Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Tears of the Gifted ❯ Prolog: Flames of Rage ( Prologue )

Tears of the Gifted

Prolog: Flames of Rage

 

It was night, and in an isolated room with stone walls and a single bared window, a young man sat in a corner's shadow on an old bed of steel bars and lumpy mattress. His red fiery eyes glance into nothing like a wolf keeping watch for its pack; his long dark red hair more tangled than veins on a wall covering a portion of face that held a recently received scare, his knees held close to his chest with his head upon them, his expression one of resentment and anger, his gray prison uniform wrinkled and tattered revealing a countless number of scares, his eyes aimed forward towards the door as it creaked slowly open and walls fire rose from nowhere surrounding him as strings of flame circled his body. The door was then swung open and blue uniformed prison guards entered with a large hose and fired a jet stream of water at the young man! The Fiery walls surrounding him struggled to block the harsh water's path to avail as the stream pierced the defense and hit the young man head on. The boy tried his best to block the water as the sharp streams cut away at his hands. A wave of pain covered him as the water finally shut off and the guards grabbed him and pulled to the concrete floor and kicked punched him like a stuffed sack and then toss back into the corner onto his bed his scares reopened and bleeding slowly sent ripples of pain through his body. The guards left the room laughing manically with smiles of satisfaction as the young man sat in his corner soaked from head to toe as if he had been dumped in a river. A day goes by and new night comes and again they came and half drowned him with their hose, and then beat him on the ground! Time passed and the young man was tortured again and again with each passing day and with it his rage and anger grew. After his wrongful tortures he would sit gazing at the iron door, his body soaked in blood mixed water and pain. Newly received cuts and scares laid upon his skin, his blood leaking slowly through them. He flattened out his legs and lied on the bed on which he sat. He turned his body towards the wall and in a voice of remorse, hatred and anger, he spoke...

 

“I am sorry for the deeds I've done out of anger, but for such crimes I should not be mistreated so,” he said, “My past crimes no longer matter to them; all that matters to them is that I am different, and that is the only thing that I am guilty of now. They do not care that lives were lost in the building I destroyed with my flames of anger...no...all they care about is that I am a Gifted someone who they no longer consider to be human or even have human emotion.”

 

The young man closed his eyes and slowly drifted to sleep.

 

Dawn came all too soon for him as he opened his eyes still weary and tired. He sat up as the steel door to his room opened and a young girl white silver haired girl of twelve only three years younger than him, entered the room, in her long pink coat, green scarf, some books and a notebook in hand with a soft towel and first aid kit. The purple uniformed guard solved her in further and told her she had thirty minutes then closed the door. The young man smiled as the girl walked over to him and hugged him. They embraced and she sat with him and slowly started to mend the many cuts on his hands and body.

 

“So how have you been doing,” she asked him kindly with concern as she cleaned his wounds with alcohol.

 

“Same...ah...as always,” he replied with sorrow and regret as he endured the stinging of the alcohol.

 

“That bad huh,” she replied seriously. There was a short silence between them. “Tai...”

 

“What is it Kari?” Tai asked worryingly.

 

“...We heard from Matt's dad according to his sources the Parliament's planning to place all us Gifted in research facilities.”

 

“WHAT!” Tai yelled angrily. Trails of flames began to circle his body.

 

“That was my reaction too,” a rain of sorrow reflected on her face. “I don't understand why do they keep doing these things to us it's not our fault? We didn't ask for these powers they just suddenly appeared after the digi world was sealed up.”

 

“Kari...” the young man sadly.

 

“They pick on us whenever they see us and when we fight back they call us a danger to society. If they'd just leave us alone then we wouldn't have to strike back like we do,” she said sadly.

 

“Isn't there anyone who's willing to speak for us?”

 

“There are some but not many,” Kari said with some relief as she went back to tending to her brother's wounds, “Sora and Joe's dads are two of them. Sora's dad is talking to Gifted and Joe's is examining the changes that a lot of us have undertaken. Together with a small team they're trying to figure out how our powers showed up and what causes them to react on their own, they're hoping that figuring this out they'll be able to work on getting laws passed to protect Gifted and also come up with ways to help us better control our powers.”

 

“Good to hear we have some people on our side, it's not much but it's a start. Tell me how are the others it's been almost three months and I still haven't heard a single word from any of them?” Tai asked.

