And when you beat the speed of sound, everything gets stripped away. The world beneath your feet turns into a blur of colour, and nothing can catch you.
[ Except when dogfighting, but that's a different matter altogether. ]
Is there anything you want to do up here? When you're ready to leave, tell me. I'll bring us back to the ground.
[And here, the boy just stared at Ishtar once more! Oh dear, what did he do now?]
Um, I'm sorry? I didn't mean to make you sad, Zero? But you're okay right? Because I don't want to start eating if you're hungry! That wouldn't be nice of me!
[But before he even bothered taking a bite, he quickly got up and started to pick up whatever apples he could find. It was the least he could do for making Zero act that way!]
Well, I don't see why you don't want to say that you aren't the family and especially if you've known each other that long! But if you don't want to, I guess I can't focus you to be a family member?
[ Nothing really. It's not his fault. Ishtar says a lot of things she's better off not saying again. ]
I guess it depends on how someone views it. [ Ishtar replied shrugging. ] I feel that way, but I know that there's a different approach to it for Zero. Not that I'll ever stop saying it, as annoying as that can get.
[ Ishtar, drops the apple in her lap as she looks down, sighing a little. That's not what she meant when she said those words since Ishtar knew how it was like to be someone's replacement. That's something she'd never subject on anyone else. ]
Nobody said anything about replacing your family. I don't think there's a replacement for anyone's family, and there's no replacement for anyone specific individual. Just like I have Sir Keld, Darres, Yujinn and everyone but I also have you and Ichiru, Maka and many others. I still consider you all close to me.
I don't even know how to explain what I mean. Anyway, it wasn't my intention to upset, you, but you shouldn't think like that. That's the first time you ever said that to me too.
[And see that? The smile on Takeru's face quickly turned somber before he took a bite out of an apple. Yup, the boy shouldn't have said anything about that should he?
For a moment or two, the boy just listened to what Ishtar had to say. He wasn't sure what else he could say back to cheer Zero up but...]
Ishtar-san is right, no one can ever replace your family. I know Oniichan wasn't happy because my friend, Taichi-san, was hanging around me all the time! And he thought Taichi-san was going to replace him!
But that's not true, I would never think that way! My brother is my brother no matter what!
But I'm really sorry too, Zero, I didn't mean to make you sad.
And this is why you all should just kick him to the curb; also he's actually less angsty now!!!
[He picks up some dried sticks and throws them on the fire before sitting down.
It's been eating at him since the Facility. He never said anything back then, but now... he wasn't the same person he was back then. He wouldn't hide everything like he did before, but saying it was enough. He didn't want to linger on the subject anymore than it took to tell them.]
You should eat, it's getting late.
[He stands.]
I only have one blanket, so you two are sharing. [He tells them as he moves to his pack to pull it out.]
It's okay Takeru. We're all just speaking our minds here. There's nothing wrong with it. I'm sure there are no hurt feelings.
[ Ishtar agreed with what Takeru had to say. His words definitely hit a close place in her heart. He was a young kid, but he was pretty intelligent and honest for his age. He was a lot more honest than she would ever be really.
She was going to jab him in the chest for the comment, but decided against it for the sake of the seriousness that just happened. Ishtar would never want to replace anyone in her life, and even though she said those words casually, she honestly meant them from the bottom of her heart. She knew that Zero saw things differently, so she didn't pushed the matter. The whole conversation made her think about her own family and his younger brother whom she had grown fond of as much as she did of Zero.
It was easier to understand Zero when he was honest with what he wanted to say. She appreciated it nonetheless and bit into her apple quietly, before protesting to his comment. ]
You might get a bit chilled too. Isn't it large enough to house more than two people?
I really hope so. I don't want to make my new friends sad.
[And here, Takeru didn't know what else to say. Instead, he just kept on eating the apple as he watched Ishtar and Zero talk things out. As much as he wanted to help out, he had to wonder if this was one of those grown up things he wasn't suppose to know about yet. At the same time though, he knew what Zero was gong through. Especially after what happened to his brother.
He definitely knew that it was a bad thing to feel like you would be replaced. But at the same time though...?]
I don't mind sleeping without a blanket though! I'm use to sleeping with Patamon as warmth when I was in the Digital World so you and Ishtar-san can have it!
