not It should really do what the boy asked. It sighed, knowing that what the child said was correct. If they wanted Tsuna to be healed, he has to forget. Then when he's strong enough to handle what had happened, only then will be safe enough for It to return Tsuna's memories back to him. Though, and here it seemed like It frowned in the midst of the distorted flickers, what really worries It is that something else might trigger Tsuna's memories because It isn't erasing the memories so much as just burying it in the deep recesses of the brunet's mind. He ponders over that problem before a solution presented itself to It.
It's 'head' snapped to face the conscious boy standing in front of It and spoke, "I'll take his memories away." The boy's face lit up, having taken the silence from It as rejection earlier. As he was about to profess his thanks, It interrupted him, "He's not going to have any idea about what happened and nothing will cause the memories to suddenly flood back into his head, because I'm taking it to there." The other seemed to be about to protest when It held up a hand, preventing him from speaking any furtherand with all seriousness said, "There's too many triggers now, and many things will make him remember even if you move. It's better to stay where you are right now so when he awakes from the gap of memory loss he'll be in somewhere familiar and he won't be as terrified or scared as he will be when you explain to him and give him some lie about his amnesia."
He nodded, reluctantly so. He didn't want Tsuna's memories to end up there. When, or if, Tsuna is ever able to take back his memories, it might be so butchered and screwed that he might not even perceive things as he did, which might be good or bad depending on how Tsuna will take it. He's not sure though if keeping the memories will cause more damage or getting back a modified version later will be. But... He looks at the twitchy sleeping form of the lying brunet, and thinks that he won't be able to handle it any more. So, even if to be selfish again, he wanted Tsuna to forget because he's not capable of watching him break.
It sighed and stood up, gently placing Tsuna down. It reached into a pocket and took out some sort of tool that looked like a mixture of a wand and staff with gnarled twisted wood and the jewels that adorn a wand. Then it was used to draw some sort of circle before It put Tsuna on the figure and chanted something. After extracting the pieces of memories that were to be taken and sealed in a jar as a protection from the things at there, It added something else to the small glass star figure that the boy couldn't see. Seeing to it being done, the boy scooped up the small brunet and started to head back when It called out.
"Wait!"
He turned and arched a brow as if asking "Yes?"
It threw something towards him. He caught it with his palm by shifting Tsuna around a little so he could have access to one of his hands. He was about to open the thing he caught when It spoke out again, "Don't open it until you get back. Open it here and it will be eaten or taken away," It warned. He nodded solemnly and with another look of thanks, he set off.
As he set Tsuna lightly back down onto his bed, he opened the object in his palm and found a jade woven into a red patterned rope. He put the bracelet on his left wrist and allowed the effects of the accessory to take over, calming and sharpening his being from what he already had. Now, this profers him a better chance at observing and protecting Tsuna, and he needs all the help he could get with this. Still, this drains too much energy at a time, he could already feel the fatigue that's tugging at his consciousness. He needs more practice to control this.
He looks down at Tsuna, gently stroking his hair with his hands. "I promise, and vow to have you safe and as happy as you can get. I swear."
Fon sighs, looking at the back of Youmei as he follows at a short distance behind him, measuring his chances of abducting the young man back without too much of a struggle. Shaking his head minutely, Fon abandons the idea of trying to do so. They'll end up causing too much of a scene and attention isn't something that they need as of the moment. Youmei needs to calm down and not do anything rash. They shouldn't even be trying to approach the pair for that matter, nor should the two have been in Japan or near the Asian country at all. Fon frowned. They had made sure to prevent any entrance to that group of people and all they associated with. They even had precautions put in place to make that even if they had stepped foot into the country that they'd be notified and would immediately eliminate them.
Then again... Judging by the purposeful way Youmei is walking, it seems like someone was indeed informed of such an occurrence and was waiting for a chance to do something- though only God knows what that is. Fon sighed again, when Reborn finds out the strings that were pulled right under his nose without his knowing then someone is going to get it. Then again, he thought, it may be that Reborn already knows and is taking part in this, otherwise that man would've done everything he could within his abilities and influence to keep that group out of this particular Asian country if only because he'd said it'd protect the family and not that he had become fond of that particular brunet of the family that they're trying so hard to protect- if that kind of thought got out, Reborn would first kill the people who knows of it before killing himself out of incredible and dire embarrassment. Then again, Fon chuckles to himself, it's hard for one to not like the sweet, child-like, and kind Tsunayoshi. That's why, Fon's eyes hardened, they're doing everything within their capabilities to prevent a retake of what happened eight years ago.
