Paradox Saga: Rising Sun

I Get A Glimpse Of My Past

Shiro P.O.V

"Hello, Shiro"

The voice was so familiar. The manly, gentle voice reverberated inside my mind. I opened my eyes and looked. No one was there. Everything was white and I taught I was gonna be blinded by the psychedelically clear white space when suddenly, the voice echoed again.

"Hey, son!" 

I looked at my back. A glowing sphere was floating in there. I walked nearer to it and realized that it was filled with what seemed to be my memories. I can see myself playing with my Dad, eating with my sister, every scene different from each other. White strands of hair-like light circled from the ball and the longer I stared at it, the more I want to hold it. 

"Otoosan!" a voice called from the sphere. The scene in the orb changed. I saw my father going inside the house and hugging me. This time, the orb glowed brighter and I wasn't able to hold back myself anymore. I touched the orb and blinding light covered my sight. The next thing I know, I was in my room. The familiar scent of baby powder enveloped my nose. Pictures of me as a baby filled the walls of my room. I tried to hold one of them when my hand suddenly phased out. I tried holding the doorknob without success. My hand just went through everything I tried to touch. Suddenly, I remembered everything. Kiba-sensei transforming into a werewolf, my sister fighting the ogres with Midorima, all of them flooded inside my mind in a flash. 

"Shiro-kun, w-what?!" a voice told downstairs. It seemed so familiar, like...I've already heard it. I headed downstairs phasing through the door and glided down the stairs.

"Mommy! My hands were like ching! And then chang! Then zap!" the voice of a child echoed in the house. My heart throbbed fast. I checked in the kitchen to reveal two people who couldn't be possibly there. A woman was wearing her apron putting something in the kitchen sink in a hurry. She had shiny long hair and fair brown skin like she always tanned in the lively sun.  Her face was so pretty and carefree reminding me of calm water flowing down a stream. The other one was a kid. He was tugging the woman's apron. 

"Shiro-kun..." told the woman as she knelt down the kid. I wasn't able to hold back my emotions anymore. My heart throbbed faster as my tears flowed down my eyes. The woman was my mother and the kid was a younger version of me. How this could happen, I have no idea, but the only thing that came inside my mind was that I need to hug my mother. I ran and tried to hug my Mom who was still kneeling next to the child. Instead, I just went through her body. 

"Okaasan?" asked the younger version of me. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Iie... (No)," Mom replied as she held my hands. I saw symbols on each of my hands. I wasn't able to see them all but I saw a symbol on my wrist, something that was like a katana encircled with streams of water. The moment that she touched them, I felt my hands vibrate. I looked at it. She caressed my hand and as she caressed the wrist of the hands of the younger version of me, I felt it too. The younger version of me shook his body like he was being tickled.

"It tickles, Mom," the young Shiro said as Mom caressed his wrist. The wrist shone briefly and when Mom removed her hand, the symbol was nowhere to be found. I looked at my wrist and it shone too. The symbol was faded until it became darker. However, I wasn't able to look what it was. The door creaked open and sunlight filled the whole room.

"Otoosan!" called the young Shiro as a man came inside. It was my father. 

"O-Otoosan?" I mumbled nervously. This scene...this is so impossible. As expected, they didn't react. Mom just passed through me as my younger self ran and hugged Dad. 

"Okaeri nasai, honey (Welcome back, honey)," said Mom as she kissed Dad in the cheeks. She got Dad's hat and put it on the stand. 

"Thanks, hon. And you!" he said as he rose the younger Shiro in the air. "I missed you!"

"Otoosan!" my younger self said as he laughed. "Hahahaha! Stop it, Dad!"

Dad put me down. "Here's for you," he said as he pulled a bag of lollipop from his bag. "Enjoy it, okay!"

"Thanks, dad!" the younger version of me said as he got the lollipops and ran to the front of the TV. 

Mom quickly pulled Dad to the kitchen. "Takechi...your son...", she said as she got a mug from the kitchen sink. Its handle was frozen, mini sharp icicles covering and surrounding the handle to the mug's mouth. 

"W-What...", Dad mumbled as he saw the cups."How...How did he do these? I mean like he is still young"

"I know. But as what the babaylan* Himno said a week after I gave birth, our child is gifted," she explained as she looked at my younger self happily licking my lollipop as I watched the TV. 

(A/N [Author's Note]: Babaylan - Philippine shamans, mainly women, who function as healers, priestesses, or seers. Some can still be seen in the Philippines today, especially in the Philippine provinces)

"But he is only six, Mayumi. How could his power manifest in this age? I...I'm worried about him," Dad said as he put the cup back in the sink. 

"I am worried about him, too. But we should stay strong. I used Analysis on him but it didn't show anything peculiar. Besides, his status still cannot be seen as he is still not at the right age," Mom said. "Maybe we have to go back to the Philippines," she added.

