Flashback:

It was a very nice morning that day. Takki was sure they can lead another wonderful life as always. As long as no one know they’re Liminals, their life is just normal, like all normal humans do. His fingers were swiftly pressing the keyboard, typing the findings on his research. He almost completed his quest. Everything is going according to plan. There is only one thing left. He needed to find it as soon as possible, so they all can go out without feeling different than anyone. He was absorbed into his writing a lot when he heard the door open. He saw Ryo coming in, looking all grumpy. And Takki pushed his laptop a bit to face Ryo.

“Something happend?” Takki asked in concern.

Ryo looked at Takki for a while. “Everything always happens. None of it matter the moment I turned into a phoenix,” he sulked.

Takki’s brows rose. “Uh uh. Something definitely happened,” Takki said, slowly approaching Ryo. “Tell me, what’s wrong?” Takki’s voice was soft, hand grazing gently against Ryo’s arm. But Ryo promptly swatted Takki’s hand away. Takki frowned further. “Ryo...” Takki wanted to ask, but just when his eyes caught some wounds around Ryo’s arms, Takki widened his eyes. His words fell into silence. Deep inside he could already guess, and he stared back into Ryo’s dark orbs.

Ryo looked away. “I accidentally lit a fire from my finger in town. I didn’t realize it would give me away. I was just trying to help removing a thick stand of shrubs in an old lady’s garden, since she couldn’t lit a fire herself. So they found out I am a Liminal,” he mumbled, but Takki could hear him very clearly. “They tried to kill me,” Ryo’s voice shaken. “I’m sorry, I’m such a fool.”

Takki widened his eyes. He almost couldn’t believe the story. His eyes ran down again, scanning Ryo’s skinny body. Scratches and wounds were everywhere. His heart was clenching at the pain Ryo might feel at the moment.

“I’m sorry,” Ryo’s toes fidgeted uncomfortably. “I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have let down my guard that way. And I’m sorry, I fought them back. They were using bats and all...”

“No,” Takki interrupted him. “No, don’t say sorry. You were defending youself. It’s just so...” Takki felt himself lost of words. He looked around, feeling stormy inside as he tried to calm himself down. Ryo observed Takki’s reaction for a few seconds before sighing.

“They kinda withdrew more when I fought back. They said Liminals are monsters,” Ryo’s voice was full with sorrow. “I...” Ryo scrunched his face, trying to bear what was going to explode inside him. “Maybe I should just die. That’s what they want anyway.”

Takki shot Ryo a surprised look. “Ryo, what the hell are you talking about?”

“They wish all Liminals die, right? We should grant their wishes!” Ryo’s voice rose. “Why must it be me anyway? Why?” a teardrop rolled down Ryo’s cheek. Takki almost held back his breath. He always managed to find words of comfort for Ryo, but at that moment Ryo was really crushed and determined. Takki felt lost himself.

After a few seconds of silence, Ryo scoffed and strode out. Takki wanted to run after him, but he started to doubt himself. What should he say to Ryo. He was the one who saved Ryo before and he was the reason why Ryo is alive up until today even after being possessed by the Liminal soul. But Ryo had surpassed the Liminality. They all had. Takki wanted Ryo to know that. Yeah. Takki quickly ran after Ryo. He decided he wanted Ryo to know all of the result of his research. He wanted Ryo to be proud of himself. He wanted Ryo to live with pride.

“Takki, where are you going,” Yamapi was about to walk in with Uchi when Takki ran outside. They didn’t get any response, so Yamapi looked back at Uchi. Uchi shrugged, obviously not knowing what the hell happened.

“Takki never panicked that way,” Yamapi stated. Uchi nodded. Once.

Yamapi sighed. “Hiro, it’s a sign we need to go after him.”

Uchi blinked. “Really?”

At the mean time, Ryo was nowhere to find. Takki frantically skimmed through the city. Something inside his heart wasn’t feeling good. Ryo was emotionally unstable. An unstable Liminal is definitely a bad news. Takki paused at one junction, panting heavily, trying to catch up his own breath. The people who were passing by didn’t show any sign of Ryo’s presence. And just when Takki sighed, a huge flame suddenly appeared west. Takki’s eyes widened, looking back to the direction. It was a huge flame, people had started to run away in panic. It was like a huge building on fire. Takki rushed to the direction, fighting over the flow of crowd.

Just when Takki reached the park, he saw the phoenix – he knew it was Ryo. His lover in a phoenix form, and even worse, Ryo lost control of his own self. It was evidenced all over his act, burning his wings around himself. Takki knew exactly what the firebird was trying to do. He was trying to commit suicide.

“Takki, what happened to Ryo?” Yamapi appeared suddenly. Uchi was behind him, looking all shocked. Takki grabbed Yamapi’s collar, tugging him behind roughly towards Uchi.

“Get away!” Takki yelled. “Phoenix is immortal, he won’t die. But it’s dangerous, especially when it’s being reborn!”

“What?” Yamapi and Uchi gasped unbelievably.

