Chapter 18 "Skylar Lawrence: Part II"

Chapter 18
Skylar Lawrence
Part II

[Knapp Mitsukai - Midnight]
[Logy Oib - Silent]
[Clear Dawn - Nova]
[Jade Wolf - Gravity]
[Johnny Shiba - Atom]
[Skylar Lawrence - Starry]

Knapp is done. Three of his comrades… no, his friends are dead. The ones he is very close with and loves. The team has been getting smaller. And he can’t continue doing this. Not… Not if it will cause more deaths in the future.

Hikyou is gone. Kawaii is gone as well, but Knapp can still tell that if the entire universe has not been destroyed, then Kawaii is still somewhere. Just not in his present presence at this moment. Knapp has not seen him for more than one year.

The portal to the Heart is completely closed. He can understand why it’s closed. It’s to make sure that the Locker can never get to the Heart of the First Universe.

Knapp drops his head to his knees, wrapping them with his arms. He truly hates it when he is completely powerless. No matter how many times his friends tell him that he is not powerless and that they have seen him fight much better than basically a lot of enemies. 

It’s unfair. He thinks to himself. We’ve been losing battles ever since the day we landed on this planet… Was it the right move? Should we have left it alone? If the Earth got locked up with chains while I was still outside… would I have helped them with the power of the universe?

“Daddy?”

Knapp looks up to find his son slightly opening the door. “Ketsu, you can come in.”

After Ketsu enters his father’s bedroom, he stops in the middle of the room and is just staring at him.

“W-what do you need?” Knapp gives a light chuckle. 

“It’s me.” Ketsu crosses his arms on his chest, narrowing his green eyes in annoyance.

Wait, what? Green eyes? Knapp gets up and walks over to Ketsu until he grabs his shoulders. “Hikyou-sama? You possessed his body?! Why?”

“We’re nearly out of time, but you’ve been moping for weeks now.”

Knapp snaps. “Of course. My friends whom I trust with my life died. And my girlfriend died just for a mere Dark Angel! Now, get the fuck out of my son’s body!”

Ketsu suddenly hits him in the head with his own. He sticks out his tongue and snickers as he turns around to run out of the room while saying, “Make me!”

“Ow! Why you…!” Knapp yells angrily and rubs his aching forehead. He has almost forgotten how strong Ketsu has become ever since he learned how to walk. He starts chasing Ketsu through the hallway.

They burst into one of the empty training rooms and circle the room until they exit back into the hallway along with Ketsu’s loud laughter. Knapp is unsure if that laughter belongs to Ketsu or Hikyou. Is it possible that it’s both?

“Wheee!” Ketsu laughs as he leaps over until he gets caught by someone else.

Knapp stops running when he notices Logy holding Ketsu. If he has been having a scowl on his face, it’s now redder and deeper than ever. “Get. Down.”

Ketsu, or rather Hikyou, blows loud raspberries at Knapp as he hugs Logy a little harder. “Naaaaah!”

Knapp’s face twitches in anger as he watches Ketsu smirking deviously and nuzzling against Logy’s neck. I’m so going to kill him.

“What?” Logy asks after reading Knapp’s thoughts, completely oblivious to what exactly Ketsu is trying to provoke Knapp. 

Knapp gives a little long sigh as he tries to calm himself down. He realizes that it is Hikyou who is controlling Ketsu’s body and is gladly willing to do anything just to piss him off… which will not help this situation at all.

“Alright, Hikyou-sama. You win. What do you want?” Knapp asks using both his voice and sign language at the same time.

Hikyou-sama?! Logy snaps his head towards Ketsu with his wide eyes. The little Dark Angel returns a big innocent grin.

“Like I said before, we are nearly out of time. We are approaching the end of the universe,” Hikyou in Ketsu’s body says, also in sign language. “Ever since the Fall of the Moon, I don’t have enough energy to reach out to you. Even Kawaii is way too weak to contact you. As you see, I closed every portal to the Heart in this world.”

Ketsu begins to squirm a little bit, signaling Logy to put him down. After his feet are back on the floor, he continues, “I have a question though. After becoming the Universe Warrior and leaving Earth to find your comrades, the only reason why you bothered to come back is because of the Locker, isn’t it?”

Knapp raises an eyebrow, as if he’s telling him to go on.

“My question is, how did you know about the Locker, and how long have you known about him?” Hikyou asks.

“Before I answer.” Knapp smirks slyly at him. “Firstly, I want you to tell me where you have been for the past 1,000 years. Kawaii said to me that you abandoned us until recently.”

This time it’s Ketsu… Or rather, Hikyou who is glaring at him. “We’re really getting nowhere, aren’t we?”

