Shift

[Andromeda]

A bright sunny morning, a fine start to the week. It could not be any better, unless it was the spring and the Sakura trees were in bloom. Even still, nothing made it better than today. The excitement and eagerness in the air was so palatable that it actually was infectious, though not necessarily in a good way.

It is said that one’s happy can spread to another. However, the opposite was just as likely. One’s happy could cause sadness in another. In the case involved here, it was more jealousy or just annoyance. Someone should not be that happy, especially a mature adult going on twenty-five. It was more as if he was a love struck teenager that just heard back from the girl he confessed to agree on their first date.

Worse, he was married already. He should not have been so happy. No one understood it. He did try to hide it, but a grin so wide you swear his head would fall off made it a little too obvious his nature. Though possibly more strange was that no one had really seen him like that better.

“I guess he’s normal like the rest of us,” one commented.

“Well normal-ish. I don’t think the way he’s acting is that normal either.”

“We’re going to hear no end to his boasting now.”

“He’s not really the boastful type though.”

“Look at that face, if that’s not boastful pride what is it?”

“Nepotism, ugly reality,” someone just joining inserted.

“No, I heard she passed completely without any aid from him.”

“Damn, so she’s a prodigy like him then?”

“No wondered they’re married.”

Not oblivious to the stares or comments as her husband, she leaned in a little towards him. “Dear, I think you’re excitement is showing a little too much.”

He wrapped his arm around her shoulder still unable to contain him. “Nonsense! I’m glad to finally be able to be with you again! Why shouldn’t I be happy!” It had been two years since they were apart. Well apart as much as one could be living together, but him working and her going full time to the university. A long time coming for him, he looked forward to this today for so long.

It made her pleased to see him so happy for her, even though it did embarrass her all the attention they received. The man was dead serious about so many things, yet for her he completely flipped personalities. She considered on several occasions getting him tested for multiple personalities. But joking aside, she was happy to be with him as well. “Even so, this is a professional environment.”

“Since when where you the stuffy one caught up on manners and protocol?” He laughed a little with other thoughts on his mind. “I’m the serious one, you’re the outgoing one! That’s why I fell in love with you!”

He was only making things worse. “Dear…this is Toyama Labs, one of the most well respected and pioneering medical research companies in Japan.”

“And now you’re here too!”

She sighed, he was not listening to her. It was actually surprising that he was not paying attention. Even at his worse in doting on her, he would still listen if he went too far. ‘I never would have planned on this happening to him. I would have thought he’d be more reserved around others. This is going to be a long first day…’

Fortunately for her, they arrived at the security checkpoint, the second already. They took their secrets very seriously and monitored all activity of their employees throughout the building. Another point that surprised her for his behavior.

Lifting her newly acquired security badge for the guard, he scanned her into the system. “Tomiko Hayashi, you’re clear,” the guard replied waving her through the gate. The man held up her husband scanning him in despite remarking that they had known him for two years. “Clear, sir.”

After they both passed safely through the gate, Tomiko started to turn to the right. However, Isamu stopped her. “We’re down this way, dear.”

“I’ve been assigned to the Sakamoto Team.”

“What?!” he exclaimed with his face completely melting.

Chapter 300 – Rewind 3

Laughing, Tomiko finished recounting the morning details around an outer door table in front of a local restaurant. Among friends, she stopped being the professional one. “The look on his face was priceless. If I wasn’t inside, I’d probably have started laughing out loud.”

Kiku giggled while trying not to cough on her tea. “No wonder Isamu looks so miserable right now.”

She patted Isamu on the thigh trying to cheer him up. It was a little heartbreaking to see him look so sad after being so excitement. The one-eighty he did would have given someone whiplash at his speed. “I didn’t have the heart to tell you, you looked so happy today. I’m sorry I didn’t say anything.”

He poked his finger at his sandwich as though he was a child. Despite his intelligence and normally straight-laced attitude, he had a surprisingly immature side to him. “I know I requested you for my team. Did Human Resources not get my request?”

“Did you really think they’d allow a married couple on the same team, Isamu,” Hachiro reminded, “For being so smart I thought you would have realized that simple fact.”

“What’s that got to do with anything?!”

He sighed a little disappointed that Isamu did not understand. The two women laughed more between themselves.

Switching topics, as she teased her husband enough, Tomiko zeroed in on Kiku and Hachiro. They sat together opposite of them at the table. The normal set up for them during their lunch get-togethers. “So you two doing anything for your anniversary?”

Immediately blushing with embarrassment, Kiku might have known Tomiko throughout their time at the university, but it did not make her any less immune to her more intimate remarks. The question left her almost completely shutdown.

Tomiko grinned like a cat watching Kiku. “You’re acting like a school girl still, Kiku. You two have been together for nearly as long as we’ve been married.” She slid her eyes over to Hachiro checking him out for a reaction. “You must be planning something special, six years.”

It was hardly the first time she pressed them. Hachiro had gotten used to it more than Kiku, but he still found her nosiness to be a little annoying at times. “I’m grateful to you for what you’ve done, but what we do is our business.”

Pouting a little in disappointment, though more just giving him a hard time, she smiled again quickly. “Aw, come on! We’re all friends here! The two of us are finally through with university and you’re looking for work. You only live once!”

“Private matters are private matters,” he replied stubbornly.

“You’re so old fashion!” She clung onto Isamu more intimately than most would have viewed as acceptable by more strict individuals. “Society’s more open these days to being open and free about your relationship, you don’t need to hide it away in your apartment.”

Her comment and act managed to make Hachiro blush a little now. “And you could do with a little more restraint.”

Tomiko giggled pleased with her success. “You’re my friends. More than anything I want you two to be happy.” Another patient was admitted for whiplash. She flipped to serious so fast it might have made the two fall out of their chairs.

“I know,” Kiku said, almost instantly recovered. A warm smile came across her face seeing the sincerity from Tomiko. She had a lot that she owed to her. It made her wonder if she would ever be able to repay her friend for everything she had done. “Thank you.”

Everything seemed to be back on track. The mood returned to a happy one without the teasing. Their meal could continue or so they thought.

Suddenly, someone passing by the restaurant collapsed right at their table. The seemingly unconscious body spread out on the concrete quickly threw everyone outside into a panic. People screamed and panicked not knowing what to do. Others ran into the building looking for help.

Kiku and Hachiro both looked over at their friends. It was barely even a two seconds after it all happened that they ran out to the collapsed man trying to see what was wrong with him. Hachiro stood up with concern, but aware he could do nothing. “Can you do something?”

Isamu checked the man’s vitals turning him over with the assistance of Tomiko. “I might have a medical degree, but my expertise isn’t in the practicing area. Though I know enough to provide some help.”

“He’s still breathing, though a little shallow,” Tomiko reported.

“He’s sweating a lot and seems like he’s burning up.” Then suddenly a deep groan came from the man’s stomach making all four of them sweat a little. “…he’s starved…” With Tomiko’s help, they got him up to their table.

Hachiro met with the restaurant owner as they rushed out. “He doesn’t seem to be in any danger…other than starving…” He quickly had to explain to them that the stranger was fine and no ambulance was needed. It took a few minutes of convincing which ended when the foreigner came back to reality with drool down his lips as the sight of food.

“Thank you!” he repeated several times in rough Japanese, as though it was the only thing he knew. He had a thick accent that did not sound American for the few words of English they picked up from him, as side comments to the food.

It took him several minutes of stuffing himself before he responded to anything external. He then looked over at Kiku seemingly recognizing something familiar in her. “Oh you’re a foreigner too!” he responded in English to her. He quickly grabbed up her hands as though he had found his savior. “I don’t know any Japanese!”

Kiku hesitated a little, he targeted unknowingly on a sensitive subject. “…um…”

Jumping in to Kiku’s aid, Tomiko separated the overly friendly man from Kiku. “Kiku is Japanese.”

The stranger did not seem to understand why Tomiko said it, though it was in English. “But she looks American.”

“That doesn’t matter, are you feeling better?”

“Oh yes! Thank you very much! You’re very kind for the meal.”

Isamu had been rubbing his face the whole time trying to figure out the accent. He knew his English well enough from his college classes, but it was nothing like what he heard before. “Are you American?”

“Oh no! I’m British, I’m just a tourist! I’m surprised how good your English is, I haven’t found anyone that understands me!”

“That’s explains it. How long has it been since you ate last?”

He had to rub his chin a little in thought. “Two days?” The reply received quite the surprise from the table. “I couldn’t get any meals and I was lost. Then the heat…I didn’t know summers in Japan were so bad, it’s nothing like England.”

“It’s not always this bad, you just caught us at a bad time of the year.”

The man looked around at the table realizing that he was out of place and did not really belong. “I’m sorry for intruding on your meal. Thank you for the meal, how much was this?” Isamu and Tomiko declined him. “But I insist!” He dropped a couple thousand yen bills down on the table. Before any more protest, he bolted as his way of ensuring he paid.

They all looked around at each other not completely sure what happened. Peace at least returned to the restaurant. Things no longer even seemed to notice that something occurred only a few minutes before.

“Strange man,” Tomiko commented.

“Yeah…”

Staring down the street for a moment, Isamu spoke, “It’s odd that he couldn’t find food anywhere, even without knowing Japanese.”

Hachiro nodded in agreement. “I was thinking the same thing.”

The British man disappeared into the crowd and broke through into the alley. He looked around the alley seeing that it was empty. A moment passed in silence as a beep sounded off confirming something for him. Then a ripple suddenly came out from his feet altering his appearance. “…hmm, so those were the Hayashi’s… They might be ones I can trust…”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

As he walked, he tried to think up what he would say. He needed to say something. The years it had been since the last time he saw her made for difficult for him to know what to say. It was not as though a simple ‘Hey’ was going to work. She left them because she had become fed up with everything. Their grandfather was too rigid and old fashion and their father too capricious. Seiji knew how she must have felt. It was not as though he did not have the same thoughts.

Even having the same thoughts, he was not sure why he never acted on them. He hated dealing with their old man every day. All of the rules and structure were not things for him. The man was too dead set on things going only his way. It made Seiji wonder how their grandmother ever could come to love such a man. He was impossible to deal with. Yet maybe, he was not so stubborn anymore. Maybe the new reality changed him as it did the others just in a different way. Seiji did not know. Though he wondered, he did not really care about it too much. He had his own problems.

The most immediate one stood in front of him. ‘This is the place…what do I say?’ It was the biggest question he had in front of himself, before even talking. He did not even know what he should open with. He had lost track of the years. ‘Will I still remember her? Will she remember me?’ The question built into worry, something that should not have even been a concern for him.

Seiji had an unusual feeling nestled in his stomach. Everything he was used to doing just was impulsive. He acted. He did not think about the situation or consequences. It did not matter to him. It was better to act and regret the act rather than not act and regret doing nothing. He lived in the moment as a true man should.

At least that was what he believed.

However, a true man would not just stand in hesitation before the stairs. He should already be walking forward, but his legs were shaking. ‘Why…am I afraid?’ It was a feeling that he could not put clearly into words. It seemed too simple and yet it was all he had. He did not know why, but he felt a little afraid or some reason. Mixed in with it were worries and doubts, but he was afraid.

There was an odd certainty about it. None of it made any sense, but he was positive. He just could not explain it even to himself. The fact that he could not understand it himself only multiple the feeling, as if feeding on his doubts.

“Damnit, man!” Seiji rammed his fist into his cheek with enough force that it made the wood of the apartment groan. “Get it to together!” Lowering his hand down, a red mark remained where he knocked some sense into him.

All of the questions just fell out of his mind. It was empty. The way he preferred it. Seiji marched up the stairs to the destination. Though he cleared out the blockage in his mind, it seemed to start returning. And it was growing even stronger the closer he got. ‘Damnit, hold it together.’

Any sort of encouragement had little effect on his tidal wave of emotions. Nearly every part of his body seemed to shaking as if someone was throttling a tree for an apple to fall. It made one of his steps miss and knocked him on his face. ‘Why am I falling apart like this?! This isn’t me! You’re better than this Seiji! You decided that you were going to do it so stop it!’ Another whack from his reliable fist pushed him forward again.

The spell would not last for long, but it got him the rest of the way. Unfortunately, the moment that he came to a stop in front of the door the feeling crashed into him like a ten-meter tall tsunami. It wanted to drag him away. His feet almost seemed willing to accept it. Only his stubborn determination to see it through held him in place, a few more punches kept him still. He was going to be black and blue before he even spoke to her.

It seemed to take everything in him just to get his hand to the door to knock. Measuring his strength carefully, he did not want to smash it down with his strength. Initially, almost non-existent, the second try was better if not a little too strong.

He waited.

And waited.

Nothing.

Another knock. Nothing once more. Knock a third time and same.

‘Is she at work maybe? It is the afternoon now.’ He tried again, finally having the strength. He could not stop anymore. He committed to it. ‘I can’t have wasted all of this effort on nothing…’ Further attempts failed too. However, he just did not want to walk away. “Umm…” Seiji hesitated, trying figure out his words, “It’s me, Seiji…mom…”

He waited. A distant noise from inside the apartment leaked to his ears. ‘Is that her? She heard me?’ The waiting to see her became almost unbearable for him. He just kept hearing her moving closer. However, the feeling came back the strongest he had felt and worse it seemed to be multiplying with each second that passed.

It paralyzed him on the spot. Everything came into question. ‘Should I be here? She left us. Did she even want to see me? Is she just going to yell at me?’ Seiji could not think straight. All he felt now was fear. It was no longer anything so peaceful or calming like a wash or a wave, even a tsunami. It was an oppressive depth trapped at the bottom of an ocean.

All he could think about was one thing anymore.

Run.

It did not make any sense, but in the next moment he had disappeared from the threshold. His legs took over command. He could not stop running. His heart pounded harder than he had ever known. It was worse than running until his muscles fell apart. He really thought it was going to jump out of his chest. It hurt.

The door opened to the apartment revealing middle-aged woman with completely disheveled light brown hair and an oversized pale blue shirt with sweat pants. Her eyes looked almost completely blood shot with heavy lines.

She looked around the hall seeing nothing. A thought seemed to pass through her. She ground her teeth. “…tch…” The door closed quickly with a harsh slam.

Chapter 301 – Regretted Outcome

“What are you—“ He suddenly picked her up far above the heights all the swarm around them. Junichi threw her over the crowd as she tried to turn around to grab after them. Her eyes filled with stunned shock to see the determined looks on her men. She knew what they planned. It was the same thing that she planned. “You can’t!”

“Commander Hiroshi!” yelled Jiro, “Get the boss out of here! We’ll be the bait!”

“Jiro! Stop it! Junichi! Shigeru! Yasuo! Guys!”

“Let us do this, boss. For you, who saved our lives. It’s time we paid back our debt!”

“NO! You can’t!”

Tatsuya helped a reluctant, but finally accepting Hiroshi drag Miyako away. Once they were inside the escape tunnel, another quake ripped through the whole base. Explosions erupted everywhere raining down stone and debris upon everyone. The further they went into the tunnel the more the ground rocked until a single massive blast ripped through the gigantic hole burning everything.

Quickly earth fell down behind him from the collapse. Everything was closed off. There was no longer a base. No longer a chance to save anyone. They could only move forward. In the wake of the explosions and quakes, silence accompanied everyone. No one had anything to say. Nothing to encourage in the face of more losses.

Hiroshi held the rear position watching everyone ahead of him. His eyes especially focused on Miyako. ‘Those men were more than just friends or gang members for her…they were family…’ Killing friends and familiar faces was something he grew accustomed to doing. Most of them had, but Miyako never had to face it.

He thought back to their first meeting. They had been on patrol in the neighborhood after their successful counterattack. Everyone was feeling more confident. Even he had a bit of a grin on his face feeling good that they could take the city back and end the nightmare. ‘…maybe I can go back to being a student now…’

However, thinking about such hopeful dreams had to wait. Tatsuya dropped in to his side, having taken point. “Trouble, Hiroshi.” All of his team came to a halt waiting on orders. Their familiar paranoia pulled in their ranks tightly to protect Hiroshi and monitor all angles.

Hiroshi scanned in the direction that Tatsuya came from. ‘Smoke? A fight…or worse…’ He tilted his head over to Tatsuya. “What happening?”

“Looks like the Takako Faction found some non-aligned.”

A chill went up his spine. It only meant one of two things. They had seen it far too often. Hiroshi hated how good he had become at digging graves. “An extermination squad?” Tatsuya nodded in agreement. Everyone looked back at Hiroshi with a conflict expression baked into their face. The same one he hid from them. ‘I know how they feel. But there’s no choice.’ He stiffened his back and focused on the team. “We’re going to rescue them! I won’t allow innocents to die in my city!”

The conflicted looks disappeared immediately as they filled with Hiroshi’s resolve. They all were ready. Hiroshi nodded pleased to their acceptance. He was hardly anyone to give commands as if they were a military, even though that was how they all saw it. “Tatsuya split off with half the team and flank around to the west. We’ll get them in a pincer attack. Be swift and don’t hesitate.”

“I know, Hiroshi. I won’t this time.” Tatsuya ran off with his group, already knowing to follow. They had all worked together long enough to understand the orders without specifics.

Hiroshi arrived first at the scene, which only made it worse for him. He had to wait on the positioning knowing that people were being injured or killed while they held. It was not easy for any of them, but surprise and swift action was important.

Once he saw the signal from Tatsuya’s group, they charged in together. Distracted with their killing orders, Takako’s squad did not see them coming before it was too late. Their first volley killed most of them without even needing to close. It was the best way. Once alerted, they had to close to mop up the rest.

The charge quickly swept through the remaining numbers. It was all over in only a minute. The way he preferred. Unfortunately, one still survived with a grave wound. The chaos left the girl missed by everyone. Hiroshi noticed though. He saw the murder in her eyes. It was the only emotion she had. ‘Okano…Class 2-B…damn…’ Pulling out a dagger from a belt hidden against his back, he quickly stabbed the blade through her heart. He watched the life slowly drain away from her eyes. ‘…this is why I prefer killing them all at a distance…’

Keeping himself together, Hiroshi wiped away the blood and sheathed it back before turning to meet those that they saved. He saw Tatsuya already giving aid to those injured. However, there was one that kept standing refusing them all. She looked worse than all of them, soaked in her own blood. ‘She’s been holding them back almost entirely alone, protecting all of these people…who is she?’

Hiroshi approached her, but slowed his pace when she noticed them. He could see how tense she looked. She was still caught up in the fight, her mind completely locked up. “Hiroshi Kuroda, we are friends.” Nothing seemed to register with her. He tried to approach and she reflexively launched into an attack.

His power activated quickly to bring her to a stop. It was the safest of the options he had to deal with her. The rest were not very well suited to anything but fighting. “The fight’s over. Everyone’s safe.”

“…fight…safe…protect…”

“Yes, you protected everyone. They’re still alive, hurt, but alive.”

“…safe?”

“That’s right.”

“…protect…” The woman collapsed almost immediately. He could see the look of relief on her face before she hit the dirt. It was a wonder she managed to stay standing for so long. Blood quickly started to pool around her.

‘…they’re like family to her, no one more important…and now…’ Hiroshi respected the fierce loyalty that they shared with each other. It made them strong and capable. He could trust them with anything knowing that they could succeed. ‘…how will she handle this…’


The deep buried remains of the Resistance base had become a crater. The entire underground filled in as the ground fell in. More than a hundred meters of earth buried the entire thing. A whole block was taken out just to deal with Takako’s men.

Smoke rose up from the settling blast site. Nothing moved.

Light suddenly pierced through large chunks of earth. Waves of stone and earth moved starting to hover. Pushing up more and more debris rose into the air eventually revealing a purple barrier. Once enough rubble was removed the barrier came down.

Inside, Yumi, Saki and Fumiko stared at their surroundings unfazed. Those alive still grouped around Yumi awaiting her orders. “Mission complete, return to the school. The Resistance is shattered, we can now move forward with our next plans.”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

Turmoil spun Miyako’s thoughts around like a whirlpool. Reality phased out for her. All she could think about were Jiro, Junichi, Shigeru and Yasuo. Their sacrifice so that she would have to live on. It was difficult to accept. Rejecting reality, she returned to a better time, a time she felt more comfortable in.

Years before Japan went to hell, Miyako’s life was a simpler one. A comparatively simpler life, though most would likely disagree with it being anything but simple. Yet, against the backdrop of a merciless warzone of friends killing friends for no reason, it was simple. It was still a bloody affair and a warzone, but nothing so cold or pointless.

Miyako, age seventeen, had considered skipping classes, but elected to stay. Old habits certainly died hard, as the saying went. It was hard some days keeping it together. Especially the looks from the rest of the class. They mixed between confusion and fear, not knowing when she would jump up to surprise them all that she was just faking the whole thing. But it was not fake. It was the truth. As much as none of them believed her.

It did not stop her from pushing the path that she took. She even got it from those that she thought she trusted. But the truth showed her who she should trust and who not. It became very clear quickly.

Walking away from her high school, she saw a group rough appearing boys all with overly confident looks with a chip on their shoulder. They were the type that she really could not stand. They were simply looking for anyway to make a name for them. Between her decision and the fact that she was a woman, they thought she was an easy target. They just assumed it.

The other students stayed away from the group making an effort to cross completely to the other side of the street just to avoid them. However, Miyako was not one to be intimidated. And her old life was a difficult one to escape. ‘We’ll see how resolved they are for this…’ As she passed around them, she gave them a deathly glare that would chill even the most experienced street brawler.

For a second, it seemed like they might have decided to back out of their foolish and childish plan. But one did not get the message from Miyako. He stepped forward still planning to care out their goal. One of his friends grabbed him by the arm trying to stop him. “Hey man, maybe we shouldn’t do this.”

Ripping his arm free, he looked back incredulously at his supposed friend. “We’re doing this! You know the score. Everyone’s talking about it.”

“Yeah, but she’s the Eighty Deaths, leader of the Blood Lotus Gang!”

“Former leader,” he corrected, “And former gang. Neither exist anymore, she’s just a lone high school girl.”

Their voices were hardly quite, but Miyako just ignored them. Yet her menacing presence just from her back never quit. It had the rest of the group trying to talk the headstrong fool out of his insanity. “But none of the gangs mess with her. They’re a reason for why they all stir clear of her, even now!”

“Are ya all a bunch of spine-less bastards? She’s forfeited her territory, it’s anyone’s for the taking!”

“But no one wants it! They’re still afraid of pissing her off!”

“Come on let’s just go. No one will think any less of you, man.”

“To hell with all of ya! I don’t need anyone of ya to take her down! Her head is mine and then I’ll be the new legend in this city!” The moment he said that, Miyako came to a stop. His friends took several steps back already wanting to run away, but only sticking around due to misplaced loyalty. Miyako merely tilted her head over her shoulder to glare back at the idiot. One look of just her right eye locked straight on him was enough to make him piss himself. “…on second thought…maybe you’re right…guys…”

Peace returned to the streets.

It was not the way she wanted to start her afternoon. School tired her out, still not completely used to a full day. Thoughts of homework and career planning spun around in her head making her almost wish for something to ram her fist into, even just to break the stress. Not an easy course, she knew, but she was determined to hold it.

Not that her past would ever leave her alone. “Boss! Boss!” shouted a familiar, yet tiring voice for Miyako. She looked ahead of her to see Takayuki with several others. He waved her down completely ignoring any sort of social courtesies.

Once she closed the distance to meet up with them, she reprimanded them for their behavior. An unrulely lot, but she cared about them, even after the disbanding. “How many times do I have to tell you, don’t call me boss anymore. I’m just Miyako. I’m not Eighty Deaths or any of that stuff anymore.”

It was something that never seemed to learn. Old habits again. “You’ll always be our boss, boss!”

“Morons, I quit that life. You don’t need to follow me anymore.”

“None of that matters to us!”

“That’s right!”

“We’ll follow you regardless if you’re running the gang or not!”

She was sighing so much, she wondered if she already lost ten years off her life. “You guys…”

“Boss…”

They had very determined expressions. Naturally, it was not the first time they followed her after she made her decision. It might have only been a week since, but they kept at it. She had grown tired of trying to convince them out of their stubbornness. ‘I’ve lost so many hours of my day trying to lose them. I should just accept that I can’t rid myself of my old life so easily.’ Miyako stared at them. Determined as they were to follow here, it could only last for so long. ‘They’ll get bored and realize that I’m not going back. This is my new life… It’s what I’ve decided…’

Chapter 302 – New Leaf, Old Leaf

Makin the decision seemed hard at the time, but it was actually the easiest part. Once she left the life she had known for so long, she found that she had time for so many other things. Things that were important to her new life path. Ones that her boys did not seem to grasp fully. She looked back at them with a slightly tilted expression to match the befuddled looks they were giving her. “What?”

“What are you doing here, boss?”

She looked back up at the sign. It should not have been very hard for them to figure out. “That should be obvious. I need some books from the library.”

The boys exchanged strange looks back and forth to each other. Despite following their boss for the last week, anything they did was actually fruitless. It was mostly running around after her. So they really never knew what she was planning. “A library? Have you ever been to a library before, boss?” Further uncertainty went around the group.

“It’s just a library,” she said with unfounded confidence, “What’s there to be worried about. It’s just an oversized bookstore.” Despite her certainty, they still showed doubt. She was not about to stop by them.

She started to the front door. The ribbon on her school uniform bounced with her heavy stride and reminded her of a different matter. Tilting her head back, she checked out all of them. Any reservations that they had did not matter. They planned to follow her. “Clean up your appearance a little, guys. I know most of you don’t attend school, but you look like a bunch of street punks.”

They looked back at her a little surprised to be hearing her say that to them. A few glanced around at each other trying to gauge their appearance. It all seemed appropriate for them. It was a little flashy and made them stand out. They enjoyed the wild look and it made them easy to spot by other gangs that wanted to pick a fight.

“But we are street punks, boss.”

“Oh…right, I guess you are. Well then I guess try to look less like you’re spoiling for a fight. I don’t want any trouble in the library.”

“Yes, boss!” They all became unnaturally stiff as though soldiers under inspection by their commanding officer.

Another sigh. “You look even worse now.” She waved her hand at them, as she walked into the building. “Just don’t look at anyone and try to not draw attention.”

“Boss!”

Unfortunately, it was an impossibility. She did her best to look like she did not belong to them, but they followed her around like baby chicks. It was hard for people not to assume they were with her. Though she still got a lot of strange looks. A bunch of a rough looking boys stalking a normal looking high school girl probably had them thinking that they should call the police to save her. ‘If they’re going to be doing this, I’m going to need to fix them up. This is more trouble than I need right now…’

Digging through the aisles, she searched each one quickly before moving on. The boys just watched her in silence. None of them really to know what she needed for obvious reasons, as they never asked her. And she had a determined expression like she wanted to do it alone. So they just followed.

After five minutes of repeating the same twenty aisles, one of them spoke up. “Boss? What are you searching for?”

“Huh?” she paused on the current aisle frantically searching it a little longer than she had before. Though she did hear the question, she kept looking at the aisle intently. ‘Has to be here…where the hell is it?!’

“Boss?”

“What?!” snapped Miyako, glaring back at the group. It made them all step back a little, a familiar expression started to appear in her eyes. Old habits really do die hard.

“Um…what are you needing?”

“Huh? Books, of course!” Not really the answer they were wanting. The obvious reply actually made them sweat a little, as they were seeing an unusual side of their boss. “…study…guides…”

“Boss?”

“I said study guides!” Her voice rang through the wing of the library they placed themselves into for the search. It drew up the attention of everyone, turning her face red quickly. Anger covered up embarrassment until she deflected it back at them. “Look at what you did!” She barely controlled her voice.

In a surprising bit of common sense by her boys, they led her away from the bookshelves out to a corner of the library. Isolated from all of the tables where people gathered, they would not disturb anyone.

“Study guides, boss?”

“Yes, exams are coming up soon, not to mention I don’t exactly have the best attendance record right now.” Miyako’s face turned a little redder. They continued to see sides of their boss they never knew even existed. She was not the person that they knew. “This is the only way I’m going to pass at this point.”

“But can’t you buy those at a bookstore?”

“Yeah, I know I’ve seen some of those bookworm types saying they go there for them!”

Crossing her arms up, she turned a little away from them and leaned back against the window frame. “I know that already. But it’s not like I have spending cash just lying around. They aren’t cheap you know!”

“Boss…” They had all sort of forgotten her situation. It was not something they dug in too deeply. They just knew the minimum that she was willing to talk about. They were all still teenagers, but she was the only one of them without the same sort of support they had.

“The library’s free, right? So I should be able to study here. I see plenty of those nerdy types in the school library all the time.”

“Couldn’t you have gone to the school library? They probably have the guides or books you need to study available for you.”

Miyako turned around completely to stare out the window. It was nothing so simple unfortunately. “That’s not an option.” She balled up her hand, pressing it against the pane. She never imagined how much she would end up regretting her past actions.

“Boss?”

“I sort of got banned from the school library.”

“What did you do?”

“Some punks from East thought they step on our turf and I showed them the error of their ways.” Pride came out in her voice, despite also having sadness mixed into it.

“Well we’ll help you find what you need, boss! Right, boys!” They all started to get excited, finally able to do something for their boss, even if it was something so boringly mundane as searching for a book.

“Forget the books.” Miyako suddenly pushed off from the window and marched down the hall. Purpose suddenly painted over her face. The new Miyako disappeared.

None of them knew what happened to change her mind. They knew the look she had. “Boss?” Rushing to catch up, they walked around her flanks trying to figure out what was on her mind.

“There’s something I need to do.”

It had no more of an answer for them than the last thing she said. Anymore seemed to be impossible to get out of her. Her mind locked on to the target she found.

Outside the window Miyako stared at, there were five street punks. Four of them were ganging up on one out in the middle of the street with no care for the scene that they started. The four boys all had familiar looks.

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

“Forget the books.” Miyako suddenly pushed off from the window and marched down the hall. Purpose suddenly painted over her face. The new Miyako disappeared.

None of them knew what happened to change her mind. They knew the look she had. “Boss?” Rushing to catch up, they walked around her flanks trying to figure out what was on her mind.

“There’s something I need to do.”

It had no more of an answer for them than the last thing she said. Anymore seemed to be impossible to get out of her. Her mind locked on to the target she found.

Outside the window Miyako stared at, there were five street punks. Four of them were ganging up on one out in the middle of the street with no care for the scene that they started. The four boys all had familiar looks.

“Hey boss!” called Takayuki, leading the group on her left. They made it out of the library and around it before she even looked at them. Even then, none of them knew exactly what to make of it. “What’s wrong?” It was an all too familiar expression, but with no reason. ‘She’s left it all behind, so why is she looking like she’s going into a fight?’

Around the library, Miyako came to a stop facing five boys roughly looking to be about the same age range as them, so high school age. They were all gathered up on the street making it impossible for anyone to pass. Bystanders on the opposite side of the street mostly just ignored the scene, but glanced out of the corner of their eye, as was usual for those curious yet wanting to stay uninvolved. Unfortunately, being a fairly busy street it was hard for anyone on their side of the street to pass without becoming entangled in the conflict. Some just turned around looking for a different way, while others ended up frozen not sure how to deal with the violence likely to come.

Takayuki immediately realized what had dragged her out of the library. He walked up to Miyako, standing a little in front of her. ‘Is she planning on fighting them? But why? She doesn’t want to be involved in these things anymore. She even just frightened those overstuffed punks back at her school, when she normally would have just painted the pavement in their blood in the past.’ Making the choice for her, he tried to approach, but was stopped by Miyako. “Boss?”

“I thought I told you to stop calling me that, Takayuki!” She walked up to the group. Four against one, hardly fair odds to say the least. However, it was not the odds she cared about. She easily did twice that many at times. “What do you think you’re doing picking on someone that can’t even fight back?” she bellowed in a deep voice, that unnerved the normal bystanders expecting something different from a school girl.

One of them tilted their head back, surprised that anyone had the balls to interrupt them. “Eh?”

“Hey Junichi, focus man! Ignore the chick.”

“Yeah…” He crunched his knuckles to be winding up for another beating. “Lessons are important.” The boy nearly spread out over the sidewalk already had a bloodied and bruised appearance from all of their beatings. Junichi did not seem to be interested stopping.

They just ignored her. That part bothered Miyako a little, but was not the real reason. She stepped up stretching out her hand for Junichi, the large size of the boy did not even make her hesitate. Size never mattered at the end of the day. She could drop any one of them. Unfortunately, Takayuki stepped in between the two of them. “What the hell, Takayuki! What are you doing?”

He knew that look just like everyone else did. It was the one that you did not step in front of if you did not want to be visited upon by unearthly pain. The sight that made any of them turn blue with fear. It made their enemies flee when her name did not do the job alone. It was the reason they were so feared and well known among the gangs. And he stood in front of it.

Yet even though he knew all of that, he managed to hold himself together. ‘I’ve seen her like this too many times to know this is a bad idea. But I’m not afraid. Why? I don’t understand it, but I know what I have to do. We all want her back, but this just seems wrong… I’m a fool…’ Takayuki grabbed a hold of Miyako’s wrist that planned to start a fight on behalf of some stranger they knew nothing about for reasons they knew nothing about. “Boss.”

“Takayuki, do you know what you’re doing?”

The severity just jumped another level in her expression. It made him grind his teeth. He felt like he was trying to stop a bullet train with just stock of bamboo. ‘I shouldn’t be stopping her. I know this, but I can’t…’ Facing down that look should have made him run in fear. Takayuki held his ground though, despite it all. “I should ask you the same thing, boss. Do you know what you’re doing? What this will mean?”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“I’m saying, this isn’t your place to be in anymore! You’re out of this life now! You can’t just step back in whenever you feel like you want. You’ve made your decision on the course you want!”

“Takayuki…out of the way when you don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“No. I do know! The boss I know isn’t so weak willed as to given in when she’s made her decision!”

Miyako snapped out of her rage upon hearing his berating. ‘…damn…he’s right…I made a choice to leave all of this. If I do this I’ll just be dragging everything I’ve done through the mud. But I can’t just ignore this…’

He could see that he finally got through to her. This was not her fight. Takayuki pushed her back, which surprised her as much as the rest of the gang. They had not really known him to be so bold. “Let us handle this, boss! I know what you’re thinking!”

“Us?” sounded off several of the group, a little confused by Takayuki’s declaration. They were not really sure what he was planning. It was nothing that involved them. They had no business getting involved, especially not associated with any gang anymore.

Annoyed by the interruptions and unwelcome presence of strangers, Junichi turned around again. “Shut the he—“ He did not get a chance to finish before started to eat a fist. The weight of the punch stunned him, along with not expecting someone to go against him. But it did not bring him down, as Takayuki might have hoped.

Regardless of whether it was successful or not, Takayuki made his point and stand clear. The rest of his group could hardly stand back and do nothing. They moved quickly to support Takayuki, who was already starting to receive the vengeful gazes of the other three. “There’s the difference between making your point and just torturing someone! If you’re just looking for some blood, then we’ll be more than happy to take out a donation from your hides!”

While Junichi recovered himself and wiped away the blood from his lip, the other three stepped in taking up sides around him. “So we’ve got some would be heroes,” remarked one of them.

“Let’s show them, Jiro!”

“Yeah, Yasuo. No one messes with Black Gate!”

“You got the one of the right Shigeru!”

“…guys…”

Chapter 303 – Hot Blooded Meetings

Finished, both parties called it after thirty minutes. Takayuki’s group came out the worse from the exchange, even though they did succeed to driving them off. They made it more trouble than they wanted to deal with.

Bruised and bloodied, Takayuki and the rest leaned up against the wall in an alley keeping the way clear. They had dragged most of it out from the broad daylight. Though noise came out from all of their fighting along with yelling and pain, life in the sun could resume to some degree.

Miyako helped them all up and walked them through the back alley to get them out of the area. If they stayed too long the police would probably show up. It sort of surprised her that no one called before, but they were probably too afraid of what sort of retribution would happen if they did. They just pretended it did not happen. Miyako kept her fights out of the public, unlike that foursome, gang fights were supposed to be only be with gangs. Getting it to spill out into the light should never happen, not that others follows her personal code.

A few blocks away, they all stopped in a park. It gave them a place to rest. She knelt down to look at Takayuki, who looked the worse for taking on the brute named Junichi. ‘While he knows his way around a fight, he was never one to just take it straight head-on. Dumbass…’ Miyako ripped off her tie to try to tend to some of the blood. “What were you thinking? That I’m just some helpless girl now that needs other people to fight for her.”

Coughing a little, his body felt so much pain. It had been a while since he had been in such a rough fight. Miyako handled so much of their fighting that they never had to worry about a drag out fight. “You know why, boss. It was the same reason that you had.”

“Bastard…” she cursed, frustrated with herself. ‘I couldn’t do anything. They fought for me when that should have been me. No one would have been hurt other than those that should have been.’

Takayuki could see the stress building up in her eyes. She cared about all of them still even as much as she tried to throw them all off. “We’ve all made our choices, boss. This is your choice and you must follow it, no compromises. That isn’t who you are.”

Grind her teeth together, she had trouble controlling the anger coursing through her muscles. “Damn you, you know me too well.”

Grinning a little, he knew it was how it needed to be. “You’ve chosen to stand in the light now boss. We will stay in the shade where we belong. You can’t step back, we’ll carry no what you’ve have for all this time.”

“This isn’t something you need to do, Takayuki.”

“Perhaps, but we want to. You’ve looked after all of us, boss. We can return the favor now.”

Miyako rammed her fist into the grass frustrated with her own inability. ‘I wanted out of it all, because I realized that I needed something more than just blood and breaking bones. They call it a normal life, what you’re supposed to do. I just needed out from it all. All of the blood…but if it is going to be like this…’

“Don’t give up, boss.”

Lifting her head, she looked over at Takayuki, who seemed to pick up on her doubt. She was not known for showing her emotions, other than anger, naturally. She hated weakness, but it was all she felt in such a situation. It surrounded her like an ocean. “Takayuki…”

“You can be better than us. Most of us never finished high school. We’re too dumb or just didn’t care. We made a choice, even if we didn’t think of it as one. Do what we can’t, because you’re better than us. Boss.”

It was difficult to counter what he said. She had made the choice to leave it all behind and now thought about breaking that promise she made to herself. ‘Only a week and I’m already having second thoughts. When did I get to be like this?’ Miyako clinched her fists up knowing the course she had set. It was the only thing she could do. “Since when did you start talking back to me, Takayuki? Who do you think you are?”

Laughing, Takayuki was pleased to see her looking more resolved. “I was your right hand.”

“Yeah…”


The next day after school, Miyako exited with the expectation to find Takayuki and the rest of the crew with him waiting on her. They were nowhere to be seen. She looked around feeling a little lonely, surprisingly, without them stalking her. It was what she wanted. ‘I’m glad…the way Takayuki was talking back to me. They can stand on their own now. They don’t need me. I can focus on my path…’ A melancholic smile came across her face as she walked to the library.

However, she only made it halfway there before some strangers looking for a fight blocked her path. Unlike the cocky boys that did not know better, these had hardened looks in their faces. They knew the life better than those wannabes. She did not miss a step despite their gazes at her. ‘They have nothing to do with me. I’m out…’

Out or not, they did not seem to know. They grabbed her by the shoulder and squeezed tightly pressing muscle to bone as she came in range. “You the leader of those weaklings?” the older teen asked, trying to confirm something.

She did not even flinch when they invaded her space and tried to strong-arm her. ‘If I just give them the standard death stare, that should make them back off. I don’t need a fight.’ Miyako put everything she had in it, knowing how battle hardened they looked. Just her usual stare was not going to be enough. It did not always work for her in a fight, but it usually did enough to unnerve those that did not piss themselves on the spot.

