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Episode 3: Missing Number

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"Well, f*ck." David sighed, a sweat droplet forming on his temple. "Damn policemen and their tranquilizers..."

The entire group had been caught, much to everyone's chagrin. Nick squirmed a bit, trying to undo the ropes that had bound him, to no avail. "Dammit..." He sighed. "If I could just...get a hold of my sword..." He grunted.

"Oh, come on, you know you love it."

"Eddie, I swear to god-!"

Miller tapped a fist on his desk, gaining everyone's attention. "Now then..." He looked over to Officer Mays. "Where's Green Comet?"

"S-Sir, she's a super-heroine." Mays gulped. "Nobody's ever seen her without her helmet, so..."

Miller sighed, taking a drag from his joint. "Yeah, I'll give you that." He looked back to the teenagers. "Now then, concerning you lot."

"Sir, with all due respect, we didn't think we were doing anything wrong." Nick explained. "Why should it matter who catches the criminals? If they're caught, that's all that matters, isn't it?"

"That's not how these guys think, Nick." David smirked. "It matters to them because it interferes with their paychecks."

"Shut your mouth, damn kid." Miller growled. "I've told you, ESCPECIALLY you, time and time again, not to interfere with police ordeals!" He flicked David upside the nose. "Those criminals are supposed to be caught by experienced policemen and policewomen, not by some nosy kids who decide to poke their heads into danger just for kicks!"

"We're sure as hell doing a better job at this than you are, slowpoke!" David taunted. "Duke Terror, President Kimble, etcetera, etcetera, we caught them ten times faster than you ever caught a cold!"

"You really think you're better at this job than me?" Miller's lower eyelid twitched, and David's smirk grew, knowing he was getting a rise out of him. Miller growled a bit, before returning with a smirk of his own. "I can't believe Jon could raise such an impudent brat!"

David's eyes widened, and his brow furrowed, his smug grin disappearing faster than lightning.

"Oh, sorry." Miller snickered. "Did I strike a nerve?" David remained silent. "That guy, all he ever did was laze around and flirt with his subordinates." David bit his lip, trying to keep from exploding. "And whaddya know, runs off with some girl he knows for all but a day and has a kid without being married!"

"You shut your f*cking mouth!" Chrissy snarled.

Miller simply took another drag from his cigarette. "You're barely in a position to demand anything, kid!" His smirk grew. "Besides, I'm only telling the truth. Can't change the fact that the bastard kid's parents are gone, now, can we?"

That statement was enough to send David over the edge, and the blond roared in fury, tensing his muscles and breaking out of the ropes, charging for Miller like a bull. He grabbed the policeman by the collar of his jacket, slugging him in the jaw and causing the man to bite his cigarette in half. He continued to punch and elbow the man in the face, before finally throwing him into the desk.

"NEXT TIME YOU PULL THAT BULLSHIT, I'LL MURDER YOU!" He yelled, eyes dilating.

"FREEZE!" A group of policemen burst in, guns aimed at the boy. "Raise your hands on top of your head! Any other movements, and you will be shot!"

"Cease fire, cease fire." Miller ordered, sitting up and lighting another joint. He glanced over at David, smirking as he blew out a puff of smoke. "Kid, ya got twenty seconds to get out, before I let them open fire."

David growled, stomping over to his friends and untying them. He picked up an ashtray, before chucking it at the window, smashing the glass to smithereens. As the group filed out, David glared back at the man, before raising his middle finger and growling.

"Sir-" Officer Mays began, before Miller held up a hand to silence her.

"Let 'em go." He grinned, as if nothing had happened. "He's a teenager, he'll cool off eventually." He stood up, saluting the officers. "Dismissed."

"S-Sir, you're bleeding!"

Miller still wasn't phased. "It's just a flesh wound."

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"Motherf*cking...c*cksucking...son of a bitch...one day I'll...and then I'll..." David grumbled as the group walked along. "FFFFFFFFFFFF*CK." He growled, grasping his forehead. "I need an aspirin or something..."

