Chapter 8: A Childhood Memory Awakens

It was about 4 hours after my battle with Oro and the shocking revelation, and for some strange reason after we got on the plane, I was all tired out. Effie, sitting beside with her head on my shoulder, seemed to notice.

"You look tired, Illia. Did that fight with Oro wear you out?" She asked, out of concern.

"I have no idea… but that might be it." I continued to yawn, as I began to feel a little drowsy.

"Get some sleep, dude. We've still got a long way to go before our next destination." Yun said, placing a pillow behind my head. "Besides, no one likes a grumpy uh… dude."

"Okay, okay I get it. Now let me sleep." I said in a somewhat grumpy tone.

"All right, good night. Sheesh."

He then retreated back to his seat, where Yang was gazing out the window. As I felt Effie brush up against me, I began to slowly close my eyes.

Suddenly I was in a small village by a lake, and I realized… this was where I grew up. I then looked down and saw that my hands… were human hands, wearing those long black gloves with teal straps and lining along with the teal and black striped shirt that I wore as a teenager… this was another dream of my childhood past. In front of the lake, there was my brother Nicolai, trying to catch some fish for supper. My older brother Dimitri was out riding his noisy motorcycle as usual, while Mikhail was busy making sculptures in the snow. My sister Alexandra seemed to be enjoying the falling snowflakes, as she watched them in her snow throne that Mikhail sculpted for her. I then began to walk towards where my own hut was, to catch up on some daydreaming that I used to do, when Alexandra suddenly noticed me.

"Hey Illia, want to watch the snowflakes with me? I can have Mikhail sculpt you a snow chair."

"Sure I guess. At least it'll give me something to do." I then got out my chair and sat beside her.

For some reason it was hard to see out of one side, as the bangs of my blonde and turquoise hair were parted on the left side of my face. I began daydreaming again about being a star of the opera, as I had always practiced my singing each time I had the chance.

"So Illia, are you still thinking about being in the opera?" she asked me.

"Pretty much. I've always dreamed of becoming an opera singer ever since I was little." I said, recalling the first time I ever went to an opera.

"Wow! That sounds nice." Alexandra said with a smile, "I'm sure you'll make a great opera singer. After all, I have listened to you sing before and you sound heavenly." She clasped her hands together as she caught a snowflake.

"Thanks." I smiled widely, suddenly becoming lost in my thoughts, before they were interrupted by the sound of Dimitri approaching on his motorcycle. He had on a black biker suit lined with blue, which went well with the blue streaks in his brown hair. He even had on those dark sunglasses he always wore.

"Hey Illia!" he said approaching me, "I see you've got something on your mind."

"As I matter of fact, I do." I said tugging at my teal buckle choker. "I was thinking about becoming an opera singer."

"An opera singer huh?" Dimitri looked interested at the thought. "I wonder what made you decide that..."

I then turned and looked at him, and said "Well, when I was little, our parents took us to the opera, and I became inspired to become one. I had dreamed of becoming one ever since that moment."

"Well, I support that idea, at least it'll be better than what our father had become." Alexandra said, recalling how our father was a master thief.

"Hey! It's not his fault, stealing things was the only thing Dad could do to get nice things for our village..."

It made me think more why I actually decided to become an opera singer in the first place. I then retreated back to my hut, to rethink my decision, but Dimitri stopped me. He knew there had to be something else on my mind.

"Illia, you seem thought striken. Tell me, what's bothering you?" he said, concerned about me.

"Well, if I tell you, you won't be too happy about it." I said, looking down in sadness.

"You can tell me. I'll take anything good, cause I'm a real man."

"Okay, since you're a real man, here it goes. I'm thinking of setting off on my own... to find a better life." I said, trying not to cry, "I know it's a bit sudden and a bit too risky, but I feel that if I do this, I can help bring some much need riches to our family and gain some independence of my own."

"So that's what was bothering you this whole time… Well, whatever you decide Illia, I'll support you all the way." Dimitri said with a smile, as he walked away to go park his motorcycle, but then he had a thought of his own. "You know, I'm thinking of doing the same thing as you, Illia. But unlike you, I have a different dream in mind for myself."

"You do?" I suddenly became interested. "Please tell me all about it, Dimitri."

"Heh heh heh heh, all right then, since you're so curious I'll tell you." He then sat down on his motorcycle and looked to the snowy sky. "When I was a little boy, I had a dream of becoming a stuntman. Not just any stuntman, but a motorcycle stuntman."

I was amazed at how he would consider taking part in this dangerous sport, despite how risky it sounds…

"So that's why you've been riding your motorcycle all day… but that dream of yours sure sounds cool." I said, admiring how honest he was.

"Yeah, and I live to be the best motorcycle stuntman in all of Russia!" He shouted with an air of dominance.

"Well, I live to be the best opera singer in all of Russia, and I want to dazzle the people with my fabulous singing!" I shouted with the same air of dominance, causing us to both giggle like two little boys.

"That was a great chat Illia, and boy did that inspire me." He said, with a grin.