Her patented death stare seemed to have no affect on them. In fact, it actually seemed to make things worse as they knew that she was willing for a fight. “Yeah, that’s the look. She’s no normal school girl.” He worked to try to crush her collar bone from his oversized hand. “As the leader of those weaklings, you’ve got to pay for the responsibility of them.”

Miyako flashed a little confusion in, not getting at the point that they were trying to make. However, her mind quickly reached the natural conclusion. “Your members from the Black Gate. Come for pay for your boys, is that it?”

“You catch on fast, girlie. We’ve already taken out our full payment your men earned for their boldness yesterday. Now you—“

‘Full payment…’ The death stare in Miyako suddenly flipped. Cold emptiness replaced it. The bruiser trying to play at intimidation flipped on his back in an instant before he finished his sentence. Miyako stared them all down. “Now you’ve earned my wraith!”

She finished all five of them off so fast that there was hardly even a scene. Anyone passing by just thought that she laid down self-defense on a group of boys trying to assault her. It only took her another few seconds to get the weak one in the group to spill where they attacked Takayuki’s group.

‘Damnit!’ she cursed, as she ran through the blocks to try to reach them. It was already too late to stop it, but they did not look like the sort to just to leave them a little beaten. She did not know how far they would go and feared for it too.

Miyako slid around the corner of the final turn and came their former base, an abandoned construction site. She slowly walked in looking everyone for any signs of her men. ‘They’re here somewhere…just don’t be…’

Eventually, she found blood dried and soaked into the earth. Following it, the signs only got worse. More blood and trash thrown about everywhere. The whole place had been ripped apart. And then she found them. Most of them looked passed out, she hoped, they did not seem to be moving or making a sound. Blood covered them along with knife wounds. “…damnit!” Rage boiled up in her chest at the sight.

One of the boys coughed, signaling that they were still awake. Miyako rushed over to them trying to check on them. He looked up into her eyes. “…sorry…boss…”

“It’s fine! Don’t talk. I’ll call—“

“Takayuki, he fought them for all of us…but he…”

“That’s enough!” Miyako tried to keep them from talking, but they seemed to have only managed enough to report to her before falling over. She hung her head thinking about all of them. Her body felt on fire.

Standing up, she looked around to find everyone, but she still did not see Takayuki. He was not anywhere outside. Miyako found the only completed room, which they used for their command room. Blood was all over the door and over the floor. She looked in to find two that she did not recognize just left behind.

And then she found Takayuki. Mounted to the wall with stray pipes through his arm and chest. She had trouble looking at him. “…Takayuki…those bastards…they did this…” Miyako could not content her anger anymore. “I will make them all PAY for this!”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

And then she found Takayuki. Mounted to the wall with stray pipes through his arm and chest. She had trouble looking at him. “…Takayuki…those bastards…they did this…” Miyako could not contain her anger anymore. “I will make them all PAY for this!”

Is what she said, however, she thankfully had a little more intelligence about her. Prioritizing their health over immediate revenge, she called for an ambulance. She might have been completely enraged with what she saw, but they still were more important to her.

Waiting though was the worst feeling for her. She paced around the hospital hall for a while. Even though she was dressed as a normal high school student, the look she gave them all left everyone off balance. They knew to keep their distance from her.

Miyako took a break from the endless wandering knowing it was about as useful as screaming her vengeful words into the empty hall. ‘Damn it…I know most of them can’t be at risk, but Takayuki…as he was when I found him…’ She looked up towards the end of the hall to the ICU. Takayuki had been in there long past the time some of the others finally woke up. ‘…if he dies…if he dies…’ It was difficult to finish the thought, just left to repeat for her.

The entire time she waited, she saw no doctors or even nurse exit. She did not plan to miss if any of them exited. No one else would tell her anything on Takayuki’s condition. They were either too scared to speak or really did not seem to know anything. His life hung in their hands.

Afternoon had long passed into night. She had forgotten about time. She never knew when it was when she finally saw someone come out of those seemingly stuck doors. The unfortunate woman did not know what happened.

Upon her in an instant, Miyako cornered her before she could even make it half way down the hall. Whatever her destination, it had changed. “Tell me everything.”

“Huh?” the woman asked, looking like she wanted to crush her body into the wall to escape Miyako dark gaze.

Slamming her hand up against the wall, Miyako had little patience for false ignorance. “Don’t give me that! I want answers!”

Scaring the woman till she nearly pissed herself was hardly a smart approach. All it managed to do was shut her down further. She could not utter a word completely entrapped by fear.

Miyako rammed her fist into the wall only centimeters away from the woman. “If you don’t start talking things will start becoming more unpleasant than they are now!” The intensity in her eyes increased trying to force speech from a mute.

As if a real mute, such things were impossible. Miyako got nothing out of her. The woman was just too terrified to respond. She likely had never seen anyone with such a look of wonton violence and even if she had, nothing stacked up. It was a natural human response.

Creaking hinges from the door alerted Miyako, finding two more exiting, a man and a woman. The second before she acted, they were discussing something between the two of them with a grave tone. None of it registered to her.

“What the hell is happening here?” the woman asked just moments before Miyako pinned both of them up against the wall.

A bit of clarity in Miyako realized that the woman had more of a spine than the man or the other woman. So she targeted her for questions. “I’ll be asking the questions! I want to know everything right now! How is he doing?”

Put off a bit by Miyako, but clearly not paralyzed, she managed to keep her wits about her. “Just like a child to threaten. You’re not family, we’ve got nothing to tell you even if you did bring him in.” The woman actually seemed to be doing it to spite Miyako more than anything from the look in her eyes.

Unfortunately, that did not work for Miyako. Swiping her leg out from under the man and dropping him painfully to the tiled ground, she pinned him under her shoe. “You dare to provoke me?” Miyako took both hands to the woman’s top. “You want to see how childish I can be?”

The woman surprisingly remained calm during the whole situation, despite completely disadvantaged. “You think empty threats are going to change anything?”

“I make neither threats nor empty ones,” roared Miyako, tightening her hold on the woman.

Most would have considered it poor timing, but giving the situation it was actually perfect timing. Otherwise, Miyako would have delivered on her promise, she did not make threats. Another person stepped out, a middle-aged man completely confused by the situation of a teenage girl man handling the hospital staff. “What’s going on here?”

“They just keep comin’” Part of her speech started to slip as she lost more control of herself.

The man on the ground managed to pull himself out of his fear to answer. “She’s the girl that found all of those wounded. She’s demanding we tell her the condition of the teen in the ICU.”

“I can see that,” he remarked from understanding the scene better. Coughing partly out of need, he found himself the one playing peacemaking to prevent the need to treat anyone else. “While she might not be family…judging from her actions she seems to know them. It’s not my business why a girl like you knows a bunch on the wrong side of a gang war, but I can say the boy is still alive.”

“He is?” She lowered the woman and let up her grip, finally getting answers. “And he’ll stay alive?”

“It’s out of any of our hands now. We’ve done all we can, it’ll be up to him if he lives through the night.”

“What do you mean?” Miyako turned to face the man directly, as he seemed to have all the answers.

Getting full view of her intense fury made the man choke back a little before he responded. “He has a punctured lung and stomach and severe blood loss. Had you found him any later and he would have died. He seems to have a strong will to live despite his injures. If he makes it the night, then it’s likely he’ll recover.

“Takayuki’s strong! He’ll live, that’s a promise!”

“The next few hours will be the most important.”

“Can I see him?”

“No, we’re still heavily monitoring him for any signs.” Poor timing reared its ugly head. A ringing came through the hall. All of them looked back at the doors questioning what might be happened. “Damn…” He turned around and ran through the doors followed up quickly by the rest of the staff.

The ringing seemed to drain Miyako. She just stared completely lost at what was happening. She did not feel it when more staff ran past her, alerted to the alarm. ‘…Takayuki…’

Chapter 304 – Repayment

Miyako did not know when she returned home. It was all just a blur. She never saw the doctors or nurses again. She was not sure what she saw anymore. Everything just seemed numb. She did not care about school in the morning or even breakfast. She took a short whole loaf with her and just walked out.

Absentmindedly, she carried through the streets with no direction. Her feet took her somewhere, but she was not aware of it. Nor was she aware of the stares she got. It was not her blank expression. Rather the fact that she still wore yesterday’s uniform soaked with blood. She had the look of unearthing herself out of a war zone. Most just kept a wide clearance of her path.

Bad luck continued, but delivered to someone else this time. By happenstance, Miyako blindly ran into four familiar faces. She did not know it at that moment, but would soon enough.

“The hell?” barked Jiro. While in a fight two days, they all looked in good shape.

Junichi stepped up as the wall to get into the face of the one that made the mistake of entering their path. “Watch where yer goin!”

“Hey, Junichi wait,” interrupted Shigeru. He poked out around the wide Junichi. “Isn’t this the girl that tried to start something with you and had to get her men to fight for her?”

“Huh? Oh yeah! It is her!” Junichi leaned in trying to get a reaction out of her, but she did nothing. He did not pick up on her condition finding it to be insulting. “She starts a fight with us and then sends others to do her work. She’s got guts, especially after we dealt with her little weaklings.”

Yasuo stayed back not too interested in the girl. It was more Junichi that had a beef with her and they already dealt with her men, the ones that actually did something. She was just small fry, especially a girl. “Hey, wasn’t she supposed to be dealt with yesterday? Did the boys miss her?”

It took Jiro a moment, but he recalled what he had overheard. “I heard Masuzoe’s group were taken out.”

“Before they got to her? What gang made that mistake?”

“I don’t know, just what I heard. But since it seems she never received what she was owed for trying to stop us, we’ve got the chance now. Luck is on our side, I wanted to wipe that smug look off her face the moment I saw her.”

“Bad luck, girlie,” echoed Junichi, in agreement. He grabbed her by the collar of her uniform’s jacket. Dragged off the street, no one seemed to notice or wanted to notice.

Once out of sight, they threw her up against the wall of a nearby building. It was an empty alley only used for pick-ups, but no one was around. So it was a perfect place to teach her who had the right and who was in the wrong.

Yasuo leaned up against the building watching the alley. He had the least amount of interest in beating up a defenseless girl. “Orders are orders and she crossed us, but there’s nothing fun in teaching a defenseless girl.”

“They’re the boss’ orders,” Jiro reminded Yasuo, “You follow his orders or you receive punishment. It’s the way things work.”

“Which is why I’m watching the alley while you take care of the order. I know what happens to those that are punished.”

Eager to start the teaching, Junichi cracked his knuckles. “Then I get the first lesson.” Without any warning, he wound up a punch and smashed Miyako’s face into the building’s brick. Blood quickly started to paint the wall.

“Just remember, lessons are only remembered when still alive.”

“I know, Jiro! I won’t kill her!”

“I only say that because you hit like a train and this is just a girl. She’s not going to take the same sort of beating as her boys did.”

“I know, I know! But I’m still making her remember not to stop me from a lesson!”

“Fine, teacher.” Jiro picked Miyako back up after the second punch from Junichi left her face down in the trash. He picked off the soaked bag stuck to her face to give Junichi a clean shot.

Blood dripped from cuts along her cheek, lips and nose. Yet Miyako’s eyes still seemed completely out of it. She felt none of the punches. She did not know what was happening to her. The whole world completely disappeared to her. All she could hear was the repeat of the night before.

None of the staff came out of the hall from what she remembered. They just kept running in. A lot of them. She had lost count. They could have been cramming them all in until there was not even air for room for all she knew. They just seemed to have an endless supply.

The ringing never stopped.

She could not stop it.

It was deafening still.

Deafening.

A loud ring suddenly completely overshadowed the noise. It was completely different from the one that blasted her mind for more than half a day. It was familiar. She knew it. It drowned out the other sound. Suddenly, she realized what she was doing. She was wasting her time.

Her eyes opened for real and saw the punch coming in with enough time to dodge it. Junichi’s fist painfully cracked up against the brick. Miyako blinked trying to figure out what was going on. But the ringing came back, the ring of her cell phone. “A call?” She completely ignored the current situation.

Digging out her phone from her skirt pocket, she did not know the number, yet its name came up as the hospital. “Takayuki!” She immediately answered the phone without another thought. “Yes?”

“Is this Miyako Ibuka? The girl that brought in those boys yesterday.”

“Yes. What is it?” An uncomfortable feeling started to surge up in her body. It was fear. The fear that she knew what the call was about. Her mind immediately went the worst possible outcome rather than the hopeful one. It was hard not to think that way.

“It’s about boy named Takayuki Kano. I’m sorry to inform you that he has passed away.”

“…I see…” Miyako’s hand dropped to her side. The voice on the phone tried to reach her, but failed. Miyako stopped listening. ‘Dead…dead…dead…DEAD!’

“Done with your phone call?” Jiro interjected, stepping in for a recovering Junichi.

Miyako, unfortunately for them, was still awake rather than falling back into the void. She saw all of them. “You…YOU!” her voice roared as her body came alive completely ignoring whatever injuries she sustained from Junichi. She seemed completely healthy the way she moved. “You won’t be enough! But it is a good place to start! You’ll regret this war!”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

Miyako, unfortunately for them, was still awake rather than falling back into the void. She saw all of them. “You…YOU!” her voice roared as her body came alive completely ignoring whatever injuries she sustained from Junichi. She seemed completely healthy the way she moved. “You won’t be enough! But it is a good place to start! You’ll regret this war!”

Jiro managed to dodge the first punch thrown since she telegraphed it long in advance, due to her yelling. However, he had no idea how fast Miyako truly was when the second punch came in a split second later. He was prone on his back before he even realized what happened.

Shigeru and Yasuo jumped in quickly to defend Jiro. But Miyako did not even break. Grabbed up each in a separate hand, she dragged them up to the nearby wall and rubbed their faces against the brick before letting them go.

Tilting her head over her shoulder, she locked on the last one, Junichi. He was still recovering from his broken hand. Miyako did not even bother to wipe away the blood that dripped over her face. It merely added to her overall menacing presence. Junichi did not even recognize the girl. “Who the hell are you?!”

Shadows came down over her eyes leaving only a little white from them to shine through. “…just a normal high school girl…”

Chapter 305 – Identity

Walking out of the alley, Miyako merely looked pissed more than anything now. “Damn, they’re loyal not given up their base location. I’ll give them that much credit.” She began to look around for signs of any others that might have been a lookout.

Nothing.

However, she noticed the fearful looks that she was getting from just people passing by. She caught a glimpse of her face in the reflection of a store window to understand what had people so afraid. “I’m not going to get anywhere looking like this.”

Finishing washing her face, there was nothing she could do about the rest of her clothes. Between the old blood from the boys and her blood from when she was zoned out, it did not look pretty. She took off her jacket, which helped to make it not look so bad, plus it gave her better mobility for the coming trouble.

Miyako stepped back out of the park restroom to pick a direction for her search. “I should have gotten more out of that weakling yesterday. Now I’m going to have to find more of them and pump them for information.” She decided on her random direction and started to move.

The Black Gate gang was not a name that she was familiar with, which meant one of two things. They were positioned outside of the area where she fought or they were too small to have any real presence. ‘I didn’t exactly have an interest in all of the different gangs in the city. Sort of regretting not trying to keep up with all of the politics now. Though that’s probably why we had so many enemies. None of it really mattered to me.’

Her gang, the Blood Lotus had been a little haphazardly put together when she just started defeating a bunch of local bosses. They tried to hit on her and she took offense to their harassment and dealt out the necessary punishment. Since much of the gang world revolved around strength, people gathered up around her in no time. She had little interest at all in the underworld or the things they got involved in. ‘It all seemed more like a bunch of kids pretending to be Yakuza rather than real gangsters. Some were certainly the real thing, but everyone that came to challenge me were just posers. Pretenders.’

It was all a joke. It was probably the reason her neighborhood had so many “gangs”. They all just wanted to be tough and pretend to be cool, but none of them really had any sense of honor or even purpose. ‘They were closer to just a bunch of tough guys hanging out. It’s not like I even wanted this sort of life style anyway. I just fell into it by mistake, which is why I was able to make the decision to walk away when I did. It was a part of me during my middle school and high school years, but it had to come to an end. Just like them, I was pretending and I was done pretending.’

Her search that day ended with no leads. She did not know where to find them. They might have been stepping outside of their territory since she found nothing. She did not know what it was. The only thing she could do was return to the hospital to visit the boys.

Most were able to be discharged after being fixed up. Only two had to stay behind because their injuries needed rest. They all gathered up around Miyako bent down at the waist in deep apologetic bow. “Boss! We’re sorry!”

“Damnit, you guys.” She caught the looks from other patients and the hospital staff. The scene looked like she was some daughter of a Yakuza boss with their men apologizing for their failure. They might start tried to commit ritualistic suicide in the next moment, was other’s fears. “Stop it! This is no more your fault than it is mine.”

“Takayuki wanted to keep you out of it. But because we were so weak…”

“Ugh, enough of the blubbering.” The sight of them helped to improve her mood a little. Entering the hospital reminded her of Takayuki and her failure. ‘This is on me now. I can’t get them anymore involved.’ Miyako looked out to all of them. It was a strange lot teenagers that put all of their trust and hopes on her, even if they did not say it or want it. “You all keep off the streets and stay out of trouble for a while.”

“Boss?”

“I’ll handle this matter. I’m the one that they want.”

“You can’t, Boss!” They started to stop her knowing what she had planned. They all wanted to revenge, but not for her to do it for them. “This is our problem! Like Takayuki said!”

“No, I got this started because I couldn’t leave well enough alone. I finish what I start and you guys won’t stop me!”

“But…Boss!”

“Enough! I’ve decided how things are going to be!” She pulled her arms free from their holds and separated from the group. It was her path to walk now. “Don’t follow me!” she warned, looking back at them. None of them were in any shape for the hell she was about to walk into. She did not need to be taking them in with her.

It was a little troublesome, but she did manage to free herself of their stubbornness to hold onto her. A new day arrived and another missed school day. She too quickly lost all of the ground that tried to build up. A week and it was all gone. They could talk all they wanted, but she had things to settle.

Things to settle sounded all good and she had the attitude, but it did not change facts. She had no leads on where to find Black Gate. All she could do rely on others for information. The hole she fell back into had more than its share of trouble she crossed. She was a well known name in her neighborhood, but it ended about there.

Miyako found herself at one of the few places that still respected her name, even after her declaration. The halls of the Willows, a strange gang that just existed. No others really did anything against them. It is just something that seemed to have been that way since before she formed the Blood Lotus. She never got an explanation for it, just that it was what was expected. They did not bother others and no one bothered them. She always felt like there was some sleeping dragon sort of feeling coming off them and everyone was afraid of them, but never found any proof. Even rumors were completely empty on why it was. Everyone just accepted the situation as is.

Which made them the best group for Miyako to turn, but she was not sure how they would welcome her. Once they knew what she planned on doing, they might just turn her away. She never knew how to read their boss. He was a difficult person to deal with.

The two guards at the boss’ door stared at her. They received the signaled to open the door, but waited. One of them moved over to her. “Remember any violence is forbidden.”

“I’ll be peaceful, so long as he is.” Her history with the boss was fairly well known with his guards. They let her in, but still clearly had some reluctance with it.

Inside, she looked around the room on guard. ‘He’s here somewhere. I know he’s got something planned. He always does.’ Just as the doors closed, two arrows shot out at her. The first she caught and the other she batted away. She looked down to see they were as expected, fakes with just suction cups on the end and an annoyingly cheerful welcoming confetti ball tied begging to be opened. Just then, she felt something lightly hit her head.

A white powder fell down around her head as she looked around in confusion. It did not hurt, but she knew something happened. In her searching, it fell off and she could see that it was just a chalk eraser rarely seen in schools anymore.

Clapping came from a shadowy corner of the room. “The classics are always the best, especially when I get to see that reaction on your face, Miyako.” A young man in his early twenties stepped out from behind a bookshelf, which seemed a little odd in a gang hideout, but this man was not an ordinary gang boss.

“Hideo Nakasato…” Miyako crushed the toy arrow in her hand. His jokes and toy traps were far too annoying to deal with at times. Especially with her mood right now. “You never change…”

“So angry,” he grinned, walking over to his desk. He wore a suit and looked more the part of a company CEO rather than a gang member. Out of all of the gangs she met, he seemed the most like what the Yakuza would be like. However, even she admittedly did not know what the Yakuza were truly like. She never met any of them. They never had any interest in a bunch of small fry gangs playing at gangsters. They were all just punks and kids in the eyes of the professionals.

Hideo leaned back in his chair and threw up his hands as a sign of ending the hostilities. “You never were too good about loosening up and I see that hasn’t changed after you went back to just being a girl.”

‘So annoying…’ She had trouble with his type. He easily read into her, while she could not do anything about his nature. It was like dealing with a monkey, random and always looking play. Miyako always had to stay on guard against him.

With a look like he held all of the cards, he stared at her with a wide smile. “So what do I own the pleasure of your company, Miss Miyako Ikuba?”

“I want information.”

“Information. For what would you come all the way to our little home and seek information?” The annoyingly knowledgeable grin continued to taunt her. “I’m afraid I don’t have the answer sheets for the entrance exams.”

Grinding her teeth, she knew that he knew why she came. It only made it more frustrating that he was forcing her to be more direct than she wanted. He knew the situation and played it to the fullest. “Bastard, you know why I’m here.”

Laughing, he leaned back in his chair until it nearly knocked against the wall. “Such vulgarity from a high school girl. Should you really be talking like that?”

Miyako marched up to his desk and slammed her hands on the hard oak surface. The broken toy arrow slid towards him. “Stop with the games, Hideo. Just tell me what I want to know.”

He seemed to get a little more serious. Pulling forward, Hideo looked stare into Miyako’s eyes. “You’re just a girl. A few games should be enough entertainment for you. This is a dark seedy place where you don’t belong.”

“I’m not a girl!” Her hand pounded against the wood making it groan a little.

Peaking his brow a bit, Hideo brought his hands up over his mouth in an overlapping style. “Unless you’ve made an overseas visit recently, I’m pretty sure you are.”

Her patience had a limit. It had already been long reached before she even entered the room. She only kept herself in control out of respect. But he had stopped respecting her. Miyako grabbed him by his collar, tie and all. “Enough with the games!”

“Violence is forbidden you know.”

“Then get serious and show me the respect I deserve!”

“Respect?” His grin never went away the whole time. It actually got a little wider at the mention of that word. Hideo unwound her fingers from his collar and leaned back into the chair. “That’s a funny word. You come in here asking for information and respect when you’re just a no name girl off the street. What respect do I owe you?”

She ground her teeth more as she retreated her position. It was worse than she thought. The point that he was making made things even harder. He was refusing her on an annoying point. Miyako stayed silent unable to say anything to him.

Hideo fixed his shirt after getting roughed up. “Or are you someone else? Who are you?”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

“Respect?” His grin never went away the whole time. It actually got a little wider at the mention of that word. Hideo unwound her fingers from his collar and leaned back into the chair. “That’s a funny word. You come in here asking for information and respect when you’re just a no name girl off the street. What respect do I owe you?”

She ground her teeth more as she retreated her position. It was worse than she thought. The point that he was making made things even harder. He was refusing her on an annoying point. Miyako stayed silent unable to say anything to him.

Hideo fixed his shirt after getting roughed up. “Or are you someone else? Who are you?”

Miyako did not have an easy answer for him, even though she knew what he wanted to hear. ‘He’s holding up the information on a technicality…’ Weight from her body pressed down on her hands. It felt too heavy. “What does it matter? You know my past.”

“And there are few that don’t know the name of Eighty Death around here. But is the name so cheap that you can use it whenever things get tough?”

Hideo tried to belittle her name. She pounded her fists against his desk. “Never! Don’t you dare speak ill of me.”

“So you’re Eighty Death now,” question Hideo, peaking up his eyebrow. Any amount of violence that she threatened against him made no impact on his mood. His face became more serious, dropping the playful smirk. It was no longer about jokes or teasing.

“There a problem with that?”

“And before you’re the high school girl? And after that you’re what?”

Slamming her fists down again, she was getting tired him harping on the same point. ‘I’ll become Eighty Death again if it means protecting them…’ She leaned forward only a few centimeters away. “Who I am is my business, not yours.”

“If you want my help it is.” Hideo could tell how far he was getting with Miyako. She was easily provoked and quick to violence. None of that had changed in dropping her position. It was not as though that was a surprise. But she still missed the point. “You think you can just step in and out whenever you please. This world doesn’t work like that. You’re either all in or all out. You left and abandoned everything. That’s what happens when one leaves, you give up claim to everything. You can’t just pick it back up whenever you please like it’s an old shirt.”

“My life is mine to do with as I please! None of you have any right to determine how I act!” Miyako pulled away, annoyed with looking at his face. She walked over to the shelves, needing something that was not his smug face to look at. “It was people like you that dragged me into this world to begin with. I merely found a way to survive. So what right do you have to say how I live it? I never bent to any of your pressure in the past what makes you think I will now?”

“You view this lifestyle as boys playing pretend, as though we’re just playing house. You belittle our way of life. This world is not the sort of fake world you are lead to believe. You’ve been allowed to stay blissfully ignorant.”

Miyako tilted her head back over to Hideo. “Ignorant?!” She took partial offense to his choice of words, but was more surprised by how keenly aware of her opinion of their world he actually was. It was never something she voiced to anyone. “Who the hell do you think you are, Hideo?”

“The Gatekeeper.”

Chapter 306 – The Dark Side of the Shadow

“What?!” That was one word she had heard mentioned in hushed whispers during her time. ‘The Gatekeeper? I always heard the boys talk like it was some myth or legend. I completely dismissed it as just them playing around. The Gatekeeper, someone that protects the more simple and innocent gangs from the true dark underbelly of the real world. It can’t be true.’ She had trouble holding back her surprise now.

Hideo turned around in his chair. He slowly stood up working his way to Miyako. “Even someone like you, that’s completely ignored the politics and inner workings of the world knows that name.” Coming to stop in front of her, he managed to look a meter taller than her somehow. “It is how we designed it. There are two sides to everything. Light and dark, even when you thought you were standing in the dark that was merely the light you deluded yourself into thinking was the dark. You have no idea what the real darkness is in this world.”

“Trying to scare me now?” Bravado was about all that Miyako had left in her. She had never seen Hideo act like this in any of their past meetings. He looked genuinely ready to crush her without a second thought. She felt like a bug under his heel.

The initial intent seemed to have been reached. Hideo let up a little on his intensity. It was rare for him to use such a presence when not dealing with someone from that side. “I’m trying to get you to understand the position you’re in.”

“Position?”

“Yes, position. You’ve left, while you’re on the other side such things are simple. It’s your gang, you do with it as you please. Like you said, you make your own destiny. However, you want to step back in, that is something you can’t do.”

“The hell?” Her face twisted a little not understanding him anymore than before when he was trying to make the point. “You try to scare me with a boogeyman in the shadows. I haven’t listened to any of your rules in the past, what makes you think I care what you think now?”

“Because one can’t just jump in and out. You can’t have both. You must pick one. Especially, when the information you seek lies in the dark.”

‘The dark…’ She knew what he was implying. It only made her hesitate for a moment. The fear that he instilled in her had already evaporated. She was tired of being talked down to and dictated to. Miyako grabbed Hideo’s tie and pulled on him. “You think I give one single damn about your worlds or sides? Rules, be damned to hell! Eighty Death or the high school girl. You want an answer on who I am? I’m myself! And I make my own destiny without any of your hands telling me what I can or can’t do! I can’t be Eighty Death anymore or the high school girl. Fine! I am Miyako Ibuka! I protect those that matter to me! So screw your rules and your pompous light and dark. I don’t care about any of it! Because someone crossed Miyako Ibuka and they won’t be allowed to step away without pay back!”

Laughter, that was what she heard. It actually surprised her to hear him laughing. She released his tie not sure what was wrong. Had he gone nuts or just planning some other game? Miyako did not know anymore. “What’s so funny?”

Hideo fell back against this shelves needing support. It was the least expected answer for him. “You. So you plan to become something different from your past and present? This should be very interesting.”

She still did not know what he was getting at. It made her want to step away a little. The crazy should not really be bothered. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying I’ll give you the information you want.”


‘Not what I was expecting…’ she remarked, as her only comment. She had arrived at the location that Hideo gave her. This was where the Black Gate gang headquarters was positioned. However, it was nothing that she thought. She knew the area roughly, though never ever actually visited.

It was the middle of the business district. She thought there was perhaps some ruined building that they were built out of or a construction site, as they had done. It just looked like an ordinary business, if that ordinary business ran out of a skyscraper and had employees in suits walking in and out. ‘Are they a real business? Hideo said that things weren’t going to be what I was thinking that they were…’

‘You can find the Black Gate in the business district as the address I just gave you. Just remember though, the real world is nothing like what you think it is. All those playing house ideas you have, get them out of your head now. What you face now is going to be nothing like what you’ve dealt with before. So show me strength of your resolve to be Miyako Ibuka.’

Flexing her hands a little to get the tension out of her body, which built up from the uncertainty of what she faced, Miyako pushed his voice out of her mind. ‘Shut up, bastard. I’ll show you I create my own path!’

Walking inside to the lobby, she only drew a few odd looks. She had changed her uniform, even though she still looked like a high school student. Miyako made sure to leave her jacket behind, so they could not identify her school. This was a fight for her alone, no one else needed to be dragged into it.

Using the password with the receptionist, they led her to a private elevator off to the side. It was surprisingly easy to get inside. ‘Is this all the security that they have?’ It gave her false confidence as she entered the elevator. The ride took her up to the designated floor. ‘Hidden almost in plain sight…is this how his world works? It’s a little unsettling knowing that they were, but I never would have figured his out. I never would have thought to check in a place like this, not to mention I couldn’t have fought my way through a public area. I would have been arrested before setting foot in here…’

The elevator chimed in reaching its destination. As the doors slid open, three guards in suits turned to look at who had arrived. The sight of a girl had them all looking between each other a little confused.

“You order a girl?”

“Of course not! I wouldn’t bring her here anyway!”

“Is she one of the heads’ daughter or something?”

“She doesn’t look like any of them.”

While they argued about what it meant for Miyako to be in the elevator, she stepped forward within range of them. Her face quickly turned serious and they were too slow to react when they realized what was up. All three laid on the floor of the elevator unable to move.

She looked down both sides of the hallway trying to figure out where to go. ‘He didn’t give me anymore directions than this. But I suppose he wouldn’t know.’ Unfortunately, her delaying caused two more guards to come running out, likely already alerted to her presence. She charged for them only to be caught off guard by an oppressively loud bang that rang in her ears. It paralyzed her. ‘A gun?!’

The first only seemed to be a warning shot fired at her. Miyako paused finding that she was staring down the barrel of two pistols from the guards. ‘Is this the dark side of things? This isn’t a fair fight at all!’

“You’ve made a big mistake walking into here attacking us,” one said. “We have ways for dealing with intruders like yourself.”

Caught up in the front, she did not see the two more guards that snuck up behind her and grabbed her. Her arms could not even move in the locked position the large man pinned her with great ease. They had her down on the floor already tied up before she knew what was happening. She could do nothing to them. ‘They’re skilled and experienced, nothing like all those pretenders…damnit…’

Brought before the boss, he was a tough and battle hardened man in his middle ages. The man had a severe expression that gave up no sign of emotion or mercy. It felt like a single glance could actually kill. He had mastered the death stare that she merely adopted. “Who is this girl?”

“Someone we caught breaking in and attacking our men, boss.”

“Is that so?” He lowered his sight down to Miyako, forced to knelt before the man. “Do you know what you’ve done?”

Not even bravado was going to be enough against him. She could feel her body shaking as she had never know. The only time she felt afraid was in the presence of her mother when she was younger. This completely eclipsed that memory threefold. “Y-Yes.”

He narrowed his eyes further. “So you knowingly stepped into our territory and attacked my men.”

“Yes.”

“What a foolish girl. Who is this girl?”

No one had an answer for the boss. He continued to stare at her as though he was actually trying to kill her with sight alone. In the silence, he only seemed to get more intense. “You attacked me,” she responded, almost as though she had to reply. It did not make any sense to her. But the silence seemed to force it out of her.

“What?” The boss turned up his gaze to the men and his lieutenants. “What is this?”

“We don’t know her, boss. She’s lying. Maybe she’s one of the boys’ girls.”

“The hell I am!” she roared, finally finding her footing. Miyako was not going to be ignored or forgotten. She found her leg strength and forced herself to her feet. The men tried to get her to bend, but she refused them.

One of the men came by and whacked her across the face with the butt of his pistol. Miyako fell to the floor bleeding from her cheek and lip. They pinned her back down forcing her to eat the tile.

“Enough, I want to hear what she has to say.” It seemed that he found something intriguing in her. He waved off the enforced guards.

Miyako stood back up, released from her confinement. “Your men attacked my friends and killed one of them. Then they came to finish the job with me.”

He had trouble believing what she said. “Your eyes don’t seem to be lying, but you’re not telling the whole truth. Why would they attack any of you?”

“Because we tried to stop your men from senselessly beating up someone that could not even defend themselves.”

“So you interfered in our business.”

“I tried to protect someone!”

“I understand now.”

He might have seemed harsh, but Miyako felt there was something honest about him. Even in the dark there had to be someone that was still in the light. ‘Now I just need to find out who were the ones that attacked the boys.’

“Lock her up!” he ordered, motioning to the men to take her away.

“What?!” she shouted incredulously. “I thought you understood!”

“I do. You interfered in Black Gate affairs. Punishment to those that interfere is only to be expected. Do a background check on the girl. Find out everything about her. I’ll arrange for a suitable punishment.”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

Tossed into an empty room that looked more like a cell depending on your imagination, Miyako discovered that she was in a far deeper void than expected. No light was set in the room and even the door seemed to block out the outside completely. She was in complete darkness. It was more than just a physical reality though, she felt like she had descended into the darkness as the concept of evil had some presence actually to wade through. The feeling drove emotions that she rarely invited into her.

Fear was the only the beginning. She did not know what she had stumbled into anymore. ‘That grinning bastard was right…damn him… I wasn’t prepared for anything like this… They’re just going to kill me and no one will remember me…’ Miyako might have still been a child, but there was not really anyone that worried about what happened to her. To a group like this, she did not really feel that they got squeamish with the moral complications of killing a child.

It was mostly that thought that scared her the most.

They were not like what she was used to dealing with. ‘Honor or fairness don’t seem to matter to them. They only concern themselves about ensure their continued success rather worrying about something as fragile as honor. Damn…’

Miyako eventually fell asleep on the cold cement floor. She was helpless and she knew it.

Chapter 307 – War to Peace

A gruff voice barked at her to wake up. In the darkness, all she could do was wait. The sudden burst of light made it impossible for her to see who was speaking to her. Something grabbed her and dragged her out of the room. ‘What’s going on? They planning to kill me now?’

She was still too dazed to know what was happening and the lights hurt her eyes. Miyako tried to struggle even to just stand on her own rather than being hung by her arms, but they did not let her get any timing. ‘I thought I was strong, stronger than anyone and now I can’t break free of these guards…I’m not this weak am I?’ They did not allow any disobedience from her. Her body felt like it went in angles that it was not designed. Her back and shoulders ached.

Suddenly they released her and she slammed into the floor. It was short, rough carpet, but she still felt the hardness of the cement construction underneath. “Ugh…where…” Miyako still had trouble with the lights. She did not know how long she was stuck in that room without light or sense of time.

“Not looking so strong now, girl,” a familiar voice remarked ahead of her. It was the boss she met before. Yesterday, a few hours ago, she did not know how long.

Standing up on her own, she was not about to give the man the satisfaction of seeing her on her knees. ‘I’m not that weak. You may plan to kill me, but I’ll at least face it staring you in the eyes and not turned away.’

“Puffed up pride, that’s all you are. You seem to believe yourself something that you’re not.”

“I don’t know what you think you know, but I can stand proud of who I was. Can you say the same thing?” It was mostly just bravado, but she had to bite back. He seemed like one that only gave some respect to those that could fight back.

A small chuckle came out of him. “An amusing girl. You’ve got some history. An orphan, jumping between family and the system, always getting into fights. Leader of a little gang of boys. Eighty Death and the Blood Lotus, so pretentious.”

Things were starting to become more clear to her now that her eyes finally adjusted. He stood before her. It seemed that her sight came only for her to see him swing his hand to backhand her. However, since she did see it coming, she could prepare her body to absorb the impact. The force staggered her and bent her over a little, but she did not fold. Miyako straightened herself up the next moment letting the blood drip down her cracked lip.

Judging her reaction, he seemed to be eying her up again. He wanted to take her measure. “So there is some spirit there.” The man turned away and went back to his seat. He rested his head against a closed hand, staring at her. “You have two options. Join the Black Gate or face punishment.”

“What?!” She staggered back, not expecting to actually be given an offer.

“Strength and balls you’ve got. To storm into our home takes guts. Normally, we’d just kill you out right, but you’ve got something in your eyes. You’re made a different stock. Swear allegiance to the Black Gate and all will be forgiven.”

‘He can’t be serious. This some joke?’ Miyako stared across at the man trying to figure him out. Her perception of people was really bad. So it was largely a fruitless exercise, but she still stared. “You can’t be serious.”

He leaned forward towards her a little. “Deadly.” Shadows stretched over his eyes to emphasis his point.

She could not believe that he actually wanted her. However, the answer was easy once she understood things. “I won’t join you! You have no honor!”

“Honor is an empty notion for those that want to convince themselves that they’re dying for a purpose. Once you’re dead, there’s nothing else.” Leaning back into his chair, he did not look anymore insult than before by her remark. “I figured this would be your answer. You’re too childish. But I thought there might be something of an adult inside there.”

“I’d rather be a child in my world than an adult in yours!”

“Except, you don’t have the luxury anymore. You stepped into the adult world and you have to deal with the consequences of entering a world you don’t understand.” He snapped his fingers to draw the guards to action.

The men quickly grabbed Miyako forcing her hands behind her back. She struggled against their strength, but two grown men were more than she could take in a straight up battle of muscle. “So you plan to kill me?”

The boss’ eyes perked up a little. “That was one of the options for punishment, but I feel that you’d get too much satisfaction out of dying some naïve sentiment of a noble death. No, after looking into your records I’ve found a better punishment. You will live. Your punishment is a tainted, stained life that you can never escape from and will haunt you forever. Something that will break that precious pride and honor of yours into something meaningless and you will understand how powerless you truly are. That will be your punishment.”

Miyako fought against the men not knowing what terrible punishment that they had in store for her. The vague words delivered an ominous feeling that she could imagine what they might do. “What are you planning?!”

“You’re not exactly the model student, but you suddenly decide to disband your little gang and take your academics seriously. I bet you’re thinking about going to college, try to be better than your daddy or something like that?”

‘He really learned all of that? How did he…’ It scared her now what he might be planning to do to her. He knew everything about her past. He could do anything to play with her now. “You blackmailing me?”

“Blackmail? Why would we want to blackmail a student, you’ve got nothing. No, I already told you I’m going to show you how powerless you truly are in this world.”

“Then what?!” She did not want to know, but she would have to learn eventually.

“I wonder how your school and your classmates will look at you when they learn that you’ve been selling your body just to make money for college.”

“What?!” Miyako suddenly felt herself shrink before the man. It was worse than she imagined. “You can’t…”

Smirking a little at the sight, the boss pressed forward again. “Don’t worry, we’ll take care of everything. I’ll even arrange for one of the younger boys for you.”

