So close to the end! I can't give up now (even though this story is, like, months overdue). XD If I can get this story done soon, I can finally start Compass! Whoo! Though I'll need to get some more of Delusions of the Heart first, of course. X3 Let's see… about 10 or so years have last since the last chapter. So, yeah. Let's see where this goes…

Note: This story takes place after Season 3.

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Monster Rancher or the characters. I'm just a huge fan. Tecmo owns everything. I just own the plot.

Moments We Share

Y: Yearn

A small candle flickered softly in a darkened room while snow fell slowly outside; the window pane caked with the powdery substance. The room was quiet, though not entirely peaceful as one would suspect. A lone figure sat quietly at the edge of the old bed that stayed ever still in the corner of the ill-lit room. Their breathing was light, yet slightly irregular, though they didn't seem to take much mind of it. Their eyes stayed focused on an empty wheelchair on the other side of the room, its presence causing the person to slightly shiver and for their shoulders to slump. A knock at the door startled the lone person, and they were quick to shakily wipe their tear-stained cheeks with the back of their hand. They didn't answer, but the person on the other side was relentless with their constant knocking, causing a low sigh to exit their throat at knowing they weren't going to leave.

"Grandpa Genki?"

The soft voice of an innocent child broke the silence that once fell upon the room, and the door slowly opened to reveal a young seven year old girl with beautiful brown hair and lovely gray clear eyes. She looked around the room, examining the darkness that seemed to crawl out of every corner, and she shivered slightly before her gaze fell upon her beloved grandfather. His hair was still the same gray color as his eyes and the scars on his arms told more of a story than the wrinkles. Unlike normal, his broad shoulders were slumped and his eyes were void of emotion. He was broken.

"Grandpa? Aren't you gonna come downstairs to see everyone?"

"No, Mia. I… I'm not really up for it."

"Oh… I'll leave you alone if ya want me to…"

"No, it's alright. You can stay here with me if you'd like."

He didn't know why he had extended that offer, for in truth, he really didn't want to see anyone. He had a soft spot for his granddaughter, however, and he couldn't just send the little girl away like that, regardless of how terrible he was feeling. Mia clapped her hands together with glee before skipping over and flopping down eagerly on the bed next to the older man, a smile still present on her rosy face.

"Mia, is something on your mind?"

"Momma told me that you're very sad and lonely. That can't be right, though! I'm still here so you can't be lonely!" Mia spoke with determination, as if someone was questioning the very existence of the Phoenix. She was stubborn, strong, yet rather naive and was quick to jump to conclusions.

"Well… Your mother is right. I… I miss your grandma a lot," Genki spoke so quietly that the little girl sitting next to him had to strain her ears to hear him.

"I miss Grandma Holly a lot, too."

Life was never a fair thing, no matter how much good Genki did in his life. Three weeks ago he had come home from getting some groceries to find Holly sitting motionlessly in her wheelchair without a pulse. Her skin was cold to the touch, and for a moment Genki himself had stopped breathing. He'd run out to the town hospital to get a medic, but he knew she was long gone. The part that made Genki's blood boil was the medics refused to even try to save her, even though he'd begged them to. They kept telling him it was no use and even though he knew it was true, he wouldn't take that for an answer. In retrospect, he'd made quite a spectacle of himself. He had just been so angry that he hadn't cared. Later, they said that she'd probably died of a heart attack and that she'd been sick for a while. She hadn't said a word. He hadn't even been able to say goodbye to her. He didn't get to kiss her tenderly or whisper an earnest "I love you". The pain was unbearable.

Things felt so empty without her, and he suddenly realized how much he took her for granted. The bed was cold without her warm body next to his, so he had taken to sleeping on the couch instead. The bathroom still had her hair brush and pill bottles sitting on the sink. Her clothes lay in the dirty hamper waiting to be washed and every time he tried to wash them, her scent drifted off of them and he would break down. Before he knew what had happened he had slipped slowly and noiselessly into depression.

At first, it had been hard to face his daughter. Isamu looked so much like her mother in her prime with her beautiful brown hair glittering in the sunlight and her gentle smooth white skin. For Phoenix's sake, she even smelled like Holly. He had finally gotten over that road bump, but he still didn't want company. And yet, downstairs, a gathering was occurring to celebrate the life of his deceased wife. He really didn't want to show face.

