Heartshield 02

Prologue

Mari Tanaka

My hometown, Houston, Texas, was full of good and bad memories. As I stood on the beach, I remembered the good. Just last year when I came back for my summer visit Jay, Fitz, Panther, Big G, Little G and I played in every tournament that the beach had to offer; Football, volleyball, soccer, rugby, lacrosse, water polo. You name it, we took home the gold. The trophies still sit in my bedroom.

This beach meant a lot to the six of us. It was the host of some wild parties and many other things. As I walked to the old pavilion we spent our lazy summer days loitering in I remembered when all of us gathered around the wooden beams as we all took turns carving things. Fitzy + Mia = unbelievable awsesomeness. Maria Lily Apollo is an asshole. Jeremy Jay Watt takes it up the butt. Big G, Little G, Panther, Fitz, Jay and Mia are the Gods and Goddess of this beach. and the newest addition. We miss you Mia, come back home!

I ran my fingers down the markings and smiled. I pulled out the knife from my pocket and began to carve slowly and carefully. Dear Fitz, Jay, Panther, Big G and Little G; our beach is lonely without you.. Love, Mia.

My fingers were cramped and splintered when I was done, but I didn't care.

"Do you miss it here?" The sound of Yoichi's voice startled me. I turned to look at him, couldn't think of anything witty to say and turned away. "Of course. I miss my boys, and I miss our beach."

"For the feminine me, you sure are thoughtful." He sat down on the picnic table and read the beam. "Goddess of the beach, huh?" He snorted.

"You bet." I sat down next to him.

"More like succubus, or harpy of the beach."

"You're funny." I punched him lightly on the arm, then stood up to look out at the water. The sky had turned different shades of gray, warning me of a storm, but I had ignored it. I hadn't noticed when It had been sprinkling, or when it had turned into a downpour. "Ugh, I don't want to go out in this." "Too bad." He wrapped his long arms around me and picked me up from the ground to carry me out into the rain. Each drop of water that landed on my body made my skin prickle. I hated the rain sometimes. Especially in Houston. It was too cold for my liking.

"Christ!" I tried to wiggle free but he made me walk away with him. "Are we going back to the hotel?" I asked.

"Yeah." He answered. "You don't mind bunking with manajerk?" He asked. "I mean, you could have stayed with me." "She may be a little mean, and totally OCD, but it's not that bad." I shrugged. Mamori had been acting strangely hostile towards me lately. I mean, when I first came to Deimon she was the first one to step forward and help me with my broken heart, but now she was just…well…being a bitch.

The reason I ended up bunking with Mamori was because I figured it was time I started talking to girls and not all guys. I was starting to become too masculine for my liking.

"Not that bad?" He shook his head and sighed. "If it becomes too much, I'm only a door away. She can get annoying fast."

"But she's a damn good manager." I added.

"Yeah, I'll give her that." He held open the door to the Holiday Inn and we stepped in. He went to his own room, but I didn't go to mine quite yet. I wasn't ready. I snuck back outside and walked around to the back of the building and reached into the backpack I usually kept on my person at all times. Inside was a pack of cigs and a bottle of Jack. Lately, I'd been stressed out beyond belief. I had Fitz send me weekly updates about my mom's condition and apparently her life force was waning unbelievably and she'd probably die before I made it back home. On top of that, even though my father and I were on "Good terms" things still weren't up to par with paradise. I lit my cigarette and shrunk closer to the wall so the overhang would shield my small spark of cigarette from the rain.

I took a sip of the Jack and let it warm me a little more. Alcohol warmed you better than any hot chocolate or coffee ever would. The cool think about it was that it never froze. Bet you hot chocolate would eventually freeze.

Part of me believed coming back to Houston would resolve my problems, maybe get some good feelings back out of it, but I just felt more lonely. I hated being lonely. Sure, Yoichi was my best friend and all, but I missed Fitz, I missed Yosuke who I hadn't heard from in awhile, I even missed Rui. Part of me was still in love with Rui, which I didn't understand. I took a drink in honor of all the people I missed. A sip for Fitz, Yosuke, Rui, Jay, Big G, Little G, Panther, My mom.

I drank until those memories got blurrier and blurrier. Until I just sat down on the pavement and rested my head up against a brick wall. Until the rain dotted my face and a blur in the shape of Fitz knelt down in front of me. His large hand caressed my face...and then he disappeared. I let the tears fall because the rain drops masked them and I cried into my hands until I couldn't stop. Life was supposed to be better now. But for some strange reason, It just wasn't. Being back in Houston just made me want to curl up and die.

I made myself get up from the ground and stagger back into the hotel. Everything just seemed warped. I needed coffee and a nice cold shower.