 

“They're all doing ok, but the guards won't let them come because only relatives can visit. Matt tried to say he was your twin brother and that his powers changed his hair color, but they didn't buy it,” she explained, “Apparently, some of the guards actually have brains that think.”

 

The young man laughed at his little sister's comment, “I have only three more weeks left and then I can return home. Tell me did they...ah...repair the school yet?” Tai asked as felt the pain of the stinging alcohol flew through him.

 

“They said at least half of the school's external and internal structure was badly damaged by the fire so they have to knock it down and start from scratch, until then all the high school students are attending schools in different areas of the city or doing home schooling.”

 

A mask of sadness came over Tai as he looks to the floor in shame, “People died because I lost my temper and started that fire?”

 

“It's not your fault. You were only trying to protect Sora from the naturals who were massing with her. The rest was an accident,” Kari explained.

 

“It was still my fault!” Tai cried painfully. The flames circling him raged brightly causing Kari to pull back with fear. He calmed himself as the fire did likewise. “Tell me, how is Sora?”

 

“She...she spends a lot of her time inside. She's taking home school until the school is fully repaired but it's likely she'll continue with it even after the new High School's built. Out of all the Gifted in Japan her dad and Joe's are examining her extra close. Unlike the rest of us it was more than just her hair and eye color that changed but her body as well. Her ears are pointy, and she's a bit thinner then she used to be, but the greatest change is her personality. She used to be so strong, but being a Gifted has changed her and the Naturals prejudice has broken her. She won't even step a foot outside without Matt with her and her cloak on her head and even when he's with her she's targeted more frequently than the other Gifted because she has something to hide,” Kari said.

 

“I'm not surprised, so much has happened in just one year. So much...in such little time,” Tai said sadly.

 

Suddenly the guard entered the room, “Times up freak, time to leave.”

 

“I'm coming, and don't call me freak, Natural rat,” Kari replied coldly. The guard left and Kari quickly bandaged her brother's hands and then stood. “I have to go but I brought your homework from your teachers. Did you finish last weeks loud?” Kari asked.

 

“Yeah it's over their on my desk, thanks Kari.”

 

She walks over to a metal desk and picks up the notebook neatly filled with used papers that lay their next to a pencil, “You used to hate homework now you're doing it without complaint,” Kari smiled

 

“It's better than doing nothing...you'd best get going,” Tai said sadly.

 

“Yeah, I know. I'll make sure it gets to Ms. Yoko. Well...” she hugs her brother, “...take care big brother.”

 

“You too little sister,” he said kindly with a farewell smile and then released her. He watched her leave and then picked up the notebook left for him and sat down at the desk and slowly started to work.

 

He sat at his desk and worked disturbed only by his growing stomach that roared with hunger. Two hours passed and finally being unable to endure his hunger any longer he got up and went to the door of his stone walled cage and opens a small rectangular window.

 

“Excuse me,” he says to the guard outside trying his best to sound polite.

 

“What do you want freak?” the guard replied rudely with hate in his voice.

 

“I was wondering where my breakfast is.” Tai answered.

 

“What are talking about you got it already,” the guard said coldly with a crooked smile.

 

“I didn't receive anything,” Tai replied as strings of fire started to circle his body.

 

“Oh, now, I remember. It did come, but you were so busy working I didn't want to disturb so I sent it back,” the guard said smartly with a cruel smile.

 

“YOU WHAT!” Tai yelled angrily.

 

“Temper, temper flame boy we wouldn't me want me to wet you down again with this nice little hose would we,” the guard said raising a large hose and aiming at the window.

 

Tai calmed himself and closed the window with anger. He went back to his desk and tried to continue his work while ignoring his stomach roaring with a lion's hunger.

He sat and worked through the morning. The day went by quicker than he expected. He stopped as the time for lunch came near, but received none. He went to the window and opened it again.

 

“Excuse me where's my lunch,” he asked trying to sound polite.

 

“Lunch aren't you suppose to go to the cafeteria for that?” the guard answered smartly sounding if he had a full mouth.

 

“No. I can't leave this cell until dusk to use the bathroom remember?” he said smartly when he realized the guard was eating something. “...What are you eating?”