As Genki looked back, he always knew he was fated to outlive all of his friends and his wife from the very start. In his world, he grew up with a balanced diet, good medical assistance, vitamins, education, and all the works. In the world of the monsters, technology was limited as was the medical care and food availability. The first of the group to pass on was Hare, after protecting a woman from being mugged; he had lost his life in the struggle. With one part of the Phoenix's soul gone, the others were quick to follow; now weakened by the loss. Tiger passed on next due to falling ill, from what some believed to be grief of losing both his best friend and losing his younger brother earlier that year. Next was Golem after protecting Toriyama from a band of rouge monsters, and Undine passed on soon after from despair. Suezo's health had declined much like Tiger's had and, after months of being bedridden, the eyeball monster passed on peacefully in his sleep; leaving a mourning Holly behind. With the rest of the Phoenix's soul carriers gone, Mocchi slowed down as well and, months after Suezo, the little monster passed away. It had taken its toll on Genki, Holly, Isamu, and little Mia, all of whom did their best to stay positive. But no one is immortal and, in the end, Holly also departed from the world; leaving a broken Genki behind. He knew that it was a miracle Holly had even lasted as long as she had considering her poor health, but it didn't make it any less devastating. He had buried his orange hat with her, but he felt like he had buried his heart along with her, as well.

"…Grandpa?"

"Hm? Oh, sorry Mia. I was just spacing off."

"Grandpa, do you believe in heaven?" Mia looked up at her grandfather with such sparkling eyes that the older man couldn't help but pull her in close for a tight hug.

"I… I don't know," Genki spoke truthfully as he held the little girl a little closer.

"Well, I do. I know Grandma is lookin' down at us right now and she's makin' sure we're safe and happy," the little brunette grinned from ear to ear.

"How do you know that?"

"'Cause she's an angel! I can picture her with these big white wings and she likes sitting on the clouds watchin' to make sure we're okay. She told me last time I saw her that she was gonna watch over us so we wouldn't get into trouble! Grandma wouldn't lie to me."

He wanted to laugh at the statement, for it sounded far too simple and easy. He wouldn't do that to his granddaughter, though, so he only nodded his head in agreement so he wouldn't hurt the little girl's feelings. He had seen so much death in his life ever since he was young. Hell, he had taken lives, himself. So what did he believe in when it came to death? He honestly didn't know.

"I suppose she could be an angel…" Genki spoke up with a shrug.

"Yeah, she is! I just know it." The little girl's voice suddenly became more excited before she leapt up from her seat. "Oh! And she wanted me to give you this." Mia dug through her pocket while Genki watched in confusion. His granddaughter was known for shoving Phoenix-knows what in her pockets and then scaring her mother with it later, like frogs, snakes, and insects. The older man could only brace himself for whatever was to come.

"It's nothing alive like last time, is it?"

"What, no! Not this time."

Mia flashed her grandfather a white grin before taking his hand in hers and then placing something surprisingly light in the palm of his hand. In his hand lay an extremely worn red ribbon. The ends were frayed slightly and the red color was extremely faint, but it didn't matter. Genki felt himself get choked up, but he swallowed quickly and turned his gaze away so his granddaughter couldn't see his glassy eyes.

"Where… where did you get this? I couldn't find it in her belongings earlier…" Genki trailed of quietly while feeling the worn fabric in his hand and he could picture the many times when they were younger and he would secretly watch Holly skillfully tie the ribbon in her hair with admiration.

"Grandma told me that she wanted it be yours and that it wouldn't be safe with her because of all the crazy stuff goin' on, so she gave it to me to hold for you. She said other people would just throw it out thinking it wasn't special, but you would want to keep it," Mia spoke proudly while recalling the many months she had secretly held onto the worn hair ribbon by the wish of her grandmother.

"Thank you so much, Mia," Genki whispered while pulling his granddaughter in for a tight hug, one in which the little girl was quick to return.

"Grandpa… I know you're sad, but Grandma wouldn't want you to be sad," Mia spoke softly while slowly leaving the embrace and extending her tiny hand out to her grandfather. "Everyone downstairs misses Grandma, too. Since everyone's feelin' the same, maybe we can help each other feel better, right?"

Genki stared at his granddaughter's hand, a small smile forming on his face. Truthfully, he didn't want to see anyone right now but, then again, he didn't want to see Mia earlier either, and yet he felt more at peace from her company. Slowly, the older man grasped his granddaughter's hand before getting up from his place on the bed and patting her head lightly. A grin formed on Mia's lips and she let out a sweet laugh before pulling at the old man's arm. For the first time that day, Genki didn't fight back and allowed her to lead him out of the bedroom. Healing would be difficult and he knew he would never fully heal from Holly's death but, looking from his granddaughter to the worn hair ribbon in his hand, he would try to recover for Isamu, little Mia, and Holly's sake.

I got a bit choked up writing this one… *Hugs her Tiger plush* Wah, I'm such a sap! XP I had this chapter planned out for a while, so I finally got it out of my system. I just want to hug Genki, though. ;_; Mia means 'wish' in Japanese and is the name of my cat! X3 It's also the name of a Golden Sun character. XD Oh! And for Mia having all sorts of weird things in her pockets, I used to always do that was I was little! I used to always be emptying out frogs and salamanders from my pockets. XD Thank you guys for reading this sappy ass chapter! Now, on to chapter Z!

RockyRoadSmith: Signing off! :3