64TH GEAR - I THINK WE BOTH HAVE BRAIN DAMAGE

Thirteen years ago, during one specific sunset, we heard an explosion.

The pink-haired girl and I were there at the park when that happened. Our parents have yet to fetch us from the playground, and we two are just busy playing. The crows flew away, and the dark orange tint of the surroundings made it an eerie scene.

“Awoooooooooo!” It was a howl of a wolf, but it was loud enough to sting our eardrums.

“Aaah! Too noisy!” The pink-haired girl cried as she covered her ears. For some reason, the howl is hurting more on the pink-haired girl than mine.

Bam!

I heard another explosion. And another. And another. For each crashing sound, it felt that the ground is trembling. And it is getting closer to us.

“Awoooooooooooooooooo!” This time, the howling is much closer to us.

Chills went down my spine that night. I knew immediately that we should get away before the wolf-sounding monster gets to us.

“Let’s run!” I immediately grabbed the wrist of the pink-haired girl who did not resist at all.

I also took the winged flame sword with me just in case the monster chases us. I thought that I might activate my magical abilities if I ever faced the monster. But of course, my first decision was to run away.

We went to the deep forest, running over bushes and slopes. We just heard a metal clanging sound that sounded like it was smashed to pieces. That was probably the playground gates. If we stayed there back then, we might have been caught.

“Awoooooooooooooo!” The howling is still loud and close. Now I can hear the sound of the galloping footsteps of the monster.

“Kyaaaaaa!” The pink-haired girl covered her head and curled up on a nearby dark oakwood tree. “I’m scared! Please save me, Mommy!”

“Ssshhhh! Don’t be too loud!” I tried to silence her.

“Waaaaah! Please save me!” The pink-haired girl continued to wail.

All of a sudden…

The sound of the gallops faded. I swear it was just behind us before the noise completely disappeared.

I saw the pink-haired girl’s face go pale. Her blue eyes stared in shock as she looked behind me.

A warm sticky fluid dropped to my hair, and then to my shoulders.

When I turned around, I saw the monster.

Red eyes that glow in the moonlit darkness. Sharp black fur that looks like those of bears. Huge two-meter-tall dark body with wide-clawed arms and hind legs. Long tails haired to the tip that resemble those of a dog. And a face that is similar to a dire wolf, with canine teeth ready to kill its prey.

"Grrrrrr!"

The werewolf is just behind me. It gnarled and glared at me with the intent to kill!

“Kyaaaaaaaah!” The pink-haired girl cried but stayed in a curled position. She is too scared to move her feet and run away.

But my fight-or-flight adrenaline kicked in. The monster is just in front of me, and I have the sword of Flame Wing Man in my hand! If I run, the pink-haired girl will be eaten! I should be her knight in shining armor and man up! If I win, I live! If I lose, I die! I will fight until the enemy is destroyed!

“Raaaaaaaaah!” I cried out loud as I swung the Winged Flame Sword towards the werewolf, in the hope that my adrenaline and the desperateness of the situation and that my magical powers will be awakened like those in the anime!

But alas, I have no magical powers. And this is not an anime.

I am just a normal human being; a mutant that has no hopes of awakening any magic or special talents.

The toy sword was deflected by the werewolf’s claws, slicing it into tens of different pieces! All that was left on my hand was the handle and the wing-shaped armguards of the toy sword!

“Graaaaah!” The werewolf struck me down with his other sword-like claw.

I was hit in the chest. Three knife-like claws penetrated my skin, my muscles, and even my internal organs. I even broke two ribs.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

“Uwaaah!” I was launched to a nearby tree and the impact was caught by the back of my head.

My vision went fuzzy.

I looked at my bloodied hand and saw that the wing-shaped armguard of the toy sword. I slightly looked at my torn chest, then adjusted my head to turn above. I saw the werewolf, closing into the pink-haired girl’s position.

The pink-haired girl continued to cry, not doing anything. She did not run or hide. She just wept upon seeing me in a dying state.

I closed my eyes as I expired.

When I woke up, I realized that I was still alive. I remember I was kept in a Healer’s Hospital, with a room that is pure white. Even though I am awake, I don’t feel like I am one.

“How is he, doctor?” My mother asked the man in clad white.

“It looks like he’s dead.” The magical doctor said.

“Oh my goodness, my poor child!” My mother wept in my father’s embrace.

My father looked at me who has just opened my eyes, and then looked at the magical doctor. “Just to be clear, is he dead? Or it just looks like he’s dead?”

“It just looks like he’s dead, but he’s pretty much alive.” The magical doctor said. “But he will act like a dead person because of the mental trauma he suffered.”

“What is wrong with you!?” My mother immediately shifted from sadness to a fit of rage! She removed her high heels and beat the crap out of the doctor.

“Calm down! He’s a very literal man!” My father mediated.