Her eyes went wide in fear. Her entire body crawled in terror. She could not escape.

This was the real world.

She did not know when it happened, but they dumped her off in another room. It was not dark, but still did not look right. Half out of it, she looked around finding chains hanging from the ceiling and odd things mounted to the wall.

Her imagination ran wild on fears once she realized she was alone again. It woke her up enough to look around more. It looked nothing like any of the other places she had seen. There was the smell of blood in the air. “W-what is this place?”

“The punishment room…” replied a strange voice. They sounded barely alive.

Miyako flipped around quickly to the voice, shocked to find what she discovered. “It’s you!” She looked around seeing four boys strung up bloody with wounds all over their body. “All of you! What are you doing here?!”

Weakly, Jiro responded to her. “This is…our punishment…for our failure…”

“Failure?”

“For losing…against you…” Junichi answered.

“What?! This is wrong!” Suddenly, Miyako found that her body had strength again. Blood boiled up in her body with raging emotions. She clinched her fists up. “You shouldn’t be tortured just because you failed!”

“It’s…the…rules…”

“Damn the rules! Make your own rules!” Miyako threw her hand back to deny their acceptance of their reality. “You don’t belong to a gang to be tortured!” She thought about the boys that followed her and the Blood Lotus gang. They were some of her best times even though she turned her back on them. “A gang is like a family! You protect and look after each other! You don’t hurt each other! Any gang that does that is no gang in my eyes!”

“But…”

“Shut the hell up, you weaklings!” She had snapped. She no longer cared about anything else. “What do you want? Do you want to be hanging their or free?”

None of them answered her. She stared at all of them more intently. “You said…to shut up…”

“Don’t take me literally! I want your answer! Do you want to be free? Do you want to do what you want and protect those important to you?”

“…” They all looked at each other as best as they could. “…yes…” Jiro replied for all of them.

“Then join me!” Miyako slammed her fist up to her chest to point at her. “I’m making a new gang on this day! But it won’t be about territory or fighting. It will have only one purpose, protect those important to you! As of this day forth, you are now my family! Do you understand?!”

Once more they stared at each other a little confused by Miyako. She had a genuine expression on her face, even if it was extremely severe. They could sense how honest she was in her words. She meant what she said. It made them all smile a little. “Yes!”

“First thing as part of my family! I get you free and we escape!” Miyako’s new gang started in that room. Her new resolve and herself born within the void of the darkness, yet returned to the light. She could finally move forward. The past and present merged to become her future.

‘I’ll never forget you guys…’


“…can’t breathe…” panted Seiji, actually collapsing in the grass. He could not go any further. His ribs were sore and his legs putty. Nothing would allow him to move.

It took him a while just to feel like he could move his body. The fear disappeared, surprisingly quickly. He had only kept running the whole time because he was already in motion. It was difficult to stop. The thing was quite embarrassing to think about even.

Seiji rolled himself over on his back. His chest still heaved needing to calm down, but it was getting there. “…I guess…I’m not ready yet to confront it…” It was the only answer that he could come to for why he fled. He was not ready. There was a lot that he had to say and to know. “…or for what it could mean…to me…”

Feeling a little more recovered, he sat up. “I guess I’m still a child after all…the brat’s going to laugh at me…” It made him sigh a little as he imagined Chiharu mocking him for his cowardice. Unfortunately, there was nothing that he could do.

Standing up, the strength returned finally. He felt better than before, but still naturally not good. “I’ll have to work on myself more.” Seiji tilted his head back in the direction of his mother’s apartment. “Once I’m no longer a child I’ll return…” Looking down the street, he scanned the area. “Where the hell am I?!” The whole run was just a random direction, so he ended up in an unfamiliar area.

It was almost night before he arrived back at the family shrine, but he found someone that he did not expect to see seated at the bottom of the steps. “The old man didn’t kick you out did he?” Seiji asked, as he approached with his announced arrival.

Yuki looked up, partially waiting on him to return, so he was not deep in thought. He looked back up the stairs in search of his answer. “Umm…I just thought it’d be safer out here.”

“Huh? Safer? You? What would you be worried about up there?” Seiji tilted his head trying to figure out if there was some fight going on. If there were, he would have jumped immediately on it. However, it did not seem to be anymore noisy than he knew it. In fact, it might have been a little more quiet than normal, if he had to guess. Yuki’s response made him curious to go up.

Grabbing Seiji’s shoulder before he went too far, Yuki tried to stop him. “It’s not something fists can solve.”

Nothing was making sense anymore. “The hell? What you being so mysterious about? What’s up there?”

“Let’s just say I’ve reading enough to know what’s happening and it’s better we stay out of it. Especially you, your presence will only make things worse.”

Roughing up his hair, Seiji was starting to get annoying at the vague round about answers. He broke free from Yuki’s grasp and started up a couple of the steps. “If you’re not going to be straight with me then I’m just going to look for myself!”

The options weighed in Yuki’s mind. He rubbed the side of his face in thought, all the way Seiji marched the stairs. When he realized that Seiji left him behind, he rushed up to join him. “I’m telling you should stay away. It’s for your own good and mental safety!”

Not stopped by Yuki’s words, Seiji kept going. He tilted down a little to keep the conversation going, still annoyed. “This is my house! No one’s keeping me away from it! Tell me what’s going on!”

“I’m trying, but I’m not sure you’d understand why it’s a problem even if I told you.”

“I’m not dumb, Yuki!”

“It’s not like that…”

Before they finished the stairs, another voice appeared from above. “Hey Seiji!” the voice called out in a semi-sweet tone. “Why didn’t you tell me you were leaving? I would have walked with you like we always do!”

Seiji recognized her sound immediately, “Aoi? Always, what the hell? What’s gotten into you?”

Then suddenly another figure appeared near to the ghost, even taller than her. Yuki’s face was already starting to run a little pale having easily foreseen the entire setup. It was too cliché to miss after he spent a little time in the temple. “Seiji Tsuji, we meet again.”

“Nerine?! What are you doing in Japan?!” Seiji did not understand, even more so why Yuki was bothered by Nerine being in Japan, aside from it supposedly to being forbidden to leave Atlantis. He looked over at Yuki, who had his hand up against his face. “What’s going on?! Why were you scared of this, Yuki?”

“Oh…Seiji…”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

Seiji still did not get any of what was happening. And Yuki did not seem to be able to make up any reasons why to satisfy Seiji. So he just kept walking up the steps towards the two women with a very confused expression on his face.

Before he even made it the last ten steps, Aoi leapt down at him. She hung off his neck settling in very close to him. Confusion did not override his personal fears. Even though he grew more used to Aoi being a ghost, it did not change how his body felt when she got too close to him. Seiji leapt almost ten meters into the air and landed more than a safe distance away.

His body still was shaking with chills, which he tried to cover up. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?!”

Yuki sweated a little bit watching things play out. ‘Huh, that’s an oddly strong reaction. I know he wasn’t really that familiar with girls before, but still…’

The ghost worked up a mix of disappointment and affection, naturally the second being completely missed by Seiji. “You’re being so cold, dear. Getting embarrassed being in front of company?” She floated back over to Seiji trying to stick close to him only to get him to finish running the rest of the distance into the main grounds of the shrine.

“What the hell’s wrong with you?! Why are you acting so weirdly?” Seiji bolted a little more to get some extra distance. Ever since she came in contact with him, his body’s sensitivity heighted. “Weirder than usual,” he corrected, remember that Aoi was already a strange one.

While Aoi ended up chasing Seiji around the grounds, Nerine just watched it all play out. She kept her composure during the whole thing never saying a word.

Or so it seemed. Yuki finished his own walk up the stairs, taking things more at his own pace. ‘Even the stoic one’s looking a little shaken. Well it’s not like she wasn’t already getting a little heated earlier.’

Yuki recalled when he walked into the shrine. He found Shoji poking his head through the door as though he did not really belong in his own home. “Your brother and grandfather fighting again?” he inquired, hoping that he did not startle the boy with his sudden arrival.

The little boy looked back, pulling his head out, holding up a finger to mouth. “Quiet, we’ve got a visitor.”

“A visitor? So your grandfather’s doing some ceremony or advice giving session.”

Shaking his head, he pointed in motion for Yuki to look inside. “Something much more interesting.”

Now Shoji had his curiosity. The boy was naturally excitable and curious about almost anything. So it made Yuki wonder what had Shoji so interested. He carefully leaned over top of Shoji to line up his eye. Since their home was small, the main living space was immediately open to the front, making it incredibly great for peeking or spying. “Hmm…I don’t see…I see a woman, a ghost?” It did not take long for Yuki to piece together enough of Aoi’s appearance to understand what she was.

However, Shoji insisted on him looking a little further. ‘What’s got him so excited, a ghost is pretty neat, but as I heard from Seiji they already knew about ghosts. Must be the one he was saying was a dead beat mooch.’ Then he saw another figure that forced his head to tilt around further. “Nerine!”

“Shh!” ordered Shoji pulling Yuki away from the door.

“What’s Nerine doing here? She should be back in her homeland.”

“So you know the tall lady?” The thought of more information made Shoji lean in closer. He seemed to understand immediately that there was a story there.

Sweating a little, Yuki stammered a bit in thought. ‘I had forgotten how excited he gets at these things. He eats up all of our stories.’ Panning around the site of the shrine grounds reminded Yuki again of their situation. ‘I keeping forgetting Shoji’s their pride and successor. He must be locked up here whenever he’s not in school.’ However, he could not think for long. Shoji kept leaning in more pressing for information. “Um-erm…Seiji knows her better than me.”

“Ooh!” Shoji’s eyes lit up so fast it seemed like they would ignite into stars on the spot. “My brother has a hot foreign girlfriend! He’s two-timing!” The notion seemed to make him giggle.

The whole conversation turn floored Yuki. He was not sure where to start. ‘Where’d he learn such words…kids these days…’ Yuki sweated further not certain how he should actually respond. ‘I had thought so too, they did seem to be close, but Seiji’s so dense. He only seemed to be treating her like a friend rather something more special. Though Nerine’s rather hard to read herself, not exactly sure how she feels on the matter either.’

Sneaking back to the door, Yuki checked back in on the room. Now that he knew the situation better, he could read the temperature. It was ice cold almost when he peeked inside. It felt like even the air was stale from holding its breath.

He pulled back to look at Shoji. “Yikes, this is bad…I know this setup all too well and Seiji’s not going to understand and barge straight into the middle of a hurricane.”

Shoji grinned with excited nodding to Yuki. “Should be really fun to watch!”

“Since when were you so precocious?”

While Seiji and Aoi provided the physical comedy for the scene, Shoji resurfaced nearby Yuki. “It’s looking exactly like it does in those books!” He seemed to be getting more excited by the moment as though he was living a dream.

Yuki looked a little incredulous at Shoji, but he started to piece things together. “Have you by any chance been borrowing your friends’ manga?” It was starting to make sense for him.

Shoji nodded to him. “Yeah! They gave me all sorts of things! They are really interesting to read. Seeing things happen like in though fighting stories was so cool! I didn’t think I’d get to see more of them play out!”

Patting Shoji on the head, he understood the sentiment all too well. ‘I had the same sort of reaction, though it quickly disappeared when I realized that this was reality not a fantasy… Shoji seems to be young enough not to make that leap so quickly…’

“Big Brother’s already closer to having a harem than you, Yuki and you’re the main character!”

Yuki had to nod a little in agreement with his assessment. “You may be right about that. Though I do have Saki and Yumi. And I guess there is Ayumi, even though she’s sort of evil and sort of a misunderstood extremist. I wonder if you’d count Chiharu or Fumiko, they do fit well in the classic mold someone younger and someone older.”

Actually becoming a sun from the excitement, Shoji looked up to Yuki. “Oh wow, so you do have a harem!”

“And Chiharu is even a tsundere, so we’ve got everything! Though she does need some twin tails or at least some knee socks…”

The two boys’ conversation had drawn the attention of Nerine. While she outwardly did not seem to be making any intention, as Saki would to shut them up for their idiocy, her face was bright red. It seemed that she had finally cracked.

Yuki finally remembered he needed to lay off the fourth wall and tried to get a little more serious. Coughing a bit, he redirected the conversation. “Why do you know about harems? You’re too young for that!”

“Huh? But I was told that it was every boy’s dream.”

“Well I can’t really deny…” He saw Nerine staring at him further. She seemed to want to do what Saki normally did, but was held back by her sense of respect. Yuki was still the King, even if he was acting more like a child. “…but reality and dreams are different. It’s best to focus on one!” He was not really sure if he was helping things anymore. It was not quite the type of conversation he expected to be having with Seiji’s little brother.

“But don’t some marry all of the girls?”

“Err…” The situation only become more difficult for Yuki to explain. ‘Shoji’s too young to understand romance and he seems to be having too much trouble sorting fantasy from reality… I need to do something…’ Yuki searched around the grounds for signs of anything. A distraction would be all he needed. Then it jumped out at him. “I think your brother’s gave you enough entertainment for now. He seems to be really scared and we need to progress the story again.”

Chapter 308 – Mixed Messages

It took a few minutes for Yuki to catch them. The only way he was able to end the chase was to use his powers to restrain Aoi enough that Seiji would calm down. Once Yuki actually made an effort, Shoji explained to him the real cause of Seiji’s actions. Surprised and amused, Yuki managed to settle it all and get them to sit in a room.

“…umm…” Yuki made sure to place Aoi and Nerine on opposite sides of the table and they still made the entire room unwelcome. Most of it came from Aoi, but Nerine only seemed to make it worse by providing almost no reaction to Aoi’s jealousy.

Brave and dumb, Seiji had enough of Aoi’s attitude towards Nerine. “She’s going to be our guest. So I expect you to be polite to her!” He still did not get the source of the problem though.

“Guest?! But I thought you said that you had no room for guests!”

Seiji’s eyes flattened a little as he looked at Aoi. “We have no room for ghosts. People that are actually living are a different story.”

Aoi took it about as anyone would expect. Her surprise hardly covered up well. When she glared over at the other woman, Nerine seemed to have a slightly smug look on her face. It only enraged her further. “Fine! I see how it is! I hope you have fun with your living woman!” Aoi then disappeared from all of them.

‘That could have gone better,’ thought Yuki. He looked over to Seiji to see if he planned to do anything. Remaining as blind as always to what was going on, he made no reaction to it. “Shouldn’t you go after her, Seiji? She seemed upset.”

“To hell with her! She’s annoying anyway.”

“But…” Yuki bit back some of his words knowing how this all looked. He tried to dial in how much he used his books to mirror reality.

“Besides, she’ll come back eventually. I can never be rid of her.” Seiji motioned dismissively to Yuki on the matter. More pressing matters came first in his mind. “What are you doing here, Nerine? Isn’t it forbidden to leave Atlantis?” Then Seiji recalled everything that happened with Yuki. “The Council hasn’t sent you to attack Yuki again?!”

Nerine leaned back a little as Seiji rose. He got a little too close for her comfort. Shaking her head, she wanted him to sit back down before she answered. It took him a few moments, but she had her space again. “No, I wasn’t sent by the Council. In fact, they shouldn’t know about my visit.”

A familiar sound for Yuki, he had a bit of an idea of what was going on. “Demosthenes sent you then.”

“That’s right, Your Majesty.” It pleased her to find someone that seemed to pick things up quickly.

Yuki held up a hand to interrupt her before she continued. “Drop the formalities. I’d like to keep that a secret around here. There may be ears listening that I don’t want to know. So just call me Yuki if you want to address me.” All the problems that he had to deal with it seemed trivia, but it was just another thing he needed to keep unwraps. ‘If Demosthenes and my father are right, I don’t want her slipping while we’re out in the city.’

“But I can’t—“

“This is an order. Are you going to refuse any order from me?”

A complicated expression surfaced on Nerine’s face. She had to obey him, he was the King yet her training told her to give him the respect he deserves. The conflict silenced her.

Waving his hand like none of it mattered, Seiji downplayed it all. “It’s just Yuki. You don’t need to stand on ceremony for him. You don’t need to be so stuffy about these things, Nerine.”

Unknown to Seiji, the tension rapidly increased in the room. Only Yuki understood it. It made him sweat watching Seiji crashing so fast and he did not even understand it. “Seiji…that might have been…”

“What? We’re all friends here, no need to treat anyone differently.”

Sighing, Yuki knew he was not going to get anywhere with him. Across the table, he saw how Nerine was taking it all. He could only defuse things. “So why are you here? Something Demosthenes need from me?”

It took her a bit to respond to Yuki, but she focused back on the task. “No. I’ve been sent as an ambassador, though giving the nature of the situation it might be better to say that I’m here as a neutral aid.”

“Neutral aid? What do you plan to do?” Some of it made sense. He had an idea of what Demosthenes planned.

“I’ll be here so that you’re able to communicate with the homeland. And if anything does happen I’ll be informed immediately of the situation.”

“So a messenger. It’ll be good to know what’s happening. I did everything I could to ease tensions, but it’s not a perfect setup. I expect future conflicts to still arise.”

“And if they do, I’ll inform you immediately.”

“Right.”

Seiji jumped back into the conversation, as it seemed the two of them settled their matters. “That explains Nerine’s presence, but what about you Yuki? I don’t see Saki with you. Just paying me a visit?”

Pressed on his own situation, Yuki quieted up quickly. His mind had nearly forgotten everything that was happening. Inside the shrine with them, it all seemed so far away. Unfortunately, he knew what had to be done. ‘All I’m doing is running away…’ It was something he had to face. “Things have gotten complicated back in my neighborhood.”

“What the UN doing something?”

“No, that’d almost be more welcome at this point. The best I can describe it…war has broken out and friends are killing friends…”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

Seiji jumped back into the conversation, as it seemed the two of them settled their matters. “That explains Nerine’s presence, but what about you Yuki? I don’t see Saki with you. Just paying me a visit?”

Pressed on his own situation, Yuki quieted up quickly. His mind had nearly forgotten everything that was happening. Inside the shrine with them, it all seemed so far away. Unfortunately, he knew what had to be done. ‘All I’m doing is running away…’ It was something he had to face. “Things have gotten complicated back in my neighborhood.”

“What the UN doing something?”

“No, that’d almost be more welcome at this point. The best I can describe it…war has broken out and friends are killing friends…”

Seiji slammed his hands down on the table splintering it at points where his fingers touched unable to control his strength. ‘What the hell is going on? It hasn’t even been a day!’ He would have just quickly dismissed the whole thing had he not seen the look on Yuki’s face. The pained conflicted expression that did not know what to say and had trouble accepting reality. It was almost too much for Yuki to take. Seiji might not have normally seen it, but Yuki was doing a horrible job of actually holding his emotions off his face. It was everywhere he looked.

Once he realized that he was breaking his table, Seiji pulled back folding up his hands under his arms. He needed to know what happened. ‘None of this makes any sense. If there was some war going on we would have seen it when we arrived. Yuki has to be just over blowing this and taking it harder than because he was not expecting there to be a little fighting.’ Seiji had nearly convinced himself that everything was alright. Yet when he saw Yuki’s face again the heavy weight of the grave nature just pounded back on him.

“Now come on, Yuki. You can’t be serious. War? If that was the case the UN would probably be all over it after what they were doing when we snuck in.” Seiji presented a surprisingly rational denial.

Leaning forward as though his head needed the support, his arms came up to his give his chin something to rest on. “I wish I was blowing this out of proportion or that I was just dreaming it up. But I’m not! I know what I’ve seen. I’ve been there and watched classmates die right in front of me unable to do anything to stop it!” Yuki’s breathing began shallow unable to keep up with his emotions. He was nearly in tears just thinking about it.

The temperature in the room fell to arctic levels instantly. It felt like they were back in Antarctica. No one could say anything to reject Yuki. His emotions were so openly bared for them all that it was hard to even think anything.

Silent minutes passed with no one knowing what to say. They all wanted to deny it, but it left them all speechless. Awkwardness filled through everything like a stuffy, sticky jelly poured in from all the cracked until they were swimming in it, drowning in it.

Eventually, someone had to say something. “What happened, Yuki?” Seiji opened. He was Yuki’s friend. Whatever happened he needed to listen to it. “Tell me everything.”

“Everything?” The memories of the battle between Hiroshi and Takako’s forces replayed in his mind. It seized him up seeing all of the classmates dying around him. The cold, callous expression of Hiroshi willing to execute them and the empty looks of all of Takako’s. “I don’t…want to…”

Seiji leapt across the table to grab his wrist. “Look at me, Yuki!” He pulled on Yuki until he was forced to meet eyes. “I need to know the situation if I’m going to help stop this!”

“Stop? I don’t know…if it can be stopped…”

‘Why does he look so defeated…I’ve never seen Yuki look like this…’ The sight only made Seiji even more angry. He lacked the details of what was going on, but he had to put an end to it. “YUKI! I don’t give a damn! Just tell me already!”

Chapter 309 – The Pitfalls of Idealism

Seiji fell back on his legs. It was a lot more to take than he was expecting. “I can’t…believe it…”

“It all happened as I said.” His hand absentmindedly rubbed the side of face having remembered it all. It just rubbed and scrapped at his skin.

“No, I believe you, but it seems so impossible. How could something like that happen?”

“I don’t know. It doesn’t make any sense.” Yuki had not tried to think too hard on the why. It happened, that much he did not want to even accept. Trying to understand it and rationalize it seemed even worse. It would mean that he was fine with it happening. He could accept that it was somehow normal or reasonable that friends could kill friends. “I just don’t want to think about it.”

“But we need to stop it, Yuki!” Seiji rose to his feet already filled with resolve and determination. He was ready to march out into the city and put a stop to everything. His fists pounded together and his blood boiled. “What are you doing just sitting there, Yuki? The people you know are in danger can you just stand there and do nothing?”

“…Seiji…” Watching Seiji so simply blow away any of the excuses as though they seemed meaningless amazed him. ‘He makes sound so simple. But maybe…’

Marching around the table, Seiji ripped Yuki up by his collar forcing him to stand. “You just going to keep sitting doing nothing, Yuki? That isn’t you! If there is something you need to do, you do it! Don’t think about it, just act!”

“I don’t know if reality is as simple as you’re making it, Seiji.”

“To hell with reality! Just do it!”

Yuki laughed, unable to hold back anymore. Seiji’s simplicity actually felt refreshing. “Maybe…you’re right…”

“There you go! Now let’s go knock some sense into this Takako girl and put an end to all of this!”

Nodding, Yuki finally stood on his own once more. He did not really have a plan, but with Seiji it did not really seem important. “First I need to see Hiroshi once more. Tell him what I plan to do.” It was sort of funny that he had planned on doing the same thing, but all that he saw dragged him down preventing him from seeing it.

“Alright! Let’s go see this secret base! Sounds pretty cool!”

“You’ll be pretty surprised by it.”

“I can’t wait!” While Seiji and Yuki were getting pumped up and ready to walk out of the room, they forgot one other. It took until Seiji got to the door to look back and see Nerine sitting there at the table still. “You coming?” he asked, as though it was just expected.

Nerine stared at Seiji for a moment seemingly lacking words. She had been quiet the entire time never interrupting or putting in her opinion on the matter. “This is not something I’m involved in.”

“You think that matters? They’re all strangers to me.”

Her brow pinched listening to Seiji way of rationalizing things. “But you’re different from me,” she mumbled under her breath.

“You think being different matters?”

Shock painted over Nerine’s face, not expecting him to have heard her. “But—“

“Does it upset you that innocents are being hurt or killed?”

“…yes…” It felt like a leading question for her. She did not know anyone that would not be bothered by it.

“Then stand up! We’re leaving now!”

Yuki had a pretty good idea what was holding back Nerine. He could see the situation that she was put in just by being in Japan. ‘Demosthenes wasn’t very kind even if it might be a good idea…’ Explaining it to Seiji why it was a problem only complicated things further. Like his previous declaration, simplicity was king. “Seiji, she—“

“Not you too Yuki, you don’t want her to come with us?”

“It’s not like that.”

“Then I don’t see the problem.”

Sighing, only accepting him seemed the possible occur. He was insistent on the way things were going to be. “Come along. Think of it as keeping near me if something happens you can react quickly.”

“I understand.”


It might have been a bad idea to leave with night falling, but nothing could stop Seiji’s enthusiasm. They did not even get in back to Hiroshi’s base before the shroud of night cloaked everything. Which meant that they did not see the column of smoke until they were nearly in the neighborhood.

Naturally, Seiji was the first to spot it, even in the dark he was not completely certain of what he saw. “I’m seeing something strange in the sky,” he remarked pointing it out to the others.

“What does it look like?” Yuki tried to see what Seiji saw, but his sight clearly was not good enough to compare to his. Neither Nerine or him knew what Seiji saw. The confused look from Seiji make it clear that he did not understand how they could not see something so obvious. “Remember you have better eyes than us. This dark out I’m going to be lucky if I see three blocks.”

“Right…” Squinting only seem to help him slightly, he still had trouble filtering through all of the darkness and the haze. It was only thanks to some of the lights in the area that he even saw it to begin with. “I don’t know, maybe smoke? It’s still hard to see.”

“Let’s keep moving then. We’ll know more when we get to the base. They probably knew what it is about.” Yuki pressed on to lead the way as he remembered it. ‘I’ve got a bad feeling about this… This doesn’t feel right…’

Nerine and Seiji continued to follow, but as they walked she felt it was important to bring up. “I’m just an observer. I haven’t been ordered to involve myself in foreign affairs.”

Acting like she was on the sidelines troubled Seiji a little. He glanced over to her. “You can just do nothing while watching everyone else fight?”

“…I must…” There was a bit of hesitation from her before she said anything.

“It’s an easy thing to say now when there’s not any fighting on. I don’t believe you can be silent. I trust you to do the right thing when the time comes.”

She stopped at his statement a little surprised to hear that from him. It felt her not knowing what to say to him. ‘I can’t…the mission…’ Mission or not, she did not have time to think about it as they continued on without waiting for her. She chased after them with thoughts of what Seiji said spinning around her head.

The base did not take very long to reach or as close as they could get to it. Now near to the site, they had a very clear view of things. UN marked vehicles and tents were everywhere. Soldiers and investigators walked around the entire area.

It was the lights in the area, the reason Seiji saw any of it to start, that made it clear to them things had changed. A massive hole stood where the block used to be. The store and surrounding ruins were no more. Even the streets were wiped out. A four by four block area marked off with tape or makeshift fences, as though it would keep back anyone in Japan anymore.

Seiji saw the UN and the hole and immediately jumped the gun. “Those bastards!” He jumped down from the building they used for a vantage point. Landing heavily, he tossed up dust on the next building.

“Seiji! Stop! It’s not—damnit!” Seiji quickly activated his field and jumped down with his mist surrounding him. It brought him to a soft landing as his mist already attacked to restrain Seiji. “Calm down for a moment, Seiji!”

“I’m not going to let those UN bastards get away with this! You can’t stop me, Yuki!” Through only his strength, he ripped through the mist even as it worked to try to hold him down. It was a constant struggle until Yuki was able to get out in front of him. “Yuki!”

“Seiji! Listen to me!” he yelled without caution. “I don’t think the UN caused this. I think they’re just investigating!”

“What? Are you sure?”

He had managed to get through to him quickly enough. The tension finally started to drop. However, Yuki was still uncertain. He was mostly just saying it because he did not want Seiji to start an international incident. But he did have suspensions. “As much as I may want to blame things on the UN, this is probably the work of Takako too.”

If Seiji had an objection, he did not have the time to voice it. They had bigger problems. He noticed it first before Seiji and turned his head for when they arrived. In the next moment, they were already surrounded by five uniformed UN soldiers, but they were all Japanese.

Both Seiji and Yuki understood what they meant. They kept still just watching the new potential threat. Neither knew what they wanted from them, but realized that they were probably alerted by their shouting.

A tall man with a short very orderly light brown haircut stepped forward. Judging from the way he walked and held himself, he looked to be the one in charge. “Fighting? So you two are part of this gang war as well then. You’re under arrest by order of the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Japan!”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

“I’m not going to let those UN bastards get away with this! You can’t stop me, Yuki!” Through only his strength, he ripped through the mist even as it worked to try to hold him down. It was a constant struggle until Yuki was able to get out in front of him. “Yuki!”

“Seiji! Listen to me!” he yelled without caution. “I don’t think the UN caused this. I think they’re just investigating!”

“What? Are you sure?”

He had managed to get through to him quickly enough. The tension finally started to drop. However, Yuki was still uncertain. He was mostly just saying it because he did not want Seiji to start an international incident. But he did have suspensions. “As much as I may want to blame things on the UN, this is probably the work of Takako too.”

If Seiji had an objection, he did not have the time to voice it. They had bigger problems. He noticed it first before Seiji and turned his head for when they arrived. In the next moment, they were already surrounded by five uniformed UN soldiers, but they were all Japanese.

Both Seiji and Yuki understood what they meant. They kept still just watching the new potential threat. Neither knew what they wanted from them, but realized that they were probably alerted by their shouting.

A tall man with a short very orderly light brown haircut stepped forward. Judging from the way he walked and held himself, he looked to be the one in charge. “Fighting? So you two are part of this gang war as well then. You’re under arrest by order of the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Japan!”

‘Damn, they must have been alerted from all the yelling…’ Yuki ground his teeth together wishing he had noticed them sooner. It only made their situation more complicated. He did not want to have to be dealing with the UN so soon. ‘I knew that I’d have to confront them eventually, but I don’t have a plan to deal with them. Even if we win here it doesn’t end things. This isn’t going to be a simple fight.’

Seiji surprisingly remained fairly calm in front of the threat. While Yuki expected him to charge in like the last time on the boat and even here, he remained still. Nothing changed the look on his face, he was ready to go at a moment’s notice. However, he seemed to be keeping himself restrained. Such an act pleased Yuki as he knew he still had a chance.

Turning away from Seiji, Yuki faced down with the man that looked to be in charge of the team. Around him, he saw a cast of members that reminded him as much of the wild gathering of the Titans as much as they did the stories he read. The leader looked far more reasonable in appearance and not nearly as wild as Rheia. ‘I might be able to reason with him…’

The man’s team worried Yuki though. He could see the looks in their eyes and they were all very familiar ones. They were the same ones that were in the Atlanteans that they fought. They wanted to fight and not for the sake of something good or just. These people just wanted a fight and being part of a military force gave them all the justification that they needed. It was sanctioned killing.

Yuki had no issues with the UN in its ideals. However, he did not agree anymore than the rest of them with their presence in Japan, not that it surprised him that much after he thought about it. It was an all too common tale, an easy and predictable outcome, even if it is normal and rational.

And they were all just exploiting it. They had positions where they got to fight others with powers, likely powerful without any worry over being arrested themselves. Government sanctioned fighting, the worst sort of backing. And they all wanted as much as they could take.

Except for the leader, he was out of place with the rest of them. Yuki felt like this man actually believed in what he was doing. The look of confidence and self-assurance posture. He had no doubt, stood like a mountain and yielded to nothing.

‘I guess it makes sense. Like how Rheia’s insane strength kept the Titans in line, this man probably is like that as well. The only thing those people respect is power. How powerful is this man? We’ve only had each other and the Atlanteans as a measuring stick. Could Seiji beat him if we needed?’

Chapter 310 – Reasons to Fight

Dropping his field, Yuki wanted to try something before things went beyond his control. Everything happened quickly even though no one was making any moves. They were waiting to see how they responded, a standoff.

“Gang war? What do you mean?” It was acting time. Yuki played up his best innocent mask that he could. ‘I hope this works…’ Nothing was set in stone yet, he could still get them free without a fight. That was the hope anyway. “We just stumbled by this. We’re just passing by.”

The man narrowed his eyes reading through all of Yuki’s features trying to get his measure. “You’re saying a conflict that has been going on for more than a month and has a tenth of the city in flames is completely unknown to you.” His suspicions was easy to read, and for good reason.

Yuki sweated a little to keep up his front of the man. “Well that is to say, I’ve heard the rumors, but I’m from the Okashi District.”

“Okashi, you say? That’s far to the west, what are you doing here, even you’ve heard the rumors.”

“I’m here with my friend,” Yuki answered, pointing over to Seiji. ‘Time for a little truth.’ A good lie had some amount of truth built into it. “He’s from the Tsuji family shrine nearby. My friend heard about the rumors and felt compelled to do something. I’ve been trying to stop him. I’ve been trying to convince him that the UN must have it under control.”

“Is that so?” Staring for a while at Yuki, he looked like he might be buying the story. It was still hard to tell. He had an enormous amount of suspicions about the two. So it was likely going to be hard for him to accept it all. “What were you doing just now? You looked like you were fighting?”

The con continued it seemed, though he was making progress. “As I said, my friend wants to do something. Seeing this shocking incident has him acting without thinking. So I’ve been doing want I can do stop him, even if it is means so by force. I don’t want to see him start a fight with you.”

Part of seemed to be working. He pulled a little back from his intense leaning. “I agree. Our desire is not to fight, but to keep the peace.”

Yuki played up more of the coward and weakling so that the man felt he was superior and in a position of power, though admittedly he did not really need to do that much. The man carried himself so proudly that he already saw his superior position as a certainty. It was more that Yuki submitted to him in not trying to challenge him. “Yes, all of this fighting and strangeness has been very unsettling. I don’t have any wish to fight. I’ve been trying to convince him of the futility of fighting. We can just talk to settle things.”

“You must forgive my aggression. It’s rare to meet anyone in these days that actually wishes to have a civilized decision. Power seems to have gone to everyone head and power seems to be the only thing that they respect or understand. It’s quite saddening to see how much our home and people have changed in such a short time. It really feels like the end of days at times.”

A momentary slip cracked through Yuki as he allowed the man’s sorrow slide into him. Guilt bubbled up within him. Even though he quickly recovered to keep his façade, it did not change the internal developing maelstrom. ‘The apocalypse...there’s people out there that think I’m some sort of god, but I’m like the Bringer of the Apocalypse than some god…I’m the cause of all of this… I must fix it.’

Buried in internal turmoil could not keep him from still speaking with the leader. He could not allow his personal matters ruin the progress he made with him. “It’s all very frightening to see, but I’d like to believe that there is something good to be found in even this.”

“Good? I wonder if such a thing still exists in this world. It seems that right and wrong have become blurred and only exist to prove the meaningless of it all.”

Their conversation gleaned more than Yuki expected. It seemed he might have finally found someone sane in the world for once. A man tortured and haunted by all the evils and trying to do the right thing, but forced to be the evil seen by others in the hope of it being for some small good. “I think there’s a need for more like you. If more thought like you do things could change.” Yuki extended his hand out as a peace offering. He hoped this was the end and they might be free to go. The arrest thing had yet to resurface.

A bit of a curious look came across the leader’s face. He seemed to have noticed something different about Yuki and his words. However, he only seemed to acknowledge it within rather than give it words. “Perhaps. Masayuki Ayabito.” He accepted Yuki’s hand.

‘I finally found an honest and straightforward person. Hate having to lie, but it’s not like want to fight. I just need to get out of here.’ Yuki smiled allowing a little of his stature to return now that the footing seemed to level out between them. “Yuki Hayashi. And this is Seiji Tsuji.”

Everything looked to be coming to a resolution. The tension dropped quickly. However, it could not end so easily. Masayuki might have been someone looking for peace, but his team was not. They looked even more ready to start something now that things were calming down. It only seemed to anger them that things might be over.

“Ya can’t possibly be thinking of letting them go,” one of the members barked in disbelief. He was actually even taller than Masayuki, the tallest of team of five. It looked like they had finally someone that would give Fumiko a run for her money in the height department. And he certainly made sure that the full extent of his height added to his menacing presence, not that Yuki succumbed to it.

Eying from the other side, one of the two women spoke in agreement, “You deployed us to put down rogue elements. I don’t like being ordered out for no reason.” The woman looked just barely out of her high school years and still in her college years prime. Even if she did not look like a proper college student. She had bright green hair and the dye job old as her bleached and black roots were appearing.

“Stand down! That’s an order!” yelled Masayuki. He might have seemed softer talking to Yuki, but his commanding presence returned without missing a beat. The other two in the group held quiet, though still with hungry eyes. Masayuki command over them made it clear as the outspoken ones made a hesitation in their stances.

Yuki watched it all intently trying to look for a way out. ‘I was right. He’s keeping them in line with his own power, meaning he is the definitely the strongest of them. They are afraid of them. It’s the only reason they didn’t attack immediately. But fear only goes so far. Hunger can be more powerful than fear…’

Also on the ready, Seiji went back to looking to attack. He kept to a defensive position only planning on responding, but he was not about to act submissive like Yuki. ‘This Masayuki guy must be powerful if they’re hesitating. This might be more interesting than I gave it credit for…’ Even Seiji could notice it. The man’s presence was powerful, very easily at the same level as Demosthenes and Rheia. The sort that could not be ignored, but preferable not stirred as well.

Seiji remembered all too well from his first meeting with Demosthenes. All the build up during the journey and after it all finally came to an end, he met the man. The one behind it all, they met while Yuki slept in recovery. ‘He looked like a simple man, an old man just your typical grandfather. But it was just a front. I could tell he was not someone to mess with at just a glance. Hearing that Yuki planned to fight him, I sort wanted to throw a punch at him too just to see what the talk was about. But just seeing him felt like he was going to crush me, the fact that was I stronger or faster didn’t seem to even affect him. Absolute confidence in himself, no doubt…’

The sense of full commitment to a cause came from Masayuki. He still had bit to go in some areas from someone like Demosthenes, who had age to grant him experience. But even being so young still the man felt every bit an equal to the old man in every other way. A man that would crush anyone in front that stood before his ideals. He knew what he wanted and that it had to be done. Someone good committed to a dark path.

An all too common trait in the new world.

Unfortunately, even his presence did not seem to be enough to hold them back. They wanted blood. They could taste it even though none had dropped. Madness had captured them. The same madness claiming the world.

“Look at him. He wants a fight,” commented the man again. “I can see it in his eyes. He’s just asking for a reason.”

“Sounds like rogue elements to me,” the woman added in agreement. “I think that’s enough justification to take them in.”

Masayuki was losing his patience with his men. “Nawabe! Umari! I said stand down! We have more important threats to deal with right now!”

“I see a threat right in front of me,” Nawabe replied, completely taken in by the thought of a fight. He already seemed to be sizing up Seiji.

Umari took a step forward, already self-justified in her mind. “If we let them go they will only cause trouble later on. They all do! Best to snuff out weeds before they take root!” She charged in completely ignoring any further orders with Nawabe quickly behind her in acting. They both went after Seiji the prime target.

Peace broke down.

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

A breakdown of discussions. It happened too fast for Yuki to actually follow. He saw the lead up to the moment, but not the actual moment. How could he, they were all super humans and he was just a normal one. None of his powers were activated to give him anything.

The force alone from the colliding powers knocked Yuki off his feet and tumbled him backwards. He painfully knocked his head against the brick trim around the roof of the building they stood on. It quickly decommissioned him for the early part of the fight.

Left with five people to fight off all at once, Seiji took both Umari and Nawabe head on initially. With a fist each, he was able to stop their opening introductions. However, he knew just from the way that they moved it just was a greeting. ‘They’re just using their physical power right now. They’re testing what I can do. They want to know if I’m worth their time.’ Throwing them off him, he leapt away from the building.

‘I’ve got to lead them away from Yuki. He’s not like us.’ Seiji rotated a little while in the air to watch. Even though he jumped, he was not certain that they would follow. It was just a guess on his part. He saw the hunger for a fight. So he just assumed that they would follow. ‘I don’t know how destructive their powers might be.’

