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What if Toman meets Mikey? But not the Mikey they know. A different Mikey who looks so lost and his eyes mirrored nothingness. Maybe he's Mikey from the future?
Or Mikey from a parallel universe with theirs? Who knows……fate likes to fuck with their lives anyway.
It was a hot sunny day. Fluffy clouds littered the clear blue sky and the sun blared so brightly on a Sunday noon.
Ideally, going to the beach, splashing on the cold water, running on the sandy beach with melting ice popsicles in hand would be great but here they are, sitting on the stairs while beads of sweat trickled down their forehead with the warm weather.
"Where the hell is Mikey?! Draken you said he's coming but we've been waiting for like an hour!"
Baji complained and stood up. Growing frustrated with their commander whose running very late to their meet up which was an hour ago but still no sign of Mikey.
"The fuck would I know?! He's not answering my calls and even messages! This twerp really!"
Draken retorted with the same frustration and the hot weather isn't helping either. Even the rest of the Toman members were about to complain. Mikey may come late at certain times whenever they would meet up but not this late and without even answering their calls and messages.
"Maybe something happened? Mikey usually is never late unless he tells us in advance"
Mitsuya intervened before the two would combust on each other.
It wasn't every time that Draken would lose his composure but with this hot weather and their leader running late when he was the one who actually arranged for them to meet and hang out at the beach, he'd be a god if he still have the patience.
"Okay that's it! I ain't waiting for another hour in this fucking hot weather!"
Pah finally complained.
"Ya' think we also wanted to?! Why don't you go fetch Mikey then!"
Now Baji had enough of this.
"Huh?! Who are ya' to order Pah around?!"
Of course, Peh would always take Pah-chin's side whatever it may be.
"You fucking bean wanna fight huh?!"
Baji cracked his knuckles, eyeing Peh-yan whose also ready to throw hands when Chifuyu took a hold of Baji and Mitsuya held Peh-yan from taking a step towards Baji.
"Stop it Baji-san!"
"Pipe down Peh!"
"Fucking calm your asses down! Let's just---- there you are you twerp! You're very late--- the fuck?"
Draken was about to scold them when a certain man caught his eye, slowly walking towards them with a gloomy face.
"The hell Mikey you're fucking late---"
Even Baji swore to punch the hell out of their leader for being late and ignoring their calls when he stopped and looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar man nearing towards them with a grim face.
"Mikey?"
Even Mitsuya became skeptical with the man who finally stopped in front of them, still not saying a word.
"You dyed your hair? And that tattoo....."
Baji was the one who spoke with uncertainty. The Mikey standing in front of them feels so unfamiliar but it is definitely Mikey.
His usual shoulder-length blonde locks were now dyed in black and styled in an undercut. His dark orbs somehow seemed darker and lonely, innocence and sanity robbed out of him. A small frown on his face and his body looked so thin and he seemed to grow a few centimeters. He looked so mature too.
No, he is definitely mature. An adult.
"Kenchin..."
His voice is still the same but it wasn't as lively as usual. His eyes were widened in shock, confusion, and fear? There were also tears starting to pool in his eyes which startled the rest. All captains and their vice-captains were present and this was the very first time that they have seen Mikey look so afraid and vulnerable.
"Who the fuck?"
Draken was the most perplexed. This person standing right in front of them isn't the Mikey they know. As ridiculous as it sounds, Draken had thoughts about this person being a different Mikey from who fucking knows where. It was just yesterday when Mikey had excitedly told them about hanging out at the beach and his hair was still blonde, his eyes doesn't look empty like the one standing in front of them, his voice still held cheerfulness, and most definitely, his physique isn't as mature as this one. Mikey's words confused them even more.
"Is this when your life flashes before your eyes before dying? It feels so real....."
His words sent shivers up their spine, especially with how empty Mikey's smile is and tears were freely cascading down his cheeks. After all, Mikey rarely cries. Especially in front of them.
"What are you talking about Mikey? You're not dying, what the hell!"
Baji exclaimed with confusion which made Mikey stop and look at them intently before looking around like a lost puppy, only realizing that the surroundings were a bit different and it felt so real like he's currently alive and currently living his life. But wasn't this supposed to be like a flashback? To reminiscence his memories with Toman when they were younger? When he hadn't lost everything and had everyone by his side?
"How?......Takemitchy...."
Now he remembered. Mikey asked Takemichi to kill him. To finally put an end to his suffering but of course, Takemichi can never do it. The crybaby is just too kind to even think about hurting them. Right. Mikey is really an awful person. How could he ask the crybaby hero to stain his hands just for him to be free? It will only leave Takemichi to suffer in guilt, hands stained with his blood.
