FicWad

Chapter Seven


Catz received a letter coming from a pathetic gang. The diplomats held a meeting right away after receiving a letter coming from an unknown, pathetic gang. They assembled at the meeting room.

"They say that we need to fight them this evening at Skulls Park. They are expecting us to fight or they'll start a fire." Kazumi said after reading the letter.

"We need to fight them. Or else the civilians would suffer." Tomoko said.

"But it might be a trap. They know that we are concerned with the citizens welfare and that we'll do anything to help them." Tori said.

"You're right. But what could we do?" Then Shizuka looked at the others and saw their confused faces.

"We could ask the help of Naoki!" Ayumi exclaimed.

"But this is not their concern." Shizuka said.

"It is."

All of them looked at the door and saw Daisuke with the other two.

"We'll do anything to help." He said.

"If it is a trap then they might really start a fire. What they want to do is distract you while they burn the houses and rob them." Takeshi said.

Everyone considered the idea and nodded in agreement.

"So the plan is that the three of you will fight them at Skulls Park while we'll look around to find the people who would start the fire in Peace Sector." Shizuka said.

Kazumi immediately stood up. Her eyes showed disagreement. "But there might be a lot of them who would fight you!"

"Its okay. We've been through worse. And this is our last deed for your group before we leave." Daisuke said.

Everyone looked surprised at what they said especially Kazumi. Kazumi felt her heart shatter into pieces as the words repeat in her mind.

"You can't just leave like that! Why didn't we even know that you plan on leaving?" Shizuka exclaimed.

"We already told you that we would be accomplishing something. We could not stay here any longer.." Daisuke said.

Kazumi ran towards the door and left, leaving them all shocked. Takashi ran after her.

Kazumi kept on running through the corridors with tears trailing down her cheeks.

"Why does he have to leave? Its unfair!"

She ran and ran, away from reality, away from him. At her surprise, someone grabbed her by the wrist and forced her to turn around. She was even more shocked when she saw Takeshi.

"Let me go!" she yanked her hand hard but his grip never loosened. "Leave me alone!" she dropped to her knees and cried all her tears.

"Kazumi, I'm sorry. We're gonna leave for the welfare of your group. We don't want you to be included in this mess." He said.

She continued to cry and Takeshi wrapped his arms around her to comfort her. She cried for about five minutes until her tears wouldn't fall anymore. She wiped her tears and looked at Takeshi with her emerald puffy eyes.

"I don't want you to leave. I don't understand..."

"I'm sorry..."

"No! I want to help you! I still owe you my life.. Twice! Don't leave without me..." she hugged him hard. She didn't want to let go. Never.


Meanwhile at the headquarters, Shizuka also left a few minutes after Kazumi left. She headed straight to her room and locked the door. She sat on a corner, avoiding the tears from falling. Moments later, there was a knocking on the door.

"Shizuka, I'm sorry."

"Shut up! You don't know what I feel!"

"Open the door and let's talk..."

"No! Leave me alone..." then the tears started to fall. At the other side of the door, Daisuke felt guilty for what he has done. He leaned at the door and slid downwards. He sat there, listening to the sobs of Shizuka.

--- --- ---

Ayumi approached Naoki. She stared blankly at the floor, finding for the right words to say.

"So I guess you're leaving." Her eyes stared at the floor.

"Yup! That's what they said." He smiled childishly.

Her eyes started to water. "You're always like this! Very inconsiderate of my feelings!"

"Wha?"

Then she also ran of with Naoki running after her.


Tomoko and Tori are left in the meeting room with confused expressions.

"What is happening to all of them?" Tori asked.

Tomoko shrugged. "Dunno."

--- --- ---

After a long time of thinking, Takeshi finally spoke.

"Let's go back to the headquarters." he said.

Kazumi looked up at him.

--- --- ---

"Shizuka..." Daisuke said.

--- --- ---

"Ayumi! Wait for me!" Naoki said.

--- --- ---

"I will explain everything to you." The three of them said in unison.


--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --


Takeshi and Kazumi went back to the headquarters and were surprised to see everyone at the meeting room. They took their seat and the girls are excitedly waiting for their story. Takeshi gave Daisuke a look that meant, 'So you also decided to tell them?' The three guys sighed and Daisuke started.

"As we said, our mission here is to defeat the Cavaliers." He paused and looked at Takeshi. He nodded.

"We were the ones who established that organization thirteen years ago. By that time we were only a gang composed of a few members. And our job is to defeat all the other gangs so that Nobuaki would achieve its peace. Takeshi is eight and I was seven. He was basically our leader and I am his right hand."

