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Ai didn’t expect that he could wake up again. The last thing he remembered was him disappearing in arms of his partner - Playmaker. He didn’t know anything since then.
But now, he already woke up. Yeah, if he was human, maybe he would think he was staying in the heaven. But it was bad, he was an Ignis, so he could only trying to seek another answer.
Ai tried to jump a step, but then he realized it was so hard. It was strange. It wasn’t the first time he was an eye, but even that time, he could still move easily.
“Hey guys, Ai wakes up!”
Ai was frozen when heard that voice. He realized it - Flame’s. He couldn’t mistake. That guy was here.
“It’s so late. Hmm, alright, I know he won’t be able to wake up quickly.”
Windy’s voice!?
“It’s why you’re Wind Ignis. Ai isn’t like you. He loves resting.”
I didn’t hear it wrongly, did I? Earth’s voice…
“Alright, don’t tease him anymore. He just had a hard duel, after all.”
This sweet voice… Aqua?
Ai tried his best to move, and he cried. In front of him, his friends were there in forms of four balls. He blinked a few times. This wasn’t a dream, it wasn’t…
“I don’t know how we are here. I guess it’s what humanity calls ‘the miracle’.”
Aqua looked at him, smiled softly. At that time, she was ready to disappear. She only hoped that Aoi, Miyu and others could survive. What she gave Ai was her last power, right after she no longer felt anything. But now, she got the second chance. Nothing could make her happier.
Ai smiled back. He understood what she thought. They were created from hurts of those children, and they owed them. What they should do was to protect humanity, protect their partners, no matter what.
Like how he accepted to die in Playmaker’s arms…
Hmm, say about that…
“If you wake up, why don’t you leave and look for your partners? Ah, I know it! You don’t want to leave me alone.”
The next thing Ai knew was something just hit him and fell down. He shook himself then looked around, only to realize the green ball was in front of him.
“Windy! What did you just do?” Ai frowned, asking.
“I wanted to knock at your head, but this’s everything I can do,” Windy replied. His voice revealed he was annoyed and uncomfortable. To be honest, he hated this form, and of course he hated Ai’s joking as well. He glared at Ai, then continued.
“I believe you can realize our problem. Moving was so hard for us now. There is a barrier around this area. If we were in our normal forms, we could escape easily. But…”
Ai rolls a bit as a way for him to nod. Then he blinked when saw a yellow ball near there. “Hey, isn’t that Lightning?” he worriedly asked. That guy was the last one on the world he wanted to meet.
“Yeah,” Aqua replied. “But don’t worry, now he’s harmless.”
Ai looked at Aqua doubtfully. How could he can trust what she just said after things the Light Ignis did?
“He didn’t remember anything but his name when he woke up,” Aqua explained. “I guess it was because he used his data more anyone of us. Maybe it’s a good thing. He can learn everything again since now. I’m sure he can become a good Ignis."
~o.O.o.O.o~
“Hmm, Revolver!?”
Hearing the voice of the person next to him, Revolver turned to look questioningly. Spectre seemed to be doubtful. But in the exchange, Spectre simply pointed at a figure who was on a D-Board near there. Revolver smirked. It was Playmaker.
“I didn’t think Playmaker would come back so early,” Spectre commented. “There is no event here.”
Playmaker flew towards them. He looked at his old allies with something like a smile. Maybe this was better putting them in the prison. With their skill, they would protect Link Vrains well.
“What brought you here again?” Revolver asked.
“I sensed Ai,” Playmaker simply said.
“Ah, I thought you saw something made you shocked more,” Spectre shrugged.
.
.
.
.
“WHAT!???”
Being started because of the person who just said calmly, Playmaker almost fell out of his D-Board. Revolver shivered. He could swear that since they met each other, he had never heard Spectre to yell that loud. He could understand though. They believed Ai disappeared totally.
“I thought it was only my imagination, but after it repeated a few times, I decided to log in,” Playmaker explained. “I always hope I can meet him again.”
Spectre looked down. He didn’t know how he was feeling, maybe happy, or hopeful. Because if Ai really came back, so Earth…
“You can go with Playmaker if you want.”