 

“This...oh nothing really, the cook was kind enough to have a meal brought out here for me. So it would have been rude to pass it up,” the guard said cruelly.

 

“THAT'S MY LUNCH!” Tai said angrily as his eyes glowed a fiery red!

 

“Oops it appears it was, sorry,” the guard snickered coldly taking another bite.

 

“WHY YOU SON OF A...” Tai screamed with volcanic anger!

 

“Uh-oh someone's getting a little hot under the collar! Perhaps you need a little cooling of!” the guard said crookedly, raising a large hose.

 

Bearing a beast's anger and hate, red streams of fire circled Tai's body and he touched the door of his prison and it turned red with heat. The guard touched the handle of the door, but the moment he griped it he gave out a scream of pain as his hand suddenly caught fire. The guard pulled his hand away dropping the hose in a mad terror as his cloths were set ablaze by the flames! He dropped to the ground and rolled around and then wet himself down with the hose his body still pain.

 

Tai leaned against the door, his arms crossed and eyes forward with an uneasy glance of anger, “One day you're going to push me even further than you'd like and when that day comes not even a tidal wave will be enough to quench my flames,” he threatened.

 

Tai continued his homework trying once again to ignore his ever growling stomach. Noon turns to dusk, dusk turns to night and Tai's harsh action against the guard lost him his dinner. Tai didn't try to defend himself because he felt there was no use. His words as far he was concerned would be nothing but whispers in the wind. He slept full of hunger that night knowing not what the guard his little trick had set blaze said to his superior, but the thought of what he may have said angered him so much that he slept with in a pool of fire surrounding his bed.

 

The days passed and Tai spent his time doing the work given to him by sister. A new temporary guard was placed outside his door, this one was kinder than last one, but if Tai got out of line he was ready shoot him with the large hose he was given. During the day he would speak to the guard once his work was completed, but when night came, he awoke as the moon reached midnight's height and waited for his tortures and like always they came, but this week they avoided physical contact and merely drowned him to near death.

 

Come another Saturday morning, Tai awoke to the sweet voice of his little sister. She had brought more school work from his teachers and got what was done ready to go when her time was up. The two sat on his bed and with a comb and some hair spray she had brought started to fix up his hair. She combed it out the best she could and as she worked they talked.

 

“So how was your weekend so far,” her brother asked kindly.

 

“It was ok, I got picked on by some naturals yesterday, but Davis and TK protected me. They've pretty much become my bodyguards. I think they're watching me somehow because whenever I go out they so up sooner are later. The only time I'm able to truly get away is when I come to visit you, go home or go to the bathroom.” She explained with an amusing smile.

 

Tai laughed, “Davis doesn't sound like he's changed too much. He always did have a crush on you, but this is kind of new for TK though?”

 

“I know, but I kinda like it. It's good to have some friends around,” she giggled. She grew silent with a small smile on her face. “Tai, Mom and I are looking forward when you're be able to come home finally.”

 

“So am I how is mom?” Tai asked.

 

“She's fine; she's been focusing mostly on work that's why he hasn't come to see you yet,” Kari said. “She's been really depressed, everything's happened so fast. Dad died trying to protect me from an Anti-gifted Fanatics and mom's been working her butt off trying to earn enough money to support all of us,”

 

“When I get out I'll look for a job, so I can make things a bit easier on her.”

 

“Mrs. Takenouchi gave mom a job at her flower shop, it doesn't pay too much but we make just enough to pay for the new SMALLER apartment and some food,” Kari said.

 

“Sora's family and ours have known each others for years so we can always count on them when things get complicated, but enough about that how's Mimi doing over in New York?”

 

She delayed to reply, “Mimi's moving back to Japan. The Gifted in the US are receiving treatments worst than those of us here. So she's going to move back and live with Yolei and her family. Since Yolei's order brother moved out Yolei's sisters share his old room and Mimi's going to share one with Yolei,”

 

“What about her parents?”

 

“Her dad lost his job because...well his boss had a son and he went on a date with Mimi, when Mimi's powers first awakened they well...let's just say her date ended up a human Popsicle,” Kari explained sadly.

 

“I see...so I take it they can only afford one ticket?” Tai asked.

 

“Pretty much,” Kari replied.

