MIAB

30: World So Cold

Bey City, Japan (10:25 a.m., September 24)

It was a cool, peaceful morning in the Kuwashima Central Hospital in Bey City. September was nearing its end, ushering in the start of October. The hospital was somber, people talking in hushed tones. The nurses were not trying to take breaks and doctors were trying their hardest to look good, as their bosses – Hikaru and Shun Kuwashima – were in the building, visiting their friends in the hospital.

In the top floor, the Kuwashima twins were visiting their friends in the hospital, the two of them also recovering from an accident the teens had suffered that was still a mystery. In one of the rooms, Tyson and Kai were on the bedside of an old friend, the younger holding a book and reading out loud.

Tyson yawned, pausing from reading, "This book is too long, Kai. Can't we get another one to read to Rin?" When Kai glared at him, Tyson flinched before looking back at the book, "I guess this one is perfect. Geez, does he have to like an author like Dan Brown? Why can't he like Dr. Seuss or Darren Shan?"

"Just read. I read one hundred pages already." Kai said, looking just as tired. He was still recovering from the attack Chaos had dealt him, plus the battle he had had with Dark Dranzer. Still, Dranzer had healed him and the others from serious harm.

Tyson grumbled, gesturing towards the crutches he had, "I'm still an invalid."

"You're lucky it wasn't worse, considering all the damage you and Dragoon suffered. Still, it's nothing compared to what Riku, Ann and Rin have." Kai replied, motioning towards Rin.

Tyson was silent, his eyes soft as he took in the small figure of Rin Mizushima. After Night had used Rin's body to help them fight and seal Chaos, Kai had said that Rin would wake up when his heart and soul were no longer shattered, a process that seemed to be hard for Night to be doing on his own.

Rin was lying down on the bed motionless, his skin so pale and lifeless that Tyson would've mistaken him for a corpse again. There were tubes sticking out of his skin while an oxygen mask covered most of his face. A shattered heart and soul, a sickly body and broken bones were taking a heavy toll on Rin.

"Speaking of which, how is Riku?" Tyson asked in a low tone. Kai looked at the navy-haired boy from the corner of his eye before standing up, drawing the curtains because he didn't like that he was going to share these dreadful news on such a pleasant day.

"Ray has been checking on him a lot. It seems that Ray and Driger's final attack and weeks of torture from Dark Driger damaged Riku's spinal cord badly. Riku won't ever be able to walk."

Tyson clenched his fingers into fists, "How did Ray react to this?"

"He's guilty, obviously. He never leaves Riku's side anymore and Max has to remind both of them to eat. Riku's been devastated by the news and refuses to leave the bed and refuses to see the wheelchair." Kai replied, remembering how lifeless Riku and Ray had looked like when he had peeked his head in to check up on the now paralyzed Riku.

The door slid open and Aya poked her head inside, the white streak of hair getting on her face, "Still nothing?" When Tyson shook his head, she sighed, entering the room. Aya was in the hospital for checkups, her parents having brought her in for the day. There weren't any lasting injuries with Aya, luckily, but she was stuck with her skunk spot, something she and her parents found cool.

"What's taking Night so long?" Aya asked, running her fingers softly through Rin's hair. She took one of his hands that was too frail compared to hers at that moment. She kneeled down next to Rin, "Night, take care of Rin, okay?" She kissed Rin's knuckle, suppressing the urge to cry, "Please hurry. I want to see him again."