Their new site was not much further away. Only a block, but it was some room, better than nothing. ‘Hopefully this is enough distance. I can’t let Yuki get caught up in this!’

Masayuki ground his teeth staring over at two of his team charging off into battle without his orders. He flipped back towards the others. “Hanari and Kasaya! I order you to stand down and do nothing! Or else…” While he made no action towards him, there was deep implications in his words that they were both very much aware of.

Crossing his arms, Hanari obeyed, though he seemed to be more watching rather than having an interest in joining. “Right. No needs to blow a vein.”

“Two on one is already not really that fun,” Kasaya responded, “I’ve got no interest in joining, they’ll just get in my way.” Like Hanari, she seemed to only be watching. She understood as well that she should not move to act. However, it was less following orders and just personal preference.

“Damn those two,” Masayuki muttered, as he turned away. “I’m going to need to teach them respect again.” He leapt off the building, a little bit of sparks left behind where he had stood. The distance he covered to the other building seemed to be of little effort for him.

Chapter 311 – The Right of Power

Only a few exchanges between them and Seiji was already starting to understand how strong they were. Each punch could be felt. He actually had pay attention to what happened with serious intent. ‘It’s like being back to our street brawling days. I hadn’t really thought about what it would be like to fight someone like me.’ It made him grin a little feeling the bit of nostalgia. But he could not smile for long against the two of them.

The fact that they were keeping up him with and not even using any powers gave him pause. ‘What else can they do? I know how I saw them fighting out over the bay. This isn’t all they can do…’ He had to be ready for anything.

“You’re a tough one,” praised Nawabe. “So you’re not all just talk.”

“Might have to actually be a little serious about this,” remarked Umari.

“Sorry for making you have to sweat,” Seiji replied playfully. It had been a while since he had a good fight and while they were both fight starved, neither had any of the lethal intent like others he knew. They just wanted to fight and fight strong people. Nothing else mattered to them. Selfish as it was, he understood that desire very well. It was something that he could, in a way, agree with, just not the way they were going about it.

It was complicated.

“Don’t worry, we’re not even warmed up yet,” she added.

“Seems you’ve seen some fighting. You haven’t been just sitting around doing nothing afraid of your powers.”

“Yeah, I’ve been through hell already.”

“I want to see more of what you can do!”

“We going to get a little more serious?” Umari looked over at Nawabe in an odd way of looking for his approval. He nodded to her with a grin. “Right!” She took out a wide stance that was not meant for offense. The air around her suddenly changed. A soft white glow surrounded her body altering the tension in the air.

Seiji reflexively went into a defensive stance not exactly sure what they were planning on doing. He held back an attack to see what they would do. There was no real sense of threat and danger that made him want to put an end to things. He had curiosity. He wanted to see what they had to offer.

“Slot change!” shouted Umari, the white glow disappeared from her. Then suddenly a ghost-like image of a person that was completely unrelated to her appeared in front of her body. “Equip save twenty-four!” The ghost flew back entering Umari’s body. Streaks of blonde appeared through her hair and she seemed to grow a little in size. Slight alterations went through her body as though the ghost had possessed her.

Nawabe kicked the building that they stood on knocking over a few chunks of debris. They fell at his feet. “This should be enough for you.” He threw down his hand at the debris with beam of yellow light coming out from his palm. “Lifegiver!”

The bits of brick suddenly floated up to shoulder height. Their surfaces rounded out a little and seemed to almost appear to have faces. However, Seiji was quite certain he was just seeing things. Though he could not ignore the fact that he saw bricks being created out of nothing and flung at him by these pieces of debris.

Punching through them, they crumbled into powder. But it was just a screen for Umari to come charging in with blinding speed. Her fists glowed with an eerie light that Seiji had no time to dodge. His shoulder took the full blast. Upon impact, an explosion went off and sent him flying backwards through the building and the adjacent building.

His body laid in a crater of his own making on the ground. ‘Damn that hurt. Felt like a bomb went off the moment she touched me. They have some weird powers…’ He looked over to see blood dripping down from his arm. His shirt was completely torn through. It could still move, but he did not feel like he was going to get the full movement out of it anymore.

No sooner had he started to move than he saw Umari standing at the top of the crater staring down at him. “You’re going to need to start using your power. Muscle’s not going to get you very far with us.”

Seiji dodged the incoming attacks from Nawabe’s strange debris. This time he expected a follow-up attack by Umari, as he could see that they were tag teaming him. It still made it difficult to manage. She moved like a blur for him. ‘She’s not as fast as Saki, but almost there. Damn, I’ve never actually had to fight someone like this before…’ He was forced to take the blast from her fist with his hand just to keep it away from his body.

The impact still knocked him back and left him tumbling through the grass covered streets. Gritting his teeth through the pain, he ignored the blood that covered his hand. It still worked, but he could have sworn that she broke a finger.

“Taking that with your hand. You are impressive. Most people are screaming like a baby after just one hit from me.”

“Like I said, I’ve been through hell. A little scratch like this is nothing.”

“Oh really?” She charged in like a blur once more ready to take up the challenge that he dropped down. This time she went first throwing Seiji’s game off a little when the projectiles came flying in during the middle of their fight. She seemed to know exactly when and where they would come.

It all felt like the whole thing took place over like ten minutes in Seiji’s mind, but the heightened sense in such speeds had altered his perceptions of what was just thirty seconds. In that short little time, his shirt had become completely ruined and blood dripped down from multiple new injuries that he took.

‘Damn, they’re not even taking this seriously either.’ Seiji took a pause when they seemed to have finally broke after their flash of fighting. “Looks like I’m going to have be serious about this,” he noted, touching his hand to his chest. ‘This is going to be a difficult fight.’

“Finally!” she shouted with a little too much excitement in her voice.

Taking off his shirt, Seiji threw it back behind him. The exposed muscles on his enhanced body shined a little with sweat from the fight. Loose streams of blood dripped from the wounds he sustained. But none of it mattered to him. He needed to free him, all the shirt was doing as getting in the way now with how much it was shredded. “It’s been a while since I’ve fought a serious fight!” he taunted to them. ‘I say that, but it’s really only been a month since I’ve fought at all.’

“Look at the muscle man.”

Nawabe looked down from the building roof with a bit of a grin. “He’s just trying to look hot.”

“Muscles aren’t the only thing that’s sexy,” Umari said, not always understanding his taste in men.

“Then you won’t mind if I take him.”

“You have to beat me to him first!”

Seiji stared a little blank faced at what was suddenly happening in front of him. “Umm…are we going to fight?”

“Sorry to keep you waiting!” Nawabe called, bringing up his debris launchers.

“Right…” Seiji hardened his features ready for the next round of attacks. A slight glow started to pulse down his scars on his right arm. He was ready for them.

A new presence suddenly dropped in behind Nawabe. “This fight is over!” commanded Masayuki in a deep threatening voice. Nawabe suddenly dropped down to one knee before him. The debris fell away completely lifeless. Masayuki glared down at Nawabe with a dark shadow over his eyes.

Nawabe seemed to be shaking, but unable to move. Only his eyes could look up towards his commanding officer. “…damn…you…”

Across the block back with Yuki, he finally woke up from his minute nap. Trying to ignore the massive headache that he now had, he stood up. “Damnit, that hurt a lot. I’m not used to these sorts of situations.” Disregarding the two soldiers left behind, Yuki walked over to the edge of the building where they seemed to be staring.

In the distance, he could barely see Seiji along with someone else fighting. He also saw two others looking like they were ready to jump Seiji and turn things into a three on one fight. “Ugh…looks like I’m going to have to use it. But damn, my head hurts.”

A ripple jumped out of his feet quickly expanding out over the entire area completely enclosing all involved parties. “There. Now it’s over.” Yuki started to float into the air to cross over to put an end to things.”

Umari stumbled over her feet with her appearance reverted to normal. Confused, she pushed herself up not sure what was going on. She seemed to checking her body. “Slot change!” Nothing happened. “Slot change!” It did not make any sense to her. “Why can’t I use my power?” She glared over at Seiji. “Is this your power?!”

“Huh?”

Standing up, Nawabe blinked in surprise to see that he was no longer restrained. He grinned a little and looked over at Masayuki. “Looks like you don’t have control anymore, Captain.” Nawabe jumped off the building, but came to the sudden realization that his body was not as powerful as it should have been. “What the hell?! What happened to my body?” He saw the ground quickly coming up to him and it hit him what was going to happen. He closed his eyes panicking over his sudden mortality.

“Damn, that was close,” Yuki sighed, having caught Nawabe by his collar. He effortlessly pulled him back up to the roof only a few centimeters from a painful crash. Yuki dropped him back off in front of Masayuki.

Even Masayuki was staring at his hands trying to understand happened. When he saw that it seemed to be affecting everyone but Yuki, he stared at him as he arrived. “What did you do to us?”

Yuki crossed his arms in front of his chest taking up the dominant position, now forced upon him by the rash behavior. “It’s my power. I am able to turn everyone into a normal human with my power.”

“What?! Impossible!”

“You say that after seeing how many different powers people have right now? You can’t believe that there is someone with the power to take away your power?”

It all took a moment for Masayuki to process it, but he quickly came to the expected outcome. “Then you could—“

“My power doesn’t work like that. It’s not a permanent thing, just while I’m focused on it. So no, I can’t turn Japan back to normal.” He started to float away from Masayuki, heading towards Seiji. “Like I said before, I don’t want to fight. I’ll leave peaceful, so don’t follow us.” Yuki met them with an intense look that showed the depth of his resolve and determination. “You don’t stand a chance against me if I want to try.”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

Yuki crossed his arms in front of his chest taking up the dominant position, now forced upon him by the rash behavior. “It’s my power. I am able to turn everyone into a normal human with my power.”

“What?! Impossible!”

“You say that after seeing how many different powers people have right now? You can’t believe that there is someone with the power to take away your power?”

It all took a moment for Masayuki to process it, but he quickly came to the expected outcome. “Then you could—“

“My power doesn’t work like that. It’s not a permanent thing, just while I’m focused on it. So no, I can’t turn Japan back to normal.” He started to float away from Masayuki, heading towards Seiji. “Like I said before, I don’t want to fight. I’ll leave peacefully, so don’t follow us.” Yuki met them with an intense look that showed the depth of his resolve and determination. “You don’t stand a chance against me if I want to try.”

Masayuki could only watch as Yuki left. He wanted to do something, but it was impossible. Without their powers they were just normal humans once more against some a super human. Even if Yuki left peacefully, he did not like the way it was done. ‘This could have gone differently. I need to work on my team more. They’re too out of control.’

Once Yuki was gone, they found their powers had returned. He could see that their eagerness to go after Yuki after his boasting. “We’re returning. They aren’t a problem we need to deal with right now. The terrorists are the bigger problem right now. The balance of power in the city has been upset and there will likely be even more bloodshed before it all comes to rest.”

Umari leapt back as the team rejoined. “Which means more fighting,” she replied with an excited tone. The rest shared her immediate assumption.

He sighed and nodded that it was likely. ‘This is the worst way to manage a team, but they get results. And right now I need their power if I’m to bring stability to Japan.’ If he had to wield darkness for the sake of justice, he would do so. It was the necessary price for doing the right thing. Masayuki was convinced of that. He was doing right.

Chapter 312 – Scattered Pillars

Yuki finished up tending to the injuries Seiji sustained. Seiji was not completely thrilled with the whole idea of just immediately healing. It seemed like they were cheating. However, he was not really in a position to argue it at the moment. There were bigger problems that they needed handle and he needed to be in peak performance. “That UN team was extremely aggressive. How can you be certain that they did not make the attack? They were all over the place.”

“Mostly a gut feeling.” Seiji looked at him a little annoyed that he was following a gut feeling. “Mostly. I’ll admit that it looks just as incriminating with them being there. But I got the feeling that they were investigating. Especially the way their leader acted. I can’t see him ordering such an act.”

“Not everyone is going to be good and righteous in an organization, Yuki. There is darkness in all groups.”

It did not take questions for Yuki to know that Seiji was speaking from experience. They all sort knew how that worked. There would always be good and bad people in any group. They could not all be judged by the acts of a few. However, the UN’s position, intention and actions were still largely new and unknown to them. Storming through their home naturally left everyone very touchy. Even Yuki was bothered, but he could not take action against them he knew.

“Regardless of the UN. It’s the same as before. We can’t openly attack them right now. It’s the world policing arm. Attacking the UN is same as declaring war with the world. That’s not a good idea right now for Japan. Adding to the reasons to fear us is a bad move right now.”

Seiji slipped on the new shirt that Yuki made him. It was not something that he was ignorant on. “I’m aware of that. Doesn’t mean I’m always going to hold back.” He rubbed his scarred arm thinking about his brief skirmish with the UN team. “We were only warming up, but I could tell they were powerful. When we face them again they’re likely going to be even stronger. Those guys only live for fighting and fighting powerful opponents. They’re a very dangerous group.”

“I’m aware of that. For now, I have my trump card to keep them in line if they come after us.”

“Yeah, but that’s not to convince them to stop.”

“I know. The only way we will win in the end is to fight them and prove we’re stronger. It’s the only thing that they’ll understand. But that’s not something for now.”

“Right, we still need to find out where Saki and the others went to. They wouldn’t have been taken out by something like that. Saki’s too stubborn to go down.”

Yuki smiled a little and laughed in agreement. Seeing it worried him about the fate of his friends. The arrival of the UN group short changed them on their time to process and react to what they saw. But Seiji reminded him now of what happened. A devastating attack like that had to have killed a lot of people. “We need to investigate the site. They might be buried or something.”

“Yeah, but how you planning on getting in there? The UN is all over the place.”

“My powers should cover us.”

“I might be able to help answer that,” a new voice spoke from the shadows. It was a young girl probably about the same age as Chiharu, possibly a little older. She was dressed up in a hoodie and loose pants with a couple of misplaced straps of cloth hanging down. Had this been a normal Japan, she probably would have blended in way with the scenery. But in the ruins and grass, she stood out.

Seiji immediately jumped into a defensive position not certain about the new girl. ‘I didn’t even hear her approach. How long has she been following us?’ The girl’s blank and empty expression left him very uneasy. He knew how much Chiharu tried to be heartless and unfeeling, but this girl seemed to actually succeed where Chiharu failed.

Seeing Seiji all ready to act, Yuki stepped out in front. He did not want anymore fighting if they could avoid it. “Who are you?”

“Name’s Rin Morri. I work for Hiroshi.”

“Are you my tail?”

“Figured it out, you’re not as dumb as he implied.”

Yuki’s brow twitched a little. It was a lot of his own fault that everyone thought he was an idiot. He sort of designed it way, as it kept people off him and gave him a peaceful life. But now everyone was assuming that he did not figure things out. “That’s right. From what I saw talking to Hiroshi. I guessed him being the practical person the way he was acting, he’d do something to keep tabs on me. I am a very dangerous element.”

‘So he’s aware of even that,’ she thought. She had only been watching him for a distance, so she never got a good read on him. Up close, he had a completely different sort of presence. An unexpected, but pleasant surprise for her to be sure. “That makes things easier to explain then.”

“Yes, what did you mean by that you could help with locating our friends?”

“I’ve received no communications from the base beyond my last successful check in six hours ago. Given the scale of what happened, my best guess is that they triggered the base’s self-destruct and abandoned it.”

“Self-destruct?!” yelled Seiji, “You’re telling me that crater was from them blowing up their own base?”

Rin nodded. “Judging from the scale that I saw, it meets the expectations we had if we blew it up. My only guess is that they were suddenly overrun by the enemy. They weren’t even able to get communications out to me, meaning—“

“It was a surprise attack and a devastating opening move,” finished Yuki. He saw the look of worry come across Seiji’s face. It was only natural given that such an attack meant a lot of people probably died and it was possible some of their friend were caught in it. However, Yuki could give him some hope. “But if the self-destruct went off, that means likely that it was triggered. So someone survived the initial assault and possible more.”

“Right, Hiroshi wouldn’t have used it without trying to evacuate everyone. The best place to look for them is actually as the fall back point we have as a safe house if we lost the base.”

“Where is it?”

“It’s a bit of a walk, but it’s in a safe part of town away from all the fighting.” She turned around and started to point in the direction that they needed to head. “I’ll take you there. We’ll be able to find answers there.”

Seiji relaxed finally, though remained very tense. The thought of their friends in the attack gave natural concern. He just hoped they were all alive and safe. They had only been back one day and their home already tried to see them dead. Not the homecoming they were expecting.

Leaning over to Yuki, he asked, “Any ideas about their safe house?”

“Probably underground like their other base if I had to guess.” It seemed like a pointless question. He knew nothing about their setup, but Yuki figured that Seiji just needed to talk about something else. His mind was likely not in the best place at the moment. The same was for Yuki, he just had to hold out on hope they were all fine. He could not let himself fall apart yet, not without knowing.

The walk led them into town to a place that Yuki started to feel familiar. He had been through it before and got a sinking feeling he knew what was going to happen. And when they reached their destination with the bizarre, yet cool store front it only confirmed it for him. “Somehow I just knew it.”

“What you know this place?”

“Yeah, I think I told you about this place while we were doing our tour for a month. Saki, Yumi and a few others came with us.”

“What is this place then?”

“That’s a little complicated and hard to answer. Best to just think of it as a business.”

Ha slid open the door seemingly detecting their approach. She immediately recognized Yuki and got a smirking grin on her face. “Well if it isn’t the smartass crybaby.”

“Keeping the rude, playful attitude still I see,” Yuki commented while patting on her on the head. He passed by her and entered into the main lobby of the building. “We’ve come to see your Master.”

She pushed off his hand annoyed with his attitude towards her. Though she also seemed annoyed that she elicit no reaction from him for her comment. He was not here for business. “Yeah, Master is tending to our guests. Boobless-for-no-brains will show you.”

Seiji took some time to enter and only after Yuki kept motioning for him. ‘This place doesn’t feel right. Something’s wrong with it. And that girl too. All of them…’ He hurried alongside Yuki, who seemed to know what was going on. “What’s with this place? And that child? Why is she even working here?”

“The simple answer is that all three of them are sisters.”

“That’s impossible! There’s at least a fifty year age difference!”

“I see you’re still bad with judging ages. I think it’s more like thirty, but yes. The longer more complicated answer is that they’re all illusions of their Master.”

It was all really starting to hurt Seiji’s brain thinking about it. He only remembered some of the details from when Yuki told him about it. The reminder from Yuki only made him admit that he really was not paying much attention to Yuki when he was doing his storytelling. The tour was all pretty boring and especially the traveling. He slept most of it away. But he remembered one important piece. “Didn’t you say this was from before?”

“That’s right. Her powers don’t come from me.”

“Then she’s—“

“There’s an Atlantean in here?” questioned Nerine, who they had all sort of forgotten about until she spoke up. She had been doing a good job of staying out of their business as she promised. But the thought of another Atlantean woke her up. “If she’s here than she’s an exile.”

Nodding, Yuki recalled the vague details that the woman gave them. “Yeah, she explained it that way. Something about a mark on her body that preventing her from returning.”

“The Mark of the Exile, it’s given to MPs deemed a threat to Atlantis, but that their crimes aren’t enough to warrant execution.”

“But I thought it was forbidden for any of you to go outside?” reminded Seiji.

“It doesn’t happen often. I only know of it being used a few times in all of our history and under very special circumstances. The risk is too great to have us out in the world.”

“You’d be surprised how many of us are actually out here,” a new voice said coming out of an unmarked room. A familiar face stepped through the threshold. “The public doesn’t know about most of the exiles.”

Nerine gasped for a moment breaking stoic nature for a moment before covering it back up quickly. She settled back into her normal stance opening with questions. “Are you saying that the Council and King lied to the people?”

“Of course, they are always lying. That shouldn’t be a surprise.” Phoibe fully came out of the room and offered them entry. “But I believe there are more important answers you want at the moment.”


Masayuki stepped into the temporary tent leaving his team behind. Inside, several other high-ranking UN officers stood going over the details of the damage. They planned out possible strategies. It likely meant their deployment again. However, his meeting was with a different man in the tent. The one that looked out of place, wearing a business suit and carrying a polite business smile on his face.

The businessman was Takeshi Shigemitsu. A man that if he was not in the suit would have appeared more like a college professor or a librarian than someone working for a large corporation. Part of Arihyoshi, a company with their hands in a little bit of everything, he worked as a liaison to the UN. Thanks to some special technology that they had developed due to the sudden countrywide changes, they were providing the containment cells for those that they arrested as normal prisons would not hold those that they captured. They needed to put them somewhere safe for both their protection and everyone else.

Since he was the liaison, it meant that he worked closely with the man. In fact, he was approached by the man with the backing of the UN to put together his team. All of the people on his team were supplied to him by this man, Takeshi. Masayuki did not know how he managed to control or even have such wild elements, but it helped him keep the peace. So he did not ask unnecessary questions.

“Welcome back, Captain Ayabito.”

“Mr. Shigemitsu.”

“I hear reports that you had an encounter with an extremely unique Powered.”

“Yes, he had the ability to completely null any Powered within his field. To the point that we just became normal humans with even our physical attributes stolen.”

“That’s very distressing to hear for our peace efforts.”

“He said that he didn’t wish to fight. So I believe we’ll be fine. I don’t think he is a terrorist.”

“Is that so? It seems that you were able to talk to this man. What did you learn about him besides his power? Even if he is not a threat to our peacekeeping efforts. Someone with such power might be a possible ally if he can disable Powered.”

“I had considered it. He looks to be a teen boy maybe first or second year in high school, blackish-blue hair, 160-165 centimeters. His name was Yuki Hayashi.”

“Yuki Hayashi, you said?” Takeshi suddenly started flipping through notes that he had on hand. He paused and then kept going. Then he came to a stop when he found what he was looking for. “You’re certain?”

“Yes, that was the name he gave. Why, sir?”

“This is something we’ve been keeping private, but since you’re involved now I should tell you.”

“What is it?”

Takeshi showed him a special dossier created by the UN for special interest targets. Ones that they deemed major risks or threats to the stabilization efforts of Japan. It was still a small list since they only began a month ago their work. But it was his first time seeing a classified target. “Yuki Hayashi is the most wanted man in Japan by the UN.”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

“Yuki Hayashi, you said?” Takeshi suddenly started flipping through notes that he had on hand. He paused and then kept going. Then he came to a stop when he found what he was looking for. “You’re certain?”

“Yes, that was the name he gave. Why, sir?” Masayuki started to get a strange feeling scratching up his back. Someone that should have been just a name drop and leave took on more. He did not like that feeling.

“This is something we’ve been keeping private, but since you’re involved now I should tell you.”

It seemed it came to true. The way Takeshi opened was never a good sign for new. Something secretive suddenly been revealed. He wondered what he had missed. What he did not know. What they should have told him that would have changed the situation. “What is it?”

Takeshi showed him a special dossier created by the UN for special interest targets. Ones that they deemed major risks or threats to the stabilization efforts of Japan. It was still a small list since they only began a month ago their work. But it was his first time seeing a classified target. “Yuki Hayashi is the most wanted man in Japan by the UN.” The dossier had only a rough sketch that seemed to be close enough to the boy he saw. It was mostly just filled with data.

Anger immediately boiled through his veins wanting to lunge at the man for withholding something so important. It was a fruitless effort, which is why he kept himself in check. “What?! I haven’t heard anything about this! You had a suspect and you said nothing to me?!” Masayuki clinched his hands up thinking about how he had someone so important so close to him and just let him get away.

“Mr. Hayashi has been determined to be directly involved with the Japan Powered Incident. His capture has been our highest priority, but he disappeared completely. We didn’t know where he went after the incident until now. We kept it in the higher ups because he is considered to be the most powerful Powered created from this. So we have no way of successfully capturing him.”

He had a little trouble believing the report, but he had experienced the power that the boy wielded first hand. It might have been a simple to understand power, but it was the most threatening for the UN Powered Division. Someone like him could not be captured through normal means. His frustration at the allowed situation did not change his anger. “You can’t be serious, sir! If someone so powerful is out there we have to stop him! We might be able to get answers on why this happened and finally bring peace to Japan!”

“I understand how you feel, Captain.” Takeshi pulled the file back and fixed the order. He slid it down to his desk. “However, I must order you not to engage with him. We’ve kept this private because we have no way to combat him as you saw in your engagement. Until we have a way to successfully capture him without it being a certainty we’ll lose we choose to keep the matter classified. Since he had disappeared, we had hoped that would have given us enough time to find a way to address him. I only told you because I admire your resolve. We need more people like you to help bring peace to Japan. I don’t want to you recklessly endangering yourself.”

“That’s not right, sir!” Masayuki turned away unable to hold in his anger. He was given an order to do nothing when they knew the person responsible. He understood, but it did not stop him from his emotions. It was frustrating being so close. Yet, the display he saw from Yuki made him understand how powerful he was. It was definitely a threat to the peace of Japan.

Takeshi rushed over and grabbed his shoulder. “I gave you an order, Captain. This is the same as the UN. Don’t engage.”

Breaking free from his grip with ease, Masayuki pushed aside the tent flap. He looked back at the man. “Yes, sir. I understand.”

Chapter 313 – Most Wanted

With the room cleared of lower ranked members, the high ranked UN officers looked up from their work. General Evans, the British dispatched commander that headed all operations, kept a stoic yet stern expression for the Japanese man. The man might have been normal human like the rest, but he was still Japanese like the rest of the Powered. It still placed him in suspicions. “We still haven’t identified this Yuki Hayashi as the source or even involved in the matter. This is purely something your company seems to believe.”

Takeshi continued to hold a pleasant business smile on his face dealing with the threatening General. “General, someone or something has caused this situation. Someone baring powers described by the young man Masayuki is very curious. Able to completely negate someone else’s power.”

“Even so, logically it doesn’t make any sense someone that is Powered to have created this situation. The Powered appeared after the incident. If he is involved as you seem to believe, then he would have to be something different.”

The mousy-looking businessman’s smile cracked a little, but held together for the most part. “Yes, that would make sense. Wouldn’t it?”

General Evans’ face narrowed a little staring down the man. “Given that you believe this, do you have a way to capture him? If his powers are as reported.”

“My company has been developing a means for capturing him. The normal cells we’ve been providing you negate a Powered abilities, but we’ve been capturing greater numbers of stronger Powered lately and discovered that more advancements are needed. Someone as potentially powerful as Yuki Hayashi would need a special confinement made for him.”

“If he is active again now. Will you be ready for the next him he surfaces?” Even if he doubted the man, he believed the reports of what he did. Ignoring him being the cause, he was a threat with such power. He would completely shut down their peacekeeping efforts. The Powered teams would be useless.

Nodding to the worried General, Takeshi assured him, “Arihyoshi will be ready for Yuki Hayashi.”

Outside the tent, Masayuki rejoined his team. They all had the demanding look of wanting to know their next orders. Babysitting investigators was not their idea of worthwhile time spent. They merely hoped that one of the terrorists would walk into the base and give them something interesting to do. Hayashi’s appearance was exactly what they wanted.

“Our leader looks angry,” Umari teased, easily seeing the emotions painted over his face.

“Did they spank you for failing to capture two Powered?” Hanari taunted.

He looked out at the four members of his team. They were not what he wanted. They had no interest in peace or stability. They were not like him. Yet it was what he had to work with. They were the only thing he had. “We have new standing orders. In addition, to capturing rogue Powered, we will be actively searching for the Powered named Yuki Hayashi. He is considered the highest priority target in Japan.”

“So we’ll get to fight them again,” Nawabe remarked with a grin coming across his face.

“Umari, were you able to copy his power?”

“No. Normally, I’m able to remember anyone’s power, but there is something different about the way his power works. I got the feeling that it wasn’t like the rest of us.”

Hanari looked over at Umari as did the others with curiosity. “Someone not like us? Sure it’s not just because you didn’t have your power when it happened?”

“I can remember powers when I’m unconscious. My body remembers it. With him, it was like he wasn’t even there. Like he wasn’t even using a power.”

Masayuki stared at her for a moment while he let that absorb. ‘He really is dangerous. Something will have to be done about him. I will find you, Yuki Hayashi. You can’t escape me.’


There were definitely more important matters as Phoibe stated. Directed into a deeper wing of her business, something physically impossible for her space, she showed them all to where what remained of the Hiroshi Faction. Rin immediately found her Commander and ran off to report in.

Yuki hovered near the threshold with Phoibe. He could see everything and the signs it painted. “So you’re the one behind it then?”

Smiling at him like she knew nothing, she asked, “Which are you meaning?”

Narrowing his features as he stared at her, he shifted his stance to a power position. “I’m tired of everyone thinking I’m an idiot. I’m not blind. Their base, you made that for them.”

“Is that what you think? I’m just a businesswoman giving aid to refugees.”

“Right. You can drop the act. Knowing that you’re involved I’ve got most of it already figured out.”

“Well aren’t you a smarty.”

“Hey!” interrupted Seiji. He waved his hand between the two of them to grab their attention. “I don’t see everyone.”

“A lot of people died during the attack,” Phoibe reported.

“No, Saki, Yumi and Fumiko aren’t here. They can’t have died!”

The names of his friends immediately choked up Yuki. It was something that he feared. They were all strong and survived a lot in Atlantis. So he did not want to think that they could be killed. “Seiji…are you sure?”

“Yes! I can see everyone in the room. Unless you’re hiding more elsewhere, they aren’t here!”

“This is everyone that came back.”

“What the hell?! Where the hell is this Hiroshi?!” Seiji started marching into the room blindly calling out for Hiroshi. He was grabbing random people shaking them down for information.

“Damn! Seiji!” Yuki rushed into large room trying to stop him before he made any more of a scene. But he did not have a chance to stop him. Hiroshi surfaced to the calling, though not looking like he wanted to deal with an emotional Seiji. “Seiji!”

Quickly throwing his arm out, Seiji grabbed Hiroshi by the collar. “Where are they?! Tell me you bastard!”

Hiroshi held an initially distant look in his eyes as if he was somewhere else. However, the sound of Yuki’s voice both alerted him and took him away from Seiji. “…Yuki…you’ve come back…”

“I’m talking to you damnitall!”

“Shut up.” Hiroshi casually broke free from Seiji and marched over to Yuki. He hardened his expression in his approach. “Have you made your decision?”

“I’m more interested in the answers you have right now, Hiroshi,” Yuki shot back. He was still stuck on wanting him to pick a side. There was something more important to him at the moment.

“What answers do you want? The fact that Takako wiped out our base. Or that the group leading them was Saki, Yumi and Fumiko and they were killed innocent people.”

Seiji lost it long before Yuki even had time to react. He rammed his fist into Hiroshi’s face sending him to the floor among a few of the spared survivors. “How dare YOU say that! Take that back right now!”

Largely unfazed by it, Hiroshi lifted himself up ignoring the blood off his lip. “There’s nothing to take back. Not when it’s the truth.”

Lunging at him, Seiji tried to punch Hiroshi again, but Yuki stopped him. The mist had adapted enough from the last time that he figured out what he needed to keep him at bay. “Seiji! Punching him won’t get any answers!”

“You can’t be serious, Yuki! You believe him?” Struggling against Yuki’s power, he had not stopped trying to hit Hiroshi. The look of his detached and cold delivery only made him more angry. It reminded him of how Ayumi could be.

“Explain yourself, Hiroshi before I can’t hold him back anymore.”

“Threatening me now?” Hiroshi glanced over at Yuki. He did not seem anymore concerned about his situation with the looming Seiji.

Grinding his teeth together, Yuki hated the situation that they were in. This was not the sort of scene with someone that he thought of as a friend was supposed to play out. They were not supposed to be at odds with each other. They should be working together, not at each other throats. “What happened? Tell me, Hiroshi. What’s changed? I saw your base. I need to know!”

“Are you going to join us?”

“Damnit, Hiroshi! Stop with the sides! I can still help you without picking a side!”

“No you can’t. You need to understand that they’re lost. They’re all lost to us. Reality is not what you want or wish, but how it is. Accept it!”

“I won’t kill friends!”

“Then leave. I don’t want your help. Not someone that can’t fully commit.” Hiroshi stood up brushing past Seiji, still held in place by Yuki. He started to walk away looking back at the survivors. “Naïve ideals won’t change the facts. Your friends have been taken from you. And since you don’t have the resolve, I shall kill them all with my hand. It is the only thing that can be done at this point.” Tilting his head back towards the two of them. “This is the new world.”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

“Are you going to join us?”

“Damnit, Hiroshi! Stop with the sides! I can still help you without picking a side!”

“No you can’t. You need to understand that they’re lost. They’re all lost to us. Reality is not what you want or wish, but how it is. Accept it!”

“I won’t kill friends!”

“Then leave. I don’t want your help. Not someone that can’t fully commit.” Hiroshi stood up brushing past Seiji, still held in place by Yuki. He started to walk away looking back at the survivors. “Naïve ideals won’t change the facts. Your friends have been taken from you. And since you don’t have the resolve, I shall kill them all with my hand. It is the only thing that can be done at this point.” Tilting his head back towards the two of them. “This is the new world.”

Yuki clinched his fists together feeling his nails digging into the skin. “To hell with your world!” It was no place for him to be any longer. He thought it would be different, but it was the same. Everything changed too much and became dark.

What few people that could stand in Hiroshi’s group moved to block Yuki’s path out. He could not allow him to leave, the risk was too great. It was mistake he granted due to misplaced sentiment. No more could be made. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“To pay my respects to a friend I lost.” Yuki glared over at Hiroshi almost taunting him. He knew the situation just as well as Hiroshi. Yet the guards remained in his way. “Do you really think you can stop me?”

“You wouldn’t fight your way out of here.”

“I don’t need to fight. You’ll let me walk.”

The confidence that permeated from Yuki unnerved Hiroshi. He knew what Yuki was capable of doing better than any of the others in his group. They would do whatever he told them. They would charge in against Yuki, someone that they would all easily underestimate. ‘That power of his…I don’t know if it is on or off right now. I don’t know if he already has plans in motion. Seems we’ve both changed…’ Hiroshi did not know what to make of the look he was getting from Yuki. He acted with naivety, yet had a ruthlessness that went completely contrary to him. It was an unsettling paradox, and not one he felt was worth stirring at the moment.

Flicking his fingers signaled the guards to drop, though they had some doubts about the orders. “Yuki. Stop clinging to the past. You’re friend is dead and he’s not coming back.”

Yuki stared with melancholy burned into his eyes. “I’m starting to see that.”

Chapter 314 – Crawling at the Darkness

As he walked out of the room, Phoibe stopped him. “Planning on abandoning them? Abandoning your home?”

“I came back because I won’t,” he shot back to someone that felt more like an interloper than someone that actually understood things. She might have lived in the city for a while, but this was here he was born. It was not something he would ignore.

“So what do you plan to do? You can’t fight Takako alone as you are.”

“They don’t worry me.”

“Already becoming arrogant in your superiority? The Atlantean blood in you is stronger than you thought.”

He slipped out of her grip and kept walking away. “It’s not arrogances or superiority, just simple facts. I gave them their powers and I can take them away.” Yuki walked through the threshold letting the door close.

Phoibe stared at the door that hid Yuki. “It is our greatest mistake thinking that we’re gods.”

Seiji popped out of the room to chase after Yuki. He lost his interest in trying to convince a bunch of dark and depressed people of their mistakes. His friend was all that really mattered. “Where’d Yuki go?” he asked Phoibe, as he searched out quickly.

“Your friend’s went to brood.”

“Huh?”

“He stepped out. He’s probably not very far right now, but wait too long and he’ll likely do something foolish.”

Not completely following her meaning, he understood enough that he needed to find Yuki. In his mind, there was nothing wrong with doing anything foolish. Her tone made it seem like it was a problem. Seiji was more than up for something foolish.

Outside, he did not immediately find Yuki. So he leapt up to the highest building in the block to start scouting things out. Finding him was actually easier than he expected. Yuki was on the same rooftop that he jumped on. “Yuki?!” His landing put him dangerously close to actually flattening him. It staggered his steps nearly making him fall backwards.

Taking a few moments to balance himself, Seiji recovered and walked over to sit down next to him. He recognized the look in his eyes. It was the same one that he had back at his shrine. “What are you doing, Yuki? I thought we already decided we were going to stop all of this. Why are you hesitating now?”

“It’s not that, Seiji. I’m going to stop it, this is a problem I caused and I’ll put an end to it.”

“That Takako girl caused it not you.” He did not really see why Yuki blamed himself for something that strangers did. The whole thing even started while they were away. So he did nothing.

“That maybe true, but I’m the one that gave her powers. If I hadn’t given her powers none of this would have happened.”

“You can’t blame yourself for something like that.”

“Why not? This whole thing is my fault! The people suffering in our home are suffering because of my mistakes! My power caused this!”

Seiji threw out a quick punch at Yuki with as much as control as possible. Even though it did not kill him, it still sent him tumbling away. It was not an easy thing to hold back. “People are suffering, in pain and dying all over the world and you think that’s your fault as well?”

“Huh?” Pain still pulsed deeply in his cheek from the punch that Yuki was a little distracted. He had to right himself first. “What’s that got to do with me? I didn’t do anything.”

“But you could right? With your powers you could go around everywhere putting an end to everything. Right?”

“I guess so…”

“But you’re not. People are dying because you did nothing. Is that your fault?”

“It’s not the same thing!” With the pain calming, Yuki started to see where Seiji was going with his direction. He was just trying to find an excuse for him. Yuki could not accept it.

“It’s not? Action or inaction, how are they any different when if you acted differently things could be better?”

It was more of a philosophical debate. A rather surprising thing to be having with Seiji, Yuki admitted. He did not really have a clean answer for it when looked at it like that. “I-I…”

Seiji stood up and walked over to help Yuki up. “It’s not different. So you made a mistake, everyone does. You want to fix it, do so and stop dwelling. Focus on what you can do rather than what you should have done.”

Grinning a little, Yuki felt a little odd getting such help from Seiji. But it sounded right. “I need to fix this. Though it’s not always easy to forget that this is my mistake. It’s not something small that people can just forgive.”

He pulled Yuki up. They stared at each other with grinning smirks in exchange. “Well then I’ll just punch you again to set your head right. Remember to stay focused.”

“I’ll try.”

“So what’s the plan?” Seiji punched his fists together trying to put the energy back into the air. They needed something a little more positive. He was tired off all of the heavy atmosphere. “You’ve got a plan, right?”

Yuki laughed a little at Seiji reverting to his simplicity. He gave a small nod as he turned to look out in the direction of their neighborhood. It was far away and in the night they could not see a thing. The lights and smoke created a haze over the area that was only barely recognizable. “I’m working on something in my mind.”

“I knew you had to be. After your little stunt at the execution grounds, I doubted that you’d be going into this blind. Not that I’m opposed to that.”

“Yeah, it’s a different situation. Blindly charging in is not going to be something we can do. Not to mention they’re classmates and friends in there. I’m not hurting anyone.”

He walked out next to Yuki to join him. “That might not be possible. I don’t agree anymore with those guy’s beliefs, but some fighting seems to be likely.”

“I’m not killing anyone, Seiji,” Yuki stated clearly, turning his head up towards Seiji.

“I didn’t say we were. But a few bruises and cuts are going to happen.”

“I know, that’s why the focus is going to be Takako. She’s the core of the problem and likely the solution as well.” Yuki tilted his head back towards the water reservoir. Standing on top of it watching them, Nerine remained silent the entire time. “What about you?”

“I will follow you. But I’m a neutral party, I can’t involve myself in these matters.”

“Nerine!”

