Taking Back

Finally Some Answers

After her talk with the Raven and all the other distractions, she finally cleared her mind. Now, Alisha was ready to get some answers about everything that's happened; the Raven visitor, the small intruders, and Eddie's origins. She had stalled long enough, and it was time to get answers. Alisha walked closer to the door. Alisha thought she could hear Shoutmon and Rilys talking inside. She pressed her ear to the door to listen to what they were saying.

"What are we gonna do, Shoutmon," Rilys asked. "If the Lord of Water knows about Eddie's problem, let alone the condition Chermono is in–"

"Calm down, ya moron," Shoutmon replied. "We don't know whether or not that birdbrain knows anything. Even if he did, there's only so much that even he can do as the Quasi." He then turned to the bed and jumped back onto the railing. "Besides, all that matters is that Eddie stays safe, and once he wakes up, it'll be smooth sailing from here."

"Y-you think so," Rilys said, still worried. "I mean, he's THE Quasi. Ruler of one of the five original Elemental Kingdoms in the realm of Creatoriosa! If we upset him most slightly, he won't just help us, but he might even flood us all with just a beat of his wings! We can't risk him, let alone the other rulers, knowing of the possible bloodbath that might transpire–" Shoutmon then cut him off by throwing his staff at him and then making its return to his hand like a boomerang.

"Will you just shut up!?" He yelled. "First off, don't lose your damn head over this. It ain't as bad as it 'might' sound like it is. Second, don't yell about stuff like this!" He then threw his staff at the door, opening it enough to make Alisha fall backward, left half sitting in the middle of the doorway. "You never know whose ears might be listening in your carelessness."

Alisha rose to her feet and ran behind the wall before they could see that she was there. She shook her head and rushed to a nearby window seat. Alisha sat there and had a lot on her mind that needed to straighten out. She wasn't sure if she could do it alone anymore. She couldn't help the tears that fell from her eyes as she huddled herself. "I assume you heard that, huh," said a voice. She looked down from her place near the window and saw Shoutmon looking up with a stern yet seemingly careless look. "Yeah, sorry about that. Rilys doesn't know how to shut his damn mouth when he's scared." He then walked over to the other side of the window and jumped at the windowsill. It took a few tries, but he eventually got up on the window and sat across from Alisha. "Well, what will you do about it, huh?"

Alisha just looked at him, upset and confused. "What do you mean?" she asked him as she wiped away her tears.

"Well," Shoutmon answered. "I mean. You wanted answers, right? Then ask me. I'll try to answer what I can and refuse to acknowledge what I can't for good reasons. I understand I seem like a red, raging jerkface, but I'm quite sensitive, believe it or not." He then tossed her his staff, showing trust between them. She wasn't sure. "So go ahead. You've got the talking stick to speak. Ask away."

As curious as Alisha was about what was going on with Chermono. "Thanks, but I already have too much on my plate to be asking any questions," she told him, passing his staff back.

"I see. Then, in that case, do something about it. Why not empty some room on that plate? The kid would say. Believe it or not, I am a good listener. At least, when I'm not raging about it, that is. Start with something simple. What's the first thing that's weighing down on you?"

Alisha sighed. "If only it were easy to lighten the load. I feel bad for putting Eddie in that situation. I shouldn't have been out there. I'm sorry."

Shoutmon then bopped her on her head with the speaker part of his staff. "Sounds to me like it isn't me you should be apologizing to, though I will say it's nice to know you are. Besides, you shouldn't kill yourself over this, metaphorically, I mean. The kid's been through worse than this. I'm just surprised it wasn't as bad as last time."

"I know that I should apologize to him, and I will. I was in a bad headspace, and suicide is not a joke. He kept mumbling to himself after he saved me."

"What did he say?"

"He was worried about me at first, but then he kept asking if he 'did a good thing' and that 'he didn't let it happen this time.' I wasn't paying attention to it, but what happened?"

Shoutmon turned his head to meet the view from the outside. "Hmm," he answered. "That itself is a long and painful story. Earlier, you said suicide was no joking matter. What makes you think I was trying to be funny, huh? Do you think I'd say that just to be careless with my words?"

She just looked at him, unsure whether to answer or not.

"You see, child, that boy has had a much more traumatizing life than you may realize. Shall I tell you a little about his childhood? Perhaps that would give you a better understanding of why he acts."

Alisha nodded. "Sure."

"When he was a child, Eddie had been treated like an outcast, even within his own family. Not a lot of people cared for him. If anything, they feared him more than they could ever attempt to love him. I was in charge of being his Guardian. Most of my kind are specifically assigned roles like that, at least, the ones who get the respect they deserve. So I had a front-row seat to all the pain that poor kid went through. His father was more aggressive toward his son, even though he was the eldest. He'd put him through so much pain and agony. He'd smack him around, throw him across the courtyard outside. He'd even stab sharp burning coals into his body. That bastard would always justify his actions with 'he was born with almost invincible skin, he can deal with it. He's just trying to fake it to get out of training.' It was too much to bear at times, but I can only imagine what scars remain in that kid's head."

Alisha's lips trembled as tears welled up in her eyes. She had no idea Eddie went through all that trauma then again. It's not like she had seen any signs of abuse, minus being closed off. He barely was around anyone of the same sex; he's been around herself, the nurse, and the queen.

"And if that wasn't bad enough," Shoutmon continued. "His powers would make him appear to be a true-bloomed monster. You should've seen this child back then. No, on second thought, maybe not. Poor kid would cry at even the slightest insult, would rage out at the most hurtful slander inflicted upon him, and when it would happen, his powers would go berserk. The torment and torture his father put him through, huff, that old codger would also say it was to train him to control them. Make them more powerful and easier to use to his advantage. His brother was always laughing, but his mother–" He stopped himself there, which caught Alisha's attention. The look on his face meant something serious. Should she ask? Would he answer her if she did? She wouldn't know unless she tried.

"She was always there for him, wasn't she? And something bad happened, right?" asked Alisha. Then she saw his eyes sharpen even more, only this time it was out of sadness, not rage.

"I don't think I have any right to answer that," he answered. "You'll have to ask him when he awakes. All I can say is, well, he takes after his mother. Even if he doesn't realize it."

"I see," Alisha nodded.

"Speaking of whom, we should head back and see if he's–"

Shoutmon got cut off by a shrill cry. It was coming from the guest room! They ran as fast as they could and saw Rilys jumping on Eddie's chest, kicking and pounding down on him. "Wake up," Rilys cried. "Come one, wake up! Wake up, wake up, wake up! Please!"

"What the Hell do you think you're doing, you brainless ape?!?" Shoutmon yelled.

"His heart," Rilys yelled, tears flowing down. "It stopped beating! Eddie's not breathing!"

Alisha rushed over to Eddie's side. "Where's Anaka? I need her if we're going to revive him."

Shoutmon moved them both aside and hopped on the railing. "Don't know who that is, but I'd say you let us handle this. I've dealt with more troubling things." He grabbed his staff and started, what looked like, was charging up some kind of power into it. The rod then glowed with a bright electric light as he swung it upwards, ready to let it fly like a ten-ton war hammer. "EVERYBODY STAND BACK!" He hollered as he attempted to slam the electric staff down on Eddie's body.