The Moonlight Hero

Chapter Nine: The Truth

I felt myself being pushed around on a cart. All I could see was a blindingly white light. I could hear frantic voices around me, but I couldn't make out what they were saying. I turned my head, and I could see colors moving about. People in white and light blue uniforms, the grey floor, and a mass of red, black, brown, and white coming closer. As the blob of color came closer, I could barely make out a person with spiky black and red hair, wearing large, round black rimmed glasses and a white turtleneck, with a light brown complexion. Hakone! I thought, as I strained my senses and tried to force myself to sit up. I failed, and my mind went blank again, my vision a blurry, harsh white, and then a dark black. 

"What happened to him!?" I could hear, the voice vaguely resembling Hakone's. "Ma'am, you aren't allowed back here, please leave. This boy is in a critical state..." The nurse's voice trailed off as the sound of the wheels tumbling across the cement ground. I felt myself slip away once more.

"I can't believe he even survived that attack!" I heard a voice say from my left. "What happened between those two? I've never even seen him use that powerful of an attack," another voice said from my right. My ears were ringing, but I could hear clearer now. "What is this kid?" yet another voice said from my right. "Shh, I think he's waking up," an older voice said from my left. I opened my eyes a crack, the florescent lighting in the room harsh on my eyes. Within a minute, my eyes were used to the light, and I opened them fully.

To my right sat Niko and Teo, to my left Hakone, Subaru, and a built man with shorter, blonde hair. I tried to sit up, but a sharp pain sliced through my chest, and I fell back to the pillow.

"Good evening, Artemis," Subaru said, twiddling with an intricate wooden cane. Hakone remained silent, staring at me. Niko stared at me in shock, and Teo just looked at me with a blank expression.

"Where am I? What happened?" I asked, my voice hoarse. Subaru shifted in his seat. "You passed out in the hall after your match with James. Thanks to the quick actions of Orashi here, you got to the E.M's in time. That quick thinking saved your life," Subaru said, gesturing towards the blonde haired man. He stood and bowed. 

"I'm sorry that I didn't notice sooner! I could have been even faster to act, and then you wouldn't have had to endure these days!" Orashi said. I managed to sit up a little. "Don't say sorry. If it's true that you saved my life, then I should be the one bowing," I replied, astonished that a man that looked about four years my senior was bowing for me. He snapped up, his grin a mile wide. "I'll take my leave now. I simply wanted to make sure that you would wake up!" Orashi said enthusiastically, and ran out of the room. Niko sighed. "He's always like that," Niko said. Subaru stood. "You are the first person to win against James," Subaru said. I was shocked. "Uh, I didn't beat him, he beat me in the long run. I just lasted during the match," I replied. Subaru shook his head. "He walked out of that arena with a broken arm, loss of sight in his right eye, and an enormous scar running down his arm. He dealt more damage to you, but he was at his max only halfway through that fight. He would've run out of power within another minute because of that massive attack that he launched," Subaru said. Teo stood. 

"I'd like to ask; what was the attack?" Teo asked. I looked at him, confused. Niko leaned back. "The camera was covered up by his stupid clouds, so none of us participants could even see what was happening. Towards the end, around the seven and a half minute mark, we saw an enormous explosion from the center of the arena, but that was it," Niko explained. I leaned my head back against the headboard of the hospital bed I was in. "It was like a hurricane, but more powerful. Strong winds, heavy rain, and thunder and lightning. Except he made earthquakes with each strike," I replied. Hakone's eyes met with Niko's, and they looked back toward me. "What about the explosion?" Teo asked. I struggled to remember much of the fight, but I grabbed onto a single detail. "I remember climbing up to where he was by jumping to and from the storm debris, and he shot a bolt of lightning from his palm. I intercepted it with my left foot, and my black electricity weaved in between his lightning bolt, and then the explosion happened," I replied. Subaru turned to face the others. "Please, go about your day, I need to talk with Artemis in private." Niko and Teo left the room, but Hakone hesitated. Subaru nodded towards the door. "Go," he said sternly. Hakone quietly left the room.