Magical Boy ~ English version

Chapter 94

The salt pained every one of his wounds and the water seeped into his lungs. Nanaya barely realized that Hyokko, not needing to breathe, tried to use what little strength he had to pull him to the surface, his tail wrapped around his arm. But the creature was not strong enough.

Hyokko suddenly felt a hand grab him firmly. He didn't see anyone but Nanaya was drawn towards the surface. The guardian panicked, trying to get out of the invisible embrace.

"You can fly," barked a voice as soon as they reached the open air, "I couldn't swim to shore if I had to hold you!"

"Who..."

"No matter ! You want to save him, yes?"

Hyokko nodded and began to hover above his human and the invisible person holding him on the surface. There were still pieces of ice floating on the surface and hindering their progress towards the beach, but the invisible managed to drag Nanaya there, putting him on the sand.

"He's not breathing!" Hyokko panicked. "He's not breathing!!"

"Shut up !"

Hyokko could vaguely see the outlines of the man, thanks to the water running over his body. Seaweed was also clinging to his arm. He proceeded to perform thirty chest compressions before bending down for artificial respiration. The creature watched him. The man did it again several times before Nanaya started coughing. He didn't regain consciousness, but had at least spit the water back into his lungs.

"What are you waiting for ?!" Barked the invisible, "fetch his friends! They can't be far! They ran away a short time ago!"

"You are-"

"Hurry up !!"

Hyokko jumped and sped off to find the others. Phantom sighed. If Lord found out what he had just done, he feared that Sumira would pay the price. But he couldn't bring himself to watch without reacting. He wouldn't have had any remorse for going after the father, but not Nanaya. Even though this boy was close to coming of age, Phantom felt the need to protect him.

He saw him open his eyes weakly.

Hey, don't worry little prince," Shoko whispered, "you're safe. Your friends have all escaped. You are all safe and sound."

He wasn't sure if the magical understood or even really was aware. Nanaya seemed to stare at him for a few more seconds before sinking again. His cat ears were gone. He had resumed his usual appearance.

Phantom heard the panicked voices of the others approaching and preferred to run away. He remained a "villain". He was wanted. And they were future heroes. That he saved their friend wouldn't change anything. He was plunging back into the sea when they came near Nanaya.

~~~~

Nakamara came running down the hallway of Tsuruoka Hospital, Koharu on his heels. Kenji, Tomeo, the twins and Monaka sat in front of a door. A nurse was finishing bandaging Kenji's swollen face.

"Sir !" growled the woman. "Please, you're in a hospital, don't run!"

"Where is he ?!" The man immediately demanded. "Where is my son?!"

Monaka just pointed at the door. Doctors were tending to him.

They took the car as soon as Nanaya recovered and drove to the nearest town, then the hospital. As soon as their friend was taken care of, they had called Rakko's cell phone but Phen-X had picked up for him. Rakko had managed to teleport directly into the infirmary, but had crashed violently on the desk while losing consciousness. He had never traveled such a distance with his power and it had struck him. He had therefore not been able to recount the events. But Phen-X understood correctly, since Kōtarō was with him. He had immediately informed the directors and Nakamara. Then Rakko's phone rang and Kenji gave them their location.

Koharu almost threw herself on her son to hug him. Nakamara sighed to calm himself.

"You can remove the bandages," he said, reaching into his pocket, "Phen-X gave me samples of his blood to cure them. Give one to my son! And... how is he...?"

"He'll be fine," the nurse assured, retrieving the vials, "he lost a lot of blood, but he was lucky. The most serious injury did not affect a single organ, it is almost a miracle."

"The most serious injury..."

"We just need his blood type to perform an infusion."

"O negative."

The nurse nodded and walked into the room. Nakamara turned to Hyokko. The creature was only beginning to calm down and decided to tell them about the fight he had witnessed. How Nanaya escaped. And the curious rescue of the invisible man.

"Was it one of Lord's men?" Nakamara asked. "Why would he do that..."

"I don't know," Hyokko said, "but his voice wasn't unfamiliar to me...I think it was the one that was spying on Nana-chan the other time."

"To be honest," Kenji cut in, "they don't seem close. Meltdown was with them, but this kid... the one who captured Chichi-chan, he refused to obey him."

"Meltdown..." Nakamara muttered angrily. "I should have killed her."

Monaka continued by recounting everything that had happened before their escape. Their arrival on the boat, their separation, their capture and their meeting with Lord. Nakamara clenched his fists upon hearing what Lord had done. Even he, as Experion, would never have been so cruel. When he killed his enemies, he did it quickly. Torture was useless. Moreover, he would never have attacked a child.

The police and coast guard had all been notified but the floating mansion was nowhere to be found. It must have had people on board whose powers had enabled express redress.

"You never should have," the businessman began.

"And what ?" Kenji growled. "If we hadn't followed him, kitty would have gone alone! You know it !"

"He would have found a way," added Monaka, "especially since the adults refused to listen to him, when he was right."

"If I had to do it again..." muttered Jun.

"We wouldn't hesitate for a second!" Haru affirmed.

"And if I was asked again to slit my throat for him," Tomeo added, "I would."

"We all would," Kenji said. 

Nakamara watched them for a moment. He couldn't help but be grateful to them for their loyalty to his son. He had only had Thoki. But Nanaya didn't have enough of his two hands to count the number of people who cared about him.

Koharu pinched his son's cheek.

"Ah, look at you," she breathed between anger and worry, "so young and already ready to have yourselves killed. Unconscious."

She hugged Kenji again. As soon as she had heard the news, she had thrown herself into Nakamara's car when he was already starting.

"Thank you," Nakamara whispered then, "thank you... for not letting him go alone."