Chrissy sighed, placing a hand on his shoulder. She looked at the rest of the group. "You guys go on ahead, we'll catch up." They dispersed, and David and Chrissy sat down side-by-side on a nearby bench, the blond hunching over a bit. They were silent for a minute, before Chrissy rubbed his shoulder a bit. "You know it wasn't your fault, right?"

"Yeah...I know..." David sighed. "But MAN! Miller really knows how to make a person hate him!"

Chrissy nodded slightly, looking around. "This is where we first met, isn't it?"

The blond smiled a bit. "Heh...yeah..."

"My dad and your dad were friends in college, and they decided to get together for a barbecue."

"Yeah..." David nodded, straightening up a bit. "Our families met up here in the square and headed to your house. Then our dads got into an arm-wrestling fight, the ribs burned, and he tried to flip beef tongue while the green onions were still on it." He chuckled softly.

"Then you pushed me on the swings." Chrissy smiled. "And then there was a storm and you and your parents had to stay the night."

"...Yeah..." David blushed. "Then our moms made us take a bath together, we all watched a movie, and you and I fell asleep halfway through."

"I remember the next morning, you were crying because you didn't want to leave!" Chrissy giggled.

David glanced at her, surprised. "Huh? I don't remember that!"

"Well you did!"

"Did not!"

"Did so!"

David smirked. "No, I'm positive it was you!"

The two burst out laughing, and Chrissy smiled at the blond. "I take it you're feeling better?"

David nodded, wiping his eye. "Yeah, I'm fine." He smiled, before giving her a thumbs-up. "Thanks."

"No problem." The redhead grinned back, raising her hand and giving him a high-five. The two stood up, and David smiled over to the girl. The sun had begun to set, and shadows cast themselves across the square. The citizens who had been occupying the streets began dwindling in number, leaving the two almost completely alone. "Come on." Chrissy smiled. "Let's go."

"Hey, Chrissy?" David spoke up, heart beating a bit faster. The red-haired girl looked back at him, grinning. "Listen...I...thanks." He stammered a bit. "Really...thank you."

"You're welcome." She wrapped her arms around him, giving him a comforting hug. David mimicked her actions, linking his hands together behind her back, hugging her a bit more firmly. They separated, and Chrissy blushed a bit as she stared in his eyes.

To this day, David still doesn't know what possessed them to bring their faces closer together, their lips almost touching-

BEEP BEEP BEEP

The two teenagers snapped out of the trance, blushing like neon lights and separating, shuffling awkwardly. David reached into his pocket, pulling out his PDA; the infernal device that had interrupted them.

"Hello?" He responded, shuffling his feet a bit and averting his gaze from the girl. Chrissy, meanwhile, copied his actions, raising a hand to her face in an attempt to conceal her deep red cheeks.

"David, you and Chrissy have to get back here!" Nick replied, sounding more than a little panicked.

David nodded, waving for Chrissy to follow him. "Sure, why-"

"It's from your father."

David halted, eyes widening. The device fell from his hand, which had gone limp, and he sprinted as fast as he could in the direction of the Harpy's Claw. "David, hang on a second!" Chrissy called after her friend, picking up his PDA and running after him.

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David burst through the doors, red-faced and panting heavily, eyes still wide. He vaulted over the counter, running through the door and into the kitchen-slash-meeting-place. "I...I'm here!" He panted, looking at Nick, panicked. "What did you mean, 'it's from my dad' ? !"

Nick handed him a small pocket-watch on a chain. The clock, however, was hidden by a lid. "A man just came by and dropped this off. It came with a letter." He held up an envelope, which read 'To my son' on one side, and 'From Haisan Jonasan' on the other.

David stared for a moment, before shakily grasping the letter. "...Six years..." He muttered. "For six years, I thought you were dead...!" He ripped open the flap, pulling out the letter and gulping. His hands quaked the more he read, and he gulped again. "It...It's definitely from him...He's written it in hiragana, which is the only form of writing I knew from Setsu..."

He placed a hand to his chin. "It's in a code my parents taught me; obviously he used it to make sure that if anyone did open it, they wouldn't be able to read it." The blond explained. After a moment or two of rereading the letter, he sighed.

"What's it say?" Chad asked.

