*Takuya*

"Finally caught up to you," Ximena said as she closed the gap between us. She giggled. "Felt as if I were chasing your little brother."

I chuckled. "Oh, yeah. Ya used to help us chase him around all the time when you two were toddlers."

She grumbled and nodded. "Yup. That Tetsu sure was a troublesome kid."

"Is that somethin' to say about about ya best bud?"

"Yeah? Is it?" a voice called out. We looked forward and saw a smiling Tetsu stomp over to us.

Behind him were Serrano, Teresa, Amun, Onami, Yuko, and Uncle.

"Hey, if it isn't the big man himself! Heard you were off on a special mission," Uncle Sorreal said, grinning.

I blinked. "I should be saying that. Why are ya here? Uh, no offense."

Uncle simply laughed. "None taken."

"We came to visit," a voice called out. It was my grandma. Ma trailed behind her. Like Grandma Rosemary, Ma was also on a wheelchair.

"Ma?" I said, dashing over to her. "What happened to ya? Did ya hurt ya leg? Were ya attacked?"

Ma shook her head. "No, nothing that serious."

"That we know of," Tetsu said, sighing.

"Tetsu, don't say it like that," Teresa said, smiling nervously.

I took a deep breath. "Hopefully, Ma's right." My eyes shifted over to grandma. I jumped and gave her a big hug. "Grand-grand!"

"Lovable as always, aren't ya?" Grandma said, hugging me back. "Not as big as Tetsu, but you're so tall now."

I laughed. "That's because Tetsu ate the whole fridge!"

"Hey!" Tetsu snapped.

Tere chuckled. "You did eat a lot a kid, though."

He huffed and crossed his arms. "Well, yeah. Mom wanted me to be well fed."

Uncle chuckled. "Think she over did it."

Tetsu grumbled.

"Hey, stop bullying my little boy," Mom said, glaring at us.

Tetsu's face flushed. "Mom..."

Setsuko giggled. "Mama's boy."

Yuko giggled and hugged Tetsu, causing him to blush more. "Master is can be so cute when blushing!" the tanuki girl exclaimed.

Onami crossed her arms. "Wish that Kohri were easier to fluster."

"That guy is as cool as a cucumber," my brother said as his blush started to subside.

Ma chuckled. "If your uncle Skah were here, he would've probably made a pun out of that."

My brother blinked. "Oh, right. You know him better than we do."

She lowered her head. "Yeah. If not for Rocio appearing at Grand Chasm, it would be harder to believe that we're facing off against your father's family."

"Mom is with them too," Serrano said, averting his eyes.

Setsuko raised an eyebrow at him. "What's wrong?"

"Guess that I simply can't escape from fighting against my family. Be it my mothers or my father's."

She crossed her arms. "You haven't fought us apart from spars, so what are you talking about?"

He smiled weakly. "True. Dad's the only one I've clashed heads with, but that was years ago. No, if years then you definitely count too."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Oh, that. Well, arguments are normal among family. Fighting to the death isn't."

"Speakin' of family, Conrad woke up!" I said, grinning.

The two looked at me.

"He did? When?" Setsuko and Serrano said in unison.

Tetsu chuckled. "Already talking in synch like a married couple."

Ximena glared at him. "Don't interrupt."

Tetsu gulped. "S-sorry."

I laughed. "A moment ago. But the bunny seems out of it."

"He said that his memory was fuzzy. We're hoping it's just hunger," Xime said.

"Yeah. I'm goin' to go get those carrots I promised." I waved at them and sprinted away.

"You can find them in the bottom cabinet of the fridge!" Ma yelled.

"Thanks!" Hopefully, they were still good. Sometimes, they would sprout. Well, maybe Conrad wouldn't have minded eatin' the carrot sprout. I had read that bunnies liked them.

"Some might have carrot tops now," Teresa said, poking her cheek.

Serra chuckled. "That's fine. He likes carrot tops!" my cousin yelled before running in the opposite direction as me.

Hopefully, Conrad will feel better after he eats. My cousin has suffered enough...

***

[Years Ago]

"Wanna fight, Taku?" Uncle Woolsey asked as he wore a big grin on his face. The two of us were walking back to my place after completing a mission for the demon slayer corps. It was a test to determine who would go on to become a demon hunter.

I sighed. "Is all ya think about fightin'?" I asked. "We just came back after the fight of our lives."

He grinned and crossed his arms. "Just wanna get stronger is all. That way I won't have to struggle as much against a B-rank demon the next time we see one. Maybe I'll even be able to defeat the old man one day."

"Grandpa?" I asked. I hadn't seen him fight at the time, but I heard he was strong.

"Who else?"

I looked up at the blue sky. "Wonder if I could defeat Pa if he were still around."

Uncle chuckled. "Doubt it when you can't even beat me."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "For now, but I'll grow stronger too."

He patted me on the back. "Not as strong as me!" Uncle chuckled as he finished patting me on the back. "Hey, you didn't fall over this time."

I smiled. "Been working on being like a rock."

"When did you have the time to do that?"

"One of the guys at the camp gave me a few pointers." I wiggled my bare toes.

Uncle put his hands behind his head. "That so? You must've gotten it quickly as I didn't see you practice at all."

My cheeks reddened. "Well, Ma did say that I was a quick learner."

Uncle lowered his hands. "I suck at school, but I'm surprised that you didn't try to get into one."