“It’ll burn you! You guys get back, I’ll suppress the power!” Takki ordered.

“How are you supposed to do that? What happen to Ryo?” Yamapi replied.

“Unicorn can suppress other Liminals power a bit. I can try. Ryo was just emotionally unstable. He was probably grieving and thinking of committing suicide himself. He’s at his lowest point. That’s when the Liminal inside him took over his body,” Takki explained, pushing Yamapi slightly away. “Now go!”

Yamapi stumbled a bit before grabbing Uchi’s arm away. Uchi was struggling, refusing to leave, but Yamapi tugged him forcefully. “We’re going to get in Takki’s way! Let’s go get Subaru at least. He might can help something.”

When Takki was sure enough Yamapi and Uchi were gone, he faced Ryo again. This time, he noticed a huge fire ball, the previous phoenix was nowhere in sight. Ryo had burnt himself. Takki unconsciously swallowed the lump in his throat. Too late, the phoenix had given birth to his own new self. Takki watched as the fire ball started to evolve into a nest. He knew phoenix give birth to itself, but it was the first time he watched the real thing. It would be a lie if Takki said he wasn’t scared. But this is Ryo. The guy he had been holding all this time, the guy that had been very important in his whole life. This was the guy whom a mere smile would make up his horrible day. This is Ryo.

Takki’s eyes were shining in bright white, and in mere seconds his muscled body jumped and turned into a unicorn, whinnied and tossed its mane as it treaded upon the beams of golden flame slanted through the city. The phoenix had just struggled to fly, trying to break free. Takki couldn’t let Ryo roam as a Liminal without his self control. A keeper might caught and kill him, or at least he would end up killing innocent people. So Takki stepped onto the nest, and without wasting time, he stabbed the phoenix’s chest with its spiral horn. A bright white light shone from the spiral horn at that moment, countering the golden flame surrounding them. In a few seconds, as the light faded, Ryo regained his human form, limping down as he collapsed. Takki supported Ryo behind his back and let Ryo slid down to the ground. He turned to the nest that was still burning. Takki could see how the nest is growing in time, and there was the possibility that the nest might burn the whole city.

Takki knew well enough no matter how much he tried, he wouldn’t be able to suppress the flame. He hissed, pulling away his front legs as he felt the fire merely brushed him. For a moment, he was hesitating. But when he glanced back and saw Ryo sleeping innocently, he knew he had no choice. He stepped forward to fight suppressing the flame, there was a mix of red and white colors from afar, blending in sheer splendor, casting a beautiful ray of dawn like color, as if the sky was emitting a bittersweet warmth.

By the time Yamapi, Uchi, Subaru and Yoko reached the park, the fire was put off, and they got the biggest surprise in their life. The park was left empty, no one was there except two bodies. Ryo was lying on the ground, unaffected. While Takki’s body stood in the middle of the park, fully burnt. Uchi’s eyes were flooding in tears. When Takki’s body started to fall, Uchi quickly dashed forward, letting Takki fall into his arms.

“Takki, please! Hold on! I’ll heal you right away!” Uchi was crying, with all his heart. His hand clumsily ran over Takki’s burnt body, casting a slight pink light from his palm.

“Uchi, stop it,” Takki’s voice sounded faint. “I can’t be saved anymore. You should know that better.”

“No! Please don’t say that! I’ll try my best! Please stay alive!” Uchi was desperate. The tinge of pink lightly kept cascading.

“Please tell Ryo not to hate himself. He is a strong guy, that’s why he was chosen,” it was the last word from Takki. Then he breathed his last breath, body limping in Uchi’s arms. Uchi howled at the lost, echoing throughout the empty city. Yamapi fell on the ground, unable to hold his trembling legs any longer. Subaru and Yoko stood there, eyes widened in shock. They knew it was a great loss for them, marking a huge history for the Liminals. After a few seconds, white light shone on Takki’s chest, and a white pearl appeared from his chest and fell rolling on the ground. And they were sure by then, Takki’s death was definite.

Subaru wasn’t able to say anything at that time. He wasn’t sure if he should say anything anyway. But the surprise wasn’t only that Takki was dead. When his eyes scanned the whole area properly, he saw how the area was burnt, wiped out by fire. Takki suppressed the fire, yes. It was evidenced by the range of area affected. But what surprised Subaru the most was that the small area where Ryo lied unconscious was totally unaffected. As if Takki protected that area the most. No, Subaru corrected himself. Takki was definitely protecting Ryo the most. Subaru scanned the whole burnt area once again, before shifting towards Ryo’s unaffected area. And he felt something clenching in his heart.

He noticed a nest left on the ground. Slowly Subaru picked it up, turning it around to inspect closer. A sign in the nest caught his attention – a pentagram, a star in a circle. Subaru frowned a bit, trying to figure out why there was this sign here. But his thought was interrupted when he heard Yamapi started to sob. He looked down to Yamapi.