Yuki threw up his arm to stop Seiji. “It’s fine. You have to remember that she’s got a lot of burdens as well. This is a foreign country for her, involvement would come back on Atlantis. For now, Atlantis has still elected to stay out of world affairs.”

“They can’t just close their eyes and pretend the world doesn’t exist!”

“Don’t forget I’m the King, Seiji. One problem at a time.” Atlantis had almost too many problems for one person to handle. Running around Japan certainly was not solving any of them, but Japan had more immediate matters. He had too many things to fix. And he was not even sure he could fix the Takako problem. It was just a hope.

“So this is where you went off too,” a familiar voice called out from a building away. They jumped up the rest of the way to land nearby them.

“Tatsuya. What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be off with Hiroshi sharpening your knives?”

Shrugging a little, Tatsuya seemed to be trying to play off some of the seriousness. “You’re not really giving him a chance.”

Yuki stepped out in front to confront Tatsuya directly. “I’ve listened to all I want from him. We won’t see eye to eye.”

Sighing, he knew how hard it was going to be talking to Yuki. He crossed his arms and settled in for the long haul. “You’ve had the benefit not being here since it’s started. I’m not sure you can easily say you wouldn’t be changed by everything that happened.”

“What you’re justifying the murder of friends?”

“I’m not justifying anything. Murder is still murder, if the law even cared anymore about what happened, yes we all deserve to be in prison or executed for what we’ve done. But you do what you need to survive and protect others.”

“There are other ways!”

“We thought that way before, but Hiroshi learned the cost of such thinking. Before you pass judgment on the way he acts, may you should know what happened.”

Yuki crossed his arms as well, but meant it to close himself off. He did not have any interest in hearing about whatever story caused Hiroshi to change. His friend was dead and that was all that mattered to him. There was no reasoning with any of them. They had so much blood on their hands all they could do to keep moving forward was to keep killing. It was all their justification and excuse. It supported them and if they stopped they would see the sort of monsters that they had become. He could not excuse such logic.

However, Seiji stepped up and put a hand on Yuki’s shoulder. “We should hear him out.”

“Seiji?”

“He is your friend right? Someone you care about. It may not excuse them, but maybe you can understand.”

Remaining silent for more than a minute, Yuki visibly looked to be conflicted. It took him all that time to finally take a seat on the edge of the roof. “Fine. I’ll listen.”

“Good, this goes back to a few days after everything went to hell,” Tatsuya began.

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

Green, everywhere it was green. Tatsuya never knew what to make of it. Sure, he knew that Yuki caused it after that earthquake had destroyed their school. But what did that exactly mean. Just saying that it was Yuki’s fault did not really answer anything. And saying that the city was different was just as vague. It was weird and strange, he never really what to expect around the next corner. Most people just hid themselves in their homes, a smart choice.

Why did he not follow their example? He had been doing the same mostly. School was closed, most places were closed. It was pointless wondering around. Only someone looking for trouble roaming about in their town anymore.

An unsettling thump made it through the streets towards Tatsuya. ‘Something’s coming…’ He immediately jumped over the nearest property wall and climbed up the massive twenty-meter tall tree. Such things never existed before, in a city that had no room or place. Nature no longer cared if civilization had room or could accommodate them. They just grew and everywhere. This one destroyed half of the house in the process of growing.

The unfortunate homeowners were the least of his worries. Climbing the tree served two purposes. It put him in better position to scout the noise, but also kept him out of notice hopefully. Near the top of the tree, he poked out on one of the branches. “Now where are you…” he whispered to himself. Following the noise, he tracked it back to strange boar like monster. It looked like someone crossed a boar with a lion and possibly even a dragon and them just mixed all of the parts up. Only the boar shape seem to be there, but it was nothing that used to exist before.

At more than ten blocks away, he had a long time to wait before it left the area. “Really not used to this yet. I know things I shouldn’t be able to.” He knew that his ears heard things too far away and too quiet normally that he never would have before. The slight vibrations in the earth from that boar he could feel. It was unnerving what he knew. Sure it saved his life and improved his chances of survival, but it was not something he was used to dealing with. Every time heard or felt something, he was completely convinced it was just around the corner. His mind had not adjusted to how vastly different his body had changed. “Did you do this for our sake, Yuki? Did you know that we’d need this to survive? Is that why?”

Chapter 315 – Tainted Land

Free to move again, Tatsuya arrived at his destination. The only reason he came out into the hell of their city anymore. “Hey man, still talking?”

Rows deep into the cemetery, Hiroshi lifted his head up from the grave he had likely been staring at for hours. “I’ve lost anymore words at this point.” His voice trailed off at the end almost as if trapped by an invisible hand ripping them away into hiding.

Despite the front that Hiroshi put up for Yuki, Tatsuya knew the truth. ‘He acts strong and brave in front of everyone else, but he can’t stop thinking about it. I wish Yuki was still here, it might just be a façade for Yuki’s sake, but he’s in a better state around him. He can’t be dwelling on this forever…’ Tatsuya walked up behind Hiroshi placing a hand on his shoulder.

“It’s hard, Tatsuya. I keep seeing him in my mind. I know the truth, but that doesn’t help things. I still have this urging, feeling…disgusting feeling…I need to blame something, someone. It’s wrong, he’s my friend and he’s not at fault.” His body was shaking. Tatsuya could nearly hear the way he was fighting with his body. “How are you managing all of this, Tatsuya? Unlike me, you’ve been friends since you were five. Compared to you I barely knew him and I’m more of a wreck here.”

‘On the contrary…I just know, like you for Yuki, the front is important. Without it we’d all fall apart.’ His room would tell Hiroshi a completely different story. In fact, focusing on the changes in his body had been the only thing that helped to get his mind off Kazuhiro. Even if it was just a distract, a way to forget, it was needed. He had lost things destroy.

Sanity was a precarious thing.

“Death happens to everyone,” answered Tatsuya, “I have my memories of Kazuhiro. So he lives inside me. In that way, he’s not dead.” It was all just a bunch of self-deceptive bullshit, but if it worked to get Hiroshi out of his depression he would say anything.

“That’s a positive way of looking at it.” He seemed to be contemplating the different perspective.

Tatsuya did not really plan to give him time to fall back. He had his attention and he was the most awake he had been in a while. “So what did you call me out here for?”

“The school. You’ve heard the rumors or seen the strange things happening, right?”

Seen might have been the more accurate option for Tatsuya. He hid himself away from the world and his city. So hearing any sort of rumor was nearly impossible. But while he came out to the cemetery it was hard not to something odd in the distance. It was the opposite direction of the cemetery, but something happened at the school. “It was a joke to think that they could just pick things up like nothing happened. You think it’s the UN peacekeeping forces?”

Hiroshi rubbed his chin in thought. He finally started to look like the friend Tatsuya knew. “It’s the only guess right now. But we know that whatever Yuki did changed us all. So maybe some thug got it in their head to try to do something.”

Since Hiroshi seemed to be aware of more of what was happening than him, he pushed for information. “What are these rumors?”

“Someone’s built an army at our school and claiming the city for their own.”

‘Explains why he thinks that it could be some thug with powers. The whole thing sort of seems like a lottery, so some probably have stronger or more useful powers than others.’ However, a rumor was still just a rumor. They hardly knew anything about what was going on their city, their home. He knew that would not set right with Hiroshi. That seemed to be the main driving force for keeping his sanity. The school just opened too, depending on when this happened a lot of classmates may have been caught up in this.”

Turning to look in the direction of their school, Hiroshi’s determination surfaced. The face that could not be turned away from a decision. It was the same reckless look that Tatsuya saw when they became friends. For all of his laziness, he had a bad habit of helping others. “Which is why we need to go find out what happened and if something has happened to our friends. We need to save them!”

‘You’ve left me with a difficult responsibility, Kazuhiro. Only one of us is left to keep our friend from blindly following he’s more stupid and idealistic side.’ Generally, any sort of trouble they got into the past was pretty minor stuff. Hiroshi did have a habit of actually make things work out when it seemed impossible for them to go as planned. He was dead set on seeing those doing wrong served for their error and making sure the innocent were not involved. “You know this sort of thing seems more suited for Yuki and his little group that he’s collected. They actually seem to have abilities and know how to use them. We still don’t know what we have, if anything useful.”

“But Yuki’s not here,” Hiroshi noted, tilting his head over his shoulder at Tatsuya. Another unfortunate truth. Neither of them knew what happened to Yuki or Saki. It had been weeks since they heard or seen them. “We both know that Saki more than any of them would have been immediately causing trouble when she learned about the school. Same with Yuki, he’d follow her if he did not go first.”

“They’re like someone we know.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Hiroshi turned away from Tatsuya focusing back on the school. It was their goal, even if it was a bad idea. Someone needed to do something. “We don’t know what happened to them. Maybe their captured, maybe Yuki went to explore Japan to find a way to fix it, sounds like something he would do. Whatever the case, none of them are here. It’s just us and we will have to do.”

“Two against an entire army?”

“A rumored army.”

“Because that makes me feel any better.”

“We’re just scouting for now.”

It was his job to keep his friend safe from reckless actions. However, there was no talking him out of it. And it was not like he disagreed with what Hiroshi wanted to do. If their home was in danger, he wanted to do something as well. He just knew how Hiroshi’s plans went, usually sideways before they were successful. “You know I’ve got your back.”

“Thanks man!”

The walk to the school had to come to a stop before they could even get in range of it. They came to a stop just out of sight of a fight. Hiroshi peaked around the corner a second time. Even before they were able to see it, they heard something happening and approached with caution. “Damn! What’s going on? I’m seeing the UN fighting people from our school.”

“The UN has gone too far if they’re fighting a bunch of students!”

Hiroshi crept out slowly with Tatsuya. They had not been spotted. So if they could get a jump on them, they might be able to save their friends from being beaten up or worse by the UN soldiers. However, just as they were ready to make their move to save them the fight ended.

What neither of them realized until it was too late, the soldiers were just defending themselves. They had been ambushed and only a couple remained alive. The rest were already dead by the time they arrived at the scene. The last two died before they could do anything. It all happened before their eyes. Then the worst happened.

Once dead, the students tore into the soldiers with their powers or just through brute strength. It was a completely savage and unearthly sight like out of a horror movie. Organs, bones and blood were everywhere. It soaked their black uniforms making it difficult to read any of the gore on them.

Both Hiroshi and Tatsuya covered up their mouths and held in their urge to throat up. They were too close to the whole thing. Any sort of new noise would alert them to their position. A strange sort of fear kept them their body in check. At least until they left. Once it was safe, their bodies could not hold themselves back any longer.

“What the hell was that?” yelled Tatsuya, hoping he no longer had anything left in his stomach to toss up. His throat burned and mouth stank of acid. Worse was the image of people he knew doing such things. Remembering it again just made his stomach start to choke once more. It had nothing left and so all he had was pain. It was all he could feel anymore.

Hiroshi leaned up against the wall of a building resting his body. He did not know what he had seen. It just seemed impossible. “I don’t know. It’s a nightmare.” Rejection seemed to be the only thing that he could do to justify it in his mind.

“This is a whole hell of a lot worse than your rumors.”

“…yeah…”

“What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know.”

“Hiroshi!”

“I don’t know!”

Tatsuya jumped over and pushed him down to the ground flat just as a light flashed over them. “There’s someone still here.” He looked around trying to see where the attack came from. But there was too much in the way.

“I thought they left!”

“Maybe they heard us, I don’t know! But it doesn’t matter right now!” Tatsuya dragged Hiroshi up against the building around the corner. It was the only cover they had the moment judging from the angle of attack. He looked around the corner still looking for them.

Hiroshi was shaking not knowing what to do. It only made sense. Neither of them had really been in a fight, a real fight like this. Street brawls that Yuki did or just the angry student did not have any comparison. This was someone looking to kill them. The lethal intent ran so thick it soaked through his skin. ‘Damn…what are we going to do? Neither of us are ready for this. I’m used to hiding, not fighting.’

Something suddenly ran through the wall barely missing them. Only a thin trail of light could be seen through all of the exploding brick and mortar from it bursting through the wall. It was not safe for them, even cover. They ran around trying to stay ahead of their attacker while the building turned into ruins.

Escaping to a completely different building, their former protection finally collapsed in a pile of smoke. Coughing through all of the dust and debris, they quickly became familiarized with their situation.

Live or die.

A simple binary.

Hiroshi came to the realization first and grabbed Tatsuya. “Hey man, you know roughly where they are at this point?”

“Huh?” It snapped him a little out of his paralysis, but his mind was still playing catch up.

“I’m going to be the decoy, you get around behind them.”

“What?! Are you crazy?” Another blast of light came through the building stopping any arguments. Hiroshi just stared at him. He was telling him to run. A plan, a terrible plan, but their only plan. Tatsuya nodded begrudgingly and waited for Hiroshi to make his move.

Like all of his reckless plans, it seemed to be working. Hiroshi did everything loud and easy to spot to make the enemy follow his movements. It gave Tatsuya all the time he needed to start looking for the source. All of the lights throwing across the area gave him plenty of points. He only needed a few seconds to know exactly where they were now until under fire. ‘I’ve got you…’

It took longer than he wanted to sneak around, but in a minute he was in position. The sounds of Hiroshi still playing decoy urged him forward even in his hesitation. Up there was another student most likely. Someone he knew. ‘Who is it? Someone I know or someone I passed by in the halls? What’s going on here?’

Tatsuya could not hold. He jumped up to the rooftop making his move. The turned figure was in the perfect position. He could not tell who they were, but they were trying to kill Hiroshi. They was all he knew. He could fight, for Hiroshi.

Charging at them while still turned away, Tatsuya grabbed them from behind and lifted them off the ground. It was all just a spur of the moment. He needed a knock out. So he went with the move he knew, the one he saw Saki do a few times in class, usually to Hiroshi, a German Suplex. He figured with enough force and more on the head that he should be able to drive them unconscious.

The unplanned force actually sent the individual through the roof of the building. Cracks shot out around them before the whole thing collapsed dropping them both down on the second floor and then the first floor.

Coughing and dazed, Tatsuya tried to find his balance as Hiroshi came rushing in. “Hey are you alright, man?! What the hell did you do?”

Waving through the smoke, he tried to find Hiroshi. “Just a little thing I saw someone else do.” He then looked over at the student he attacked. Hopefully, they were out. And by the looks of it, they did not seem to be moving. However, Tatsuya froze in shock.

“Where are you?” Hiroshi called working his way through the building. Tracing through the smoke, he managed to find Tatsuya. “Hey man, what’s wrong? You hurt from the fall?” He just saw Tatsuya looking down. In confusion, he stared down and staggered back in surprise. “It can’t be…Sakura?!”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

Coughing and dazed, Tatsuya tried to find his balance as Hiroshi came rushing in. “Hey are you alright, man?! What the hell did you do?”

Waving through the smoke, he tried to find Hiroshi. “Just a little thing I saw someone else do.” He then looked over at the student he attacked. Hopefully, they were out. And by the looks of it, they did not seem to be moving. However, Tatsuya froze in shock.

“Where are you?” Hiroshi called working his way through the building. Tracing through the smoke, he managed to find Tatsuya. “Hey man, what’s wrong? You hurt from the fall?” He just saw Tatsuya looking down. In confusion, he stared down and staggered back in surprise. “It can’t be…Sakura?!”

Hiroshi looked up to stare at Tatsuya. Neither of them had the answers the other wanted. It did not make any sense. They knew her, Sakura Maruyama. She attended the same junior high school and went way back for Hiroshi. Even though she was in a different class, they were still in the same high school as well. It was someone that Hiroshi could rely on despite their history.

“What the hell is going on here?” yelled Hiroshi louder than he should. He seemed to need to shout just to make it feel like he had some grasp on reality still, because it was clear that the world had finally lost touch with it. His hands shook trying to keep his body from vent on whatever was the nearest target.

Tatsuya did not have any words. He knew her well enough from the times he saw the two of them talking. She should want to attack either of them. They were not close friends, but nothing happened to incite her.

Stepping out in front of Tatsuya, Hiroshi forced him to see only him. “You’re sure Sakura was the one attacking us?”

“She was on the roof. I don’t want to believe it anymore than you, man. There has to be a reason for this.”

“Of course there is! We’re taking her with us!”

“Got a plan?”

“Not so much a plan right now. She’s got answers and we’ve got questions. So we’re leaving for now. It’s not safe here.”

The thought of what happened to those UN soldiers resurfaced in his mind. Students attacked and killed them. None of what happened made sense. Tatsuya would just be glad to be away from it all. Hiding really was the best strategy. “Right. You want the legs or arms?” He bent down to start lifting Sakura up. Unconscious they could only carry her off.

Chapter 316 – Shattered Hopes

Carrying around an unconscious girl was awkward enough. Their homes were not an option. And since the school was already out as well, they ran out of places to take Sakura. So they wondered around the neighborhood trying to figure out a place that would be safe. If it had been any other day, they would have had cops on them almost immediately. Now no one cared about anything that happened. Even if someone did call, it was just as likely to be ignored by the police. They had bigger things going on with the UN deployment and monsters roaming. A sad truth that they were thankful for since trying to explain themselves would have been impossible.

All they could really do was find another roof. Sitting out in the open or even some alley just was too much of a risk. They did not want anyone accidently stumbling across them. It really was more questions than they wanted to answer.

Staring at Sakura, they waited on her to wake up. She did not look too worse for wear from what Tatsuya did. More scuffed up than any real visible injuries. However, she was taking a while to wake up. Hiroshi glanced over at Tatsuya. “She’s taking a long time to wake up.”

“What’s with that look, man? I was just following the plan.”

“Which involved performing a suplex on a girl?”

“Hey, I’ve only watched Saki do it. I don’t know if I did it right or not.”

“So you may have killed her with that move!”

“I didn’t and you know she’s still alive! We check her pulse. She’s just knocked out, I can’t kill someone you know that.”

“Yeah, sorry man. This whole situation is just too messed up.”

Tatsuya looked back at Sakura hoping that she would wake up. They needed answers and yelling at each other did nothing. But he picked up on something that had been bothering him for a while. “What’s with the black uniform? Ours is blue, but this looks like ours.”

“I don’t know. Someone dying uniforms now?”

“Someone’s got a bored hobby.”

Long hours passed until it was night. There was nothing they could do but wait. It took too long, but Sakura finally started to move. She slowly opened her eyes. Both Hiroshi and Tatsuya leaned in to check on her. However, a streak of light shot between them that they narrowly dodged out of the way. Only the movement of her arm gave them time to react.

They jumped back to get a little more distance. “Woah, woah! Sakura, it’s me! Hiroshi Kuroda! We’re aren’t going to hurt you!”

Tatsuya however saw the next attack coming for Hiroshi specifically. He jumped in the way trying to pull Hiroshi down, but he was not fast enough. The light slice through his forearm shooting blood up and over Hiroshi’s face.

“Tatsuya!” Hiroshi grabbed him staggering back in shock. He could see something was wrong with Sakura. The look in her eyes did not seem right. She could not tell it was him. “Sakura! What’s wrong?! Please tell me!”

“Hi…roshi…” muttered Tatsuya through the pain. He remembered too well the sort of pain. The day that changed everything taught him what pain was. This barely came close to the levels he experienced, but it did not change how much it hurt him. He pulled Hiroshi over to get him out of the way of the attack. As the light blew through the roof, he used his good arm to finish the job. Cracks jumped around the roof dropping them down into the fourth floor of the building that they tried to escape troubling people.

Unfortunately, they did not fall very far, as it was a storage room. They landed only half a meter or so down on top of the shelves. Their weight crushed the boxes they dropped upon. Of greater concern was their friend, Sakura. She stalked over to the hole in the roof. The light up from the room was all the real illumination she got other than the moon. It painted dark shadows over her face. A menacing presence stood before them.

It was not Sakura.

Grabbing Hiroshi by his shirt, Tatsuya drug them down to the floor to escape an easy shot. A smart decision since she followed up with no hesitation. The shelves they laid on a moment before were riddled with holes.

“Damn…Hiroshi, snap out of it!” He slapped Hiroshi as they huddled up against the wall.

Clutching his cheek in stinging pain, Hiroshi stared at him snapped out of his shock. “Tatsuya…”

“Get it together, Sakura’s trying to kill you!”

“Why?”

“Hell if I know! But it’s clear now, she wants only to kill.”

“That doesn’t make any sense!”

“This is just the reality of our situation, man! I can’t explain it to you!”

Hiroshi stood up looking towards the roof where Sakura stood. “This must be a mistake. A bad dream…” Light shot through the roof at them. Without any clue to their location, the attacks were blind. Not that they were poorly estimated. It only missed Hiroshi’s foot by a few centimeters. He staggered back. “…Sakura…why?”

“Run! Hiroshi!” Tatsuya pushed Hiroshi down just as the next attack came in. As she seemed to locked on to them, it was significantly more accurate. If Hiroshi had not been pushed down by Tatsuya it would have ran him through the head. Instead, it went through Tatsuya’s shoulder throwing him back as Hiroshi dropped to the floor.

He turned over to see Tatsuya pressed against the wall with blood dripping down his shirt and the wall. “Tatsuya!”

Covering up the wound as much as possible, Tatsuya ground his teeth through the pain. “You need to stop her, man. She’s going to kill us.”

“Tatsuya!”

“Stop shouting my name and do something.”

Hiroshi tilted back towards the roof. She was up there somewhere. He stared at the blank ceiling. It started to develop more cracks from Sakura’s recklessness. He charged forward changing a lethal blow into a grazing wound on his upper arm. “…Sakura…”

He kept running forward towards the larger hole, the one Tatsuya created. He jumped up to the shelf and threw himself out of the hole. The damage and his weight finally ended the life of the metal shelf. It collapsed in a pile of boxes half torn apart.

Tatsuya stared up at the roof wondering how he was doing. He could hear them, but it was all sounds that he was not familiar with. So he could not judge it. However, he did see lights shoot through the roof again. Which meant that Sakura was still moving around. Dirt and dust rained down harder with each of the sounds. Larger pieces started to break free until it became clear that the whole thing was going to collapse soon.

He forced himself to stand getting to the nearby door. Trying to move his arms were too much of a pain. “Damn it,” he cursed stared at his body. All he had left was his legs that still worked fine. One kick put his foot completely through the metal door rather than actually knocking it down. “This isn’t like the movies…” He leaned on the door with his door to break through the rest of the way.

Just as he did, the roof finally lost what little integrity it had. The walls broke apart from the weight of the roof breaking apart. Most of the fourth floor became exposed to the night sky. But more important was the fate of Hiroshi. Tatsuya could not see very well through the now darkened room and smoke filled air. “Hiroshi! Are you still alive, man?”

Coughing, Hiroshi’s shadow surfaced from the debris. “Yeah, somehow. Argh, damn…”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing! Just get out of here!”

“I’m not leaving you!”

“That’s all well and good, but I’d rather here those lines from a girl.”

The smoke finally cleared along with his eyes adjusting to the dark once more. Tatsuya saw through the haze to find Hiroshi staring down Sakura. However, he could see blood all over his body. It had only been a minute on the roof, but he looked even worse than himself. Tatsuya tried to get free of the door to help Hiroshi. “Hang in there, man!”

“Stop talking and get out of here!” Hiroshi charged at Sakura only for another streak of light to shoot through. His right arm went flying completely severed. But he rammed into Sakura pushing her through the shelves and wall into the next room with Tatsuya.

Buried amongst the debris and boxes, Hiroshi sat on Sakura pinning her to the floor. “Stop it, Sakura! Whatever is going on I’ll forgive you! Just end this!”

Another light shined through. Tatsuya had finally freed himself and tried to jump for Hiroshi, but it was too late. It was a point blank attack. “Hiroshi!”

“Stay back!” he shouted at Tatsuya. The light shook as it became clear that it had missed its intended target. Blood dripped down the blade of light as it took on shape. A bare blade with no guard or hilt, just all blade rested in Sakura’s hand. A blade of light, which Hiroshi gripped in his bare hand. It cut deep and already cleaved one finger and worked on the next as he struggled. “Sakura stop it!”

Struggling with the light, Hiroshi’s hand tightened more over the blade. Blood flowed faster until cracks started to appear along the length. A moment later it shattered, particles raining down around them. “Sakura!”

A new blade formed, this time smaller as she moved with her other hand. It came in from his right side with no protection. He used what little remained of his upper arm to take the blade, but she pushed through. The blade was going for his heart.

She wanted him dead.

Hiroshi’s eyes shook in shock. He knew it before, but it was before him now with nothing between them. She wanted to kill him. It was all over her face. “Sakura! Stop it now! Don’t!”

“Hiroshi!” Tatsuya threw him a broken pipe from the wall.

It fell down at his side staring at him to be used. He looked back at Sakura. The completely cold and emotionless eyes that just wanted death. He did not know here. “Why, Sakura?!”

“Protect yourself!”

“I can’t!”

“Hiroshi! You’re going to die! She wants to kill you!”

“Sakura!”

“Hiroshi!”

“Damn it!” Hiroshi picked up the pipe with what remained of his hand. Her blade came closer and closer to him. It started to draw up blood. He could not hold her back for long with his arm. “Sakura!” Tears fell down his face staring at her. “Don’t make me!” He lifted up the pipe threatening her to stop.

“Do it!”

“Sakura!” The blade broke through his ribs. It plunged in deeper. He was going to die. Hiroshi threw down his arm swiftly. The pipe rammed through her chest and broke through the floor. Blood coughed up from her mouth over his face. Her light disappeared freeing his heart in the last moment.

Hiroshi leaned over staring at Sakura as her empty eyes only seemed to become darker. Tears flowed freely without restraint. He dropped his forehead against hers unable to say any words to his departing friend.

She was dead.

His friend was dead.

The dream was reality.

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

Story time over, Yuki had a few things to ponder. He willingly listened to what Tatsuya had to say, but no matter what he heard would not change how things were. Hiroshi was not magically going to be a more reasonable person. His friends would not suddenly go back to who he knew him to be before. Things were still set to how they were.

Yuki stood up and walked over to the edge of the roof. He stared out at the city with nothing particular in mind. “So you expect me to forgive him after just listening to this story?”

“Yuki?!” Tatsuya exclaimed with surprise. He jumped up to hurry over to Yuki’s side. Grabbing him by the shoulder, he turned Yuki to look at him. “This is Hiroshi, we’re talking about. He’s a good man in a terrible situation.”

“And you think I didn’t already figure out most of that on my own? I can put the pieces together well enough on my own to guess what happened. I’m still not going to help you kill people. Paint all the melodrama you want, I’m not giving you justification for your actions.”

Clinching his free hand up, he hoped that Yuki would have seen reason. The urge to punch him was very strong. He tried to be reasonable with Yuki. “You weren’t here! You haven’t had to live through what we have! What gives you the right to think you’re above all of us, when you haven’t had to experience what we have!”

“I can tell you I wouldn’t allow myself to kill my friend!”

Tatsuya grabbed up Yuki and lifted him off the ground by his shirt. “Damn you, Yuki!” He had lost his patience with him as well.

Seiji immediately leapt into the scene taking hold of Tatsuya’s arm to try to free Yuki. “What the hell’s wrong with you two?! I thought you guys were friends!”

Staring unfazed by it all, Yuki looked down at Tatsuya. It was the same sort of eyes he saw in Hiroshi. In fact, the look he saw was worse than the ones in Hiroshi. “My friends are dead. That much is clear.”

“Damnit, Yuki! You can’t just come back whenever you want and think you can look down on us! You left us to clean up after your mess!”

“Then you should have left it alone for me to clean up.”

Grinding his teeth together, he wanted to throttle Yuki for his blind naivety. The situation was impossible for them. He did not understand, but it was becoming clear to him that Yuki was never going to understand. They were too far apart now. “They were killing people! We did what we had to save lives!”

The look in Yuki’s eyes suddenly changed. In that moment, he forced Tatsuya’s hands free from himself with just a light push from his hand. He then started to float away. “No amount of justifications will change my mind. You’ve taken the wrong path and I will fix it all.”

“He hates it! Every time he has to kill someone he stays by them until the end! He’s not the man you think!” It was a late ditch effort. He knew it was fruitless. Yuki was already convinced of their guilt. Even though he did nothing to act on it. He stay looked at them as though he was the judge. He was so different from who he remembered. ‘You’re right, Hiroshi. Yuki we knew was a lie…’

Chapter 317 – Parting Ways

Forced to play catch up, Seiji hesitated a little looking at the aftermath. He was with Yuki in the agreement that they should not be killing anyone. However, he did not know any of them. They were not his friends. They were Yuki’s friends and he knew how much he valued his friends. ‘Yuki? Are you fine with this? They are in the wrong, but they’re still your friends. Are you just going to abandon them?’ Hesitation or not, he did not want to stay with them anymore than Yuki did. He did not like the feeling he got from the place.

He jumped over the rooftops to catch up to Yuki. Using the air time in his jumps in hovering next to Yuki, as he floated away, he stayed within talking distance. “You sure about this? They’re assholes, but they are people you know.”

“Yes, I’m more certain now. They can’t be allowed to settle this. It’ll just mean more bloodshed. I’ll put an end to this fighting the right way.”

“But isn’t that place set up like a fortress or something the way you described?”

“No fortress is impregnable, even more so when you have someone like me.”

Seiji stared at Yuki getting an odd feeling from him. ‘It’s good to be confident, but there’s something different about him. Is all of this getting to him? I need to keep an eye on him.’ The whole situation was a damnable one. He could swear until the sun rose and it would not make him feel any better. ‘This is worse than Atlantis and I didn’t think that was possible…’

Tatsuya walked back into Phoibe’s shop. He blood still boiled from talking with Yuki. ‘Damn, I’m supposed to be cool headed one now. I got all caught up in it.’ Sighing, he drew in a deep breath trying to calm himself. His heart stood pounded strongly even through his exercises. ‘I need to be the support that Hiroshi requires…it’s the only way he can still be himself.’

Passing by the three women keeping the shop manned, he walked inside their temporary housing. He looked around for Hiroshi. It only took him a few moments to find him going around helping with the survivors. Tatsuya remained silent, while he helped an injured man with this bandages.

“Well?” he asked Tatsuya, not blind to his presence or intention.

“I failed.”

Hiroshi paused for a moment and then finished putting the sling on. “How does that feel, sir?”

“Much better, thank you very much.”

“I’m glad to hear it. The doctor, she’ll be around to look at you when she can. Things are pretty hectic right now, so just wait.”

“I understand. There are others still worse.”

“Yes…there are…” Hiroshi stood up and began to walk away. He moved with the expectation that Tatsuya followed. “He’s too naïve. Did he leave?”

“He doesn’t know what the real world is like.”

Hiroshi grabbed out a couple of crates of bottled water. He started moving around the room handing them out to those in need. “It’s very true. The bigger problem is going to be how he reacts when he’s unable to use his naivety to hide behind. With his powers, we could be in for an even worse situation.”

“The last attack wiped out a significant amount of our fighting force. Very few actually survived.”

Take a moment to think, Hiroshi leaned against one of the support pillars that ran throughout the chamber. “Yeah, they killed a lot of us, but mostly just those that could fight. They seemed to know exactly who to kill. I wonder if this is something that they’ve been planning this whole time.”

“A little hard to believe all of their random attacks have been planning for this.”

“Regardless, the problem is Yuki is headed straight into the lion’s den.”

“And we don’t really have the manpower to stop him or Takako anymore.”

“We never had the numbers to take the fight straight to her as much as we would have liked.” Haruo and Yori suddenly approached the two of them. Hiroshi looked over his shoulder at them. They likely heard their conversation, not that they were trying to keep it private. “What do you two want?”

Yuki finally came to a stop. The school had returned in view of him, though still a far distance away. They were in dangerous territory now. Any further, they risked getting into an unwanted fight. It was not something that they could go into without a plan.

“So what are you thinking?” Seiji asked, since he already knew that Yuki had something cooked up. He got that confirmed from before Tatsuya interrupted them.

He crouched down on the roof behind a broken air conditioner unit. “It’s a twofold plan. The first is neutralizing Takako’s powers.”

“Do you know what they are?”

“I have a pretty good guess based on what I’ve learned.” A ripple came out from his feet, but did not seem to change anything. Then a strange shaped machine appeared nearby him. It almost looked like a microwave, but with more circular shapes that twisted around on the top and sides. Inside the machine, through the clear panel, something took shape. “This should negate her powers.” He pointed to what was being created.

Seiji leaned in trying to figure out what was being cooked up. “What are her powers?”

“Mind control.”


“Are you sure? That seems a little simple.”

“Based on what I’ve heard on what happens to people, it makes the most sense. It’s a pretty classic setup in stories, using mind control or brainwashing to turn friends against friends.”

He had to play Saki’s role, since she was not present. The answer made Seiji’s face go a little flat that he would bring up literature as his reasoning. “Yuki, this isn’t a book. This is reality.”

“Yes, but remember I also gave everyone their powers. So whatever people got came from my mind. It makes the most sense.”

“You’re gambling a lot on your belief that this is following one of your stories.”

Yuki looked up at him with a little bit of surprise. “You’re being oddly hesitant for someone that doesn’t like to think about things.”

“When everyone else going in has been turned, right? We’re going to save Saki and the others, not to become one of them.”

“And if I didn’t feel certain about this I wouldn’t be doing it.”

Staring at Yuki, Seiji read the resolve baked into his eyes. That was all he needed to see. He could believe in what he saw in his friend. “That’s good enough for me.” Accepting their fate, Yuki handed him the completed creation. He recalled when he made something back in the inn that they are stayed at for Yori and Fumiko. “This is what?”

It had thin wires around it with a plastic material that stretched out flat. On the ends and segments there were small disc like metal caps. The whole thing did not hold a shape well, but had a clear design intent.

“It’s what will keep you protected from Takako. If she’s got mind control powers, then this will keep your mind completely isolated. It doesn’t matter if she does it through mental telepathy, optical invasion or touch, whatever the method your mind is safe from invasion.”

He stared down at the device getting a better sense of what he was supposed to do with it. “So we put it on our head? Won’t that mean it can be damaged or removed?”

“Anything I make is going to be able to be damaged. I don’t know what sort of effect nanotechnology or medicine would have on our bodies. So this is the safest way, even if there is a risk. Just don’t go headbutting things.”

“Right…” Seiji looked down at it a little cautiously. It looked uncomfortable, not to mention stand out. “You sure this is the right way to go?”

Yuki affixed it to his head quickly and then just shuffled around his hair. He nodded back to Seiji to do as him. “Of course, just rough up your hair a little and it should blend in. I made it with some optic stealth features so it takes on the color of its surroundings. So as long as no one goes running their hand through your hair they’ll never know it’s there.”

He really could only just put it on. While he was doing that, he focused on the other part of the matter. “So what’s the rest of the plan? We storm the school?”

A holographic model materialized between them. The soft blue lights lit up their bodies. “Sort of, it’s a little bit more complicated than that. But still pretty straightforward.”

Plans discussed and agreed upon, Seiji was ready for it. They still had a little time before making their move. Yuki needed to make some final arrangements with the plan. So Seiji went off to scout around to make sure there was nothing to surprise the. At least that is what he told Yuki. Once he was out of sight, he changed his course.

He landed on the ground after leaping through the city. It was a strange way of navigating, but something about it seemed natural. Not to mention, it kept most of the trouble from following him. He did not have any time for the strange monsters that liked to come out during the night.

“Sorry, Yuki.” He walked into the building and barged straight in. “Where the hell is the one called Hiroshi?” Seiji was in no mood to search. Time was short and he needed to take care of things quickly.

His shouting dragged out the one he sought along with Haruo and Yori. Everyone that Seiji wanted was present. Hiroshi looked suspiciously at Seiji. “What do you want here? I thought you left with Yuki.”

“I’m here to help you.”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

“What did you say?” Hiroshi questioned, with natural amounts of skepticism. Neither of them had any intention of helping them or siding with them. Seiji seemed to Hiroshi just as naïve as Yuki. So he did not know what to think of him standing before.

Looking around, Seiji found that they were starting to surround him. His first impression on them was not exactly the best. So it did not really surprise him too much. Though he could not start a fight with them when he needed them. “I said I’m going to help you.”

“And why would you do that? You’re with Yuki.”

“Because I believe – or rather I want to believe that we’re all still Yuki’s friends.” He saw Yori and Haruo in back of the group pushed aside by those with greater suspicions, possibly even grudges. “Yuki’s right now planning on taking everything upon himself because he believes it’s his responsibility. That’s a complicated matter that is just going to be an argument that none of us wins.”

“What’s your point?”

‘Damn, this is harder than I expected. I figured this guy was still seeing Yuki as a friend and would just jump at the chance to help. Didn’t think he’d be so stubborn…’ A moment to mash his teeth together gave him the pause he needed to gather up his words. “Yuki’s got a plan to deal with everyone with his powers. But this is still an entire school we’re talking about. That’s more than he or I can handle by ourselves.”

Crossing his arms, Hiroshi shifted his weight a little sizing up Seiji. He only had a brief introduction to him before and it was mostly through fists. So he had not really had the chance to really learn his character. “And so you want our help? Doing what? All of them are already a lost cause.”

“Yuki doesn’t believe so.”

“Yuki’s naïve.”

“He knows what Takako’s doing everyone!”

Everyone suddenly became very still. Seiji had their attention completely for the first time. He made a bold claim. Something none of them figured out. Because they did not understand what happened, killing was their only option.

Hiroshi had to admit his curiosity in what Yuki had figured out that they were unable to do. He kept his stoic and unmoving stance to hold his strong position. “And what did Yuki figure out?”

“She is using mind control on everyone. That is her power, through it is able to make everyone do whatever she wants.”

‘That seems a little obvious, I don’t know why none of us considered it. Though we still couldn’t get to Takako to stop it anyway.’ He raised his eyebrow to Seiji as his only physical reaction to the statement. “Even if that is the case, she still controls an army. Take her out, what about the army?”

This was the part that got a little precarious when Yuki explained it to Seiji. “Yuki believes there are two possible outcomes. One, when she is shutdown, everyone is freed from her control immediately. Or two, she is unable to make new converts, but her army still is brainwashed.”

“And what does he plan to do about option two?”

“Fix them all with his powers.”

The thought of having an end and even a solution to returning peace had everyone around Hiroshi becoming visibly excited. Hiroshi almost did not recognize the looks on their faces. He saw hope in their eyes for the first time since this all began. Something that he had been unable to provide them. All he could give was darkness. Yet Yuki showed up and brought hope. ‘Even if it is all a lie or fails, this is the strongest that they’ve every looked. This might be our only chance. Yuki…’ Hiroshi focused back on Seiji. “What are you offering then, you said you wanted to help. It wasn’t just this information was it?”

“No, I know what Yuki’s plans are and how we’re going to deal with Takako.” He pulled off the shielding device that Yuki made for him. Baring it in his hand, he showed what else he offered. “And I have a way to combat her.”

Chapter 318 – Stolen Plans

“This is an interesting device,” remarked Phoibe, leaning over Seiji’s shoulder. She had followed him in, though kept largely an observer position.

“Can you recreate it?” Hiroshi asked.

“I’m a little insult you even have to that’s a question.”

“Then get it done. Yuki’s going to make his move soon, right?”

“Yeah, he’s doing some last prep work. I don’t have long before I need to be back.”

Hiroshi opened the crowd allowing Seiji in. ‘This still isn’t ideal, but I have to take the chance to finally end things. In the end, that’s all that really matters…maybe he can find a different way…one that I didn’t think was possible anymore.’

The explanation went quickly as the plan was not too complex. Some found it a surprisingly bold move, but also a reckless one as well. However, Seiji convinced them that Yuki was confident in his ability to pull it off.