"Your idea is not bad, Mayumi. Going to the Philippines is a good idea but I'm not sure if it will make him better. You know what happens when strong Figures cross borders," Dad said as he removed his jacket. "Besides, Philippines is now the center of Earth's culture"

"You're right. Besides, we can't panic," Mom said as she got an apple in the fridge and sliced it into six pieces. 

"Don't worry, hon. Our child is protected here but in case of the worst-case scenario...", Dad said as he got a bracelet out from his pockets. "This is an omamori my friend gave. It's a class-B item and I enhanced it with some of my guild members' support magic. Whenever the amulet senses imminent danger, it will transform into a shield," he continued as he gave it to Mom.

Mom held it. "Perhaps I should use my magic too," she said as she put the amulet between her hands. "O maayo kong  anting-anting, protektahi ang tiggamit ani sa pagsakit og mapalayo sa lagmit nga kamatayon (O dear amulet, protect whoever that uses this from torment so that he may escape from death)", she recited as the amulet glowed green briefly. The moment she opened her hands, the amulet flew and automatically attached itself to my younger self's hand. My younger self looked shocked at first but then smiled. 

"That would let Shiro be transported to whenever he wants through his conscious mind whenever he is in a near-death situation. I also cast the Recall spell on it in case he removes it," Mom explained as large beads of sweat formed in her face. 

"Sit here, hon," Dad urged as she guided Mom to the sofa. "That was a class-A spell, I presume?"

Mom nodded. "Yeah, it is. My mana almost depleted though," she said as she chuckled. "Don't worry, I'll regain my mana," she continued, seeing the expression on Dad's face. 

"And with Shiro, we need to make him forget he has powers."

"Do we really have to, hon?"

"No, please!" I shouted. If only they could hear what I'm saying...

"It's for his safety. He's special. He may have a strong power...or even powers but they could also be his weakness. Besides, his powers could be the cause of his doom. The babaylan told that humans cannot hold more than one Metaphor. Some have even dissolved to death by overusing their Metaphors," Mom explained as looked at the young me. "Shiro-kun!" she called.

My younger self stood and looked at Dad and Mom, a smile painted on his face. He then ran and jumped on Mom's laps. "Look Mom, I have a bracelet!", the younger Shiro said.

"Yeah, it's nice, right?" she asked. 

"Yes! I like it so much!"

Dad suddenly got behind my back and put his index finger on my forehead. My younger self looked surprised. 

"Daddy, what are you doing?" 

"Daddy is just gonna do some magic, Shiro-kun," Dad said as his index finger began to glow brightly. My younger self suddenly straightened like he was held by a giant hand. "Mayumi, use the potion. It's on my bag," Dad continued as the young me just smiled. 

"When will we start your magic, Daddy?" the child version of me asked, completely unaware that he is currently under Dad's magic.

"You just stay there and drink what Mom will bring okay?" Dad said as Mom knelt next to me.

"Drink this, Shiro. It's a very sweet juice!" she said as she smiled and uncapped the vial open. The contents of the potion were clear like ordinary water. 

"Okay, Mommy," said the young Shiro as he nodded excitedly. Mom poured the contents of the vial into my mouth. The young me didn't act weird at first until he shuddered for a minute before losing consciousness. 

"Memory Resonate," Mom recited as she put her palm on my forehead. "I wanna make him remember us again but slowly. The stories I told him, our advice, they can be used hints when he gets old," she explained.

"Don't say it like we're leaving," Dad said with a worried look. 

Mom apologized."I'm sorry. I'm just thinking of the worst-case scenario" 

"It's fine. Anyways, he won't remember anything from his first nine years of life but I hope he would. have you used that spell before?"

"Yes, but the limit was only a day. Luckily, you have already prepared the potion," Mom said as she took the child version of me and put me on the couch. 

"I had to pay my friend a great number of magic stones for it. Besides, I was the one who gathered the ingredients which were very rare. Pheonix tears, Aether's lace, very few portals have monsters that drop these items. We're lucky we got one," Dad explained.

"His memory wouldn't be back until he's eighteen..."

"Where he will get his Metaphor," Dad continued. "I think he'll be responsible enough in that age."

"Let's just do our best to keep him safe, okay?" Mom said as she got the plate of apple slices and handed Dad one.

"I know," Dad replied as he munched on his apple. "Don't worry about it too much. The danger is not near and if it is, my friends would notify me quickly"

"ZZZZZ!"

My younger version snored. Dad and Mom smiled as they happily ate their apples. I would've stayed and watched at the scene if not for the amulet's powers. I suddenly felt like I was pulled away. The last thing I saw was my parents laughing and talking before my mind went pitch black. Before I knew it, I lost consciousness...again.