Chapter 272: 272. A kid that once was a Hero.
[Demon's War: Arc 13]
Innerlight City, year 2020, day Friday, time 9:21 am a sudden chaos began.
Suddenly an abnormal number of Demons appeared out of nowhere. People and Duelists were caught unprepared at the potential extinction and were caught in emotion-filled chain. The chaotic appearence in just a short time had already devoured several people and the fear of being killed has grew all around the Innerlight City center and local streets, with already 5% of the Innerlight Human Society killed and devoured an alarm was set at the main agency and Innerlight City's Guild.
Duelists were warned about the abnormal number of Demons' appearances and were split into their yearly level.
Due to sheer-number of so many Demons, Duelists from the Innerlight City's Guild were split into 10 squads, each having different priority and under one of the top tier duelist's leadership.
With the instructions explained by Toyama Shin, they've titled their operation: Innerlight City's Lineup: Innerlight City Retrieval Operation and has just began on its way.
[Planet Earth - Tokyo City - Fūro Street - Saturday, 2:00 p.m.]
- In the past -
"Hey! Tim, have you heard the yearly tradition of 'Dueling Architecture'?" Tim who was walking down the street at the age of 7, was caught by two of his childhood friends, Chapple and Rachel. "Huh? 'Dueling Architecture'? What are you talking about? Is it some kind of the show, you sure it's a tradition?" Tim wondered, confused. "Oh! Have you forgot? Haha! Sorry, it was once a tradition, but lately it's just known as a yearly event. They say that Agency calls the most impressive fighters from the world! I'm not sure, but they call it 'Duelists' for some reason! I believe they'll be here in tomorrow's evening. They've said it's about fighting each other, so because of your quick loose of temper, why not try it out and see what's gonna happen. Maybe you'll like it, nobody knows what you like with your weird personality." Giggled Chapple, smiling. "I'm not sure. I don't really think it's worth watching. I'm not really interested in fighting, I just prefer to keep my confidence up so that people wouldn't see me as a slug, besides, the fighting show is probably fake, just added effects." Tim spoke, walking forward. "Come on. You should really take a look, we'll be right with you." Rachel added, smiling while giving Tim a calm eye-view. "Uh... I'll see what I can do, but I can't promise you that I'll actually come."
"No big deal. We'll just do something else if you won't like it. Just show up so that you see what's it about, all right?" With another smile, Chapple questioned. "Huh. Yeah, all right. I'll ask my mother about it." Tim spoke, sighing and finally continuing his walk, now next to Chapple and Rachel.
[Planet Earth - Tokyo City - Fūro Street - Saturday, 3:00 p.m.]
Tim's mother with her brown hair was cutting down the tomato and cucumbers while adding them into the bowl. The moment that had happened, Tim had opened the door. "Hi. I'm home." Tim smiled, looking at his mother, while holding his bag. "Oh. Hi, how was your day at school?" Wondered his mother.
His mother's name was Shinkaku Ayame, who is in present time known to have been missing, expecting her to be clearly killed.
"I suppose it was fine. But as always, it really wasn't something to keep me entertained for the day." Stepping to the nearest hanger on which he hung his backpack. "You know. Maybe if you'd let me accompany you to the school and back home, maybe the days would be better."
"Come on, mom! I'm not 5 years to be held by the arm and pulled to school. I'm old enough to walk by myself!" He spoke, embarrassed while quite red in his both-sided cheecks. "I know, you're a grown man, aren't you?" At saying, herself couldn't stop but to giggle. "It's not funny! How would I live in the future alone if I couldn't even go to school by myself?" He claimed, and saw how Ayame dropped her knife and stepped toward him, crouching. "Tim, come on. Don't plan too far ahead of you. You still have so many years before you're 18. Besides, you're already doing chores throughout the time and I didn't even ask you too." Tim's left side of the cheek was grabbed by her soft hand. "Y-yeah. But if I don't ready, a change could be dangerous! I don't want to end up a useless adult. Besides, if I were, how would anyone ever like me, I wouldn't even be able to gain friends."
"You're 7. Come on, who knows what you'll end up in the future. When you grow up, you don't need to be the most intelligent person, you don't need to prepare so far ahead, you don't even know to which high school you'll go and you won't know until you grow up." Spoke Ayame, looking at him. "I already told you! When I grow up, any school is fine by me, even if I end up as a police officer, something that I never meant to be!" Ayame was in urge to giggle again. "All right, but really. Would you consider resting once in a while. At your age, you're doing way too much, from chores to helping me cook, to everything else." She spoke, when her ponytail behind her hair wiggled a bit. "Fine. I'll try to do less activities a day, but you won't get rid of me that easily, as long as I am able to help you, I'll be happy!" After returning his mother a smile, mother dared to say. "Just make sure you'll do the same to your future friends or lover."
"Mom! I told you to stop doing that!"
"All right, all right now. So what else did you want to ask me!" Her soft laugh was heard at the saying.
[Planet Earth - Tokyo City - Fūro Street - Sunday, 7:20 p.m.]