As Seiji walked out, Phoibe handed over the device again. “You finish it?”

“Of course! There’ll be enough for those that are fighting.”

“Good.” He looked back at Hiroshi. Yori and Haruo stood next to him. Everyone was on different sides. It happened so quickly. He hoped things turned out for the better at the end of this. “I’ll be going now.”

Once Seiji disappeared from the hall, Hiroshi started barking out orders for everyone to get ready. The liveliness of the room quickly changed. Everyone looked ready to fight again. All they had to look forward to before was possibly finding someone that they knew trying to kill them. It was not that that changed with what they were doing. In fact, it was even more likely that they would run into someone that they knew at the school. But it was the hope that they could be changed. The killing could finally end.

Yori followed up behind Hiroshi and Tatsuya waiting until they were alone. It was just him and Haruo now. “Have you thought about what happens after?”

“What do you mean?” Hiroshi questioned, a little caught up in the positivity of everyone else. He tried to keep stoic, but it was difficult.

“I mean, those people have been killing their friends against their will. Once freed from that, what do you think will happen to them?”

“If Yuki’s correct, they aren’t guilty.”

“Ignoring whether people will actually believe that, I’m not even talking about that.”

The grave tone Yori brought sobered Hiroshi up quickly. He did not know what he was trying to get at. “What’s your point?”

“I’m talking about the psychological damage done. Not just from being control, but when their conscious catching up with what they’ve done. Even if everything works out, which seems unlikely, what happens to the people permanently tormented with their deeds? No matter how things play out, this isn’t going to be a smooth or happy ending for anyone.”

Tatsuya saw Hiroshi go quiet as the weight of it all finally hit him. He stepped in for him. “We’ll figure something out then. Right now, we’re not even there yet.”

“I’m just making sure you stay realistic, because if we do succeed. That is likely the first thing we’ll have to deal with once Takako is stopped. They won’t give you time to think.”

“We’ll come up with something!” insisted Tatsuya, trying to push Yori off. Hiroshi did not need anymore problems stacked up on top of him. Especially ones that he planned to shoulder himself. ‘You’re too much like Yuki at times, man… One thing at time though…’ Turning things around, Tatsuya needed to know something as well. “While we’re talking, why are you still here? You’re part of Yuki’s group.”

It had finally come up. Yori knew that they would eventually ask. Fortunately, it was a simple answer. “I’m only here for my sister. I was never truly part of Yuki’s circle.”

“Yuki can get you to her just as much as we can.”

“But I feel like you understand reality better than him. He’s far too idealistic.”

“And what about him?” He pointed over to Haruo, who had had met only in passing before in school. The guy was a complete mystery to him before and even now. Especially now, since he never knew what he was thinking. He just stood around.

Yori shrugged his shoulders having just as much of an answer on Haruo as they did. And Haruo was clearly not given them any answers. He succeeded better than anyone at being stoic to point of being an extreme. “He just is. I don’t really have an answer on him, though I don’t expect that you’ll get one out of him that’ll help you either. Just trust that he’s on our side.”

“I see.” Tatsuya slapped Hiroshi on the back to knock him out of his funk. He did not want him stunned for too long on the deeper meanings of what their battle would mean. It was not something any of them needed to think about. “We’ve got people willing to fight and a plan of our own now. It’s time to get moving. Right, man?”

There was a little hesitation in Hiroshi’s voice, but he nodded in agreement. “Right. We need to get moving soon.” It was more burdens. Ones that had to be taken.

Seiji landed back on the rooftop where Nerine stood. She kept her distance maintaining her position as a neutral observer. “Did he notice?”

“No. He’s been busy with his plan. Do you think all of that was necessary?”

He crossed his arms and walked out towards the edge of the roof. In the distance, he could see the movement of Yuki. It was the one part of the plan that Yuki never explained to him. He just said it was important for the fight. “Having more allies is better for something like this. As exciting as I would find it fighting hundreds of people, I need to get to Saki and the others. If they can be a distraction then that’ll make it easier for us to save Saki, Yumi and Fumiko.”

Nerine stared at Seiji’s back looking a little surprised to hear such words from him. “You’re just using them?”

“You make it sound like I’m evil or something.”

“I didn’t—“

“It’s alright. I went behind Yuki’s back on this. So I’m not exactly the best friend he thinks I am. I left him alone for a year because I was afraid. Despite everything that happened, Saki’s a better friend for Yuki than I ever have been. I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure I get her back for him.”

She had trouble saying anything more to him. ‘There’s a lot I still don’t know about him. He’s an idiot and yet not. He cares deeply for his friends, but is hurting himself because of them. He’s so much of a contradiction…’ Nerine walked up next to Seiji. Even though he was hurt and she could see it, there was nothing she could do for him. She barely knew him. There was nothing she could offer him. “You care. Even if you need to get a little dirty, you care. I don’t think that’s a bad thing.”

Working to keep his status, Seiji hardened his features a little. “Such things never really bothered me. I have a code and I don’t kill, but I’ve never really thought about being much of a good person. I just like fighting and testing out my strength.” He saw Yuki starting to move back towards them. It was the rendezvous point for them. “Yuki’s a lot of things. But right now how he is, he is a light that needs to be protected. It’s started to go dim once more. I’m blind on a lot of things and don’t care about anything else. That makes me pretty selfish, the one selfless thing I have is what I do for him.”

“You don’t have to justify yourself to me.”

Seiji glanced over to her a little confused by what she was meaning. He did not really have much time left with Yuki almost on them. “I’m surprisingly chatty around you.” It was an odd note to leave off on, but he jumped away to meet Yuki in the middle. They were already spotted.

“How’d things look around the neighborhood?” Yuki landed on the roof and stepped a little towards the center to meet Seiji.

He had done a little scouting as promised to him. There was thankfully enough time to get both in after he returned from Hiroshi. “There’s a few groups out, but I’m guessing most of them are still hold up in the school.”

“I wonder what they’re planning now?” Glancing over his shoulder, Yuki stared back at the school. It stood in silence. A strange atmosphere came from it. They all felt the ominous aura. Their destination was an unsettling place and they had only looked at it from a distance.

Seiji did not know how long he could keep up his façade for Yuki. He pushed towards moving. “You ready now?”

“Yeah, that’s excited to fight?”

“No, I just want to rescue our friends. They’ve been in there for too long.”

“Yes, I know. We’ll save them all.” Yuki started to float both of them up leaving Nerine behind. The plan had them making an aerial assault on the school. It was the easiest way to break into the school and the least amount of students or other people that they would have to confront along the way. He would be able to drill straight down to Takako’s room without dealing with anyone else.

The one thing that he did not have control over was his field. It was larger than he would want for their assault, but he could not control it that well. Their approach would be spotted quickly, but he still had the first move. Lowering down overhead, he waited for his field to collide with the school roof. He moved closer and closer.

“Yuki?”

They move closer already clearly in range of his field and nothing changed. His field did not do anything. Nothing changed. Something was wrong. “They’re blocking my power somehow.”

“What?! They knew we were coming?”

To be continued…“What did you say?” Hiroshi questioned, with natural amounts of skepticism. Neither of them had any intention of helping them or siding with them. Seiji seemed to Hiroshi just as naïve as Yuki. So he did not know what to think of him standing before.

Looking around, Seiji found that they were starting to surround him. His first impression on them was not exactly the best. So it did not really surprise him too much. Though he could not start a fight with them when he needed them. “I said I’m going to help you.”

“And why would you do that? You’re with Yuki.”

“Because I believe – or rather I want to believe that we’re all still Yuki’s friends.” He saw Yori and Haruo in back of the group pushed aside by those with greater suspicions, possibly even grudges. “Yuki’s right now planning on taking everything upon himself because he believes it’s his responsibility. That’s a complicated matter that is just going to be an argument that none of us wins.”

“What’s your point?”

‘Damn, this is harder than I expected. I figured this guy was still seeing Yuki as a friend and would just jump at the chance to help. Didn’t think he’d be so stubborn…’ A moment to mash his teeth together gave him the pause he needed to gather up his words. “Yuki’s got a plan to deal with everyone with his powers. But this is still an entire school we’re talking about. That’s more than he or I can handle by ourselves.”

Crossing his arms, Hiroshi shifted his weight a little sizing up Seiji. He only had a brief introduction to him before and it was mostly through fists. So he had not really had the chance to really learn his character. “And so you want our help? Doing what? All of them are already a lost cause.”

“Yuki doesn’t believe so.”

“Yuki’s naïve.”

“He knows what Takako’s doing everyone!”

Everyone suddenly became very still. Seiji had their attention completely for the first time. He made a bold claim. Something none of them figured out. Because they did not understand what happened, killing was their only option.

Hiroshi had to admit his curiosity in what Yuki had figured out that they were unable to do. He kept his stoic and unmoving stance to hold his strong position. “And what did Yuki figure out?”

“She is using mind control on everyone. That is her power, through it is able to make everyone do whatever she wants.”

‘That seems a little obvious, I don’t know why none of us considered it. Though we still couldn’t get to Takako to stop it anyway.’ He raised his eyebrow to Seiji as his only physical reaction to the statement. “Even if that is the case, she still controls an army. Take her out, what about the army?”

This was the part that got a little precarious when Yuki explained it to Seiji. “Yuki believes there are two possible outcomes. One, when she is shutdown, everyone is freed from her control immediately. Or two, she is unable to make new converts, but her army still is brainwashed.”

“And what does he plan to do about option two?”

“Fix them all with his powers.”

The thought of having an end and even a solution to returning peace had everyone around Hiroshi becoming visibly excited. Hiroshi almost did not recognize the looks on their faces. He saw hope in their eyes for the first time since this all began. Something that he had been unable to provide them. All he could give was darkness. Yet Yuki showed up and brought hope. ‘Even if it is all a lie or fails, this is the strongest that they’ve every looked. This might be our only chance. Yuki…’ Hiroshi focused back on Seiji. “What are you offering then, you said you wanted to help. It wasn’t just this information was it?”

“No, I know what Yuki’s plans are and how we’re going to deal with Takako.” He pulled off the shielding device that Yuki made for him. Baring it in his hand, he showed what else he offered. “And I have a way to combat her.”

Chapter 318 – Stolen Plans

“This is an interesting device,” remarked Phoibe, leaning over Seiji’s shoulder. She had followed him in, though kept largely an observer position.

“Can you recreate it?” Hiroshi asked.

“I’m a little insult you even have to that’s a question.”

“Then get it done. Yuki’s going to make his move soon, right?”

“Yeah, he’s doing some last prep work. I don’t have long before I need to be back.”

Hiroshi opened the crowd allowing Seiji in. ‘This still isn’t ideal, but I have to take the chance to finally end things. In the end, that’s all that really matters…maybe he can find a different way…one that I didn’t think was possible anymore.’

The explanation went quickly as the plan was not too complex. Some found it a surprisingly bold move, but also a reckless one as well. However, Seiji convinced them that Yuki was confident in his ability to pull it off.

As Seiji walked out, Phoibe handed over the device again. “You finish it?”

“Of course! There’ll be enough for those that are fighting.”

“Good.” He looked back at Hiroshi. Yori and Haruo stood next to him. Everyone was on different sides. It happened so quickly. He hoped things turned out for the better at the end of this. “I’ll be going now.”

Once Seiji disappeared from the hall, Hiroshi started barking out orders for everyone to get ready. The liveliness of the room quickly changed. Everyone looked ready to fight again. All they had to look forward to before was possibly finding someone that they knew trying to kill them. It was not that that changed with what they were doing. In fact, it was even more likely that they would run into someone that they knew at the school. But it was the hope that they could be changed. The killing could finally end.

Yori followed up behind Hiroshi and Tatsuya waiting until they were alone. It was just him and Haruo now. “Have you thought about what happens after?”

“What do you mean?” Hiroshi questioned, a little caught up in the positivity of everyone else. He tried to keep stoic, but it was difficult.

“I mean, those people have been killing their friends against their will. Once freed from that, what do you think will happen to them?”

“If Yuki’s correct, they aren’t guilty.”

“Ignoring whether people will actually believe that, I’m not even talking about that.”

The grave tone Yori brought sobered Hiroshi up quickly. He did not know what he was trying to get at. “What’s your point?”

“I’m talking about the psychological damage done. Not just from being control, but when their conscious catching up with what they’ve done. Even if everything works out, which seems unlikely, what happens to the people permanently tormented with their deeds? No matter how things play out, this isn’t going to be a smooth or happy ending for anyone.”

Tatsuya saw Hiroshi go quiet as the weight of it all finally hit him. He stepped in for him. “We’ll figure something out then. Right now, we’re not even there yet.”

“I’m just making sure you stay realistic, because if we do succeed. That is likely the first thing we’ll have to deal with once Takako is stopped. They won’t give you time to think.”

“We’ll come up with something!” insisted Tatsuya, trying to push Yori off. Hiroshi did not need anymore problems stacked up on top of him. Especially ones that he planned to shoulder himself. ‘You’re too much like Yuki at times, man… One thing at time though…’ Turning things around, Tatsuya needed to know something as well. “While we’re talking, why are you still here? You’re part of Yuki’s group.”

It had finally come up. Yori knew that they would eventually ask. Fortunately, it was a simple answer. “I’m only here for my sister. I was never truly part of Yuki’s circle.”

“Yuki can get you to her just as much as we can.”

“But I feel like you understand reality better than him. He’s far too idealistic.”

“And what about him?” He pointed over to Haruo, who had had met only in passing before in school. The guy was a complete mystery to him before and even now. Especially now, since he never knew what he was thinking. He just stood around.

Yori shrugged his shoulders having just as much of an answer on Haruo as they did. And Haruo was clearly not given them any answers. He succeeded better than anyone at being stoic to point of being an extreme. “He just is. I don’t really have an answer on him, though I don’t expect that you’ll get one out of him that’ll help you either. Just trust that he’s on our side.”

“I see.” Tatsuya slapped Hiroshi on the back to knock him out of his funk. He did not want him stunned for too long on the deeper meanings of what their battle would mean. It was not something any of them needed to think about. “We’ve got people willing to fight and a plan of our own now. It’s time to get moving. Right, man?”

There was a little hesitation in Hiroshi’s voice, but he nodded in agreement. “Right. We need to get moving soon.” It was more burdens. Ones that had to be taken.

Seiji landed back on the rooftop where Nerine stood. She kept her distance maintaining her position as a neutral observer. “Did he notice?”

“No. He’s been busy with his plan. Do you think all of that was necessary?”

He crossed his arms and walked out towards the edge of the roof. In the distance, he could see the movement of Yuki. It was the one part of the plan that Yuki never explained to him. He just said it was important for the fight. “Having more allies is better for something like this. As exciting as I would find it fighting hundreds of people, I need to get to Saki and the others. If they can be a distraction then that’ll make it easier for us to save Saki, Yumi and Fumiko.”

Nerine stared at Seiji’s back looking a little surprised to hear such words from him. “You’re just using them?”

“You make it sound like I’m evil or something.”

“I didn’t—“

“It’s alright. I went behind Yuki’s back on this. So I’m not exactly the best friend he thinks I am. I left him alone for a year because I was afraid. Despite everything that happened, Saki’s a better friend for Yuki than I ever have been. I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure I get her back for him.”

She had trouble saying anything more to him. ‘There’s a lot I still don’t know about him. He’s an idiot and yet not. He cares deeply for his friends, but is hurting himself because of them. He’s so much of a contradiction…’ Nerine walked up next to Seiji. Even though he was hurt and she could see it, there was nothing she could do for him. She barely knew him. There was nothing she could offer him. “You care. Even if you need to get a little dirty, you care. I don’t think that’s a bad thing.”

Working to keep his status, Seiji hardened his features a little. “Such things never really bothered me. I have a code and I don’t kill, but I’ve never really thought about being much of a good person. I just like fighting and testing out my strength.” He saw Yuki starting to move back towards them. It was the rendezvous point for them. “Yuki’s a lot of things. But right now how he is, he is a light that needs to be protected. It’s started to go dim once more. I’m blind on a lot of things and don’t care about anything else. That makes me pretty selfish, the one selfless thing I have is what I do for him.”

“You don’t have to justify yourself to me.”

Seiji glanced over to her a little confused by what she was meaning. He did not really have much time left with Yuki almost on them. “I’m surprisingly chatty around you.” It was an odd note to leave off on, but he jumped away to meet Yuki in the middle. They were already spotted.

“How’d things look around the neighborhood?” Yuki landed on the roof and stepped a little towards the center to meet Seiji.

He had done a little scouting as promised to him. There was thankfully enough time to get both in after he returned from Hiroshi. “There’s a few groups out, but I’m guessing most of them are still hold up in the school.”

“I wonder what they’re planning now?” Glancing over his shoulder, Yuki stared back at the school. It stood in silence. A strange atmosphere came from it. They all felt the ominous aura. Their destination was an unsettling place and they had only looked at it from a distance.

Seiji did not know how long he could keep up his façade for Yuki. He pushed towards moving. “You ready now?”

“Yeah, that’s excited to fight?”

“No, I just want to rescue our friends. They’ve been in there for too long.”

“Yes, I know. We’ll save them all.” Yuki started to float both of them up leaving Nerine behind. The plan had them making an aerial assault on the school. It was the easiest way to break into the school and the least amount of students or other people that they would have to confront along the way. He would be able to drill straight down to Takako’s room without dealing with anyone else.

The one thing that he did not have control over was his field. It was larger than he would want for their assault, but he could not control it that well. Their approach would be spotted quickly, but he still had the first move. Lowering down overhead, he waited for his field to collide with the school roof. He moved closer and closer.

“Yuki?”

They move closer already clearly in range of his field and nothing changed. His field did not do anything. Nothing changed. Something was wrong. “They’re blocking my power somehow.”

“What?! They knew we were coming?”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

The one thing that he did not have control over was his field. It was larger than he would want for their assault, but he could not control it that well. Their approach would be spotted quickly, but he still had the first move. Lowering down overhead, he waited for his field to collide with the school roof. He moved closer and closer.

“Yuki?”

They move closer already clearly in range of his field and nothing changed. His field did not do anything. Nothing changed. Something was wrong. “They’re blocking my power somehow.”

“What?! They knew we were coming?” Seiji looked over at Yuki hoping to get something from his face on answers. It seemed impossible. However, Yuki did not look as shocked as he expected for their plans being ruined. “How is this possible, Yuki? Nothing can stop your powers other than another like you right?”

“That’s not completely accurate.” Yuki continued to watch the school for any sort of signs. Even with any further clues, he already had a pretty good idea what was going on. It was a little concerning for him.

Moving over to Yuki, he did not want to left in the dark any longer. Things were not right. “What can stop your powers?”

“A specifically crafted array. There is method of negating our powers influence on an object by carving a very specific pattern. I don’t know why that is, but it works. I’ve seen in used by Ayumi before.”

“Do you know how to do it?”


“Not completely. I never asked Ayumi about it and my time in Atlantis was spent on other matters. So I never really took the time.”

“But it’s only Atlanteans that know how to do it, right?”

“That doesn’t seem to be the case.”

“What do you mean?”

“Remember, Saki, Yumi and Fumiko are with them now. I don’t know what all they learned from their time in Atlantis, but it’s possible one of them learned it.”

“So you’re saying they foresaw your plan and took this counter measure. What do we do now? A sneak attack like you’re planning is out of the question.”

“That’s right.” Yuki looked around at the neighborhood suddenly. He then retrieved a device from within his cloths. It was a simple rectangular box with a series of ten buttons on it. “I expected something like this might happen.”

Seiji noticed the thing that Yuki had retrieved and remembered there was some time that he did not know what Yuki had been up to. ‘Right, he said he had some prep work to do. So this is it? How did he know this sort of thing was going to happen?’ It relieved him a little to see that Yuki still have backups to count on. If he was out of options, Seiji was determined to just make a direct assault ignoring any sort of further planning. Foresight be damned, he did not plan to let this be the end. “What are you doing?”

“Since our friends are with Takako, I expected that either Takako or our friends would figure that I’d come to rescue them. It’s only natural and being that I’m a very large risk to them, I figured that they think about ways to counter me. Though I’ll admit that I didn’t think that they knew how to draw those arrays. This will be a little flashier than I want, but it’ll work all the same.”

His finger ran over the buttons finding the one he needed. Pressing it quickly, Yuki looked in the direction he expected something to happen. However, it was not what he was planned on. An explosion lit up the area. Yuki’s face narrowed a little watching what he set up go up in flames. “They foresaw even that…” He quickly pressed the next series of buttons only for them all to blow up as well. “Damn…they’ve got themselves a really good tactician.”

Nothing that happened really made much sense to Seiji. It was clear all of their plans were falling apart. But he did not know what Yuki had planned on. All he saw were random explosions that signaled Yuki’s plans failing. “What’s going on Yuki?”

“Seems someone knew where I’d place my lasers I had planted around to take out the walls. Either Takako is smarter than we realized or someone she’s got knows how to plan a battle.”

When Yuki mentioned that he immediately had a single thought in his mind. He remembered the fight with Simonides. “Yumi!”

Glancing back at Seiji, Yuki did not know what he was going on about. Afterwards, he looked down towards the roof thinking that he might have seen her. There was nothing. “What about Yumi?”


“Right, you weren’t there. But you remember us telling about the fight with Simonides right, before he came to our side?”

“Yeah, I recall it vaguely. Yumi was able to do something strange and ended up turning things around for you.”

“Yes, she had everything planned out and accounted for all of us. This could be her.”

Rubbing his chin, Yuki thought about the new information. Everything had been thrown off. Any planning he might be able to make seemed to be countered easily. ‘This isn’t good. I hesitate to make any further plans if this really is Yumi and she’s as skilled as it seems. Anything I do going to be accounted for.’ He looked over at Seiji as his last option. ‘Even whatever he has come up is probably accounted for, he has very simple and straightforward thoughts when it comes to combat. It’ll be easy to account for Seiji. But we’re out of options. This is just going to have get nasty…I hate what will come, but this looks like the only way.’

Yuki started to lower themselves. The course had been committed. Turning back was not an option. “Seiji, you’re up. Just know, that we’re going to be fighting almost immediately upon crashing in.”

A grin came across his face. This was the sort of plan he liked. “I already expected that. We’ll teach Takako that she can’t take our friends from us!” Seiji dropped down from the invisible platform that supported them in the air. He started to fall with gravity immediately grabbing hold of him. Wind blew around him as he sped towards the roof.

His arm wound up with his fist all ready. A slight glow came from the twin scars along his arm. Seiji put everything he had into the punch as he crashed into the roof. Massive clouds of dust and debris flew everywhere as a shockwave ripped through the air from his impact. Shards of the wall from the school rained down over the entire school grounds.

Attack on their school began.

Chapter 319 – Shaken Assault

Small clumps of earth rained down around everyone. They were all closely gathered up in a tight formation. So the minor quake that they felt left them all a little unnerved about their situation. Sure they trusted her, but it did not erase the worry that she miscalculated something. None of them were structural engineers, especially not her. So who knew what mistakes might have been made.

“Looks like Yuki’s started his attack,” Tatsuya remarked as a guess to what the quake was about.

Yori agreed with the assessment, but still found it a little worry some. “That’s a far bigger attack than the claims Tsuji made for Hayashi’s plan.”

“Something must have come up.”

“We should hurry,” ordered Hiroshi to Phoibe next to him. They were all gathered around her as she tunneled them through the earth. It seemed like a terrible plan that she came up with. Yet, they all agreed any sort of frontal attack would just slow them down and create unnecessary fighting. It was also so absurd that no one would even consider it a line of attack. So it gave them the chance of surprise.

The middle-aged Atlantean woman kept a smile on her face as though she was disregarding Hiroshi demanding toning. She kept the same pace moving forward using her powers. The control she had removed a good chunk of earth from existing while still providing them a place to walk. “We’ll get there. The young man will be making a good distraction for you to make your attack.”

“But we can’t arrive too late either.”

“You won’t.”

Hiroshi ground his teeth having to still wait. They were getting close he knew if they felt the attack. But it was still too far away. He needed to end this nightmare. This was going to be their only chance. Such thoughts kept circling around in his mind.

The direction Phoibe moved with her tunnel finally shifted. They started their ascent. Everyone in the party held tight. Tension spread through their ranks knowing that they would finally be going into battle soon. People that they might know could be who they faced. It was an unknown for them.

Worse none of them knew what to expect on the inside of the school. It was a complete unknown. No one that entered ever left. So they had no intel on it other than the layout. Though not all of them had actually been to the school before. Not everyone was students of their high school or even students.

Turning around to get a look at all of them. Hiroshi took a moment to gather himself. “We’re about to begin our assault on Takako’s base. There is a lot of things that we don’t know. Don’t think about the uncertainties, only focus on the goal. We’re here to end Takako’s tyranny and save who we can. Don’t take risks, I want you all to come out of this alive! The advance team will be handling Takako, just keep the rest busy while we do the fighting! This battle is for the future peace of everyone!”

“Getting better at those motivational speeches,” Phoibe teased softly for only Hiroshi. He only gave her an indignant expression before turning his head up towards the ceiling of their tunnel. It would not be long before it was open space once more. “We’re just about there.”

‘I’ll find you, Yumi.’ Most of the matters did not concern Yori. He ignored a lot of what they did. His goals only aligned with them, but he had no interest in their war. Yumi was the only thing on his mind. Though he worried what he might have to face to reach her. Fighting still felt foreign for him.

The first breaks of outside light broke through. It did not take long for the hole to expand and start to reach them. Phoibe had surprisingly perfect positioning getting them inside the school and in the hall. It was just wide enough for everyone as they raised up.

However, flames suddenly erupted from all sides of them. None of them could react to escape before it was upon them. Fire washed over the entire group swallowing them up whole. Excess flames burst out from the center cracking and melting the wood of the school. Unable to be held back, the glass shattered in an explosion of fire as it leapt out of the school.

Even up on the third floor, the flames were felt as a rumble through the tiles. The sound of the explosion carried as a follow up.

Yuki looked down in the direction. Broken pieces of the roof strewn about the floor broke up the formerly clean pattern of the tile. “Something is happening on the first floor.”

‘So they’ve made their move,’ Seiji thought, but tried to keep them away from his face. He did not want to reveal his hand in all of it to Yuki. Thankfully, there was a more pressing problem before them. “We need to focus on the immediate issue, Yuki.”

“Yes, this is expected, but still not something that I want to have to face. Katsumi and Kaede…”

“So you know them? They have your school uniforms, but black.”

“Yeah, they apparently did a slight redesign on them. It’s not a very subtle meaning.” Like everyone else in Japan, he knew that they had to have received powers from him. Unfortunately, he did not know them very well and only really spent the one time with them going to Phoibe’s shop. It gave him no clue to what sort of abilities that they might have. “They are Yumi’s closest friends. They mean a lot to her.”

“Well I’m not any happier about fighting them than you are, but this is a necessary thing.”

“I know. We’ll just knock them unconscious. That’ll be the fastest way.”

“Wouldn’t Yumi have already planned for you trying that?”

“I won’t know until I try. We need to avoid fighting as much as possible.”

The flames surrounding Hiroshi’s group suddenly blew outward. Enough force was sent out to snuff out the flames. A black tinted barrier came down from around the group. Yori sighed a little as he barely managed to get a defense field up in time to protect them all.

Tatsuya patted him on the shoulder roughly in a congratulatory manner. “So you’ve got some other things at your disposal.”

“Yes, I don’t plan on being useless this time around.”

“Good, we need that sort of determination.”

Glowing red magic circles formed in the air as the next round of attacks looked to be starting. Yori shifted to the front in anticipation of the attack. He knew what to expect and who it was now. “Fumiko…” However, to his surprise, Haruo walked out in front of all them. “What are you doing?”

Pulling on Yori to get him back in the group, Tatsuya directed everyone towards Hiroshi. Hiroshi already started to order everyone out into different attacking groups. “I think he’s telling us he’ll handle her. The two fought back at the base, so he’s probably got a score to settle with her.”

Yori looked back at Haruo getting the silent feeling that he was confirming Tatsuya assumption. ‘That doesn’t really seem like him. He’s not emotionally invested in any of this…so why?’

Battle lines already began to be drawn within the school. Yuki and Seiji raced against time with Hiroshi to reach Takako. The fate of everyone hung in uncertainty.

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

Since Fumiko blocked the nearest way up to the second floor, Hiroshi led them back towards the center of the school. However, they quickly began to run into more problems. Students started to spill out from the classrooms. Their numbers kept increasing.

It brought them all to a halt while Hiroshi considered his options. ‘This a lot more than I was thinking, but I keep forgetting that Takako managed to capture most of the student body the day the school opened. I could use my power, but then what about Takako…’

Before he had any more of a chance, Miyako leapt out in front of the group. The sheer force of behind her fist seemed to create streams of wind sailing off her. “You won’t stop us here!” Her voice screamed through hall pulling out the attention of most of the students.

A percussive wave ripped through the hall sending cracks through the paint as Miyako’s fist cracked against the face of one of the students. The first year boy went tumbled back gathering up several others with his fall while others blew outward from the blast. She wasted no time diving in deeper widening out the gap in their numbers.

The first strike made by Miyako managed to shatter the ranks of Takako’s army. However, they were already started to spill back in. All of the extra people that Hiroshi brought with him jumped to Miyako’s aid moving without orders. They seemed to be feeling the same thing as her. No thoughts were needed to know what they needed to do.

Miyako crushed an incoming fireball in her hand and decked the would-be attacker. She then turned back towards Hiroshi and the others, Yori and Tatsuya still inactive. “Get going, Commander! We’ll hold them off here!”

“But—“

“You’ve got somewhere else you need to be! Let us handle this!”

“Miyako…”

Tatsuya dropped a hand on Hiroshi’s shoulder to support her decision. “Come on, man. She’s right. We need to get to Takako and put an end to this. It is something only we can do.”

Reluctantly, he nodded to his best friend. “Yeah…” Hiroshi rubbed his hands together trying to focus on the task. It was hard not to think about what he carried in his hands. The value of that which was dropped in them. ‘This is the course, the plan… I can’t hesitate because things aren’t perfect… This is going to be messy and dirty…an ugly mission, but I must see it through!’

Hiroshi slapped his legs out of their stiffness and went straight into a sprint. All around him he saw people he worked closely with and even rescued fighting against familiar faces that he saw all the time in school. It was no different a sight than he had seen in the past, yet it seem to pull on him even more than usual. “Make sure you all come back alive! That’s my only order to you as your Commander!”

“Yes, sir!”

Chapter 320 – Un-united Fronts

Another rumble came up to the third floor. It made the lights flicker almost threatened to throw the whole place into darkness. Yuki had to support himself against the wall so not stumble. He looked down again, away from his staring contest with Yumi’s two friends. “What the hell is going on down there? We’re up here.” Yuki looked across the way to one of the classrooms. Outside in the darkness of the night, he could only faintly see some of the city. “Hiroshi didn’t make a move did he?!”

‘Damn, Yuki’s too observant. Even though he doesn’t know, he still makes the leap…’ Seiji kept his attention forward at Kaede and Katsumi. It was under the guise of him needing to be sure that they did not try anything. Rather, he did it because he could not look Yuki in the eyes. He knew Yuki would tell something was wrong pretty quickly. ‘I just need to keep him focus on the immediate problem… Which we really do need to handle… These distractions aren’t helping…’

No one knew what they were thinking. Staring at them as long as they did revealed nothing. Seiji was used to being able to feel a little of the intent from his opponent. Yet they just seemed dead almost. Sure they had the looks, but there was nothing really behind them. It was just emotions that seemed to be fake and put on display. Seiji did not understand it at all. They were weird.

The worst of them was Katsumi, who seemed dead and alive at the same time. She did not look like Kaede at all. It seemed like she was being burned alive and yet unable to actually die. So she was just left caught in an endless cycle of misery. It was very unsettling to see.

Seiji tightened up his hands to focus on the more important matter. He could not let himself be unnerved by them. “Yuki, we need to focus on this problem first. We can think about what’s happening below later.”

“Yeah, you’re right, Seiji. There’s something to be said for that straightforward attitude of yours.”

“Hey! This isn’t about me!”

“I know.”

“So you going to try it?”

“Yeah, we need to figure out if we can avoid these fights. I don’t see how they could have disabled my power on people, but if they can, this will become significantly more complicated.”

“We never said this was going to be easy.”

“I know, just want to avoid what we can.”

“You’re stalling, Yuki.”

“Right…” Yuki stared at the back of Seiji. His presence seemed larger than he remembered it being. ‘Seiji’s being surprisingly pushy. I wonder what’s bothering him… Probably the whole situation, this isn’t the sort of fight he likes… I’m honestly surprised he’s willing to do all of this, but I guess he’s probably just looking at Takako and not thinking about the innocents mixed up in all of this… It’s the only way…’

Hardening up his resolve, Yuki focused on what he needed to do in the in the moment. Dealing with Kaede and Katsumi however was not going to be simple. They both charged at them when it became clear that Yuki was attempting to do something.

It was not something that he could react to. They did not move nearly as fast as Saki, but they were still swift. But he had Seiji with him. He saw them long before Yuki’s brain reacted to it. All three clashed just in front of Yuki. The force of their collision pushed Yuki back a little. “Seiji?!”

“Don’t stop, Yuki! I’ll keep them off you while you work!” He suddenly felt small cuts across his arm that blocked Kaede. “Damn…get back!” Pushing both girls back, he charged after them to plow them into the class through the wall.

The attack threw Yuki off his concentration. He had to refocus to get his field setup the way he needed. It would have normally been simple, but he had Seiji mixed in. So he had to craft it very specifically for only Kaede and Katsumi.

It finished up just as Seiji flew out of the classroom and back into the hallway. “I’m done! They should be affected!” He looked over towards where Kaede and Katsumi were last. Part of the wall still remained preventing him from getting a clear view.

A few seconds passed before they got their answer on if it was successful. Both girls walked through the opening completely unfazed by whatever Yuki put into motion. Seiji stood up and glanced over at Yuki for a judge of his reaction. It was about what he expected. A mix of shock and stoic confusion carved through the corners of his mouth. ‘Damn, this ain’t good…’

Seiji wiped away the blood from his lips. “What was it that was supposed to happen to them? You were trying to make them unconscious right?”

“They should be asleep, but that’s clearly not the case… They have somehow managed to prevent my powers from affecting them…”

“How is that possible?”

“I don’t know. As far as I know, it shouldn’t be possible at all. I gave it a possibility, but not a very high one.”

“Well, that possibility is reality now!”

“Yeah, I know… This is not the way I want things to go… We have to fight.”

Back down the first floor, the rest of Hiroshi’s group had made it to the stairwell finally. All the fighting behind them pushed them on to keep fighting. They did not seem to run into any further troubles. But it seemed to easy. Neither Yumi nor Saki had shown themselves yet. They kept expecting to see them on the first floor, but that did not happen.

They started pushing to the second floor. “I guess Saki’s waiting on us up here,” Tatsuya commented on what everyone was already thinking. None of them know what either of them planning or even Takako. Even if Yuki’s theory turned out to be completely accurate, it still did not explain anything for what it was happening to begin with.

It seemed that their next opponent knew where they were coming. “Just the three of you, as I expected.” At the top of the stairs, like a gatekeeper, stood a familiar and strange person. Ignoring the black uniform and other alteration, in the face and body, it seemed to be Yumi. Yet, unlike Yumi, she had bright red hair almost as if it was on fire and an equally bright pair of green eyes. What’s more, it did not look like a dye or something to fake the change. It was completely natural.

Yori jumped out in front of everyone before the others could even react. “Yumi?! Is that you?” She did not look like the sister he remembered. Appearance and hair notwithstanding, she had a far harsher appearance in her face. Like she could kill with just a look of her eyes. His sister had no such severe expression. “Who are you?!”

“It would seem you’ve figured some of it out already.”

“You’re that other person inside my sister!”

“I’m not who you’re referring to, but you’re not wrong either.”

“Make sense!”

“At present, it’s not within my purpose to explain myself. Since I knew that the forces that we had available would not be enough to stop you all, I’m here. Sometimes it is necessary for the General to fight at the frontlines as well. Such is the way of war.”

“What are you talking about?!” Yori’s whole body was shaking. He had trouble holding in his emotions. Every time he opened his mouth the words screamed out of his throat ripping through his insides. His sister was in his reach, but outside of it.

Yumi stared at Yori unfazed by his emotional state. “To put it clearly, if you want to move past me then you must defeat me. It’s that simple.”

“You’re saying I must fight my own sister!”

Tatsuya walked up the couple steps to Yori. “Hey man, one of us can do this—“

“If that’s what you want, fine!” Yori charged at Yumi with a black field coming up around him. It quickly charged into a sphere firing point blank at her. Smoke exploded out in all directions completely blinding everyone. All around the building shook violently from the explosion.

“Damn!” yelled Tatsuya, unable to see anyone in all the mess. “I didn’t think he had it in him…”

“The strength of siblings…”

Wind suddenly started to blow through the hall and stairwell clearing out the smoke. Quickly, he was able to locate Hiroshi, but the siblings were not in front of him as they had been. In fact, there was a lot that was not in front of him anymore. “Hell…there’s not going to be much left of the school at this point…” Only pieces of the stairs remained and the floor. Most appeared to have been destroyed in Yori’s blast.

Also tore away was the classroom that stood at the top of the stairs. All the walls were gone along with the floor and ceiling. Even parts of the first and third floors were not present. As the cloud fully cleared out, the night of the city could be seen beyond.

Yori had blasted both of them out of the school into the courtyard below. However, Yumi seemed to know it was coming and used her barrier to block all of the blast from harming her. Only the environment was damaged. “…Yumi…”

Whatever it was that stood in control of Yumi stared across the ruined field at Yori. White particles hovered around her looking ready to act. “Would appear you’ve begun to hone your power that you awoke recently. This still is within my forecast.”

“I don’t give a damn about your forecast! I want my sister back! And if I have to do so by force I will! None of you are stopping me until Yumi is normal again!”

“That may be an impossibility for you.”

Black blades materialized in Yori’s hands. He did not think about possibilities or logic when it came to Yumi. She was his sister and his family. That was all that matter. “I will make it happen! I am her brother!”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

“If that’s what you want, fine!” Yori charged at Yumi with a black field coming up around him. It quickly charged into a sphere firing point blank at her. Smoke exploded out in all directions completely blinding everyone. All around the building shook violently from the explosion.

“Damn!” yelled Tatsuya, unable to see anyone in all the mess. “I didn’t think he had it in him…”

“The strength of siblings…”

Wind suddenly started to blow through the hall and stairwell clearing out the smoke. Quickly, he was able to locate Hiroshi, but the siblings were not in front of him as they had been. In fact, there was a lot that was not in front of him anymore. “Hell…there’s not going to be much left of the school at this point…” Only pieces of the stairs remained and the floor. Most appeared to have been destroyed in Yori’s blast.

Also tore away was the classroom that stood at the top of the stairs. All the walls were gone along with the floor and ceiling. Even parts of the first and third floors were not present. As the cloud fully cleared out, the night of the city could be seen beyond.

Closer to Yuki and Seiji, the blast from Yori rocked the entire school. While still on opposite sides of the building, it was impossible to ignore what was happening. The school felt like a giant picked it up and shook it about trying to peek inside the windows.

Seiji fared better than Yuki with the explosion. Yuki fell up against one of the doors to a classroom and dropped inside it. He rubbed the back of his head feeling what would likely end up turning into a bump in a few hours. “Damn, what the hell is going on? Someone’s bringing down the whole school!” Yuki started to get back to his feet mumbling in annoyance. “I just put this place back together not too long ago!”