[And especially since it seems like you might need it]
I'll be fine, really! I just want you to feel better, Zero!
[He saw the look on Tekeru and moved to place a hand atop his head.]
We're not sad.
[He means it, which is why he doesn't protest being friends with the kid. He'd probably break his heart if he said that and while he might be a jerk to people his age, he's a sucker for kids.]
I don't get cold. [Vampire body regulation, not that he's going to explain that little bit.] So you and Ishtar are sharing.
We're not sad at all. It's just stuff. We're sorry for dumping this on you.
[ She added with a soft smile. Ishtar would give the boy a hug after Zero's hand was on top of his head. Ishtar's smile had been a lot more sincere than they were a while ago as she tried to help comfort the boy. ]
It's alright, you're smaller than us and you'll probably need it more than we do. Honestly, I'm not all that cold.
No, it's okay, I don't mind! I just wish I can help you out more though because I really want to see you two happy.
[Although, all things considered, this didn't feel that much different from the arguments that Takeru would see between Taichi and his brother. In fact, it doesn't seem that much different from the fights he saw from any of his other friends really.
As he felt Zero's hand on top of his head and Ishtar's hug, he only just smiled in return]
Well if you say so but if you ever feel cold, you better let me know!
We're happy as we can be, so don't you worry too much sweetie.
[ Isthar really didn't want to bother a young boy with her own problems. She really didn't want him to worry about her or Zero for the matter. She felt that the two of them would solve their issues as times pass and in their own way. It really isn't but they were't really arguing to begin with as it seemed to to Takeru. ]
You should rest, Takeru. I'm sure you're beat.
[ She replied letting him go as she gave him a blank look. ]
Stin-gy.
[ She took it from him and pulled it over Takeru and her. It's not like she's not used to extreme weathers to be honest, but it's probably best not to argue right now. ]
[ Ishtar did her best not to lean on him too much as she nodded her head. She wasn't quite sure what she was doing prior to running out like this. She must have seem really out of it to not even realize she left the apartment and god knows how she even made it to the train tracks in the first place. ]
A bad dream?
[ She tilted her head a little as he said that, pausing. ]
It seems like I was, but I can't remember what I dreamed about.
[ Ishtar could understand the overbearing types very well. She could be one of those herself, so it's not something she's a stranger to. Of course, it still means that people cared about them enough to be overbearing about it.
However, sometimes they just need to be able to make their own decisions. That's just how they were going to grow up and learn. ]
I see. It's good to hear at least. In a way, it feels nostalgic maybe?
[ She mused giving the other a head tilt. She looked towards the sky and past the buildings as she waited for him to reply. She nodded her head when he did. ]
I'll be fine. I don't think anything will stalk us this high up but they do I can handle them. You look really pale and I don't want anything to happen to you.
[ She replied with a smile. He looked very tired and she didn't want him to get any more ill than he was. ]
A little bit. I know my brother would always be overprotective of me but I know that we were in the Digital World though. So I guess it makes it a little okay that he was always looking out after me.
[Not that he really likes it but at the same time, he did feel gulity for accidentally making his brother really sad too. While he was okay in the end, it still made him worried.
But as he rubbed his eyes, he began to mumble some more.]
Yeah but...if anything happens to you, I don't want Zero to be sad. I think he would get really mad!
Yeah it can be frustrating, but that's just about it. He probably worries about you a lot and wants to make sure you're safe and unharmed.
[ She replied smiling at him. He had a good brother. She'll admit that and family like that is hard to get by for Ishtar. She couldn't trust a lot of her family. ]
Zero will be fine. This isn't out of the ordinary for me. He worries a lot but he needs to rely on me more. I'm not as helpless as I look you know! It's his way of showing he cares by getting mad. Don't worry your head about it too much sweetheart.
[ Ishtar stared back at him for a moment, blank, though she's probably guessing there's as lot of things he wants to ask. She can tell without really guessing. It's Zero. He's always been the one to see through her. ]
If you say so.
[ She replied. She leaned a little closer to him since her head felt like it was splitting. ]
It wasn't so bad when we got here. At least, not until this happened, anyway. I don't like it at all and so much for hoping that things wouldn't get awful.
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