 

The door suddenly open and the new guard entered the room, “Excuse me young miss your time's up,” the guard seriously but politely.

 

“I'm almost done with his hair; can you give me just five more minutes, please?” Kari asked innocently polite.

 

The guard was silent for a moment then smiled, “Very well five more but that's all hurry up,”

 

“Thank you,” she replied gratefully.

 

The guard left the two alone and she went back to work on her brother's hair.

 

“This guard's a lot nicer than the last one you had, what happened to him anyway?”

 

“He was deliberately keeping my meals from me last week so I touched the door and he got caught on fire when he touched it. I got in trouble for it but it was worth it especially since it got rid of him for awhile anyway. This new guard is only temporary. Once the other ones healed he'll be back.”

 

“That's stinks; did you try and tell the warden your case?” Kari asked.

 

“Wouldn't matter if I did, so far the only guard who's been nice to me is this one. Why they even bother having only one guard I don't know. I could easily fry anyone of them, if weren't for that hose the guards carry with them that my make my powers useless.”

 

“Would you really attack them with your powers?” Kari asked.

 

“They keep treating me like I'm so kind of freak or monster and it's really getting on my nerves. These naturals treat us all that way and when we fight back to defend ourselves they have the nerve call us a danger to society,” Tai said angrily. He griped his fists and streams of fire circled his body, “If they DON'T want trouble from us then they should just leave us alone?” Tai asked.

 

“I spoke to Mr. Takenouchi he said there are people who would do anything to ensure that we want ever be accepted. People like the United States' so called Holy Guards, and Japan's Pure Blood. Anti-gifted groups formed over the last year determined to making our lives miserable.”

 

“It was Pure Blood that killed dad,” Tai said, “If only I had been there. Then...”

 

“Please stop blaming yourself, you didn't know until was too late.”

 

“But I was supposed to pick you up from school, if I had just done that than dad wouldn't have had to go out looking you when you didn't come home on time.”

 

“But I was the one who left the school when I was supposed to wait for you,” she countered sadly, “Besides Sora needed you at that time. You couldn't just abandon her to the naturals that attacked her.”

 

“I know, but...” he said in a voice of anguish, “...sometimes I wonder if all my so called heroics are even worth the effort.”

 

“Please don't say things like that. A lot of Gifted are grateful for what you did for them. You're still a bit of hero even after what happened to the school,” she said comfortingly. “Infect I heard they're even planning a surprise welcome home party for you when you get out next Tuesday.” She smiled. “But don't tell them I told you.”

 

He smiled, “Don't worry I won't and I'll try to act surprised.”

 

When she was finished with his hair it was in a straight and ponytail whether than a tangle mass of vines. The guard entered again and in kind, but serious words told Kari she had to leave now. Kari and Tai and embraced for a moment, and then she left with his finished school work and a promise to return again next week as always, but this time with their mother. As always after she left he went and worked on his school work at his desk.

 

Day, after day passed and Tai had slowly befriended the kind hearted guard. He made a request that the guard be made permanent but it hit deaf ears. Tai was saddened when the temporary guard had gone back to his original job and the one who he had set a blaze with his little door trick was back and this time with friends. Tai was angered when he heard he would now suddenly have three guards guarding his door.

 

The week passed and strangely Tai slept peacefully without any of his usual late night interruptions. Saturday came and he received word from his sister that she would visiting in the evening and would be bring their mother with her. Tai was silent during the day as he awaited his sister. He disliked the guards outside his door. He had heard them talking about something during the week, something that involved him; and as the day went by the number voices he heard slowly increased.

 

Dusk came and Tai sat in his cell waiting. He didn't know what the guards were planning, but he knew he they were planning something. The voices increased throughout the day and Tai's flames circled his body summoned by his uneasiness and anger. Tai sat on his bed waiting and then without warning as dusk became night the steel door was flung open as if it was hit with battering ram! Four men entered the room and grabbed Tai and dragged him out into the open before he could act.

 

Tai looked around and found a large group of men each of them wearing an armband with the symbol of a wine glass with blood inside and an angel father crossing over it. “Pure Blood! I've been waiting to get a chance at you guys!” he said hatefully. He then noticed that five large hoses were aimed at him. Wall of a flame of arose immediately to protect the digidestined leader as Pure Blood fired jets streams of water at the young fire starter from all sides. Tai's flames were extinguished and his body pummeled the ripping currents and what remained of his shirt started to strip away. Many of his scars were reopened and his blood quickly fled towards the newly created exits. Trapped on his hands and knees, his flames tried again to rise to protect him but couldn't even make a small spark.