No matter how stupid the doctor was, he was pretty much right. I was so traumatized by the event that I could no longer talk. I could no longer feel anything, except for the heaviness of my chest that is covered with a lot of bandages. But besides my disabilities, I can still see and hear. But I could not react nor sense touch.

I heard my parents talking to Miss Comette Azure. The legendary mage was the one who saved our lives that night. Her latent talent as a Speedmage and other fields of offensive magic was the one that apprehended the rampaging werewolf.

I also got a visit from Mrs. Asahime and her daughter that used to play with me. The girl wept in front of me.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I am such a failure that you turned out to be like this! Please forgive me!” The pink-haired girl cried.

I do not want to see my very first friend crying at me. So with my current strength, I struggled to move my arm and gave her the thing that I had always clung to ever since that accident- the broken-winged hilt of the toy sword.

“I will treasure this, Jonathan.” The pink-haired girl said as she put those remnants of cheap toys on her chest. “I am sorry that I will no longer be able to play with you. We will go back to the Eastern Islands. I hope we meet again someday.”

That was the last time I saw the pink-haired girl.

Days had gone by, and then weeks. After a month, the Healer Doctor finished with my diagnosis, and the paralysis of my body was just caused by the mental trauma of almost dying. The simple solution for my condition is a medical amnesia spell that would erase all the memories from my conscious and subconscious.

My parents decided to go with this operation.

And so I forgot everything about what happened that night, and almost all that happened before the incident. I forgot the werewolf. I forgot the moonlit dark forest. I forgot the times with the pink-haired girl.

Until now.

<>

“Jon? Coach? Jonathan?”

Flu has been calling out my name and nicknames with a curious look on her face.

I am now back to reality, and my head felt like it was just split open like a watermelon getting smacked by a baseball bat. My breathing is ragged and heavy as if I just did an anaerobic exercise.

“I-I’m sorry. It’s just that I remembered something in my past that I got a headache.”

“Ah!”

All of a sudden, Flu softly gasped for air. Her cheeks blushed, and her eyes are wide open in shock. She bit her lip and clenched her fists. Her shoulders trembled as if she is suppressing the emotions she kept from her heart.

I know Flu for months now already, so I know what her gestures mean. She is a very straightforward girl that can be read like a book. I would immediately know if she was trying to hide something.

I took a deep breath while still holding my forehead. I thought deep breaths would ease the pain, but it did not have any effect. All it did was to calm me down a little.

“Flu, have we met way before?”

There was a long silence after I said those words. Flu gripped the edge of her pajamas and looked down at the ground until she finally moved her lips.

“So you finally remember me, Jonathan,” Flu said in a soft gentle voice.

“Did you know all along ever since we first met?” I asked slowly.

“I was not sure at that time, but I had a feeling that it was you. I had doubts because you seem to have forgotten the wings you gave me. I only confirmed that it was you when I saw the scars on your chest during the hot spring incident.”

Suddenly, Flu freaked out and waved both of her hands.

“Ah! I don’t mean that I took a good look at your naked body that night! W-Well, I just happened to see it when you suddenly teleported right in front of me! Tahahaha!”

She’s obviously lying. But I will just let it slide because I took a good look at her awesome body during that hot springs incident too. I guess it’s just fair for both sides, but I will keep my mouth shut about that topic.

I looked down and bowed.

“I am sorry. I had myself treated with medical amnesia spell to treat my trauma, so I forgot everything about you and that hairpin.”

Flu’s warm soft hand patted my head and stroked it.

“You don’t need to apologize, Jonathan. I am the one who should be apologizing. I kept everything a secret. Though, I was not sure if it was you most of the time, tahahaha!” Flu scratched her head.

“Fine, I will forgive you if you forgive me too.” I slowly raised my head and smiled at her.

“Okay, Coach! Tehehehe!” Flu gave a blushing child-like smile.

We exchanged laughs for a moment.

I looked at my pocket watch and saw that it was 8:32 PM already. The last trip of ferry is until 9:00 PM, so I have to make my leave.

“Oh, it’s getting late already,” I said as I stood up.

“Are you going home now?” Flu tilted her head and stared at me like a curious puppy.

“Yeah. I have to catch the last trip or else I will have to stay the night here.”

“I don’t mind if you stay. I kind of want to talk to you longer.” Flu smiled. “But I guess it can wait until tomorrow!”

“Yeah. Be sure to finish the assignments and submit them tomorrow, or else our English Professor will chew you out!” I grinned.

“Ah! I don’t want to be scolded by Miss Terror!” Flu cried. “She might hit me with rolled newspaper again! I have to protect my remaining brain cells!”

“Just how many brain cells do you still have?” I asked with sarcasm.

“About three! That’s all I have left, tahahaha!” Flu laughed dumbly as she vigorously scratched her head.

I caught myself laughing too. Man, Flu never fails to lighten up my mood.