“How am I supposed to tell this to Ryo?” Yamapi mourn. “How am I supposed to explain this?”

The question was answered with Uchi’s wail, holding Takki’s body tighter. Neither Subaru nor Yoko was able to answer the question. None of them dare to.

*****

"Pi,” Ryo called, slightly panting from his search for Yamapi. He couldn’t exactly guess how long he had been running all over the city to search for Yamapi. And finally he saw Yamapi drinking morosely at a small stall at the side of a road, looking all crushed. Yamapi raised his head, meeting Ryo’s eyes.

“What do you want?” Yamapi grumbled, turning away lazily.

Ryo sighed, trying to catch his breath. “Look, Pi, I know I was a . But this isn’t the time for us to argue with each other,” he quickly open the now scrunched paper in his hand, shoving it towards Yamapi. “We are here for reasons, Pi. And now we found something. This sign, Pi. The sign that appears from my nest the moment I tried to commit suicide in my phoenix form. The sign that we saw it appeared in my nest when Takki died.”

Yamapi turned abruptly to Ryo, staring at the sketch paper. He shifted uncomfortably when he realized a few eyes were looking at them, and Yamapi quickly stood and pay for his drinks before pulling Ryo to the end of the corner road further away from the crowds. “Are you stupid? You’re talking about this in public?”

Ryo rolled his eyes sarcastically. “Yeah, I wouldn’t if only you would listen to me when I called you back then.”

Yamapi glared furiously at Ryo before his turned back to the geometry symbol of quintessence that Ryo drew, eyes widening in the process. “No way,” he gasped. “I didn’t know the symbol had any significant with the origin of the Liminals. Ryo, could it be you were the one creating all these Liminality?”

Ryo smacked Yamapi’s head. “Now you’re implying I’m the bad guy here,” he snorted, glaring at his best friend. “Why would I be here with you if I was the culprit behind all these Liminality. Besides, all these Liminality started before I was even born!”

Yamapi rubbed his head, pouted a bit. For a while, he had forgotten all their fights back then. “But the quintessence appeared from your nest, and you were the one creating that nest.”

“Still, that doesn’t mean I’m the culprit,” Ryo sounded sulking a bit, and Yamapi couldn’t help but to grin. He decided to give up at that moment. Ryo is just too important for him to even be mad over simple things they quarreled.

“Let’s try putting two and two together,” Yamapi rubbed his chin, thinking deeply. “Remember Takki said phoenix is immortal? I think that’s why when you tried to commit suicide in the phoenix form, you ended up unconsciously forming a nest, and was reborn into a new phoenix. The trouble was, when your nest was producing too much fire that it could burn the whole city, so Takki suppressed the fire with his own power. When he managed to put off the fire, this sign appears in your nest. And apparently, the core of Liminals occurred through this sign, as per Takki’s book says.”

Ryo narrowed his eyes. “I’m thinking of one possibility,” he said in a low tone. “It’s the symbol of birth for the Liminals.”

Yamapi turned to Ryo. “That’s totally plausible. In fact, it’s what most likely to be. We never knew where the Liminals are born from anyway.”

Ryo sighed heavily. “Let’s get back. The pentagram needs a little further close up. We need to relate this stuff more. Now that we get this lead, I think we can decipher other things in Takki’s research further.”

“Yeah, guess you’re right,” Yamapi agreed.

*****

Jin sighed, fingers flipping his cell phone side to side. It wasn’t because he was bored, but Ryo and Yamapi had been a little bit too close lately. Jin wasn’t that dense not to realize that both of his best friends had been putting up distance between them. Well, yeah, Ryo is in grief right now. But why must Yamapi go too far? Jin felt his heart pounding nervously. Could it be Yamapi is in love with Ryo. And now that Ryo is available again, anything could be possible. Jin swallowed the lump in his throat. Crap, now he’s jealous over his own best friends. Jin blamed himself. These thoughts just felt so wrong. He is doubting Yamapi and Ryo. Why he even bothered, he couldn’t begin to comprehend himself.

Jin pulled his notebook lazily, deciding he should just forget it for now. Flipping through the pages absentmindedly, Jin thought he might give a visit to Ryo and Yamapi’s whereabouts later. Come to think of it, he never really knew who Ryo’s boyfriend was. He only heard stories about that guy a little, otherwise he didn’t even know the name. Jin grimaced. He was a really bad friend, huh?

Suddenly his cell phone rang. Jin glanced as he saw Yabu’s name on the screen. “Hello?”

“Jin! Come here quickly!” Yabu sounded panicked. “The merman... The merman!”

Jin frowned. “What? It’s dead already?” he made a total wild guess.

“No!” Yabu sounded frustrated. “It’s talking!”

Jin blinked, trying to absorb the new information Yabu gave him. Talking as in... Speaking? Aren’t Liminals supposed to lose their self control and they can just roar or chirp or meow or whatever their languages are. And now the merman is... talking? “What?” he jerked up.

“Your reaction is too late, baka,” Yabu complaint.


To be continued...