Logy glances forth and back between Knapp and Ketsu. The moment Hikyou said he had a question, they stopped using sign language. It’s like they have forgotten that he is here. He wonders whether to leave or not.

“Fine,” Hikyou says in annoyance. “The truth is, I did not abandon the Fifth Universe. I mean, I never meant to. I… I just ran away. To a different universe.”

“And it took you a thousand years to decide to come back?”

“I didn’t realize that one thousand years had already passed until I came back.” Hikyou shakes Ketsu’s head. “I admit I deeply regret it. I thought I was only there for just a few decades. All universes run their times differently.”

Knapp frowns. That would never change how Kawaii felt back then either way. “And, why did you run away in the first place?”

“Hey, hey! One question at a time. Your turn to answer mine.”

Knapp told him everything. How Jikan sent him to the future. Where he found the Divine Sword. How he met a slightly different version of Kawaii in the future, who told him about the Locker and to find the warriors with certain powers.

When he finishes telling his story, Hikyou seems to be thinking deeply for a long minute. He can not help but form a genuine smile on Ketsu’s face. “There has to be a reason why Kawaii from the future told you. Obviously, he told you specifically to stop the Locker but… If the future still exists, then… Kaw-- the Fifth Universe will survive. Do you know what it means?”

“Let me guess, the Breaker?”

“Bingo. Even though there may be a Breaker somewhere on Earth, there’s a chance that they still haven’t discovered their power. Or that they don’t even know that they are the Breaker themselves.”

Ketsu walks closer to Knapp and then sends some remaining energy into him.

“H-hey, what did you do?”

“It doesn’t matter if I die. It will not affect the universe. So I gave some of my remaining energy to you,” Hikyou says. 

“You can’t say that. Kawaii needs you.”

Ketsu’s -- rather Hikyou’s -- green eyes soften at Knapp’s remark. Soon, the color of his eyes are slowly turning back into dark brown. “Yes, but he needs you more. Please, use this energy to fight back. If you give up now, then it’s all over.”

“Is everything ok?” Logy asks nervously when he notices that Knapp has not said a word and Ketsu is looking around in confusion.

“I don’t know,” Knapp mumbles, as he picks up Ketsu, who then wraps his arms around his father’s neck tightly. He glances at Logy and continues, “If you were on the losing side with a high chance of dying, what would you do?”

Logy scoffs at his question. A reaction that Knapp did not expect. The deaf warrior answers, “Ever since I joined the Dark Team, I’ve always been ready to fight at the cost of my life for the Fifth Universe… For Kawaii.”

For the first time in a long time since Sybil’s death, the Universe Warrior beams a big grin.

~*~

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA

Not too long after their encounter with Hikyou who temporarily possessed Ketsu’s body, Clear found Leon’s location. Everyone in the Dark Team left for San Diego, California.

This time, Knapp is joining them. Clear drops them off at Point Loma but will not join them. She needs to get back to Rosa, Akane, Ketsu, and Katja.

Almost the entire west coast in the United States consists of radiation, so they are wearing protective masks, which prevent radiation from getting into their lungs. 

They split up into two groups called Myou and Hikari Groups. In the Myou Group, it is the usual S.W.S. team, Tezuka, Ryu, and Sky. For the Hikari Group, it’s Knapp, Jade, Johnny, and Logy. The Myou Group is heading east towards Coronado while the Hikari Group is heading north along the western beach towards Fiesta Island.

Their only mission is to find Leon.

It takes the Hikari Group longer to get to Fiesta Island compared to Myou Group’s distance to Coronado.

Knapp manages to keep up with his team. He has been training hard for the past 5 years but without the power of the universe, it is still not the same as before. 

They stop running when they spot a very familiar woman casually sitting on one of the large boulders. 

“Jikan,” Knapp says. “You knew we would be here looking for Leon… didn’t you?”

“You being here means Leon…” Johnny starts to say.

The Time Traveller changes her glance towards the south and points at it. She says calmly, “That’s right. Tezuka, Ryu, and Sky are as good as dead.”

Knapp flinches. “You know their names?”

Jikan gives a light chuckle. “The Dark Team being here on this planet was not in our plan, but Leon knows everything about all of you. It’s just that you’re too good at hiding from him.”

“Same as you. We already knew about the Locker way before the Earth got locked,” Knapp says with a scowl being formed on his face. “Nearly half of us got killed because of the Locker.”

“The Locker. The one you call Leon?” Jade asks. “Are you sure you truly know him?”

Jikan raises an eyebrow in confusion.

