"What… the hell!?" the Mad Vagabond experienced pain throughout his entire body. The taste of blood was present. But that had always been there, 'Where am I? What's happening? Wasn't dying? No, not dying, I….I was beating someone and then I—'
Memories flooded him. Louie remembered how he was wailing at a kid who beat him. After bashing him on the head and breaking his nose, someone hit him on the back of the head and then followed by a few kicks by a bald old man, "That hurt. Who would be so cowardice to hit someone on the back of their he—"
"So, you're awake." The curtain was pulled and behind it appeared a middle-aged man smoking a pipe. He looked grizzled and tired of either his job or life. The dark circles under his eyes were so dark that they looked like the trenches at the frontlines.
He looked like he had not taken a bath in days. But, seeing him, the Mad Vagabond's face uncharacteristically lit up, "Blacki—ack!"
Bam!
"Don't call me that, you rascal. Call me Doctor Blain, as you should. More importantly, what has gotten into you? I heard you attacked Alex? I thought you filed a complaint to the disciplinary office? Did they reject you, and you finally grew a pair?"
The man spoke to himself. He was yapping without end…it was a familiar sight.
Doctor Blaine, or to the Mad Vagabond, Blackie was someone from his past. When he was young, the Mad Vagabond was the target of bullying. He was targeted for the most absurd of reasons, and would get beaten almost every day.
So he would frequent the clinic and that's where he got to know Blackie — a nickname he got because of the dark rims around his eyes — and there was one of the very few sanctuaries he had.
But Blackie died. He was eaten by a Magi Beast while he was trying to save a student.
The Mad Vagabond drew one conclusion, "Ah, this must be the afterli—AcK!"
"You're not dead…you're acting weird. First you got into a fight, and now you're talking nonsense. Hmm, go and take the rest of the day off."
The Mad Vagabond received a slip of paper from Blackie, and he was sent on his way.
"Rest for the day. If you're not feeling up for it, you can take the week off too."
The Mad Vagabond stood at the door of the clinic holding a piece of paper.
He needed to process what Blackie had said to him, "I'm not dead? Then… why is he…"
And then, from the reflection of the clinic's window, Louie saw his reflection. A face that was without any scars. On his neck, the mark of a knife was not present from the failed ambush. His eyes had a light that it did not have for the longest times.
His skin was much brighter than before.
His teeth were whiter.
"What's happening?"
He asked himself.
He was confused, and yet he was already running before he could digest the information.
"Hey! It's not yet time to leave!"
Louise left school in haste, ignoring the calls of the guard.
'Blackie's alive, then. That means this is before 2289.'
His mind was racing. He was computing everything together. And the more he thought about it, the faster he became.
'Please… be true… please… please….'
From the depths of his heart he was begging every God that exists.
He arrived at a dilapidated building where no living soul should it and started running up the stairs.
"Watch where you're going!" An old man cried, bumping into Louise going down the stairs but was ignored, "What's with that stick boy?"
Louie didn't care what was in front of him, after running so far, he finally arrived at a misshapen door.
His palms were sweaty, his knees weak, his arms heavy.
He didn't know how long he had to run to get to where he was now, to return to his previous home. It felt… so distant, so far away.
'If this really is five years in the past… then….'
Louise gently opened the door.
"Big Brother? What are you doing here? Did yo—huh!? Why are you bandaged up!? Your face! Did someone bully you!?" A little girl with long black hair peeked from the corner holding a bunny rabbit stuffed toy and raised a ruckus seeing Louie's banged up face.
She was small and thin. Half her body was covered by black spots that reached her face.
"Who was it? Who did this to you? Who hurt you!? Let me at em'!" She was feisty, full of energy despite everything she was suffering from.
The Mad Vagabond was a person who had experienced many things. He had been stabbed more times than he could remember.
He had been tortured.
He had been hurt.
He had faced the most heinous of beasts and most vile of men.
He was as brave as one could get.
But standing at the entrance of this small apartment room, he was frozen.
He was afraid that the moment he entered.
That when he reached out to her, she would disappear.
And as he stood in front of it… Louie stopped. He became afraid.
What if this was not true?
What if this was just an elaborate hallucination?
An illusion?
A cruel punishment brought to him by hell?
He didn't want that.
His anxiety was overtaking him. He wanted to run away. To escape what could be.
He became a coward.
But then, a warm touch reached his hand and he looked down and saw that the little girl held his hand. Her face was with anxiety and worry as she asked him, "Brother… why are you crying?"
"Huh? Crying? I…huh?" Louie brushed his face and found that he was already in tears. He had forgotten these emotions.
These emotions of genuine joy and relief.
He really was back in time.
Because before him was the most precious of treasures he held dearest in his heart.
Before him was the little sister he lost.
She was still alive.