 

“And now you die, fire demon!” one of the attackers with half a burnt face said in a harsh voice full of hate.

 

Tai coughed trying his hardest to breathe what little air he had around him. Blood flew from his mouth and mixed with water as Pure Blood continued their merciless assault! A tidal of wave of pain overcame him and he collapsed to the ground curled like a little ball. His attackers merely laughed at their victim as he strived to breathe as much oxygen as he could. His blood mixed with the water and sank into the earth as his life started to flash before him.

 

It was at that moment the guard who had been kind to the Fire Gifted entered the yard where Tai's prison stood and with him were a young girl in here preteens and a woman in her late thirties. They were talking for a moment when they looked at the large group standing in the yard surrounding a familiar figure. The lady's eyes widened with fear as she without thinking ran to them.

 

“TAI!” she cried as she noticed the young man lying there on the ground.

 

“M...o...m,” Tai said in a weak fading voice drowned out by the sound of water.

 

“No...STOP THIS! You're killing him!” she cried as she tried to take one the hoses from the attackers only to receive a sharp blow to the head by one of them and fell to the ground unconscious.

 

“MOM!” Kari cried as she tried run over to her, but was grabbed by the kind-hearted guard who pulled out a radio and called for back up!

 

Tai could barely see what was around him. His vision was blocked partially by the water but not enough to block him from seeing the one thing that might save him lying on the ground...his poor mother still and silent.

 

His eyes widen with shock and then closed tightly with sorrow as tears leaked through. The memory of how his father died plague his mind repeatedly. Then finally something snapped and he opened his eyes shining a bright fiery red! Without warning a wall of fire rose from no where and knocked Pure Blood to the ground, who watched in fear as Tai stood and a twister of flames suddenly erupted from the young man's body. Pure Blood looked upon him with fear as they saw the rage and anger in eyes. Tai, his body now a fiery shadow, looked at the terrified men before him, his so called attackers now sat on the ground trembling as he walked over to motionless woman on the ground. He touched her, but she moved not an inch. His hand shook with fear and then he gripped with anger and gave out a loud cry of anger and sorrow!

 

Pure Blood looked at the flame engulf shadow before them, its flames roaring and growling like an angry beast, a pillar of fire radiating from his body towards the heavens like a tornado and his eyes so frightening they could kill even the greatest of men with terror alone. Pure Blood watched as suddenly the fiery twister began to expended and spread across the grassy yard. The men froze with fear as in a mad panic they stumbled over one another trying to run away. A few managed to escape, but only a few. The rest were pulled on the ground by wipes of flame that starched out and wrapped around their lags and slowly pulled them into the tornado of fire as it spread into a raging storm. The men pulled at the earth trying desperately to free themselves crying in fear and terror as the flames slowly but quickly spread across their bodies.

 

They looked over at a terrified Kari who was still held by the guard who held a calm look of fear. Kari saw the men as they struggled. She looked into their eyes as the flames spread across the yard like newly forming hurricane. She saw the terror in their eyes as they reached out to her crying in terror, “Pl...please...he...lp...so hot...the burning, the BURNING!” she watched the fire engulfed them whole doing likewise to all others near it including...

 

“MOTHER!” Kari cried passionately with fear as she tried to run towards the flames, but was held to tightly by the guard who followed his duty and picked her up and ran for the nearest door back inside sending out another call on his radio.

 

 

“This is Detective Jin-sin Yokoso at Odaiba Juvenile! I need back up! The Fire Gifted Tai Kamiya has gone out control! Need back up!” he called bravely, but fearfully.

 

He ran through hall and hit the first Fire Alarm he came to and yelled for everyone to run. Confused as to what was going on many did not move until it was too late and were engulfed by the spreading storm of fire. The young juveniles ran from the building but many did not make it as whips of flame struck from the storm grabbing anyone and everyone in its sight and pulling them into its being.