He was grateful that Hinata's younger brother, Naoto was there. Had he not pulled the trigger, then Mikey might do it himself. In the end, he was still happy, and at the same time confused. Confused with Takemichi's words before he closed his eyes, and confused as to what is currently happening now when clearly, he should have been in the afterlife, maybe even in hell and not standing here, face to face with Toman in their younger years.
"Where is Takemitchy? What is-- no, I have to find Takemitchy first"
Mikey was about to leave when Draken took a hold of his shoulder which earned the tall dude a death glare from 'Mikey'. His glare sent shivers up their spine and Draken could've sworn he gulped in fear from Mikey's actions and let go of the shorter man's shoulder.
Even Baji went silent but was eyeing the dragon tattoo on Mikey's neck with a suspicious gaze. They were all stunned. Mitsuya was quietly observing him, Hakkai and Chifuyu decided to keep silent on the side, Mucho and Sanzu also decided to stay low, Smiley, Angry, and Peh also decided not to say anything. Maybe Pah-chin's stupidity and obliviousness was a good thing and was the only one who dared to shout at Mikey, clearly not sensing the dark aura currently surrounding them.
"What's the holdup Mikey?! You're late and who the hell is Takemitchy?"
All of them sweatdropped, especially Draken who sighed but was grateful because someone actually had the balls to question Mikey when he looks like he's going to kill anyone.
"Seriously Pah I don't know if your stupidity is a good thing or a bad thing"
"HAH?! Of course, Pah-chin's stupidity is a good thing!"
"Shut up Peh!"
"Calm down everyone!"
"Oh this is getting heated"
As much as Mikey wanted to leave, he couldn't help but to inwardly laugh at their hopeless banters. His own reality was forgotten in a second before changing back into his cold demeanor. His own actions haunting him again as he tried to block out the voice inside of him.
How he killed his own friends.
How he purged them without mercy.
'Kill them'
'Eliminate everyone who goes in our way, that way, all will be fine'
Now he's facing his sins.
"Mikey.....Mikey......Mikey!"
Draken tried to snap him out of his trance but to no avail, Mikey was still standing, unaware of what was happening, his face looked so dark and his eyes screamed insanity. It sent fear in the usually stoic man like Draken but he tried to hide it. Still worried about 'Mikey' and their Mikey as to what happened to him if his hunch was right and this was a different Mikey but still is Mikey.
(confusing? It's all Mikey's fault lol)
"Shut up...SHUT UP!"
Mikey snapped, still unaware of his surroundings and the fact that Draken and the others thought that it was addressed to them but in fact, Mikey was close to losing his mind with all the whispers in his head.
'You're a horrible person Manjiro. Did you ever think that you can finally be free if you die?'
"No shut up!"
'Now face the people you've betrayed but still trusted you in the end'
"Fucking SHUT UP!"
They were all distraught. Too shocked to move, too afraid to intervene. Mikey looked feral and insane as he continuously yelled to shut up and kneeled at the ground, clutching his head in pain as he begged to be left alone but the voice never did. Not until when a familiar shaking voice screamed for his name.
"Mikey-kun!!"
It was the crybaby hero.
...
It felt so cold and yet so warm. He cradled Mikey's cold body but the warmth of his blood on his hands never felt so comforting in the cold. It can only give him nightmares. The fact that Mikey is dead is eating him up. Guilt bubbling in his stomach as he watched Mikey took his last breath with a satisfied smile. Why would someone smile on their death when what was left was crying for them, begging them not to leave so soon?
Life sure is cruel.
"Mikey-kun!!"
That was the last thing Takemichi remembered before waking up in his room. The same room where he lived as a growing teen. He knew all too well but how? He didn't shook hands with Naoto that time. Then he remembered. Mikey died in his arms.
Takemichi scurried and looked for his flip phone when he was astounded to what was displayed.
June 25, 2004
This was way before he met Toman. But how? What happened to his time-leaping?
Despite all his questions, there was only one thing that came to mind. It was to find Sano Manjiro and make things right before all falls into chaos again. With all his time-leaping, he had learned one thing and promised himself.
Don't cry Takemichi. Face forward and never look back. Stop grieving for something that had already happened and instead raise your head and continue. There's no time to waste. As long as there's another chance, there is still hope. Don't waste it.
It's not the time to mope around, he knew that.
With a determined gaze, he went out and began searching for Toman, especially Mikey but what was currently happening before his eyes startled him. Currently on the Musashi Shrine where he ended up going......
It was the 'Mikey' he met in Manila. Its not the blonde childish Mikey that is suppose to exist in this time but the mature and 'dead earlier' Mikey from the future in confusion with Toman watching him worriedly.
How can it be? That 'Mikey' wasn't supposed to be here. Its the past, but here he is, alive and screaming in his adult form. Despite the confusion, he called out his name with tears in his eyes. After all, it wasn't that long when he was just holding a dying Mikey in his arms, warm blood staining his figure as he smiled in his last moments.
"Mikey-kun!!"