Nick growled. "Chad, this is a personal matter, you can't just-"

"It's fine..." David sighed. "Man...just when I think he's alive, it turns out that this is just a delayed message..." He started to read.

11/11/3228

David clenched his fists around the edges of the paper. "That's the day he died..."

Dear David

If you're reading this, then it means that I am most likely gone from this world. I am leaving to you this pocket-watch. I know it doesn't seem like much, but when the time comes, you will know what to do with it. I'm sorry your mother and I couldn't be around for you, but if we have passed, then you must continue on your own. I know that Dark is freed from his seal, and that means that something will happen, soon, that must be stopped at all costs. You must find him, the one who wields the power of Angel Fire, the ability to travel through time. I'm sorry if this is asking too much, but you must make sure that Dark's goal is never reached. What it is, I'm not certain of. But I believe in you, son. Find the wielder of Angel Fire, and use his powers to travel back in time to prevent Dark from completing his objectives. I have gathered as much information as I could, but I can't write it all down in this letter.

"Well, thaht's greht..." Chad sighed, blowing a bit of hair out of his face.

David held up a hand, shushing the young man."Hang on, there's more." His look of panic had turned to one of confusion and fascination.

I'm leaving behind all my notes in a diary. Find Honda Tetsuya, I have given the notes to him. If he asks for identification, show him the watch. I'm sorry, but I must end my letter here. I have faith in you, David. Stop Dark and free the world from his reign of terror. And know that I love you, son.

Sincerely,

Haisan Jonasan

David flipped the paper over.

PS. 122121122135

David raised an eyebrow, placing a hand to his chin, and Chrissy finally ran in, out of breath. "Jeez, do you think you could slow down?" She panted, brow furrowing a bit.

David didn't respond, continuing to think about the strange number. "Nick, what do you think this number could mean?"

He handed the boy the letter, and Nick read the number, thinking of what it could mean. "I'm...not sure...It consists mostly of ones and twos, but the three and the five at the end completely throw off the pattern."

Chad looked over his shoulder. "Hm..." Suddenly, he pointed at the paper. "Hey, what's this?"

There was a small, blurred out symbol, and Nick squinted, trying to make out the shape. "I...have no idea..." He looked back to where David was a few seconds ago. "David, can you tell what this...is?"

The blond had already left.

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DING-DONG

"Hello?" A man answered the door, looking down at David. The man was middle-aged, his hair-line receding, and he seemed tired and disheveled. "Who're you, kid?"

"Mr. Honda?" David asked. "It's me, David."

Honda's eyes narrowed, as if he were trying to discern if it was the truth or not. "Haisan Dabide? Jon's son?"

"Yeah." David nodded, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the clock. "My dad told me to show you this when I saw you..."

Honda snatched up the watch, looking it over suspiciously, before motioning for David to follow him inside. "So...Jon sent you, did he?"

"That's right. He said you had his diary?"

The man scoffed. "What of it? All it's got is a bunch of nonsense."

David scowled. "I don't care, my dad told me to get it from you, and I didn't run all the way here just for you to brush me off." He protested. "Please, Mr. Honda, you've got to let me have that diary!"

"I don't have time for this crap." The man growled, turning his back to David.

"What the hell, you old fart!" David growled, clenching a fist. "I need that diary; it's important!"

Honda spun around, glaring at him. "Listen, kid! I don't have time for this crap! Get out, before I call the police! They'll give you hell-"

"I'VE ALREADY SEEN HELL!" David shouted, slamming a fist into the wall. "And let me tell you, no two-bit shitty cops can compare! Have you ever watched your parents die right in front of your eyes ? !"

Honda stared at him for a moment, trying to piece together what was just said. "The hell are you saying? You said that Jon told you to-"

"He's dead!" David growled. "He told me in a letter to get that diary! He and my mom are both dead, and if I don't get that diary, I'll have failed not only my father's expectations, but I'll have failed everyone!" He raised a fist. "He said that in that diary is a secret to defeating Dark once and for all! Don't you care? About the world ? ! About your own kid ? !"

Honda's eyes dilated, and he sat down, holding his head in his hands. "...My son is gone..."