"That's great!" I said with joy, "Our little chat will definitely help me out when I set off for the big city tomorrow."

"You… You're leaving tomorrow?" Everyone in the village suddenly gasped after hearing Dimitri's question.

"Yes. I'm leaving tomorrow. There are… opera tryouts in the morning…" I suddenly began to crumple down on the ground and cry, causing my sister and mother to come to my aid.

"It's all right Illia, you never meant to make such a sudden decision like this…" I looked up and peered at my mother's nurturing smile.

"I know… But I only made this decision because I want to have a better life for myself… and for us."

I turned away and hid my face, preventing them from seeing the steady stream of tears that were running down. Alexandra looked worried, as Mikhail and Nicolai huddled mother in fear. Dimitri seemed saddened by my current state, but then smiled.

"Well in that case, if Illia's going to head out to find a better life tomorrow, then I'll go too." He said, in confidence, "Besides I'd like to see how impressed everyone will be when I perform my super cool stunts."

"Wow! Awesome!" my two little brothers said in amazement. Dimitri then placed his arms around me and put me back on my feet again.

"Now Illia," he said to me, "I need you to promise something for when we go tomorrow."

I faced him with an astonished expression on my face.

"All right. Tell me what it is."

"I want you to promise me that when we leave tomorrow that you get the lead role in tomorrow night's opera." Dimitri said, with confidence in me.

"I promise. Thanks for believing in me bro."

"No prob broski." We laughed and hugged each other afterwards, as our mother and our other siblings all laughed and smiled at us.

"My boys are growing up. This is so wonderful." Mother said joyfully.

"They sure are Mother, and I'm very happy that they are…" Alexandra said, supporting her.

"Well, we better head back to the village before it gets dark… I don't want to get bitten by the mosquitoes." Nicolai said, shuddering at the thought. "Great idea, let's go."

As I walked with my family back to the village, it all began to make sense to me now, this was the memory that took place the day before I left for Moscow city for a better life, and before I was turned into the mutant I am today...

We were halfway to the village, when a mysterious voice began to resonate through the sky.

"Illia!" The voice echoed, "Wake up Illia... Illia!"

"Illia, wake up you sleepyhead!" Effie said with a giggle.

"Oh, are we at our next destination yet?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.

"Not yet Necro. We're just about an hour away." Yang said, while gazing out the window.

"What did I tell you about calling me Necro!?" I screamed at him, my head stretched to where I was looking directly in his face.

"Whoa! Whoa! I didn't you could do that Illia!" he screamed in fear, as Yun laughed at him.

"Much better, and yes I can stretch my head, as well as other parts of my body, you know." I stretched my head back to its original posture.

"Wow, Illia, you should like totally do that cool trick for Halloween some time!"

"Maybe I should some time, that'll really scare the living daylights out of everyone! If only I could show my sister and my brothers…" I pulled out my family portrait and began to gaze at it, as my eyes glazing over as the memories came flooding back. Effie looked upon the portrait and seemed mesmerized by it.

"Is that your family, Illia?" she asked as she curiously looked at the faces that were my sister and four brothers.

"Yes Effie, this is my family… the family I used to live with a long time ago when I was human." I said with some profound sadness.

Yang and Yun were suddenly shocked upon hearing what I had just told Effie.

"Wait, you used to be human? But I thought you were always like, what you are now…" Yang said, in surprise.

"Yes, I was human once… a long time ago when I was young. That dream I just had was a recurring memory I had of the day before I set out for Moscow city… the day I promised my brother that I would make the lead role for the next day's opera." I said, recalling my recent dream.

"Okay and what made you set off for the big city in the first place?"

"Well basically, I wanted a better life for myself, and some riches, since my family was poor anyway. Besides, it's better than what my own father had to resort to in order to get nice things for my family."

Yun then suddenly got a curious look on his face.

"Hmmm I wonder what kinds of things your dad did when you were human…"

"If I tell you, you better not tell anyone else, or I'll electromagnetically charge you to full blast!" I sharply said to him, as if to scare him.

"Okay, I won't tell anyone. I swear on my brother's best…"

"Don't even think about it Yun." Yang intercepted him before he could finish.

"Here goes." I took a deep breath and finally said, "My father is one of Russia's most notorious master thieves…"

The entire plane was suddenly silent, with the exception of a few gasps that escaped Effie's lips.

"You've heard enough, so now I'd like to focus on the next fight… wherever that is." I leaned back in my seat and relaxed all the tension out myself.

Effie and Yang peeked out of the window, and noticed that we were now landing in our destination, located in London.

"Well, we're here. Better go find somewhere to train before your next fight begins."

"Only if you get there before I do!" I said in a cocky tone.

Yun gave me his signature smirk. "You're on Illia!"

The two of us began to race each other to our chosen training spot, as Effie and Yang walked behind, laughing at the all the commotion we brought. As I raced, I thought about the promise I made a long time ago… the one I tried to keep but never could. But then again, I had a new promise to keep… and a new future to fight for, and I was never going to let anything or anyone stand in the way of achieving my dreams and goals.