“His real name is Shishi,” Knapp says. “You said the universe will be reborn if the Heart of the Fifth Universe is destroyed… but was he really telling the truth? What if he has been manipulating you?”

“Why are you trying so hard to stop us?” Jikan shakes her head, as if she does not believe them. She frowns. “It’s over for you all. Even though the Fall of the Moon did not work, the universe will end sooner or later.”

“You’re totally right,” Johnny says as he yawns, trying to cover his open mouth with his own hand. “But are you saying that you’re ok with the universe dying? Even though it may not be reborn?”

“The sooner, the better,” the Time Traveller says. “I’ll tell you my story since you will die soon anyway. After you fought so hard, I think you deserve the full story. In 68 years, Volesmash will attack Earth. So many people… including my friends, will be killed. New York City, Washington D.C., Tokyo, Berlin, Paris, and many more cities… will be completely gone. Volesmash found the Heart, so I used time travelling before they could destroy it.”

“W-what are you saying?” Knapp asks.

“That’s why I came to the past.” Jikan runs her hand through her long silver hair. “I found Leon, and that was when we started making the plan… for the universe to be reborn. To start all over again. This way I… well… we will never suffer again.”

“So, you left before the universe was destroyed in the future?” Logy asks, almost startling everyone, including his own team. He gives her a hard glare. “Then, you are a coward.”

“Excuse me?”

“Our friends died protecting the Heart. But that still hasn’t stopped us from trying. We have a hope that the Breaker will show up. If the universe will be destroyed, then we will not regret dying if we try. So that’s why you’re a coward for running away and leaving everyone behind when you should have tried to protect them.”

“Why you…!” Jikan scowls deeply as she lifts her hand which is being surrounded by purple energy. “Manipulate!”

Knapp’s legs begin to move but it is not of his own will. “What?” He asks.

“Grav --” Jade cannot finish powering up for gravity when Knapp gives him a hard roundkick to the head. Knapp’s training for the past few years have paid off but not for the better this time.

“Are you controlling him?” Johnny gives a tired sigh. A small bright orb is being formed in front of him. “We don’t have time for this. We are supposed to find Shishi.”

“Are you sure that if you use the power of exploding, it can kill him?” Jikan asks as she forces Knapp to run towards Johnny.

Logy easily blocks Knapp’s fast punch right with his own palm after he quickly moves to a place in front of Johnny, who seems not to be too concerned.

“What?” Jikan asks in a complete surprise. Before she knows it, the tiny orb, the size of a golf ball, has already arrived at the destination just inches away from her.

“Explode,” Johnny says calmly.

The orb instantly gets brighter and smaller until it explodes into large dark smoke. Jikan leaps backward out of the smoke.

“Hm?” Johnny raises an eyebrow. “First time someone dodges my attack…”

“That was so close.” Jikan gives a loud exhale. She wipes her left shoulder with her own hand. “Now then… I wonder what kind of power Knapp has if he were not the Universe Warrior? Maybe… aguila energy like his father or younger brother? Ice or taming energy like his grandfather?”

Logy makes a few steps away from Knapp who is just standing idly. He does not want to hurt him as much as possible.

“No? I guess he’s just a nobody without the power of the universe, after all.” Jikan scoffs. “Let’s see… What else can he do?”

“Ow, that really hurts!” Jade rolls over on his knees while his hand is on his throbbing face because of Knapp’s hard kick. “What’s going --” He stops as soon as he looks up at Knapp.

Multiple rope-like objects are glowing in azure light and floating around Knapp. He glances at his friends with his soulless eyes as one of the ropes moves across his mouth as if it’s covering it.

“Well, well, I see…” Jikan smirks as she watches her puppet suddenly grabbing the rope, making multiple ones to extend towards his own comrades. “So that’s the hokaku energy. I honestly didn’t expect such simple power. He’s really a nobody, after all.”

Logy barely dodges one of the ropes but Jade and Johnny end up getting caught. “Knapp, please stop!”

Knapp does not even hesitate or flinch at Logy’s voice at all. 

“Oh, he is hearing you right now,” Jikan chuckles lightly. “But he can’t control his body right now… because as you can see, I’m the one who is doing it!”

The leader of the Dark Team rushes off, heading straight for Logy. He tosses another rope but Logy dodges once again. He sees the chance to use his other hand to punch him in the head at a very close distance, sending him crashing into the ground.

Logy screams in pain.

“It’s over.” Jikan smirks as Knapp wraps Logy with the glowing rope without any trouble. “The end is coming any minute now.”

“K-Knapp.” Logy groans in pain. “Please fight back.”