However, in his distraction, Yuki did not notice until he fully stood up to take stock of his situation the classroom. The sight froze him in an instant. It was like walked into scene from one of his anime that went for a dark and edgy feel by showing something gritty and horror filled. Yet, on TV he would be spared from it with some well placed black bars or darkened areas to hide everything. He was not so fortunate. Any hope for censorship was gone, he saw everything even though he did not want to see it.

And then the smell hit him like one of Seiji’s punches. His knees buckled on the overload. Throwing up seemed like the only possible reaction, but even doing so seemed impossible. The paralysis was complete. Even his body could not react. He had to experience it all without any hope of relief.

With the violent shaking coming to a rest, Seiji managed to pull away from Kaede and Katsumi to see that Yuki disappeared. “Yuki?! Where are you?” He jumped back to where he last saw Yuki. ‘Did they grab him?’ Worry started to build up inside as he could not locate Yuki. “Yuki! Answer me!”

A faint voice crawled into Yuki’s ear. He did not recognize it immediately, but it soon became clear. Seiji called for him. His body unlocked and reacted quickly. ‘I can’t let him…’ It was now no longer about what he saw, he had to be sure that Seiji did not stumble inside. “I’m coming out!”

“Where are you?!”

“Just stay…there! I’m not harmed.” It was difficult for him actually to say that to Seiji. Yuki never thought just a sight could harm one’s sanity so thoroughly. He never wanted to see it again, but knew that he would carry that with him for forever. It could not be forgotten.

He poked out of the threshold of the door to see where Seiji was as well as Yumi’s friends. They were still in a threatening situation. Unfortunately, he did not expect Seiji to just pop out in front of him like a ghost. Either it was his swift step like Saki or he really did not notice him until it was too late, but Yuki grabbed onto the threshold as he fell back. Only his desire to protect Seiji from the horrors behind him kept his hand firmly in place. “Seiji?! Damn…don’t jump me like!”

“What happened to you? You disappeared!”

The visible worry carved into his brow was the first thing that Yuki noticed. “I got knocked off my feet from that explosion. Remember, I’m not built like you guys. I don’t have the reflexes like you.”

“Right, it’s hard to remember with everything you do.”

“Yeah, but that’s not the most important thing right now. Something is going on in the school. Whatever that was, it was enough to make the whole place jump. We need to handle Yumi’s friends quickly. I don’t like the feeling I’m getting here.”

‘Hiroshi and the others aren’t being very subtle. I guess when I leaked our plans to them I didn’t really think about the fact that if we’re all attacking the same place we’re probably going to run into each other. I can’t undo things now…’ Parts of the ruined wall from across the hall snapped as a foot pressed down. The sound turned Seiji immediately back on alert to their opponents. “You two…”

Chapter 321 – Clashing Swords

Back at the blast site, Hiroshi and Tatsuya were shimmying their way through what remained of the hall. All around them the school crumbled a little more. Sounds of fighting around the school rose and fell to their own beat, yet the effects of their fighting reverberated through the building. It made the suddenly frail seeming building quake and wilt.

Rumblings reached one of those peaks just as Tatsuya lowered a foot. The floor already only had a few centimeters left and his weight and cracks surrounding broke the rest of the barely there integrity. He quickly gripped the wall putting his fingers through just to get support back. “Damnit! Why couldn’t he have done things in a more subtle way!”

Hiroshi played the more silent partner to Tatsuya chatty act. He focused the situation buried in all the weight that he bore. “Just keep moving. We’re almost to the other side.”

“Yeah I know. And another thing, why the hell didn’t Yuki give us something more useful like flying. You know in those anime they always can fly. It’d make this a lot easier.”

“I don’t think any of us know what’s going on in his mind. I wonder if we ever did.”

Tatsuya fell silent after Hiroshi last remark. He remembered how surprised they were in learning how different Yuki was from what they knew at school. Learning about his past as a delinquent came as a bit of a shock. They always knew that Yuki had a history before high school, everyone did. But it was impossible to have guessed how much history he had before them. And then things only got worse with Takako. It was hard at times not to just dump all of the blame. It would be freeing. Though as they all came to the realization, it did not change their situation. Not that everyone was always so understanding. Others wanted a target for their troubles and Takako made it very easy at the moment, but they kept a secret from everyone. The truth was not something the world was ready for, especially Yuki.

Landing on what looked like solid ground, Tatsuya came up beside Hiroshi. The weight of his body made the floor crack a little. It was only a few steps away from the drop off to the first floor. Sure they would not have been hurt by the fall, but it would just slow them down. Not to mention, their minds still treated such heights like they were normal humans. It left them with the gnawing feeling in the back of their head that it would really hurt falling down. Convincing their brains it was not a problem was not so simple. Fear was a powerful emotion.

But thankfully, the floor held for them. “Safe…not that I can say the same for the school…”

“Or ourselves…”

“Hey man, no need for pessimism again. We’re going to—“

“No, look ahead.”

Tatsuya turned back to where Hiroshi looked to know what he concerned him so much. “Oh crap…not what I need right now.”

It was the last of the unaccounted for of their friends, Saki. Wearing the black school uniform like everyone else, though she had her track spats underneath her skirt as well. She stared down at them more of a wall than the those that surrounded them.

He quickly remembered how their fight went last time. It might have seemed like he held his own against Saki, but it was not an easy fight. The whole thing was a stalling tactic at the time too. He really did not have time for her. But someone had to deal with her.

However before either of them could act, a sudden blast from the ceiling created yet another hole in the school. Behind Saki debris rained down almost as though she used it to prevent anyone from reaching Takako.

A voice from above made it clear that it was not Saki’s doing. “What the hell?! What the hell, Seiji! Stop putting holes in my school! I know you don’t go here so you don’t have any attachment to the building, but can you think about what you’re doing?”

“You know I’m not interested in thinking.”

“Yes, you’re the weird mix of blind idiot and conveniently deep.”

“Enough about me, down the hole! I’ll handle them.”

“But it’s two of them! You can’t take them both on by yourself!”

“And I said you need to get to Takako! Stop this!”

Hiroshi and Tatsuya glanced up sweating a little at the two arguing while in the middle of a very tense situation. Judging from the look on Saki’s face, she did not seem to be amused or care about their lack of awareness. She already began to turn around planning on dealing with the threat.

“Yuki!” Hiroshi shouted, though his voice did not through to the two.

“You got your powers up right?”

“Something basic to deal with general situations, yeah.”

“Good! Then get going!” Seiji lifted Yuki up by his collar. Aiming him over the large hole in the floor he created, Seiji waved to him as his only send off before dropping him.

“Damn you, Seiji!”

Turning back towards, Kaede and Katsumi, Seiji mounted his determination to stand for Yuki. “It’s now just the three of us. Yuki’s got business elsewhere, he doesn’t need to be held up fighting Yumi’s friends. That’s not something he needs on his shoulders too.”

Down on the second floor, Yuki landed on his back, though cushioned by the fall with the help of his mist. He still felt some of the impact through him, but it was more like falling really far on to a mattress. It did not knock the wind out of him, but made him groan. “Seiji…I can’t believe him dumping me like that.” Yuki began to stand up trying to get his bearings after the rough treatment. “I thought we were going to fight together…”

“Look out!”

“Hu—“ Yuki could not finish his question before a kick came around at his head. If his mist had not been up still protecting him it would have instantly killed him. Instead, it pulled him around and threw him back at Hiroshi and Tatsuya. His body sped through the hall like a bullet completely blowing out the far back side of the school finishing off Yori’s fine work.

Hiroshi and Tatsuya both turned to look where Yuki disappeared into the night. Neither knew if he was alive after taking such a kick. Unfortunately, they did not really have much time to think about it. Saki made her stance clear. She held the line keeping anyone from advancing past her.

They stared a little awkwardly at each other not completely sure what they were going to do. But Saki made their decision for them. She saw them both as threats, naturally. So she turned her attention to them. Her body disappeared and then popped up in between them. Spinning out, she took them both out with a kick to Tatsuya’s stomach and punch to Hiroshi’s face.

Being more resilient than Yuki, they only flew back into the placed classrooms. Tatsuya saw it coming a little better than Hiroshi. He made quickly in mid-air and land on top of a desk, though his force did cause it to slide backwards. When it came to a stop he heard a strange moan pop up from behind him. The thought that he might be surrounded by more of Takako’s army put him on edge.

Such a thought immediately left his mind once he took in the classroom. “What…the hell?!” A strange odor wafted through the air. He quickly tried to shut his eyes, but he still heard the sounds of all of the different voices coming from around him. ‘What did Takako do to them…to make them do THAT?!’ He really started to believe in Yuki’s theory that it was mind control. It was the only way to explain something so impossible.

Tatsuya jumped off the desk wanting to return to the hallway immediately. He could not take all of the sounds coming from the room any longer. Saki stood waiting for him, likely knowing that it was not enough to take him down. She already had another fist ready for him. But he slipped around it with very little effort.

Saki glared over at him, her left arm still fully extended. “Tatsuya…you won’t escape me this time.”

“I’m going to have to be a little more serious this time around if I’m expecting to live through this.” He pulled up his shirt a little after it had been pulled down from all of the rough treatment. Their fight resumed.

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

Dust and small debris rained down around the hall on the first floor. All around the school shook and groaned in fear of the fighting from above. It seemed almost a foregone conclusion that the entire thing would collapse. Yet somehow it managed to hold itself together. How long it lasted seemed to be the question.

Collapse or not, it was the least of the concerns for either of them. In a silent standoff, they gave no reaction to the destruction around them. Both just stared watching each other for a move. When it became clear that Haruo intended to confront Fumiko, she dropped any interest on the rest of the group.

Threads of magic dragged through the air leading to the magic circles. They stood primed, but unspent still. “You planning to fight me? I thought you were a pacifist.”

‘So they still maintain their sense of self. Is this really mind control? What would be the point of taking control of someone, but allowing them to keep their identity?’ Haruo agreed that the theory Yuki had was a possibility, but he did not rule out other options yet. There was still a lot of unknowns and variables that did not fit well into the theory. He did not question it when they brought it up. The clear signs of hope that it granted was not something that could be ignored. Hiroshi needed something to get people to fight again. Even if it was a false hope, it was still something to fight on. That much he understood well enough.

It still did not stop him from thinking through the theory. ‘The truth of it is that I haven’t really seen many of those part of Takako’s side in this conflict. The assault on the their base has been my only real introduction. I knew something was wrong after I returned, just didn’t expect something like this.’ What amounted to his home had been abandoned by nearly everything. He could not even sense the small source of life in the area. The animals instinctually seemed to know it was not safe. All the humans had likely been dragged off by Takako’s army or killed, as he later put together. Any that escaped that fate were probably in Hiroshi’s group, not that he saw any familiar faces.

Fumiko had been his only real piece of data to work with given everything happening. Unfortunately, his first encounter with her turned out to prove less than fruitful. All the destruction, he had to protect those unable to fight rather than confront her. ‘Now I can find out if Yuki is right, even though I don’t know why he feels so certain about it. There’s barely any evidence to support the theory at the moment. He’s has even less time with these people to understand the situation, yet he is already convinced. I must know why. I must know what is going on.’

“Sticking to your usual silence stoic nature, huh? My magic might be able to do something about that.” The magic circles no longer held passive. Flames quickly gathered at the center of each of the circles. “You’re going to regret thinking you can take me on.”

Chapter 322 – Misjudged Flame

Watching the fire build before it was released, Haruo gained a good amount of information on Fumiko. He had never actually seen her use her powers before, in person anyway, barring their last fight which he was not too focused on it. They spent enough time together they he already knew roughly what she was capable of. Their brief fight gave him his only taste and it was not a time he gave his full analytical attention to solving.

This time was different though. He already knew that he had to fight Fumiko. Like she said, his preference made him on outward appearance look like a pacifist, though it was not a completely accurate picture. He would still fight like now.

A fight on his hands meant he needed to give it his full attention rather than just protecting or keeping damage down. Such a change in outlook, meant that he dodged the flames shot at him with great ease. ‘The attacks have a two second delay before even being thrown. With people like us, that is a very disadvantageous delay.’ When he moved to his next position, he already noticed that she had more incoming from a different source, her hand. ‘Meaning, she’ll need to anticipate my movement and have counterattacks setup.’

Haruo was quick on his feet despite his size. He certainly did not have the speed of the others due to his size, but he was still not as slow it might have appeared. It helped a lot that he could see what Fumiko was doing and planning. Such information made it very easy to stay one step ahead. Unfortunately, that was about all she afforded him.

‘She’s much more thoughtful of combat and tactics than I would have thought. As far as I know from overhearing conversations, she was the President of the Literature Club. Unless she read military books, which Yuki said her interest was fantasy, it seems unlikely she gained her understanding from reading. Which can only mean that it was all gained from her experiences since needing to fight. That was all in Atlantis though, she only had a few fights. It seems strange for her to have already grown that accustom to combat.’

Continuing to dodge, Haruo kept absorbing everything he could learn about Fumiko’s methods. She was making it easy on him to figure her out. Despite the apparent talent, she was very straightforward about it all. He had yet to see her try to hid or disguise anything. ‘Finding a way to end this is going to take more time though… The power in her magic is stronger than my animals. I can’t waste my energy…’

Suddenly, when he was in mid dodge, a red light grew brightly from his right side. It came from a direction that Fumiko did not stand or even her circles. But he immediately knew what it was. Flames burst through the wall of one of the classrooms.

Haruo barely ducked out of it without losing his head. He still felt the heat from the flames pass over. Unlike the others, this had been a stream rather than a burst like a ball. ‘She has even more types she can do, but how did she setup a trap from inside the classroom?’ He had to dodge several more traps that came from even more unexpected corners.

Once he came to a rest with the traps exhausted, Haruo glanced back towards Fumiko. ‘So she was just lulling me into a false impression… Very dangerous…’ His hand patting down an ember that he realized got caught up in the attacks. He barely came out of that trap.

“Looks like you’re actually starting to look serious about this finally.” Fumiko reached behind her and retrieved her staff. The shaft popped out and extended to a full length of two meters. “You’ve been underestimating, Haruo. Unlike the rest of you, I didn’t waste my time once we found peace in Atlantis. I kept working to improve the power I was given.”

A curious statement to be sure for Haruo. “You foresaw trouble back in Japan?” He rose to his feet as the break in the fighting allowed him some recovery.

“So the wall talks? And yes. Given what happened, it was inevitable that there would more happening once we got home. You’d have to be a naïve idiot to think nothing would happen.”

“True. I predicted some sort of response would occur. Though this all exceeds my estimates.”

“Yes, Takako’s touch could not be planned for. But thanks to her, I’ve been able to test out what I’ve managed to hone.”

“You wish to be part of this?”

“That’s right! I’ve been give the freedom to do as I please. I’ve have been liberated. It’s quite refreshing.”

‘This is certainly troubling. Mind control seems less likely, more like brainwashing. I don’t believe the Fumiko Terauchi we know is the same as the one before me. There is definitely something at work, but I’m guessing the only solution at this point is Takako now. All I can do is end this fight and get to Takako.’ He started to find his resolve for the fight.

Fumiko smiled looking pleased. “That’s the sort of look I want to see. Ever since fighting the Titans, I haven’t had any challenges. I want to see what the silent wall has to offer.”

‘She definitely doesn’t seem to be acting like I know. However, can I succeed?’ He did not have much time to think too hard about his question as Fumiko resumed her attacks. Now that she introduced her latest ability, the dislocated flames, she had complete control of the field. Dodging and evading was all he could do just to keep from being seared by the flames.

He had not even the chance to summon his pets with the way she kept the assault up. So Haruo made the decision to ram through one of the walls of the classroom. He hoped to free himself up for a moment and also learn a little of how Fumiko managed to make attacks without being near, which seem to go against what he had seen so far from her.

However, that move as a mistake. He discovered something he did not expect to find in his school. Several students he recalled in passing completely laid out dead. All of their organs laid spread out around them, some even still attached. He had never seen such a violent murder before. “What is this…” Not even he could hold his silence.

“Everyone handles it differently. The freedom Takako grants.”

Haruo turned about to see Fumiko standing in the doorway. “I’m starting to question your idea of freedom.”

“They consented to it, if that’s what’s bothering you.”

“It doesn’t work that way.”

“It does here.”

Haruo thought he had a good read of Fumiko before, but the longer they talked the more it became clear he knew nothing. It was not even about not knowing the person in front of him. This went beyond that. He was quite certain she was not even close to herself anymore. She seemed like a completely different person. ‘Is this what insanity looks like? I’m really starting to be in favor of the brainwashing. Nothing else really makes any sense anymore. Not the way she is acting.’

The smile on Fumiko’s face grew larger until it threatened to split her head. She began stalk forward tapping her staff against the wood flooring. “Are you the selfish type? Someone that just takes and is unwilling to give a little of yourself?”

‘There’s not going to be any point in talking to her. I just need to focus on stopping her now.’ Fortunately, thanks to Fumiko’s little chat that pulled him away from the horror movie scene, he used the time to start preparing for his move.

A flash of light flew at Fumiko blinding her just long enough before a fireball destroyed it. The distraction was enough to get Haruo back out into the hall. He quickly scattered his pets out before Fumiko could react. ‘This’ll give me the coverage I need.’

Per his expectations, she popped back out into the hall with flames already launching at him. He dodged it with ease. The remote spells she cast started to go off again like before. However, he could see better now. ‘As my eyes, I can see where the spells are coming from. Doesn’t stop them, but I can manage to stay ahead of her more until I figure out how she is doing the remote casting, something that should not be possible for her.’ It was the only piece that he really knew about her spells. What small conversations before Fumiko grew distant from the group revealed that much. They all talked about their powers a little to each other. ‘Fumiko admitted before that she could only create her spells through interactions with her hands, a gesture. Has her powers evolved from her training?’

He hoped his answers would come out soon from the extra eyes that he gained. ‘She’s got a tactical advantage hiding her attacks in the classrooms, but due to all of the obscured areas. She doesn’t know about all of the animals I’ve released. It’s a lot of extra effort to manage everything I’m seeing through their eyes, but it’s the only way I can stay ahead of her.’

Tapping her staff against the wood, Fumiko began moving towards Haruo. With each attack she made, she pushed him further back in the hall. “Is that all you can do, Haruo? You’re going to die at this rate.” At that moment, a large wolf burst through a damaged part of the wall. It pinned Fumiko down to the ground with its mouth clamped down over her arm.

‘This should disable most of her attacks. The rest will just be knocking her out.’ Haruo began to approach slowly keeping an eye out for any traps that she might still be using. However, she had gone silent after the wolf jumped in.

A small bit of laughter came out from behind the wolf. Fumiko seemed to find something funny. It made Haruo pause to see what her plan was now.

“You seem to be working under a false impression of me.”

Suddenly flames erupted from all side of the hallway completely surrounding Haruo. He had no exits. ‘She setup another trap… She planned this as well?’ Everything engulfed him trapping in him a giant sphere of flames.

The wolf disappeared from atop her leaving behind only a small piece of rumble from the school. Fumiko picked herself back up ignoring the blood that dripped down her arm. “I no longer require my arm to cast my spells. I’ve advanced beyond such simple means. You were very disappointing Haruo. I expected more from you.”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

‘This should disable most of her attacks. The rest will just be knocking her out.’ Haruo began to approach slowly keeping an eye out for any traps that she might still be using. However, she had gone silent after the wolf jumped in.

A small bit of laughter came out from behind the wolf. Fumiko seemed to find something funny. It made Haruo pause to see what her plan was now.

“You seem to be working under a false impression of me.”

Suddenly flames erupted from all side of the hallway completely surrounding Haruo. He had no exits. ‘She setup another trap… She planned this as well?’ Everything engulfed him trapping in him a giant sphere of flames.

The wolf disappeared from atop her leaving behind only a small piece of rumble from the school. Fumiko picked herself back up ignoring the blood that dripped down her arm. “I no longer require my arm to cast my spells. I’ve advanced beyond such simple means. You were very disappointing Haruo. I expected more from you.”

Heat blistered and cracked at the walls. It had not quite started to cause the wood to spontaneously combust, but it glowed red. The school seemed more likely to be engulfed in flames before it went up from the proximity with the way it grew out through the hallway.

Fumiko watched with a thick smirk across her face. Even disappointed it did give her something to do a few a brief period time. She just expected more out of the boy. Yet it seemed that she was going to have to look for a more worthy target.

“That should be more than enough to leave him nothing more than a black char.” The flames quickly cut out. Only tiny sparks remained blown around by the wind allowed to spin through the school.

“I overestimated your fire,” replied Haruo’s voice through the smoke.

She stepped back as surprise took her. “What?!” Through the clearing smoke and raining sparks rose Haruo. Steam rose off his upper body from where the flames licked his skin. His shirt had been completely burned away along with parts of his pants. Sweat covered his skin putting a soft glow around his sharply formed muscles.

Flames immediately leapt up into the air summoned by tap of Fumiko’s staff to the floor. “I didn’t think you had it in you to mock someone, Mr. Stoic.” Her fire reached out to grab a hold of Haruo once more throwing him within the pool of flames.

“I’m not mocking you,” he answered, as he walked out of the inferno with little effort. Some of the flames still trailed off him, but they largely could not keep him down. “I’m merely stating a fact.”

“Bastard…” Fumiko bit her lip a little in annoyance as her expression quickly changed. He was proving to give her what she actually wanted. It was a surprise even though she asked for it.

A couple of his wolves appeared by his side larger than their normal selves, even for Haruo’s use. “I’ll have to thank you for reminding me of an important fact.”

“And what’s that?”

“Our physical bodies no longer have the same limitations. It’s hard to change the thoughts of how something will affect us.” It was not something he forgot, but never fully appreciated. ‘I’m used to my body being tough from Katsu’s group. But it’s easy to forget this has given us significantly greater resistances to the elements. Fumiko’s fire only felt like a very hot summer day. I have to stop using my old expectations to evaluate the effects of powers on me. The only problem is that I don’t have a power scale to know the strengthen or how much of something I can take. This is a new learning experience…’

“So you’re tough.” Composure started to return to Fumiko. She knew well enough that it was not going to end. There was still plenty left in her. “But don’t get cocky. I was just warming up. You haven’t seen me when I’m serious.” The flames around Fumiko suddenly turned blue.

Chapter 323 – Misjudged Ability

‘So this is the blue flame I’ve heard about in passing.’ Like with all things about Fumiko, he only had fragments of information on her powers. Seeing them in action gave him a lot better sense than any sort of talk or rumor could. ‘I recall one of the Titans mentioning it in passing, the little girl. Given how she talks about not being serious, I’m going to assume her blue flame is more powerful than her standard red flame. Scientifically it does make sense, though it surprises me that magic would follow any sort of logic or rules of science. The real question is how much more powerful is this blue flame?’ It not really something he wanted to test personally, but given their fight he knew eventually he would learn the hard way.

“Getting nervous already? I haven’t even attacked you yet,” she taunted. Fumiko could tell that she knocked some of the wind out of his sail. While Haruo did not really display confidence or arrogance on his face, there were slight hints that he had some assured position. It was hard to describe in no other way than it was a felt that Fumiko had. Calling such a gut feeling came off as almost stupid if not ironic for Haruo lacked any signs of emotions.

Several magic circles grew out in the air while others popped up along the scarred surfaces of the walls. It was quickly another attempt to surround and kill Haruo. However, he had seen it already before from the first attempt she made on him. ‘Repeating herself is a weakness…she swings between straightforward and stealthy attacks…’ Sending his large wolves, nearly the height of him, they broke down the walls that channeled her magic.

Smashed to pieces, she had less points of attack and the reduce cast points left her overall attack with enough holes that he escaped. He did get a good look at her flames though. Unlike before, which just heated up the air a bit and scorched the walls, entire sections of the school immediately melted or just burst into flames from mere proximity.

He did not need it to touch him to know the difference. The moisture on his skin from sweating had been sucked away nearly instantly by the intense heat. ‘These blue flames are definitely on a completely different level of power than her red flames. This position is only further disadvantageous for me.’

Giving the signal, a rabbit jumped out of the ceiling falling down on Fumiko’s head. It scratched around on her face distracted her not able to notice the wolf smashing through from the adjacent classroom. Just as she crush the spirit animal with her flame the wolf rammed into her side. “Damn you!” she yelled as she disappeared into a classroom with the sound of things breaking.

Haruo approached the new hole his animal made seeing Fumiko outside on her back. Her flames were already on the move to deal with the wolf, but he ordered it back. ‘I know what my limits are thanks to my fight with the Atlantean Titan…I need to be careful on my usage against her. She can easily burn through all of my animals and leave me exhausted.’

Shutting out his sight on the classroom, he kept his attention focused on Fumiko as he walked out of the school. The torn up grounds of their school were far worse than he expected, but they served his needs. It was largely a flat area with only a few obstacles around. ‘She’ll have trouble with her tricks out here and I won’t be so easily surrounded or funneled where she wants. And ideally, we won’t damage the school much more fighting outside.’

Fumiko had already recovered from the rough assault and launch her blue flames back at Haruo as he came out of the hole in the wall of the school. He had to jump quickly out of the way just to clear the attack. Unfortunately, the classroom was less than lucky. It immediately exploded in blue light and smoke throw shards of debris in all directions.

He slowly came to his feet as debris bounced off him. ‘Guess the ideal is ruined now…’ Though worse was the fact that several of his animals were caught up in the blast. His mind started running through checks on everything he could still see through their eyes. ‘She do that intentionally to take some of my eyes away from me or that just an emotional response to my last move?’

“You really think that’s going to be enough?” mocked Fumiko. Tapping her staff against the earth, a strange ringing tone went out from the headpiece. The sound echoed and reverberated against itself without any surfaces to bounce off.

‘That staff…she’s been tapping it around frequently during the fight…why?’

Magic circles materialized in the air nearby Haruo. Things had not changed, she just stopped being stealthy about her attacks. Haruo dove down to avoid the ones aimed at his head, while his had his animals dismantle the ones near the ground. ‘Would appear she no longer cares about hiding her tricks…’

“What you thought getting me outside would put things in your favor? I’m just as mobile out here.”

‘Would seem she’s correct about that…’ Haruo returned to his feet to start moving again. Even while she talked, she did not stop putting up her next attack. There was little safety for Haruo. Though the open space gave him significantly more room for evading her.

He kept ahead of most of her attacks, though she continued to cut him off or anticipate his movements. It forced him to keep using his animals to destroy what magic circles he could to give him an opening. ‘The intensity of her attacks seems to have increased…was going outside the right move?’ Haruo did not really expect to be doubting his decision, not that it could be changed at the moment.

During his dodging and evading, he did everything he could to keep analyzing Fumiko’s attacks. As his wolf slashed through a circle, he noticed a fine thread of blue blowing through the air. It had not been the first time he noticed it before. They had been hard to see, but he picked up on them throughout the area. ‘Are these connected? I don’t know how much magic follows logic with it being a fictional construct. So I’ve been trying to avoid assumptions, but it may actually be that simple. Trying won’t lose anything and it’ll help to give another answer.’

Haruo felt that a lot of the things that they did defied explanation. It seemed almost a waste of time to try to understand why or how they worked, especially since some existed purely because it was stated to be real. For his rational mind, it made it very difficult to reason with, but if he could apply logic to things then he could manage it.

Now that he looked for them, he could see better the threads. It almost seemed impossible now for him not to see them. They were everywhere. He knew what he was searching for. ‘There’s more than I realized. But I think this is the real path. Everywhere I look they are connected to the circles. Is this the way she controls and feeds them power?’ He felt his plan starting to have some footing.

His animals made their move cutting at the magic threads. Each of the circles cut shattered into particles nearly instantly. It gave him all the proof that he needed. ‘So she’s creating remotely placed circles by extending out her power through the threads of magic.’ He sort of ignored the rest about what the threads were or how they existed, since it was just facts that he had to accept.

“Getting a little smart for yourself, Haruo.”

‘She doesn’t seem bothered by the fact that I’ve hobbled part of her attacks. What is she planning now?’

“You’re continuing to underestimate what I can do.” New threads started to spread out from her shoulder on the side of her missing arm. They quickly began to gather and form multiple inlaid circles.

The new action made Haruo hesitate. He did not know what Fumiko was planning and thought attacking would be too risky. It was a complete unknown to him. ‘Is she trying to make an arm out of magic? Is that possible?’

“Allow me to start correcting that fatal thinking of yours, Haruo. Fire is not the only magic have at my disposal!”

‘A new element? When did she get one?’

“I’ve been largely just toying with you, wondering if you actually have something to challenge me. After you survived, I thought you might have something. But that’s clearly been proving wrong. You’re just a one note fighter. You won’t survive in this new world for long without evolving!”

The magic finished coming together solidifying into a hard metal surface. It shined brightly a soft shade of blue from her flame. Reflections of blue danced around her new metal arm. “If my flames won’t burn you, then let’s see how resistant you are to metal.”

“Metal isn’t considered a magical element within the fantasy literature.”

“I don’t make the rules, take it up with Yuki if you have a problem with the logic!” Fumiko slammed her metal hand down against the earth. It sunk into the earth submerging partially. “You’re not going to want to be worrying about logic right now!”

Haruo felt a strange sensation under his feet. He did not know what to make from it. It felt like vibrating, like an\ quake, but it was too weak. When he looked over at the grinning Fumiko, he knew she made her attack. But he could not see it. ‘Her hand…underground…’ He put it together a little too late.

Metal rods jumped out of the earth around him. He had already started to move, so they missed their initial targets on him. But they were armed with sharp points that pierced his skin. They only grazed his arm, but he felt the warmth of blood flowing down his left arm. ‘It’s fast and malleable…I’m going to have to be even more aware of her attacks if I expect to keep ahead.’

“Seems you can’t count.”

Her warning did not give him enough time to even question what she was talking about. The last metal rod jumped out of the earth, being the fifth one. It quickly pierced him through the chest with enough force to drag him back a little as blood sprayed through the air. The other metal rods jumped back into action to pierce a stunned Haruo.

“The only unique thing about you, your defense is broken. This is it for you, Haruo.”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

Haruo felt a strange sensation under his feet. He did not know what to make from it. It felt like vibrating, like an quake, but it was too weak. When he looked over at the grinning Fumiko, he knew she made her attack. But he could not see it. ‘Her hand…underground…’ He put it together a little too late.

Metal rods jumped out of the earth around him. He had already started to move, so they missed their initial targets on him. But they were armed with sharp points that pierced his skin. They only grazed his arm, but he felt the warmth of blood flowing down his left arm. ‘It’s fast and malleable…I’m going to have to be even more aware of her attacks if I expect to keep ahead.’

“Seems you can’t count.”

Her warning did not give him enough time to even question what she was talking about. The last metal rod jumped out of the earth, being the fifth one. It quickly pierced him through the chest with enough force to drag him back a little as blood sprayed through the air. The other metal rods jumped back into action to pierce a stunned Haruo.

“The only unique thing about you, your defense is broken. This is it for you, Haruo.”

Blood dripped down and sprayed through the air from the multiple wounds he took to his torso. It was only through Fumiko’s poor aim that he did not take an immediate lethal blow. Not that five metal rods rammed through him were any less deadly to him. ‘I’m pretty sure at one of them has gone through my lung and I can only guess about the rest. I’m not entirely clear how long my body can hold out. Our bodies are different now…all my expectations keep changing… I can’t make any assumptions anymore…’

As he recovered from the stun, he started to test and tug on the magic metal Fumiko used against him. Despite the fluid movement he witnessed from it earlier, it was completely hardened now. He had no chance in just pulling on it. ‘If it had properties close to standard metal, at this thickness my new strength might be enough…’ Haruo gripped the metal to attempt to bend it under his strength. He knew he was stronger than before, even if it was not completely normal through magic he might be able to do something about it.

“You’re a stubborn bastard. All those soldiers died so quickly from this. But that just shows how truly different we are now. This is what we are now.”

Chapter 324 – Misjudged Action

Haruo found that his strength did indeed have enough to fight the metal. It was slow going but he was able to bend them. He did not try to remove them, since he knew that was only going to make things worse for him. ‘I’ll bleed out faster. But I need to sever them.’ Summoning his wolf to him, he made use of its sharper claws. A little blunt at first, they sharpened up as it made more attempts somehow transforming as he needed. ‘It was just a guess and a bit of a pointless one, but it seemed to work. But it shouldn’t be able to do something like that. Size aside, its claws aren’t like blades they’re just sharp ends at best. I thought my animals followed the natural laws, but is that not the case anymore? Can my thoughts or needs alter them?’

The thought troubled Haruo a little. ‘If this was Yuki, he’d be a little better at coming up something more creative than how I’m using them if they are transformed by thought. I don’t know what to do…’ His mind worked logically. Everything he knew was based on the real world. Changing now was not very easy. He was not sure he could do it, especially in the middle of a fight. ‘Against someone like Fumiko, do I stand a chance? I thought based on what little I knew or saw, I could at least delay her long enough until Takako was handled. But I’m not even sure about that anymore. This fight is getting more disadvantageous…’

“So you still have some fight left in you?”

Straightening himself out, he did what he could to ignore the metal sticking out of him. It was not as though he was going to be fighting directly anyway. So it was not going to get too much in his way. ‘I’m going to have to ignore the questions… I need to focus…even for a draw…’ Another wolf stepped up on his left side as a companion to the other. Fumiko had too much at her disposal to hold back. He had to give it a real effort if he was to survive.

“We’ll see how long that lasts.”

‘This whole thing still is strange. She’s got elements of brainwashing, but also seems to be aware. But I’ll have to admit, I’ve never really seen someone brainwashed, so I don’t know if this is how they would be.’ Haruo ordered his wolves forward while he started to get moving again. Unfortunately, the metal rods in him pulled and tore at his insides. His body did not agree with moving while they were still left alone. There was no options, he just had to live with the damage and pain.

It had been a while since he experience this level of pain. He was normally good at minimizing it or at least not having people that hurt him a lot. The Atlantis battles hurt, but he had not been wounded so badly before. So feeling pain to the degree he was now was fresh. It at least kept him awake.

The wolves kept Fumiko off balance just enough that her attacks could not make the same degree of accuracy that she had before. As she had not figured out how they regenerated either, any of her attacks on them proved empty. Fire or metal, nothing stopped them from getting back up after her.

Haruo’s use of cover was proven to be just as fruitless. A strange bound of earth and school desks spread out through the entire campus grounds. Most of the grounds were open, but he still had some places to get behind to watch Fumiko. Her metal however, pierce the pile with little effort and stabbed him in the arm. He ripped free from it by accident leaving a small gapping hole in his forearm bleeding out.

‘I need a plan. Magic and fantasy is not my realm of understanding. I’m going to pass out before I understand her well enough.’ He grabbed up more random pieces of debris around the grounds as he kept moving. Some of them looked a little more familiar than others. They all came from his school, so it went without saying that he knew some of the pieces. A couple came from a classroom, a number plate and chalkboard.

They quickly became animals, while some he pocketed for later. He needed a more offensive strategy with Fumiko. It was something he understood. Something he knew for any sort of fight. It was why some had trouble understanding him. He was a more passive individual. Even with the need to fight with the changes and tasks he took on it was a slow process for him that he never fully accepted.

He sent off his animals for a direct strike. ‘A direct assault seemed to work pretty well on her before. However, since she can work her magic without her hand, it means that just pinning her is not going to be enough. I’m going to have to actually knock her out to end this. Can I get that close?’ It was not going to be his animals that took her down. Haruo knew that was something he had to handle. Yet with her flame as powerful now along with the metal, he had reservations about being able to achieve it. At least, he knew he would not be able to do so without taking serious injury. And his body already did not fair well.

Tapping her staff, metal jumped out of a magic circle on the ground. Like vines, it wound its away around piercing all of the animals that Haruo sent after Fumiko. Immediately after, flames burned them all away. “You didn’t think numbers would improve your odds against me? You seem to think so little of my magic, Haruo.”

Immediately countering after the animals faded into particles, Haruo was put back on the defense. The metal magic increased in the speed of attacks. He was not able to simple keep moving. He had to make certain sacrifices to stay in the fight. Certain injuries had to be accepted if he was to stay alive. It seemed contradictory, but she was much better than him. That was becoming clear to him. ‘She’s more committed to this than I. I really wonder what it is that Takako did to them. Hopefully, I survive to find out…’

Commitment or not, he had determined to be more aggressive, something that did not exactly come naturally to him. He had to keep pressure on Fumiko or she would keep injuring him. To save on his fatigue, he use smaller animals to go after Fumiko. ‘I’m still not at my limit. I have a while to go still, but will it be enough…’

Not too unlike the last time Fumiko, countered as he expected. It might had seemed like he was desperate or just stubborn about a straightforward attack, but it had a purpose. He saw that she made the same actions. ‘She did it again. The tapping with her staff. That seems to be the trigger, but only for ground based attacks. And I know I’ve seen her do that better even in the school without triggering attacks. While she moved around she was doing it in a very deliberate manner.’

Even without his attacks, Fumiko continued to slow walk around the field. It rare for her to stand still. While inside the school, she restricted her movements during most of their fight. The outside changed that and seemed to open her attacks up more. ‘So that must be it. Now that I’ve made more attacks it makes sense.’

Another attack did all that he needed to confirm it for him. ‘Wherever she touches her staff to the ground it places down a circle. She’s then able to remotely trigger then with another tap. Despite how she has been using her powers to make it seem like she can attack from anywhere, she still has to use herself to set it up. It’s all still from her. It’s the training, all she’s been doing to improve her powers to be able to achieve this. My initial impression of her from the day we met seems to have turned out to be completely wrong.

‘I took for someone that was observant and protective, but also sheltered and weak. She was doing what she was doing out of a sense of obligations rather than a real desire to fight. Because Yuki was in danger going to Atlantis, she felt she needed to go. But that was the extent of it. She would give it all up once her debt had been cleared.

‘I’m not seeing that from her. This looks to be a woman that would keep fighting even if she did not have a reason to do so. She keeps practicing and working on herself so that she can fight more. This is Fumiko Terauchi…’

Because he knew how her new power worked, it was easier to anticipate now. However, it still did not change that he could do nothing to stop her from doing it. She could still set the traps and trigger them at will. There was no ability to get close to her. Even forcing her to use them all up still left her with the versatility of her magic that she could cast from her person.

It did not change much for Haruo. He needed to be able to strike against her. Knowledge in this case did little to help him. ‘I might be able to problem solve things, but my mind doesn’t think like a combat strategist. I know what I can do, but not how to actually achieve it.’ It was a very different fight from what he was used. The Atlanteans he dealt with he had the advantage of them not fully understanding how different they were. It was not until his battle with the Titan Teris that he came up against someone that he struggled to be able to fight. And he lost as a result. ‘Simple tactics won’t work against her. Not with her power. She completely negates my standard methods.’

He did not know how he was going to manage against her. Everything he knew and understood told him that he did not have a chance of winning. ‘It’s strange, but despite everything I know I want to stay here. Certainty doesn’t seem to be a factor. What is it?’ Haruo had no explanation for it.

Haruo retrieved one of the items he stored away in his pocket. The number plate to his classroom. It did not look like much anymore. Bent and twisted from the reckless use of the school, it was a sign of the past. And how much the present forced itself upon everything. ‘If plans and strategies won’t work against her, then I’ll have to borrow a page from Seiji it seems.’ Light started to burst from his hand to obscure from him sight completely.

Fumiko cover her eyes up with her metal arm trying to see through what Haruo had planned. “Trying something new this late?” She tightened up her grip on her staff to prepare a possible sneak attack. “I’ll crush whatever you have planned.”