 

Kari watched as she was carried out under the Detective's arm. She saw the faces of the victims who were unable to escape and watched as the fire covered victims tried to crawl on the bellies from the storm with their fear and desperation to live reflected brightly in their eyes. The detective ran until he finally reached an exit and burst through the door to the outside where Fire fighters, police, and emergency rescue teams finally hit the scene. He carted Kari to the other side of the street and set her down still keeping a firm grip on her as hundreds of residents piled into the street blocked by the police as they watched the raging inferno with worries of loved ones that were in the Juvenile Hall now enclosed in a blazing storm.

 

Night fell and two hours passed as the battle against the raging storm continued on. The storm strangely did not spread beyond its self set limit. Fire Fighters and emergency rescues teams continued to battle the storm doing all they could do to tame the beastly flames from dropping numerous gallons of water from rescue helicopters to throwing bombs of carbon-dioxide into the raging inferno. They tried everything they could, even back Fires that turned on them and rather than stop the flames strangely grabbed their starters and dragged them into the storm. Hundreds within the area watched and waited to hear even the slightest news of success.

 

Kari watched with wide open eyes as she suddenly saw her life fall apart. Her mother was in the main yard where her brother's prison was and she feared that she had lost both him and her. Her eyes were full of fear and sorrow as Jin-sin continued to hold tightly onto her. As she waited and prayed when she suddenly noticed something many others did not. Standing not too far away stood an old man in a white robe shirt and pants, white board shaped like an upside down triangle and a wooden sword with sparks of lightening circling around it sheathed at his side. She gazed at the old man as he began walking across the street into the fire storm undetected. Kari froze as the flames engulf the old man like one engulfs a whole small boiled egg. She paid little thought to it though as she returned her focus to her brother and mother, the only family she had left.

 

Then suddenly a few minutes later the flames started to die and rain began to fall from the sky. The flames died further and further out until there was nothing but a lot holding a lake of ash and shadow-bones sticking stuck in like destroy wooden ships in the sea and in the middle lay an unclothed woman, silent and still. The rescue med teams rushed over to her and police disbanded the large band of spectators. Kari and Jin-sin rushed over to woman as she was placed on a gurney and taken into the ambulance. Kari looked around for any sign of her brother, but found nothing.

 

“Officer!” she cried running over to the police chief, “Did, you see anyone walk out of the storm?”

 

“I'm sorry young lady, but we had the entire area surrounded no one was reported walking out of the storm.” The officer answered sadly.

“But my brother—did you find any trance of my brother!” Kari cried passionately with sorrow and tears.

 

“I'm sorry, little girl,” the chief replied with remorse. He looked around, “Detective Jin-sin, you're the one who called this in, know why he berserk?”

 

“Yes, Sir...as you know I was sent here to investigate how the Gifted was being treated...” Jin-sin answered as he explained to the police chief what happened and what he saw. Kari was shocked to learn that Jin-sin the guard her brother had befriended was a detective placed in charge of keeping an eye on Tai's treatment, “I believe this goes much further Sir. I think Pure Blood has been purposely provoking Gifted and considering how easily they infiltrated the hall I think their may be members with the police forces,” Jin-sin explained, “If we are to prevent such a tragedy from happening again then we must filter out our forces of these Anti-Gifted as well get laws passed to protect Gifted. Otherwise history will repeat itself and this in a more populated location. We cannot continue treating Gifted as if they're monsters nor can we continue to ignore their cries for help because when look at the actions of Pure Blood which intern resulted in his behavior. You have to ask who was the real monster here?”

 

“You make a valid point, Jin-sin, a very valid point.”

 

Suddenly the media that had been blocked by the police showed up and in less than a second they began questioning the police as well as the warden of the Juvenile hall. The warden was arrested after one of the captured Pure Blood members that escaped confessed to his crimes and that warden was a member of the group and let them. Kari asked the police chief not to mention her brother to the media, and her request was honored. She later climbed into the ambulance and accompanied her unconscious mother to the hospital. Her tears fleeing her eyes as she cried for loss of her brother.

 

“Why is it that you naturals can't just leave us alone? Why is it you all have to treat us like were monsters? Is it really so hard for you to just leave us alone? How many more people have to die before you see your own parts their deaths?”

 

A silence came over the ambulance as it drove through wet streets of the night as the rain fell harder and harder as if mourning the loss of the young human man.