"That's impossible! You're too young!" Tori exclaimed.

"I know it's hard to believe but it is really like that. I started fighting when I was four." All of them stared at Takeshi with awe.

"Yeah that's right! I haven't even defeated him in a fight." Naoki exclaimed.

The girls just remained staring.

"So on with the story. We've fought every gang for three years and emerged as the winner but everyone only wished revenge. It became more chaotic until even our very own comrades became bloodthirsty criminals like the others. It also came to a point that they questioned the authority of Takeshi because he was too young. Eventually, we left the group because of their evil intentions. The next thing we've heard is that they elected a new leader and engaged into drug dealing and more crimes."

The girls seemed confused of what they've told them.

"Are you here when the change happened? What I mean is the sudden disappearance of the gangs. And that's the start of the improvement in Nobuaki." Tomoko said.

Daisuke looked at Takeshi then Takeshi continued with the story.

"That incident is caused when a.. powerful.. person emerged and.. killed.. every gang member in Nobuaki."

Everyone looked shocked at what he said.

"But how come no one ever knew that incident!?" Shizuka exclaimed.

"It is because no one lived to tell about it. It all happened in a single day. The day of the lunar eclipse."

Those are the times when the civilians are still scared of leaving the inner side of Nobuaki because of the activities of the gangs. So at that time, the Catz members are still living in fear at their homes in Peace Sector.

"How come you know all these? Who is that person!?" Tori said.

The three remained silent.

Takeshi remembered the time when he was sixteen and lived at a small, peaceful village near the coast.


--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- Flashback --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---


"Mr. Yukishiro is really a nice person. He had accepted me in his home even though he knew I came from Nobuaki." The cheerful Takeshi ran at the coastline heading back to the cottage.

When he arrived, Yukishiro is seated by the chair and seemed to be in deep thought. He noticed Takeshi and motioned for him to take a seat. Takeshi is worried 'cause he seemed to be very serious. He took his seat and kept quiet.

"Takeshi, I want to ask you a question." He paused. "Do you know the person who killed every single gang member in Nobuaki?"

Takeshi's eyes widened in surprise.

"I know you knew who it is so tell me."

"He.. I-is" he stammered. He doesn't want to continue but Yukishiro was expecting an answer. He said in a dark whisper, "I am the one.."

Yukishiro's eyes were filled with hatred and terror. "You're the demon!! That /Bloody Demon/!"

Takeshi's eyes brimmed with tears. "But, sir!"

"No don't come near me! I'll tell everybody.. Yeah I'll tell them so that everyone would hate you!"

He ran off to the door but before he reached it, he fell dead on the floor. Blood seeped through the slash on his back.

Takeshi stared at his bloodied hands. 'I killed him. I killed him!' he thought.

A neighbor heard the screams and decided to look inside the house. He found Yukishiro's corpse bathing on his own pool of blood but didn't find Takeshi anywhere.


--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- End of Flashback --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---


Takeshi is still haunted by that incident.

"I've heard of a tale." Tomoko said. "The old people insist back then that they saw a bloodied figure on that day on top of the mountain overlooking the bloodied moon. It is said that it is a small figure of a boy. But they do not agree with the witnesses 'cause a boy couldn't possibly cause the sudden disappearance of the gangs."

"Do you know him, Takeshi?" Kazumi looked at him intently.

He just looked away. He seems afraid of something. She just hoped she could take away the sadness in his eyes.

"We don't know who that guy is." Naoki said in a menacing tone.

His voice sent chills run down their spines.

'The guys sometimes act like this. They get really scary and dangerous.' Shizuka thought.


--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- Flashback --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---


"We could tell you. But we have to kill you." Daisuke said seriously. Shizuka was frightened by his sudden threat.

"Daisuke, you didn't have to do that. We're sorry but we cannot say anything more 'cause your lives might be put into danger."


--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- End of Flashback --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---


"You guys really arise suspicion." Tomoko said.

"We knew you wouldn't believe." Daisuke said.

"I believe you."

Takeshi looked at Kazumi. He knew she did not understand it well but still she said that she believed.

"What they say is true. So please, can we not question them anymore?" she looked at the diplomats. At first, they were doubtful but they still agreed with her.

She continued, "Let's proceed with the plan. But promise us that you guys will not leave! You will stay here and eventually, we would help you out in gathering information about the Cavaliers. Its not like you would go to their hideout without any plan right? So well help you guys make a plan."

"But you'll be included in our mess!" Daisuke said.

"What our leader said is final." Shizuka and the others started smiling.

The guys also smiled and they accepted their help. A new adventure is finally waiting for them.