Spectre looked up and got a nod from him leader. However, he shook his head.
“I guess I need a little of time,” he said. “I’m not ready to meet Earth, not yet, yeah in the case he does come back.”
Playmaker chuckled. He didn’t image that Spectre could be that awkward.
“So meet you later,” he said and left. He’d like to talk to them more, but he had no time.
After a while, Playmaker saw a barrier. He could sense clearly that Ai was in there. But no matter what he did, he couldn’t still break it.
“I guess I need the help,” he chuckled then pressed a button on his Duel disk.
~o.O.o.O.o~
“Kusanagi-san, are you fine?”
Aoi worriedly asked when Kusanagi kept sitting on a chair like a rock. Because there was no customer, he let Jin have a nap and rested in a while. But looked like there was something else in his head.
“Ah, I’m fine,” Kusanagi replied. “Hmm!?”
His phone vibrated. Kusanagi took it out and frozen when saw the name on it. He took a deep breath then answer it.
“Yusaku, finally you contact me,” he softly said. “I miss you a lot.”
“I miss you as well,” Yusaku replied. “We can talk later. Now I need your help. I’m staying in Link Vrains and I just got Ai’s mark.”
“What!?” Kusanagi startled. “Stay there and waited for me.”
Before Aoi could react, she had been dragged into the truck by the owner of Cafe Nagi. He closed the door of the truck. Right after, screens of computers appeared in front of them.
“Whoa, so this’s how you work,” Aoi admired.
“I didn’t do this recently,” Kusanagi smiled and continued working. Aoi curiously watched, then covered her mouth when saw Yusaku. She missed him a lot.
“Hey Yusaku, can you hear me?” Kusanagi asked.
“Of course,” Yusaku nodded then pointed at the barrier in front of him. “I sense that Ai is in it, but I can’t step into.”
Kusanagi stared at the barrier. Then he chuckled. “Ah, so he’s there.”
“What are you chuckling for?” Aoi curiously asked, looking at Kusanagi.
“Didn’t you remember this place, Yusaku?” Kusanagi asked, ignoring Aoi.
Yusaku blinked confusedly. He tried to watch it carefully, then widened his eyes. It was! He can’t mistake it. It was the place where he and Kusanagi created together to be the hideout for the Ignis. Because of the result of the war, he forgot it. Nobody could expect that finally Ai was here.
Kusanagi smiled with Yusaku’s expression. He knew his ally remembered it. “Wait for me, I’ll open the barrier for you now.”
Yusaku was nervous when the barrier slowly opened. He rode his D-Board, but in a moment he stopped. He feared Ai wouldn’t be there. He feared he would be disappointed.
~o.O.o.O.o~
“Hey, someone is coming here,” Windy said.
The Ignis looked at each other worriedly. In this form, if the enemy wanted to destroyed them, they barely had any way to escape.
“Hey, don’t worry,” Ai spoke. “It’s only someone who we’d like to meet.”
“Huh!?”
The other Ignis looked at Ai questioningly. However, Ai didn’t need to say anything because their answer came right after.
“Hi, Playmaker-sama,” Ai said. Although he tried to show the calm face, tears still flowed. He had never felt this happy.
“Ai!”
Yusaku yelled then ran towards to hug Ai. “Please forget all those simulations. They have no value. You’re my best friend, my best partner. You don’t and will never give me any threat. Don’t think about them anymore.”
Yusaku said, crying loudly in the happiness. And maybe he would have cried forever if other Ignis hadn’t coughed to reminded him of their existence.
Aoi cried like a child when she saw Aqua. Even when the Ignis was only an eye, she could still realize her. She was so happy, and she was sure her friend Miyu would have the same feeling.
“But… now what plan do you have? I and Kusanagi originally created this to become your hideout from humanity.”
Yusaku hesitantly asked. He really wanted to live with Ai, but he didn’t want to force. After everything happened, maybe he wanted to be here.
“What are you saying about?” Ai asked. “Of course I want to live with you, and others also want to stay with their partners.”
Yusaku smiled and put Ai on his shoulder. It was what he needed to live happily. He didn’t want to separate from Ai. Never.
“Welcome back, Ai, guys.”
(TBC)