David flinched a bit, suddenly feeling ashamed. "...Oh...I...I'm sorry..."

"No..." Honda held up a hand. "He's not dead...he's gone missing." He sighed. He looked up at the blond, scowling. "Tell you what. If you find my son and bring him home to me, I'll give you this diary." He held up the small book.

"You promise?" David raised an eyebrow. Honda nodded, and David placed a hand to his chin. "I'm not gonna get it from you any other way, am I? Alright, fine." He nodded. "I'll find your son and bring him here. Then you'll give me that diary."

"It's a deal." Honda stood up. "My son's name is Honda Hikaru."

"What does he look like?" David asked.

Honda placed a hand to his chin. "The last time I saw him was two years ago..." He was silent for a moment. "The last time I saw him, he had black hair and blue eyes. I'm sorry to say that he doesn't look that much different from other boys...except..."

David raised an eyebrow. "Except?"

"There would be a way to tell if it was him, but I'm afraid it's nearly impossible to know for sure..."

David sighed. "What about birthmarks? Or tattoos? Or something that might help me figure out if it's him or not?"

"I...I'm afraid not..." He handed the blond a photograph of a dark-haired boy with bright blue eyes. "This is the most recent picture I have of him..." As David was leaving, he looked back up at him. "And David...please, bring him home."

David smiled back at him, confidently. "Before you know it! You make sure that that diary stays safe!" He sprinted out the door, and Honda sighed, walking over and picking up a photograph of his son and him.

"Soon..." He whispered. "Soon you'll be home..."

"But not soon enough..."

"WH-"

SHUNK

Honda collapsed as the blade pierced through his chest, falling onto his face, bleeding to death. Behind him stood a young man, with large bat-like ears and demonic wings. He smirked, fangs poking out from behind his lips, and ran a hand through his black-and-green spiky hair. His emerald-colored eyes seemed to gleam dangerously as he stared at the wound.

He wiped the blood off of his katana with a nearby cloth. "Retract: Tachikatana." The sword glowed red for a moment, before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

"Nightmare, must you tantalize our prey?" Behind the young man was a teenage girl with orange hair. She was wielding two wheel-like objects. The edge of each wheel was covered by blades, and there was a handle in the center, where she kept her grip. "You can never just cut off their heads and end their suffering, can you?"

"I'm afraid not, dear sister Cobalt." Nightmare smirked. "I'm sorry, but I like to aim for the heart rather than the neck." He glanced behind the girl, where another boy with spiky orange hair, dark skin, and an orange trench-coat stood. "Ace, would you kindly?"

"Sure." He held up his hands, where there were cards fitting between each finger in the order of a rainbow, save for the one on the right end, which was black on the front and white on the back. He picked out a green card. "Summon 'Cure'-type spell: Clean-Up!"

Green electricity sparked from the card, hitting the man and dissolving his body, as well as the blood.

"I'll never get over how handy that is." Nightmare smirked. He noticed the diary on the ground, picking it up and looking it over. "Hmph!" He snickered, before tossing the diary up into the air. "Cobalt, if you would." Cobalt pointed at the book, and it burst into flames, destroying the pages and their casing. Nightmare cackled with glee as the ashes floated to the ground. "Come, brother, sister." He spun around, walking towards the back of the house. "Master Dark is awaiting our return."

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On his way back to their makeshift base, David noticed that his friends had chased after him. "Oh, hey, guys!" He waved.

"Don't you 'Oh, hey, guys' us!" Chrissy pouted, panting. "You just run off without a word and expect us to stay back at the Claw?"

"S-Sorry!" David held up his hands in defense. "I wasn't thinking, I just figured..." He shook his head. "Anyway, Honda wouldn't give me my dad's diary..."

"Why?" Nick raised an eyebrow.

David shrugged. "He said it was full of nonsense, but he promised to hand it over if we do him a favor." He held up the photograph.

"..." The group stared at the picture. "...Who th' hell is thaht?" Chad asked.

David explained, "It's Honda's missing son, Hikaru. He said that if we find him and bring him home, he'll give us the diary."