“There’s nothing he can do,” Jikan says, shrugging her shoulders. “The only thing he can do… is to kill you all. Alright, Knapp, go ahead and ki--”

All of sudden, the Divine Sword comes flying out of the sky and pierces through Knapp’s chest. 

“What?!” Jikan cries.

Knapp coughs up a large amount of blood. He is about to fall forward but the sword is simply floating and holding him up in the air. 

“W-what the hell…?” Jade asks in confusion. Soon, the glowing ropes on all three warriors’ bodies are disappearing into nothingness. 

“...Is he dead?” Johnny asks after watching Knapp’s motionless body for more than one minute. “Why did his own sword… do that to him?”

“Knapp!” Logy yells tearfully as he starts to move his legs only to be stopped by Jade grabbing his wrist. “Let me go!”

“We don’t know what that damn sword is capable of --” Jade does not finish his sentence when he spots fresh tears coming out of Logy’s hazel eyes like a river. 

“Jade…?” Johnny starts to say.

“What?”

“L…Look.” Johnny points at Knapp whose hand is moving towards the sword’s handle.

The Universe Warrior pulls the sword out of his chest. The hole in his chest is being closed at a fast speed.

Jikan snaps out of shock as she hurriedly makes a new portal but it suddenly pops into pieces. “W…Why? How?” She asks.

“I cancelled it,” Knapp says calmly as he turns to Jikan. He takes a look at his hands. He creates a small flaming orb in both white and black. I… I got the power of the universe back? Does this mean…?

“I can’t read Knapp’s mind anymore,” Logy says almost happily as he rubs his teary eyes. “He is back.”

“Manipulate!” Jikan yells. Instead of Knapp, she is aiming for Logy. 

“No.”

Before Jikan realizes what just happened, Knapp is already at Logy’s side with his hand on his brown-haired friend’s head. Logy is not moving as Jikan tries to command him.

Jade and Johnny glance at the half of their other team in amazement. Way more amazed at Knapp’s speed, which can be very close to the speed of light. They have almost forgotten how powerful and fast Knapp was before the Earth got locked up.

Soon, they notice a bright glow threatening to escape from the scarf on the back of Knapp’s neck. They are thinking to themselves almost the same: He’s back.

Knapp points his sword at Jikan while his other hand is still on Logy’s head. He says dangerously, “Let him go. Or you die.”

Jikan scowls deeply as realization dawns on her. She has lost. She tries again to quickly create another portal. She is about to step through the portal but it gets pierced by Knapp’s flying sword, disappearing into the air once again.

Knapp snaps his head towards the south direction. Instead of coolness and calm in his eyes, they’re now showing fear. “Sky, Tezuka, and Ryu… Why are their presences gone?”

Before Jikan can say a word, Knapp takes off into the sky fast. She takes a chance to create another portal but gets stopped when another hand grabs her shoulder. She trembles in fear.

“It’s ok. I won’t hurt you.” A soothing voice seems to ease Jikan’s anxiety.

“Whoa! When did you get here, Hikyou-sama?” Jade asks in surprise.

“The chains have been broken,” Hikyou says cheerfully, almost relieved.  “Go with Knapp. I’ll take care of this.”

The remaining members of the Hikari group start running as fast as they can, trying to catch up with Knapp.

“Alright.” Hikyou turns to Jikan, letting go of her shoulder. “As you can see… The moment Knapp arrives, Shishi loses. I’m going to take him to Hell for everything he has done wrongly to the universe. But you… what am I going to do with you?”

Jikan shivers at the question.

“How many times did you attempt to change the timeline?” Hikyou asks seriously. “I can tell that this is not your first time.”

Jikan looks away from him with a forming scowl on her face. After a long silence, she answers softly, “I lost count after 50 times.”

“You knew Shishi was lying to you this entire time. Why are you still doing this?”

“I thought I could save my friends… But I wanted… just want to stop,” Jikan mumbles as she covers her face with her hands. “I can’t stand… Just can’t stand seeing my friends die over and over again.”

“You can stop now.” Hikyou gives her a small smile. “All you can do now is to step back and watch.”

Jikan is completely surprised. Is this it? “Are you going to send me to Hell?”

“Of course not. You’re our Timeline Protector.” Hikyou moves aside, as another woman with silver hair steps into Jikan’s vision. An older version of Jikan.

“...Is that me?”

“Yes, she will take you to the beginning of the universe,” Hikyou says as his own portal is being formed out of nothingness next to him. “That’s if you accept becoming our Timeline Protector. So sorry that I have to leave right now but I want you to have hope by watching how many amazing people this universe has had since the beginning of time.”

Jikan gives a big exhalation as Double God disappears into the portal. She says almost to herself, “Yeah…”