I rubbed the back of my neck and sighed. "Well, we got no money. I could aim for scholarships, but I still wouldn't be able to afford the materials. Textbooks are expensive. Do you know how many more interesting books I could buy in the place of one?"

Woolsey chuckled. "I don't read, so have no idea. But you are right about them textbooks being a snoozefest."

I chuckled. "Ya should. They're fun."

He leaned his head back and grumbled. "Ya and your idea of fun. No wonder ya have no girlfriend."

I leered at him. "Like you do."

His face reddened. "W-well, that's because I have high expectations is all."

I scoffed. "I might be a country bumpkin, but even I don't buy that."

"Run!" a bunch of kids yelled before Woolsey could say a thing.

"What's going on over there?" Uncle asked, putting a hand over her brow to block out the intense sunlight.

I gasped as I saw Conrad punching a boy repeatedly.

"Stop picking on me!" he cried. "I'm tired of it. I told ya to leave me alone!"

"I-I'm sorry," the kid said, crying.

Conrad let out a howl as he raised his interlocked hands into the air.. "You're only saying that because you're losing!"

I grasped his hands. "Stop it, Conrad. That's enough."

My cousin looked at me with murderous eyes. "Enough? After everything he and his friends put me through?"

Was this kid really Conrad? It was as if a demon had taken possession of him. Yet, there was none.

I pulled him away from the boy. "Get a control of yourself, Conrad! You're going to kill him."

"Kill?" Conrad mumbled. He closed his eyes as his previously tensed muscles relaxed.

The boy in the ground quickly got up and ran off.

"I-I don't want to be a murderer. I'm not a killer," my cousin said, weeping.

I turned him around and knelt down to hug him.

"It's alright. I'll talk to that kid's parents for ya," I said, patting his head.

Woolsey chuckled. "On the bright side, don't think that kid will be bothering ya after that beating."

I shot my uncle a glare. Of course he would be the type to encourage violence.

"I hope so. Con doesn't want to hurt him or his friends. It's just that they hurt me first."

I picked him up. "I understand, but ya shouldn't let ya anger take ya over."

Con nodded. "I know."

I picked him up. "Let's go make ya some carrot stew. Maybe that'll make ya feel better."

He looked up and beamed brightly. "I love carrots!"

I poked the tip of his nose and chuckled. "I know, my bunny cousin."

***

['Present']

Come to think of it, I had become like a beast too when I thought Tetsu had died. As had Tetsu against Eiichi. Rage mode they called it. A double-edged ability passed down from Hanketsu.

I hurried up. If I took any longer, the others might have to deal with a hunger-induced angry bunny boy. Knew Tetsu got very scary when hungry. Likewise for Serra when he suffered from cookie withdrawal.

*Conrad*

"I-I... died?" I said, gripping my head. It ached.

Papa took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah, you did."

I closed my eyes as the pain intensified.

"Con!" he put me down on what felt like the couch. "Are you alright?"

Couldn't answer him as I let out a scream. Memories rushed through my head. Some of me as a stoic boy clan in a black and purple skintight suit. Another of me laughing maniacally as I taunted Papa. Then another memory of me reviving Tetsuya.

"W-who am I?" I asked before crying.

"Conrad! Hold on. Don't go back to sleep!" Papa cried.

My head went forward. I tried not to drift away, but it hurt too much. A memory wanted to reach the surface and I couldn't stop it.

***

[Around Five Years Ago]

I panted and opened my heavy eyes.

Dad held my hand. "Hold on, Con. Kohri, Onami, your brother, and cousins should be back soon."

"Daddy. I feel weak. I don't think that I'm going... make it."

"Don't say that!"

Tears streamed down his face. "I'm so tired."

"Don't say that!" Dad cried.

"S-sorry... Papa. S-seems that I'm going to be joining Grandma and Piedad. T-tell Serra and Mommy that I love them."

"Con! Wake up! Wake up!"

"Conrad! We're here!" Kohri yelled as the door slammed open.

My eyes twitched. "K-Kohri," I mumbled with my remaining strength.

***

['Present']

I... had died. I'd only been revived thanks to my archangel past life switching places with Tetsu in the abysmal pit. And Dan falling into it. Those two deaths created the perfect conditions for my revival. One that according to grandma Aster and Grandpa, should've been impossible.

My eyes opened.

"Conrad?" Rosa asked.

"I remember now," I mumbled.

My cousin lowered her head. "I see. Sorry for making you remember all that. If I'd known, I would've kept quiet."

"Don't blame yourself. Sure, it would've been nice for a short while, but the boy would've been living a lie. It's best that he knows the truth," Uncle Osamu said.

I nodded. "You're right. I would've been living a lie."

Dad chuckled.

I blinked. "You okay, Daddy?"

"Yeah."

"Why were you laughing like a weirdo? Well, not that you aren't," Uncle said.

Papa grinned. "I was just thinking of how mature my bunny is. Serra's pretty mature too, but compared to Con he seems rude."

"That so?" a voice called out from the front door.

"Big bro!" I said, jumping out of the sofa. I ran to him but tripped on air. My stomach was still empty...

"Con!" Serra and Papa said.

"What's wrong with Conrad?" Setty asked as she rushed over.

"Ca-carrots," I said, my head slumping.

Serra laughed. "That, huh? Should've figured."

"Takuya went to get them. He should be back soon," Setsuko said.

I smiled and I pressed my head against my brother's arm. "Good."

**Solar Note: Hope that you enjoyed the chapter. Thoughts? Predictions?**