The Forbidden Fruit

Her Voice Is Now Only A Dream

Kanji's POV

I had a peaceful dream.

A sweet dream.

My mother, my father, and I walked along the beach. The sand in our toes and the cool breeze flowing through my mothers and I hair. I ran ahead laughing and giggling as my father chased me trying to capture me.

My mother laughed as she watched and shook her head. My father and I played in the water and even sprayed my mother with some causing her to chase us.

But for some reason.

The woman who I see as my mother changes. Who is this other stranger? The images become distorted and suddenly I'm all alone. It's dark. Then I hear screaming. I see a woman and man fighting. Dad? Who is he fighting? Why is he fighting her? She kind of... looks like me...

"My dear child remember. Remember who you are."

Dad? No... that's a woman.

"I am so sorry please my love. Protect her, after she is ...... of both our worlds."

"Erase her memory. She will die if she remember any of this. They'll only find her faster."

"She will forget I ever existed Michael. I can't, not her."

"Please ******* we have to protect her. No matter what."

The woman held the child close and kissed her. Whose memories are these? Michael? But that's not dads name right? Maybe he was dad's brother? But he sounds and looks so much like him. The image became distorted again and this time Instead of being away from the scene i was in it.

I was holding Zero's unmoving body in my arms. I touched my face and tears streamed down my face. I looked around and the place I once called home was a bloody barren battlefield. I saw Myrio hugging Mira's body sobbing. What? What's going on-

"You have no one left. The traitor's treachery will go down in history as nothing more than a silly infatuation."

I heard a voice and looked up from Zero at it. But it was blurry. Who...Is that? He dawned heavy arm covered in blood. He walked towards me slowly. For some reason my core felt as if it had been broken. Like I had lost something that was never truly there. The stranger pointed their sword at Zero and aimed for his heart. I tried to protect him by throwing my body over his but they used some sort of power to push me away. I hurriedly sat up only to see him lifting the sword in the air.

no

"p-please..."

No

"I'M BEGGING YOU PLEASE!"

NO

"NOOO!"

He Plunged it deep into Zero's body twisting it with assurance he was dead.

"ZEROO!"

My heart ached more than any of the other wounds on my body. Why did Zero mean so much to me? Why is this happening? Is this the future? What is happening? Who is this person?

Lost in thought and dread this man walked up to me and knelt down caressing my cheek with his thumb. I tore my face away from him and he grabbed it roughly forcing me to look at him. His face was still blurry. I wanted to speak but the next words that left my mouth were not my own.

"What have you done?!"

He leaned closer and whispered in my ear. His breathe warm but his tone cold enough to cause me to shiver.

"What needed to be."

I got angry. My blood began to boil and all I saw was red. I screamed and he flew backwards due to the uncontrolled burst of energy radiating from my body.

"*****! I'LL KILL YOU!"

"KANJI! WAKE UP."

My eyes flew open, and I saw Mira and Myrio standing over me concerned.

"W-What..."

"Shh. Don't speak yet. Hey, Aiden, can you get her-"

"No."

"Dude, can you not be an asshole for five minutes? Grab her some damn water!"

"I'm not her f*****g maid, butler, or mate. So, No."

Hearing him say he wasn't my mate hurt. But...Why? I sat up slowly and coughed drawing everyone's attention except his. Toshino pushed passed aiden and grabbed a bottle of water and came back handing it to me.

"T-Th-hank y-you."

He shook his head and smiled.

"Don't worry about it."

I drank the water grateful for the Lukewarm liquid and looked around. Where am I?

"Kanji. Your awake. How do You feel?"

Zero walked over to me and I sighed in relief. I noticed that Aiden had tensed up but choose to ignore it thinking it was nothing.

"Like I got hit by a train? ha-ha"

He gave a weak smile and then motioned everyone to leave the room.

"We are no longer on the ship, are we?"

"No. We aren't."

I moved around a bit to sit more properly while he sat down next to me folding his arms.

"Where are we?"

"Hell. I know it sounds demeaning but there's no nicer way to say it I'm afraid."

He chuckled and I giggled and nodded in understanding. Silence ensued as I looked out the window and took in the sights before me. It was beautiful yet slightly intimidating. Zero moved again speaking sounding very cautious.

"Kanji... how much do you remember?"

I looked at him and then down. I thought hard as the memories came flooding back to me.

"Uh the game? Race Against Time? The Labyrinth? The ship and...and I think my mother."

I gasped and blinked a few times. How I could forget my mother. He flinched hearing me call her and looked away.

"Was she here? I heard her voice when I was unconscious. Where is she?"

Zero looked at me and sighed. He looked down and then walked over to the bed sitting next to me. He grabbed my hand and spoke in a sadden tone different from the one he had earlier.

"I am so so sorry Kanji..."

"W-What are you apologizing for?"

He refused to look at me and kept looking down.

"Zero you're scaring me what happened?"

He said nothing keep his position refusing to meet my eyes. Irritated I got up and put on shoes wanting to find my mother. My body screamed in pain and my head told me to sit down but my heart felt unnerved. Something was wrong. Just as I reached for the doorknob, he spoke words that caused me to believe I was hearing things.

"She's dead."

I turned slowly to the side not fully facing him and gritted my teeth.

"That's not funny."

"Do you see me or hear me laughing Kanji?"

I faced him fully and his face was cold. It was filled with pain and distraught. I shook my head clutching my locket I wore that she gave me.

"No... No, you're lying. YOU'RE LYING!"

He walked towards me and hugged me. I tried fighting him off and started to scratch and scream at him.

"YOU'RE A LIAR. NO! SHES CAN'T BE! WHERE IS SHE?! GIVE HER TO ME DAMN IT!"

"I know it hurts. I know and I'm so sorry. She died protecting us. She died protecting you. It was a Noble death."

"NO! NOOOO!"

My screams tugged at my own heart causing me to sob even harder. I felt like someone buried a knife deep within my soul. She's gone. She can't be. Zero held me protectively in his arms. He rubbed circles in my back and whispered to me that it would be okay. I only for a moment I heard her voice. It called me so sweetly.

"Kanji!"

Mom?

"My sweet lovable daughter!"

Mom don't leave me please!

"When you wear this locket think of your family. We will forever love you and have your back. My sweet *******"

"NOOOOAHHHHH!"

I knew I had a bad feeling about today.

But this?

This was further than what anyone could have anticipated.

Father...Mother...why is this happening?