Rachel and Chapple were already waiting at the same spot, near the park when Tim came running. "All right! I'm here! Let's go then." Tim spoke, when running forward. Both Rachel and Chapple became confused. "Hey, what's that around your neck?" Questioned Rachel and noticed how Tim stopped running and grabbed his pendant that was red coloured around his neck.
"Oh, it was given to by my mother."
[Planet Earth - Tokyo City - Fūro Street - Saturday, 8:30 p.m.]
- Yesterday's night -
While Tim finally finished showering and got dressed, he quickly got scared as the door opened. "S-sorry! What did I do?!" Tim immediately turned around, afraid that he had done something, but instead he was given a smile from mother's mouth when she showed him a pendant in her right palm. "Huh? What's this?" At the least concern of what it was, he seemed to listen.
"It's a pendant. When I was younger, I've made it myself." She explained while crouched in front of Tim's childish skin. "Um.... It's very beautiful. But why did you take it off?" Tim confusingly asked, looking up at his mother. "It's simple. Because I want 'you' to have it. It may be out of nowhere, but it was actually meant for my future child, even your father made fun of it due to being made so early." She explained, while Tim felt his mother's warmth in front of him standing. "Why would you make it so early, how'd you even know that you'd have a child?"
"It was made at my pregnancy, so I was hoping that whenever you were born wouldn't die due to some kind of injury or accident, but I've still decided to make it. I think this is the right time to give this to you, while also wishing to tell you something." She claimed and reached over Tim's head and gently leaned the smaller chain onto his skin near the neck.
"In future, when you grow up, remember this, all right. If you ever lose your control and go a bit mad, look at it and remember it. This is a very precious pendant that you should keep around your neck at all cost, if anyone steals it, mommy will be sad, all right?" Smiled Ayame as she wasn't prepared to tell him everything. "W-what are you talking about?"
"Don't worry, the time for the explanation will come in future. Just remember this, if in future in any chance you lose your knowledge about me, just remember this. I haven't left you, nor have I disappeared." Due to Tim still having no idea of what his mother was trying to explain, he just listened while seeing the pendant wave in front of his chest. "Now, tomorrow is the day where you'll see the 'Dueling Architecture' with Rachel and Chapple, right? I think you should be rested well, so why don't you go to sleep early today." Because Tim was well caring and a good child, he listened without any idea of what had just happened and finally layed on the bed, getting covered by blanket. "Mom! I can cover myself!" He called, once again a bit stubborn. "I know. But once in a while it's fun to cover your own child with their blanket." Ayame stepped for the door and turned off the light as her smile immediately faded away into pure sadness.
("You're too young to understand, just remember, if I by any chance disappear, look at the pendant and you'll understand everything, I did not leave you.")
With the doors shutting, Tim's room fell into darkness.
[Planet Earth - Tokyo City - Fūro Street - Sunday, 7:20 p.m.]
"I can't believe it. Your mother made this with her own skills? Your mother must be impressive!" Spoke Rachel, amazed by how well the pendant was made. "Mhm! She is, she draws amazing as well! I just wish to be as skilled as her!" Tim spoke, looking at the pendant which was held in his right palm. "Yeah, no doubt about it. You must really love your mother, her responsibility to take care of you must be very sharp, now that your father isn't at home." Added Chapple, giving a thumbs up in front of his face while making Tim a bit confused. "Y-yeah... I never thought about it..." Both of his friends looked at Tim, confusingly. "What do you mean?"
"Well... Being well taken care of means that it was her doing, she allowed me to become so friendly, so hard-working, she was the one to why I have the chance too live and see the world. She was the one who taught me how to walk and speak, how to cook, how to do chores. She allowed me to walk to school alone, she taught me how to make friends, she even shared her own jewerly that she made by herself. Everything that I'm witnessing now, it's due to her existence. That's it! I understand it! She was the one who first time introduced me too, she was the one who allowed me to be friends with you, she was the one who gave me such a great life! She even shared some details that even myself doesn't understand, currently. But if she says that I shouldn't know more about it, I'll take her word. I'll do as she say and I'll work hard, I'll improve even better, I'll keep everybody that cares about me protected..." Tim spoke, it was the first time he understood the proper meaning of being a human, to keep people safe, to take care of his friends, to help them in any scenario. "... I'll wait for that time, and once I look at this pendant, I will understand everything that she's hiding! I won't disappoint her, that's a promise!" Both, Chapple and Rachel felt a bit confused, listening to him. "What's happening? Is there something wrong? You're like a different person..." Spoke Chapple, blinking twice in a row. "It doesn't matter! Let's hurry and go check the 'Dueling Architecture' maybe I'll get some more answers there-"
"Maybe I'll even understand, what is the true meaning of living as a human, not a monster!"
To be continued...
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Obb_Verse
Obb_Verse Shinkaku Ayame: Ayame is a well caring person and is well aware of potential risks that her son might one day go through.
Due to keep him safe she knew that giving him the pendant was the only way to return his memories, to prove to him that she hasn't left him.
Everything once happened to Tim as a baby or when he was younger is folded in her mind and known, for being a mother her one priority is to keep her son safe and teach him everything that she knows herself.
Note: Charlotte and Ava were not yet born.