Still, looking at the smirking Youmei walking a few paces before him, Fon could only once again sigh. Doing something rashly like this while they were supposed to be having an off-day with Nana-san and the children isn't good. It would be better for them to just leave for now and find some way to deal with it later after much consultation with others- of course it will be while the children, Nana, and Tsuna are entertaining themselves elsewhere so as to prevent them from being involved in the scheming that they'll be doing. Speaking of scheming and the devils who associate themselves with doing so, Fon glances around in a subtle manner, trying to spot one of the devices he just knows Reborn has set up in the park to watch them as they're on their outing. Finding it on a fake tree about ten feet from where Youmei was heading, Fon sent a glare that would murder the person who saw it if looks could kill. So he was right. Reborn knows of their entrance into Japan. What is he planning now, that devil's spawn? Fon shakes his head. Again. He seems to be doing such exasperated motions too much as of late, the stress that comes with it will cause him to age prematurely and he'll be as old and wrinkled as Talbot if this keeps going on. Oops, that was rude.
Anyway, they were getting closer and closer to the front of the line to get into one of the carriages for the Ferris Wheel. What will Youmei do when he gets on one?- that is if he gets on one at all. When they reach the front, Youmei goes to talk with the person controlling the large contraption, speaking in hushed voices so that others can't hear them, but Fon has a pretty good idea as to what is being said anyways. When the two finish speaking, the employee nods at Youmei before announcing on a microphone to the people still standing in line that there were some problems with the Ferris Wheel so it'll be temporarily shut down and the people who are still on it will just have to wait until the problem's fixed.
Youmei smirks predatorily, waiting until all has left the site before he calls up their emergency helicopter.
Not knowing what that phone call was for just now, Fon asks, "Who did you call?"
Youmei glances at him and gives a disarming smile, causing Fon's hackles to go up even more. He knows that smile, and it means he's about to be knocked out because he's seen as a hindrance to what Youmei's about to do.
He sighs tiredly. "I won't interfere with your plans, Youmei. But do know to be careful and not to be rash because there are consequences to actions taken. I don't fully approve of what you'll be doing since you plan to have contact with those people no matter what instead of heading back home to comfort the shaken Nana-san and the children, but I sppose I'll heed to what you're doing- for now if only because it seems that Reborn is taking some kind of part in this."
The man only nods slightly, at least acknowedging Fon's words and not outright dismissing it. He taps his foot impatiently, waiting for the helicopter to appear already. He's planned this for some time and he would not allow some small obstacles to get in his way. If the damn flying bug doesn't appear in three more minutes, Youmei will just have to get to where those pineapples are by his own methods- ones that aren't really suitable to be used in such public areas but damn it all if he cares, he only cares about the pain that he's going to inflict upon those traitors once his plan is set into action.
The whirring sound of the wings of the helicopter penetrates the tense air. People from the Ferris Wheel looks out, thinking that the helicopter is there to save them from the misery of being stuck on one of the attraction's carriages. But alas, that was not to be. The plane landed and Youmei jumped in, not bothering to wait for Fon to get on, knowing that this will only take a minute before they leave anyway.
He hops in, sees the pilot and says, "Hello Alejandro. Where's the thing I requested?" He receives a nod in return for his greeting and is then handed a spray bottle. He smirks. "Thanks, now let's go up. I think they were at the topmost carriage when the Ferris Wheel was stopped." And off the helicopter went.
They reach where the illusionists were, discussing what they've observed. The two were relaxed, too absorbed in their own world to notice the approach of the helicopter because this investigation of the area also served as a 'date' or something similar for them. Hence the surprise and shock that appeared on their faces when Youmei knocked on the glass of their carriage while hanging out of the plane by holding a bar on the side of the machine. He grinned at them innocently before mouthing, "Now it's your turn."
Immediately understanding their situation, boy pineapple tries to do something but right at that moment Youmei opens their door, hops and sprays something. After that- all was just black.
Bringing a phone from his pocket, Youmei dials a number and says, "Targets captured. Now we just have to wait for some other idiots to be careless." He ends the call, looks down at the unconscious pair and smirks again. Yes, they'll get what was coming for them.