"No, I mean..." Chad raised his hands in disbelief. "LOOK aht 'im!" He scoffed. "He looks goiliah thahn Nick, fer f*ck's sake!"

David raised an eyebrow, looking back at it. "...Oh. Yeah, he kinda does."

Nick yanked the photograph away from David, brow twitching and a vein popping on his temple. "David, you do realize what kind of mess you've gotten us into, right?" He pointed at the photo. "Honda Hikaru is a runaway that the police have been looking for for two years!"

"And?"

Nick growled. "AND, that means that you're taking yet another case from them and getting us into even MORE trouble!"

"Why should it mahttah who cahtches the criminuls? If theah cahght, thaht's all thaht mahttuhs, isn't it?" Chad smirked. "Ain't thaht exahcly what ya said?"

Nick blushed. "W-Well, yeah, but..."

"Oh, come now, my bitch." Eddie grinned. "Nothing can be gained if you don't break the rules every now and then."

"We've already broken hundreds of f*cking rules." The boy deadpanned.

David sighed. "Nick, tell me, what do you want to be when you grow up?"

The brunette raised an eyebrow. "I've told you all a thousand times." He smirked. "Someday, I'm gonna be the world's greatest swordsman!"

"Exactly." David looked over to Eddie. "Ed? What about you?"

"A lawyer." The blond ignored the surprised staring.

"Chad?"

"A mechahnic, whaht else!"

David looked over at Chrissy. "And Chrissy?"

"A doctor." She stated, determined. "One day I'm gonna become a doctor and help everyone I can!"

"Exactly." David grinned. "Think, do any of us go to school? I mean, really? Chad doesn't, Chrissy doesn't, Ed doesn't, and Nick, I hate to say it, but becoming the world's greatest swordsman is gonna be pretty damn tough, considering the fact that you might miss a few opponents since there aren't that many swordsmen nowadays." He smirked. "And yet, those dreams are still possible, aren't they? Bend a few rules, and they'll be a reality!"

"What about you?" Eddie asked. "What's your dream?"

David stared a moment, before crossing his arms and placing a hand to his chin. "Other than defeating Dark, there's only one I could think of, but..."

"But?"

"But it's really kinda stupid, and even if I wanted to, I'd have to completely defy the laws of physics." He explained.

"Jus' tehl us, dahmmit." Chad scoffed.

David smirked. "One day, I'm gonna explore the multiverse!"

The entire group went silent, and the air hung even more awkwardly than Eddie's earlier statement. "...The multiverse." Nick stared.

"The multiverse."

"...Wow." Nick raised an eyebrow. "Just...wow. I...I don't know why, but I just got the strangest feeling that that's gonna become your catchphrase."

"Like ya an' th' whole 'greatest swuhdsmun' thing?"

"Shut up."

"But you get my point, right?" David grinned. "Bending the rules is all a part of life, isn't it? Besides, we need to do this in order to get that diary! Whaddya say?" He placed his hand forth. "Are we in on this, or what?"

Chrissy immediately placed her hand on top of his. "Count me in!" She smirked. "The sooner we find him, the sooner we defeat Dark once and for all!"

Nick sighed, placing his hand in as well. "Yeah, okay."

"Cahnt me in, too!" Chad smirked.

"Very well." Eddie followed suit. "As long as this brings about Dark's end faster, so be it!"

David grinned. "Alright, you guys!" He chuckled. "Let's do it! Let's find that kid, get my dad's diary, and finish this, alright?"

"BREAK!"

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Nightmare pushed open the large, black mahogany door, marching forth with Ace and Cobalt close behind. The three Shadow Creatures knelt down, placing their left hands and knees on the ground, while raising their right arms over their right knees, and placing their hands on their chests.

"Master, we have returned." Nightmare spoke obediently. "We have carried out the assassination, as you requested."

"Very good..."

"Have you any other missions for us today, Master?"

"No, no, you are free to go." The three stood back up, turning to exit the room. "Oh, and one more thing..."

They spun back around, bowing once more. "Yes, Master?" Nightmare asked.

"Haisan Dabide. You are certain that he is unaware of the death?"

"Positive, my lord."

"Hmm...very well...you may go..."

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To be continued...