“New? Perhaps a bit,” replied Haruo, “A different way.”

“Still leaving out details I see. Well no matter!” Flames started to burn in her flame arm no longer waiting to see what he had in store for her. She charged up her magic expecting whatever he had planned to be powerful.

Despite her own planning and expectation, what she saw come out of the light left her completely shocked. She did not even think to consider it, but there was not anyone that would consider it. Fumiko dropped her mouth open in shock to see a giant elephant standing next to Haruo. “You can’t be serious…”

It had about as much subtly as Seiji for sure. Though Haruo might have been a little too literal in his interpretation.

“Hey!” complained Seiji off screen.

As it started to charge for Fumiko, she gained back her composure. Her magic had still more time to cast against something so large. “You think that’s going to be enough? Size! I’ll show you how wrong you are!”

She immediately utilized all of her traps to deal with the elephant. However, unlike the other animals that Haruo still after her, it had a slightly less spirit-like appearance to it. It still was semi-transparent, but it was harder to see through. Which had been a sign that it was not to be treated like the others. Her metal vines tore through the legs with little affect. It snapped the metal not even breaking stride. All the flames did was take out small chunks that came back almost as quickly as they were damaged.

Nothing she had prepared worked against her. All she had left was her flame. She ground her teeth together not looking the same as she had the entire fight. Additional magic circles materialized around her arm strengthened her.

She did not have much time to attack with their distance. The elephant covered ground fast. Fumiko began thanking herself for reacting to building up earlier. She would not have had enough time otherwise.

As the flame she grew into life finally left her hand, it exploded in size dramatically. The elephant was still larger, but the flame did well to come close to engulfing it. The two powers clashed only meters away from Fumiko.

Gusts of wind from the impact brushed against her forcing her to dig her feet in a little. It was closer to her than she wanted, but it seemed to keep the rampaging animal back. She funneled more magic into her flames feeling it lose power against the elephant. But it suddenly shattered before she could hold it up any longer. “What?!”

Half burned away by her flame, the elephant still charged after her. Had it been a real animal the sight might have been disturbing to witness, as headless beast charging, but as a spirit animal it did not hold such horror. And the regenerative properties were already at work.

Fumiko staggered back seeing it resume its charge at her. She had run out of spells to cast. Nothing she used worked against it. It was just too big to deal with on short notice. Gritting her teeth for the impact was all she could do.

The elephant smashed into Fumiko from Haruo’s view. But something did not seem right, as he expected it to carry through her for a bit. Something had stopped it. A faint light came out from in front of the animal largely masked by its size. He checked through the eyes of the elephant to see that it was Fumiko.

A barrier was completely up around her. He could see cracks forming it. Her last effort to protect herself, but it was not going to hold. Against the physical power of the elephant, her magic was not enough. ‘This should be enough to knock her out…’

However, Fumiko did not stay defensive while her barrier broke. Just as it shattered, she dashed forward between the legs of the animal. Armed with a metal crafted dagger, she charged straight for Haruo the source. “Die!” she shouted as she threw down dagger.

His arm quickly came up taking the blade through the muscle of his forearm. Blood sprayed back across their faces. She struggled with him to push the blade in towards his heart. He had her up close and saw the look in her eye once more. It made recall what she said before and his re-evaluation of her. “Did you mean it when you said that ‘This is what we are now’?”

“Yes! We’re nothing, but weapons. These powers aren’t peaceful. They’re meant for fighting and that’s what we’re supposed to do with them! Embrace it like I have!”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

Haruo fell back losing his stance. She had completely overpowered him. His burned arm was useless to him. The metal magic already pinned him down for her to make the killing blow. “You won’t.” It was his last chance. He barely had any supporting facts to it. Just his conversation with her to go on.

Another reckless action.

“I WILL! KILL!” Fumiko threw her hand down glowing bright blue. She aimed straight for Haruo’s heart. “I’ll show you who I AM!”

If Haruo had or felt regret, which was an unknown thing through all of his stonewalling, he would have felt it in that moment. Efforts came to an end. Just a waste. Nothing could have been said to change things. It was merely futility to attempt. Brainwashing could not be so simply altered or changed. That was the fact.

Facts as they were, Haruo had no chance of being able to do anything for Fumiko. It was nigh impossible to even call themselves friends. Even acquaintances could have been a bit of a stretch. They only just met two month ago and most of that time was not even together. She intentionally isolated herself from the group. Even during the fighting, they were not together for most of the journey. So there was not even the so-called battle born camaraderie to fall back on. He was the worst person to be trying to reach Fumiko.

That much he knew. That much he was certain.

Which is why it took him aback when he saw her stop. Her blade practically touched his chest when she froze. ‘Why did she stop? Is it because I’m someone she knows? Did I somehow reach her?’

Chapter 326 – Misjudged Memories

What Haruo did not know was that inside Fumiko a new battle burned brightly. It was the reason for her pause. Where there should have only been one side, became two. Less about being a direct opposite, but still a contradiction. The battle became fierce for what would become the earned reality.

A scream ripped through the darkened room, yet it did not wake anyone. Fumiko sat soaked in sweat and out of breath. Even though she was awake, she could still hear the faint screams from her nightmare crawling up her back. If her hair stood anymore on end, it would have looked like something out of Yuki’s shounen manga.

She looked around once she collected herself a little. Her chest still heaved and did not calm down any time soon. ‘Saki’s still asleep…’ It was the first night out of the dungeon and in a more normal cell. While it was hard to call sleeping in a palace normal, it was certainly better accommodations than the cell she spent the last few days living out of until her release.

Standing up made her realize how much she had sweated while she slept. Her Atlantean robes were completely stuck to the form of her body. Unsticking it hardly made it an improved situation. Silk hardly felt very good drenched in sweat. ‘…a bath isn’t really an option right now…’ Fumiko threw off the long single piece robe and drew out one of the articles dropped that she had seen others in the palace wear. It had a similar design to the military uniforms, but had far more embellishments on the trim and rather than pants a full dress. They looked very much out of the history books, like stuck in the past.

She made her way to the door and caught the sound of Saki snoring. ‘Glad she’s a heavy sleeper.’ Poking her head out of the girl’s room, the central chamber hung in a low light from candles lined around the room. There was no sight of the other one, not something she needed at the moment.

Sneaking through the room, Fumiko made her way to the hall. There did not seem to be anyone in the hall from what she could find. It was safe. She needed none of it.

A hand came out of the shadows before she made it even three steps into the hall. “You’re out late,” a deep voice echoed from behind her.

‘An enemy?!’ Her mind snapped awake so fast that even if she had been running on no sleep for four days straight she still would have been completely sober. Fumiko spun around her arm already channeling her magic. Flames grew off her fingertips coalescing together quickly.

The other hand of her would be attacker reached out and silenced her flame in an instant. No effort, as though snuffing out a candle with two fingers. She recoiled needing to get away and put some distance between them.

“Fired up I see.”

‘That voice…’ In the heat of moment, even though she stared straight at him all she saw was an Atlantean. Nothing else in her brain saw anything else. It was not a face just a marker. She had to snap herself out of it. “Demosthenes Alexander…”

He looked to be in full grandfather mode than the ruthless warrior she had seen before. It was never going to be something she was going to get used to seeing. “I’m sensing a little anger in your voice.”

Fumiko looked around quickly to see a lay of the hallway, since she already missed one of them. It was empty still, apart from the two of them. She felt better about that at least. ‘I need to refocus. It’s not my intention to get into a match with him of all people. I hear Yuki beat him, but since he was apparently on our side from the beginning, I have to wonder if he did not hold back against Yuki.’ The story of Yuki beating Demosthenes was well known around the palace guards that even she heard in the dungeon. It seemed to help Yuki’s case for being King defeating someone so high ranked. “Only from having to hear such a horrible and clichéd pun.”

“A little levity never hurts a conversation.”

‘Is this really the same man that without pause destroyed our school and nearly killed most of us?’ She had misgivings still about dealing with the man they thought of as their enemy and with very good reason. The others seemed almost too willing to forgive and forget. Fumiko maintained a specific distance away from him. “Things are still dire and nowhere near resolved. Should you really be making jokes?”

“Always being wound tight with tension isn’t good either. Breaking that tension is just as important and being aware of the seriousness of the situation. It may help you see more clearly when you need to.”

“I’ll be the judge of that.”

“Fair enough. I won’t tell you want to do. You are guests here.”

“Speaking of which. Shouldn’t you be with your new King with the whole Eudokia incident, there’s no more Royal Guard, right?”

“A new Royal Guard will be formed in time to protect him, but he’s not King yet. There are still rituals and ceremonies to go through before that.” Demosthenes never changed from his slightly smiling expression. He looked like he was teaching his granddaughter about history with the look on his face. “But I was given him some room. Even I have the courtesy to leave those two alone.”

She needed no names to immediately know what he was talking about. Her arms crossed subconsciously at the mention. “Already making plans.”

“A King does need a Queen after all.”

“Given the situation here and the two of them, they should fit in right at home here.”

Demosthenes did not seem to follow the same line of thought that Fumiko had. A quizzical look came over his face as he sought out an answer from Fumiko.

“After the stunts he pulled today, he’s just as much of a manipulative bastard as her. No wonder she’s in love with him. He’s been manipulating all of us since day one.”

Even he could sense the mood well enough to know the usual would not work for Fumiko anymore. He matched the serious almost grave tone Fumiko forcibly hung over the area. “Those are some strong opinions.”

Once again, it felt like she might be getting into a more than an argument with Demosthenes. ‘Damn, this guy is completely fallen over Yuki too. He’s going to defend him regardless of what happens. I’m going to have to be careful around him with my words.’ Fumiko quickly reversed on her outward emotions. They had to be bottled up given her situation. “Don’t mind me. Being locked up in the dungeon for half a week will leave anyone sour.”

“They were unavoidable circumstances. My influence barely was enough to keep everyone else out of the dungeon.”

“Yeah, I know how it all went down. It’s what happens.” Fumiko turned away and looked towards the direction she had originally intended to go before being interrupted. “Unless I still require a guard to always be present, I have somewhere else to be.”

“For the time, yes actually.”

“…fine…” It did not seem that she would be able to work it out to be in peace. However, she could not really fight him over it. She knew better to do anything more to argue.

Another bad morning threw her out of her blankets. She did not know if she was screaming as she had done so many times before, but no one seemed anymore the wiser to it. The rest of the girls stayed asleep in the small inn room they stayed in. But she could not stay in bed anymore. Sleep was going to be impossible again.

Fatigue stopped being a thing after the first week. Her body seemed to be getting used to the interrupted and poor sleep schedule she kept. It was almost easier for her to get an hour or two of sleep rather than attempting to sleep for a full night. It was asking the impossible of her. Anymore than that and the voices came back along with the images.

She hurriedly dropped her sweat drenched cloths for something fresher and walked outside. Being late at night, there normally would have only been few people out, as she understood. However, since today was special everyone was out in full celebration mode still, despite most of the honored guests being asleep. Being that he was King, Yuki stayed out with the townspeople.

The energy in the town was very different from the last time she had been in one of the Atlantis’ villages. All of the gloom and doom disappeared. The people were happy and energized in way she had really only ever seen in movies or books. It seemed unnatural. Yet she understood why they were happy. It was not just the fact that they were safe once more because they had a King. It was become the King was visiting them. A rare sight not seen in decades and even before then centuries. They were not used to it. She had a feeling that this was going to be a familiar sight for them.

Unfortunately for her efforts, the town’s inn was position near to the center. Which meant that she was exiting out near the main part of the celebration. She could not escape very well. All the stealth in the world would not make the difference coming out into the massive bonfire filled with dozens of dancing and drinking Atlanteans. And it was only made worse that she was Japanese. Her features made her stand out so easy, height notwithstanding, among everyone else it was as if she wore a bright red dress in a sea of gray.

They stopped her in an instant and started calling out in Atlantean, which she did not understand. She left behind the earring Yuki made, not wanting to deal with this. ‘Crap! This was not what I need right now…’ Fumiko tried to escape, but they quickly surrounded her. Nothing of what they said made any sense. It was all just a drone of voices. They all looked and sounded the same. They were Atlanteans. The same faces of the people she fought.

Her chest started to hurt as she felt the pounding of her heart and shortness of breath. She was cut off. No escape. They had her surrounded. They were the enemy. They wanted revenge for all of those that she murdered. They were not going to let her leave without the punishment that she deserved.

Just as she had trouble standing, a hand grabbed or touched her. She did not know what it was. She just felt them. Fumiko spun around trying to find who it was. Her magic started to bleed through her arm. Loose threads blew about in response. ‘Enemy…no, they’re not…peace…fighting…stop it!’ Their voices carved through her ears into her brain. She could not escape it. “Don’t touch me!”

The Atlanteans could no more understand her than she could them. They did not respond to her. They just got closer to her. It felt like she was suffocating. She could not breath.

All she saw was blood everywhere. They were covered in it. Blood soaked their faces until only the whites were visible. She knew their faces. The soldiers she killed. They wanted her. They were not going to stop until they killed her. “I won’t let you take me! I’ll kill you first!”

Something suddenly grabbed her. She threw her flames at them to get them off of her, but they would not let her go. They were strong. The fire did nothing to them. Why could she not hurt them? They moved in closer. They were after her. “I won’t let you!”

Then suddenly a sharp slap came across her face. Reality returned and she was staring at Yuki with all of the townspeople scattered. They all looked a little confused at her. But Yuki kept himself in her center so that she could not ignore him. “Fumiko! Look at me! It’s alright! Ease up!”

“Yuki? Ease up?” She did not understand what he was talking about. There seemed to be meaning behind what he wanted, but it was not clear.

“Yes, your magic.”

“My magic?” Fumiko looked down at her hand to see the whole thing completely engulf in flames. It had somehow subconscious activate the spell partially to alter her arm. Yuki’s hand held her in place with it barely visible through the light of her flame. She immediately understood what was happening and stopped her magic from flowing freely. “I-I didn’t…”

“It’s fine. You just got a little startled.” Yuki turned around to face the townspeople now that the situation was in hand. “Sorry about that! Lightweight!” He made a drinking gesture and they all quickly understood. Once the celebration was put back on track, he turned around to Fumiko once more. “You alright? You’re not looking so good. Did some of their local food not agree with you?”

She pushed off from him to get distance. Her body still had not fully recovered. “I’m fine. They were just getting too close and I slipped. I’ll be going.” Once she made her intention clear to Yuki, she walked away seeking the exit to the town.

“…alright…”

Fumiko stared down at her hand that had been in flames only moments before. ‘It’s happening more frequently… I need to get this under control…’

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

She pushed off from him to get distance. Her body still had not fully recovered. “I’m fine. They were just getting too close and I slipped. I’ll be going.” Once she made her intention clear to Yuki, she walked away seeking the exit to the town.

“…alright…”

Fumiko stared down at her hand that had been in flames only moments before. ‘It’s happening more frequently… I need to get this under control…’

Out of the town and in the open fields under the night sky gave Fumiko some peace. It was small largely having only a slight change on her. She may have escaped the real world, but the one in her mind never could be out run. As such, she was never truly free or safe.

At first, she only wanted to calm down from the panic attack with the townspeople. Her heart had mostly recovered from it, but the thin layer of sweat over her body made it very difficult to forget. There was not much around, so she just stopped when she needed and sat down.

Staring up at the moon slightly veiled behind the clouds of the night, Fumiko tried to find some calm from it. Though it had an unsettling feeling on her even though she could not place it. Defying the expectations, the moon was positioned in a way that it would have been seen if had been closer to equator rather than near the south pole as they were. Just another illusion of the world of Atlantis.

But she found no comfort in the night sky. A foreign and unfamiliar sky gave her nothing. Though, she was quiet certain that none of that mattered. It was merely a point to complain on and use as an empty excuse.

The longer she remained still the more likely it was to return. And she could already feel it coming back to her. The voices and the images. The feelings that were carved into her skull. She stood up and started to wandering. Anything that might get her mind off of it.

She wandered harder, as though that was possible. ‘This isn’t working…’ It really was not. Walking faster away from the town just was running. And that did nothing. She could not get away from what was chasing her.

Fumiko stopped again. She had to accept her situation. Accept was too strong of a word for what she wanted. Manage was definitely closer. She could not accept it. She never could, that was the problem. “I needed to get my mind off of this. I can’t even think. If I do, I remember…everything.”

Remembering was the biggest problem. She wanted to forget. It was just impossible to do.

Chapter 327 – Misjudged Purpose

A small flame sprung up from her palm. It was desperately control through thin strands of magic. Several of the threads blew around in the wind unconnected at the ends. The flame suddenly went out. “Damn…it’s so small. I’m not used to working with them that small. Whenever I’m fighting I want them to be big and powerful. Trying to keep it small is nearly impossible.”

She sat down finding that her legs were getting tired from the lack of movement. Weaving magic did not need to be standing. The stray threads of magic hanging around she called upon once more. It was not something that she was going to let beat her. “Come on you can do it!” A bit of a smile came over her face staring into the red glow of her fire.

Eventually, the flame collapsed again. Repeatedly it happened over and over again for her. Attempts changed a little as she tried to figure out the problem. In the end, she collapsed in the grass unable to figure it out. “Why did I want to try to do this again?” she asked herself as she looked up at the stars.

As she tried to remember why she even challenged herself to making such a small flame, her eyes began to close. Sleep fell upon her once more. A little bit of peace rested within the developing lines on her face.

A peace that always remained short lived. Fumiko jumped up out of her sleep. Another day, another nightmare. She looked down the hill at the village that they stopped by today. “They’re getting prepared… It’s endless, the celebrations…”

It hardly came as a surprise to her or anyone in their traveling band. Even though they had already came from one party, the next place that they visited wanted to do the exact same thing. They felt compelled to entertain their new King. Though it was also likely a way to release the stress. No one complained.

Fumiko kept her opinions to herself. None of the others seemed to understand. They were not having nightmares like her. The ghosts of their deeds did not seem to haunt them. They could sleep through the night. She had to pick random times when her body would allow it for her to sleep. And still only in small bursts.

Her hand immediately started to draw out magic from within. She only started doing such things in the last day, but it was already getting used to it. It worked for her. So there was no reason to stop.

It started out with it being her routine. But the voices were still crawling towards her like a zombies after the heroes in a horror movie. She could feel the pounding in her chest getting worse. Fumiko turned her head to stare at the red glow. “Just the fire. Only the fire.” The flame reflected in her eyes as she stared.

The pounding eased off. And the undead disappeared. She kept focus on the magic, not completely paying attention to actual work. Which meant that it snuffed out quickly. If it was to work she needed to give it her attention.

“Damn, I need to focus. I know I can do it.” She made it into a dare almost. Something impossible that might be achievable. She did not know if she could do it. It seemed reasonable, but definitely far beyond her reach. But it gave her a goal. And important to her for a few reasons. “If I can do this I’ll have a lot better control over my magic. It won’t go out of control anymore.” It was the only reason that she was willing to acknowledge though. The other reasons were never said or even thought.

Moving her fingers through the air, she started to manipulate the threads once more to create the delicate flame. It fought with her. Such detail was not something it wanted to do. It wanted power. It wanted the coursing flow of her magic to feed through and grow. The flame was hungry.

A starved flame only lasted for so long. But she kept trying. She was very certain she would be able to get to it.

Days continued to pass in the same sort of pattern. She parked herself outside of whatever place they were visiting that day and practiced her magic. It made the days go by surprisingly fast. The usage of her magic no longer tired her. Her body seemed to be adapting better to her calling upon it.

“Almost there…” The flame she worked with had a better life to it. It still fought her for more power. But it held together. She could do it for longer, even though it always collapsed. “A little smaller…” So she began testing herself a different ways. She wanted to know how little magic she could use. How efficient she could make it. There were so many questions she had that needed to be answered.

Traces of excitement would sometimes pop up during her sessions. They largely went unnoticed by her. Her focus was directed outwardly on her magic rather than inward at herself.

However, it was all she could manage. Progress was her only purpose. It kept her mind focused. She gained ground from the training, but she knew why she was doing it. Every waking moment had been consumed with her practice. It was the only way. The moment she paused or stopped it came back to her.

For all of the effort, she understood her powers better than she ever thought she would. She could see the endless horizon of growth potential. But she could see it now. It was open for her to take. And she jumped in after it.

Fumiko screamed pulling away from Haruo. Her memories had ram through her head. She fell backwards to the ground all of her magic fading away. Locked within her, the battle for the truth or the enforced truth burned stronger than her flame. “I kill…I must… Everyone’s dead…”

Blood dripped from the numerous wounds Haruo sustained. He could feel how lightheaded he was from the fight. There was not a lot that he had left to give. His body did not like him moving around and he asked to move again for him. ‘What’s wrong with her? Is she fighting against the brainwashing?’

He started to get back on his feet. Inside his muscle and whatever else the metal ran through complained greatly against his movements. ‘How much longer can I last like this? It feels like everything is finally starting to catch up. But I need to be sure things are over with Fumiko. I can’t allow myself to pass out without being sure of her.’ Every step he made dropped a heavy foot to the earth as if he was ten metric tons. Nothing felt right anymore. “…Fumiko…”

When he dragged himself over to her side, she had fallen completely back unable to move. He could see pain across her face. Between the two of them, she was definitely in a better state than him. His animals did leave her with some injuries, but nothing as severe. So he knew it was not for her wounds that she made a twisted expression. ‘What’s going on inside her mind?’

In a few moments, it came to a stop. Clarity came back to her eyes as she looked up at Haruo. He watched her trying to tell if she was going to resume her attack. However, she made no movements to try.

“…Haruo…”

“Still wanting to kill me?” He did not really have the time to try to evaluate her on his own. His body was deteriorating fast.

Her expression changed a little going a little flat to his query. “Not really, if I did it’d be other reasons.”

“Takako?”

“She’s still in my head. I can feel her trying to motivate me.”

“So it is mind control?”

“Something like that, it’s a little complicated.”

“Can you move?”

“No…”

Haruo knelt down next to her, though it was very heavily done. His body began to respond less for him. “Takako?”

“Part of it… I’m still under her control, but you managed to make me remember something important.”

“Something important?” He really did not know what he had done apart from question her intentions. Which was all he could assume that he did. ‘So she was forgetting something and that shocked her out of the control?’

Fumiko’s eyes moved around seeing the questioning look in Haruo. She was not surprised. “You wouldn’t understand. But it was enough to make Takako’s influence clash with what I had forgotten. I’m awake, but I really wish I wasn’t.”

“Are you in pain?”

“It’s a different sort of pain. I don’t have her numbing influence. Almost nothing is under my control, but my conscious is awake now. I can remember everything I’ve done.” Fumiko blinked her eyes. It was the only part of her that seemed to have any control. And not even that was completely true.

“You don’t seem affected from what I can see.”

“That’s because Takako’s not allowing me control over my emotions. It’s a weird feeling. I know I have guilt, crushing guilt, but I can’t react to it.” Her eyes blinked again clearly showing how much she wanted, but could do nothing. “I’m not sure if this is better or worse. It’s probably the only thing keeping my body from moving for Takako.”

Leaning over to Fumiko, he tried to see what he could do for her. He had no way of imagining such a feeling. It seemed like a completely impossible sort of thing to empathize over. He could just try to make her feel comfortable. “I’m going to take you away from here.”

“Takako’s mind has an endless reach. You can’t take me away from her.”

“I know. But with the two of us in this condition, we’re only going to risk further harm by staying in a combat zone.” He glanced over in the distance seeing explosions of light going off where he imagine someone was fighting.

As he lifted her up, completely limp, Fumiko glanced over at Haruo. “You’re still expressionless.”

“I can be helpful without expressing emotion.”

“But you’re in pain.”

“As are you.”


“But I’m unable to express it. You can if you wanted to express it, but you don’t. Why?”

“There’s no need.”

“But there’s a reason for it.”

Haruo looked at the gate that completely barred their way. He did not have his hands free. But there was fortunately damage to the wall from someone else. Making his way over the debris and rumble, he tried to focus other things than his personal life. But Fumiko wanted to know.

“How do you do it? Like it doesn’t get to you?”

“It’s just the way I grew up. I realized when I was younger that there were people that lived off it. So I denied them what they wanted most.”

“But you no longer need to do that, right?”

“Yes, but it is who I am now. I shut them off.”

“I’m not sure if I envy or pity you.”

“I’m not asking for either.”

“Idiot…”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

“You got your powers up right?”

“Something basic to deal with general situations, yeah.”

“Good! Then get going!” Seiji lifted Yuki up by his collar. Aiming him over the large hole in the floor he created, Seiji waved to him as his only send off before dropping him.

“Damn you, Seiji!”

Turning back towards, Kaede and Katsumi, Seiji mounted his determination to stand for Yuki. “It’s now just the three of us. Yuki’s got business elsewhere, he doesn’t need to be held up fighting Yumi’s friends. That’s not something he needs on his shoulders too.”

He saw the two girls, Yumi’s friends, standing on either side of the hallway. They both had the looks of ready to resume their fight as he made the interruption. Neither looked very pleased by the distraction. However, Kaede more than Katsumi seemed more up for the fighting. She had a smirk on her face and already looking ready to charge. Katsumi seemed to be remaining passive and holding her ground.

It was Katsumi that bothered Seiji more than anything. He had seen Kaede’s type too many times to find it really that surprising. They all wanted to fight and had the confidence in themselves and likely plenty of arrogance to go along with it. Nothing special about Kaede. ‘What’s with the girl? I never asked Yuki which was which…but she’s got an unnerving presence unlike her friend. I can’t get a read on anything.’ Reading someone for Seiji was not the normal sort of thing.

For him, it was a gut check. His personal experience and reaction that his body had to the individual was his method of reading. Which meant that he was blind or mistaken just as often as he was right. But in a fight, it was invaluable. Besides his just fighting experience, it gave him a fighting sense that let him understand his opponent, for good or ill as it had been recently. Katsumi gave him nothing, almost like she was invisible. It felt strangely chilling just looking at her.

Delaying was not really a choice, cautions was required. He wanted to see what they did next. A two on one fight against powers was not something to dive straight into head first. They already proved to him that they could handle themselves.

Kaede did not really gave him a chance for that though. She wanted his blood and jumped straight in to pick the fight back up. Her only courtesy was the time she gave Seiji to deal with what he needed in unloading Yuki to someone else. “Ready die?” she shouted in her charge coming into clash with Seiji.

Taking her fist to his forearm, Seiji kept his balance. Weight carried behind her hand, but did not have the force he felt before. ‘Just a reintroduction…’ He threw her off him keeping careful watch over Katsumi, not sure what she would do next. ‘I’ve only seen her play a more support role to the main girl’s aggressive fighting. It’s when they team up that it’s trouble…’ Alone Kaede did not present him with any real challenge. As a pair, they easily outflanked him and succeeded in scoring hits he would have otherwise avoided.

He had some hesitation in jumping straight into for a counter attack against Kaede. The last time he tried that, he got a sharp knee kick to the cheek. It was hardly the most painful thing he had ever felt, but it hurt a lot more than he expected from such a small girl. And, he preferred not to leave himself so open to an attack. He could not really sense Katsumi and that made him uneasy in the fight against two. Which meant that Kaede came in for another attack.

More in earnest this time, she delivered a barrage of attacks against him. He kept his arms up to block her punches. ‘She’s got more of her back in these hits now… She’s back to being serious…’ Seiji grabbed her wrist as her blows started to come to an end. He spun her around quickly and threw her in the direction of Katsumi. ‘Keeping them both in my sights are about the only way I’m going to be able to manage these two…’

With them lined up, Seiji took action. He quickly covered the distance to catch back up with Kaede and rammed his fist into her stomach as the finishing blow to shoot her into Katsumi. The short haired girl flew backwards into her friend and smashed through the wall of another classroom disappearing in smoke.

Seiji came to a gentle landing outside of the new hole to monitor the situation. ‘That should have dealt with at like the one girl. I didn’t put everything I had into the punch, but it should be enough to knock her out. Which should just leave the other passive one. Though, up until now, everything I’ve attempted against her has done nothing. No signs of injury… She could be the more troubling of the two…’

As the dust began to settle, he saw two forms through the gray veil. A bad sign for him, he knew. A low sigh slipped out of his lips. “Damnit…guess I’m not that lucky…” He prepared for the next round against the two. ‘How tough is this girl? I might have been withholding my full power, but I still gave it a lot of force.’

“Such a brute,” commented Kaede, walking out of the smoke with her long black hair dragging along the floor. As she walked parts of the floor crumbled behind her mysteriously.

‘Her killing aura has increased…’ The look he had seen before from others, it was hard to miss. He had seen worse, but she had quickly changed her attitude. There might have been a playful looking smile through her face, but her eyes were out for blood. It had an unhinged sort of appearance, as if already insane from the bloodlust. ‘I don’t think I’m going to like this very much…’

Time to think was not really available, though it was not like Seiji was going to use it anyway. Kaede leapt into action jumping through the air spinning herself around. Her massively grown out hair went flying with a bit of a life of their own. Spread out in a wide arc around her it initially did not look like much other than flailing to Seiji.

However, a few pieces of debris and dust rained down in front of her charge. He saw the pieces suddenly turn into dust as they came in contact with her hair. The how of it did not really make sense to him, but he understood the threat clearly. “Oh hell…” He knew he did not want to be hit with that and Kaede made her intention with her attack.

Seiji bent back planning on just letting Kaede sail over him, but something stopped him. He looked behind him and saw Katsumi holding him up to stay in line for Kaede. “Damn! When’d you get there?!” He tried to dodge to the side instead, but Katsumi wrapped around his waist keeping held down.

There was no longer any time. He was out of options and only centimeters from being hit. He threw up his arms to do what he could to protect himself.

Blood sprayed through the air with the slashing of Kaede’s hair. Katsumi lost her hold with a forceful blast clashed. Seiji flew backwards trailing blood from his numerous wounds over his arm and chest. He collapsed to the floor with his head bent back through the hole he had created earlier.

Familiar pain spread over his body. The warmth of blood pouring out over the skin. This was a fight. He was going to have to start taking things more seriously. “Ugh…this is really annoying…” Seiji started to pull himself back up as paper ashes slid off his body where it had not soaked in with the blood.

“Survived that attack, huh?” Kaede noted sounding a little annoyed. She jumped a little on her feet getting closer to him. “Even with that special power that protected you, I’ll cut you down!” She slowly stalked forward eying up Seiji for her next attack.

“Special power?” He was not even to his feet yet and Kaede looked to make her next swing. ‘Not good, don’t know how I survived that last attack, but with how sliced up I am, I won’t survive another at this distance…’

“I’m going to enjoy painting the walls in your blood!”

“Kaede…”

“This is my favorite part!” Her hands pressed together with a little popping of her knuckles.

“Kaede.”

“I don’t think you’ll be needing those arms anymore!” Spinning around her hair, the walls already fell down around her from just loosely throwing her head about.

“Kaede.”

Kaede stopped looking very annoyed. Her hair fell down around her feet spread out and sinking. “What the hell do you want?!”

“It’s too late.”

“Huh?”

“Your hair. You did it again.”

“What are you talking about?”

Suddenly the ground seemed to sink around them by a few centimeters. “What the hell?” barked Seiji looking around not sure what was going on. That was all he managed to get out before everything fell out from under him. He fell.

Kaede followed in her confusion after Seiji as the floor broke apart under her. She fell on her back against the second floor along with Seiji. However, due to her hair, Fumiko and Haruo’s fight below and Seiji’s action to make the original hole, it was not really suited to holding anything. The second floor fell apart aided by Kaede collapsing them quickly. Both dropped once more to the first floor. From the top, Katsumi leaned over looking down at the two checking on them. Which was a mistake, despite her observation before, she did not notice how weak the floor was from all of Kaede movement. Her weight was all it took to bring the rest crumbling. Katsumi attempt to jump away, but it only pushed things even faster. The ground she jumped off of had no give to push back and she fell faster.

For a good five or six meters of the hall on the third floor everything rained down. Katsumi fell on the second floor, but as more of the third floor classrooms broke down and spilled in the second floor’s already weakened state folded quickly.

A large pile of debris fell down around her leaving the entire hallway of the first floor mounded up in rumble.

Chapter 328 – Back-to-back Fists

Another punch knocked down another student. “Damn, is there no end to all of these?!” complained Miyako. The hallway seemed to endlessly spill with students and random adults. They all came from classrooms or some weird void that just produces evil beings.

While she finished off a student, a mid-aged woman jumped her from behind. Her hand felt warm like it was trying to melt her skin. But Miyako grabbed her by her neck and threw her off her back. She used the woman’s body to take out a few others coming at her and finish off the little remained of the classroom door. Only a moment later, she had to elbow a short student in the face to stop them from stabbing her in the back.

“Bastards!” She had to dodge a girl that could make her arms into a metal blades. The whole thing looked pretty painful to see, but staring and being impressed really not really an option. Even dodging, she got clipped along the cheek. It was only a small amount of blood. She gripped one of the blades coming off the girl’s arm and ripped her off her feet and threw her into the ground. The blades imbedded themselves leaving her stuck. While completely open, she kicked her in the ribs tossing her through the classroom.

She then spun around wide with her fist to back hand some businessman. He went flying into the crowd. Miyako shook out her hand a little feeling the numbing pain from repeated use. Her skin was red and raw from all of the fighting. An endless fight was something she pondered at times, but this was not the sort of time for it. “Is there anyone that can actually put up a fight?!”

On call naturally, the ceiling behind her collapsed. The force of everything blew out a cloud of dust over the entire area. Then even more of the ceiling collapsed all around her. It attempted to bury her as she protected herself shouting out to the others in her group, but her voice disappeared in all of the noise.

After almost thirty seconds of silence and settling of debris, Miyako broke out of the pile coughing up dust that got stuck in her throat. “What the hell are ya doing?!” She looked around trying to figure out who made the mistake of bringing down the school around them. “We’re supposed to be holding them off, not destroying the school!”

Another cough came out from underneath the debris. Before Miyako could figure out if it was one of her or an enemy, they broke free. It was so close to her that she threw out a punch out of instinct. However, they blocked it. She had not really looked at who it was, but since they stopped her she threw another. It could not be one of her group, none of them were that good. She could tell from the first punch she threw. And they kept up with her and even returned a couple back at her. ‘They’re good…’ Miyako could not move very well with all of the rumble around her feet. She broke off the fighting to jump out of the mess that slowed her movements.

The other seemed to have a similar idea. They were like mirrors in their movements. And with the same idea, they both charged back in with their fists flying. The two clashed in the middle blowing out a shockwave of air from their collision with even greater strength put behind their punch.

It became clear that it was going to be a stalemate the way it was going. They jumped apart to get a better read on the situation. Miyako could feel the throbbing in her hand from the last blow. “Damn…that’s some power you got!” She smiled a little finally finding someone with something real to offer.

“I can say the same to you. You’ve a hell of a punch!”

“Who are you? You don’t look like the rest of the mindless mob.”

“Same to you. Are you with Hiroshi’s group?”

“You with that bastard Yuki?”

“So we’re on the same side.”

Suddenly Katsumi and Kaede pulled themselves out of the rumble as well appearing behind each of them with Katsumi behind Miyako. “Seems that way…” She immediately recognized Kaede, the girl from before that left her in the state that she was in now. “It’s you!” Miyako charged over only to have to stop and fall back at Kaede swung with her hair, she remembered the lethality of it. She fell back against the other that joined her.

“I’m Seiji,” he answered over his shoulder. In front of him, Katsumi looked as ready for a fight as she had ever been, which really was not saying much. But he felt that he could trust the woman at his back. He grinned a little feeling better about the situation now.

Miyako suddenly remembered the name. “You’re the one that gave us the info.” She had been back getting another round of treatments from the doctor to prepare her for combat, against the doctor’s wishes. So she had never seen Seiji. “Miyako. Got my back?”

“Hell yeah! You?”

“I think I’m going to like you!” She grinned as well feeling like she had found some a kindred spirit.

They lowered themselves a little standing back to back preparing for the fight that came. “It’s time to fight!” they shouted together in their charge.

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

Suddenly Katsumi and Kaede pulled themselves out of the rumble as well appearing behind each of them with Katsumi behind Miyako. “Seems that way…” She immediately recognized Kaede, the girl from before that left her in the state that she was in now. “It’s you!” Miyako charged over only to have to stop and fall back at Kaede swung with her hair, she remembered the lethality of it. She fell back against the other that joined her.

“I’m Seiji,” he answered over his shoulder. In front of him, Katsumi looked as ready for a fight as she had ever been, which really was not saying much. But he felt that he could trust the woman at his back. He grinned a little feeling better about the situation now.

Miyako suddenly remembered the name. “You’re the one that gave us the info.” She had been back getting another round of treatments from the doctor to prepare her for combat, against the doctor’s wishes. So she had never seen Seiji. “Miyako. Got my back?”

“Hell yeah! You?”

“I think I’m going to like you!” She grinned as well feeling like she had found some a kindred spirit.

They lowered themselves a little standing back to back preparing for the fight that came. “It’s time to fight!” they shouted together in their charge.

Seiji went straight after Katsumi now that he could fight her with his full attention. It was always Kaede getting in his way or the other way around. He did not mind such fights, but their tag teaming made it very difficult to have any sort of fight happen. Nothing he did could get started.

Now it was different. He could have a fight the way her preferred. Just the two of them, though it did not stop him from being unnerved by the lack of any sort of expression on her face. She did not have the interest in the fight, not like Kaede. It was like she was doing it because she was told to do so. ‘Is she fighting against the mind control?’ he wondered while exchanging some introductory blows.

He could tell from her punches that her heart was definitely not in the fight. ‘She doesn’t want to do this? Unlike the other girl…’ Until now, he never had a real chance to look at the girl, as the fight was too chaotic to really see something more subtle.

It made him pause in the fight to question what he was doing. ‘Can I really fight her? I’m already wishing that I wasn’t as a real man doesn’t punch girls, but they’ve forced my hand. But with her separated from her friend, she seems more passive than before…’

Chapter 329 – Back-to-Back Doubt

Uncertainty on the part of Seiji left him open for an attack by Katsumi. He took a punch to the face. For stopping in the middle of fight, he should have known better. It surprised him a little that it happened. He staggered back a little trying not to fall over and completely embarrass himself.

A thin trickle of blood slipped from his lip, considering the state of the rest of his body, it was hardly something to be considered over. Far worse injuries littered his arms and legs. “…damnit…” He wiped away the blood quickly and focused once more. She reminded him that he was in the middle of a fight and such things were mistakes. ‘That hurt more than the others…what’s with her? I don’t get her.’

Confusion could not settle in for Seiji as he quickly had to block the next punch thrown at him. He caught it with his hand this time, though a little bit of a vibration went through his arm. ‘Her strength has increased… What’s with her? Before she wasn’t really even in the fight…’ Seiji caught the other fist as well, but she pulled herself free to take swings at him. He started ducking around her wide throws. ‘She really not familiar with fighting, that much is clear. The only thing she’s got going for herself is what Yuki gave her.’ It was hard to call her just weak, since a hit did still hurt, but there was little challenge. She lacked any sort of control or finesse. It was a complete amateur effort.

Even though she was an easy fight the more he watched her, there was still the trouble that she presented. None of the blows he made actually seemed to do anything to her. He had not given it his all yet. It was difficult to do. It was not like any fight he had ever been in before. ‘I’m starting to wish I had the other girl. I don’t know if I can actually fight her…’

None of that stopped Katsumi from continuing to try to take down Seiji. Even though she could not connect anything, she never stopped taking advantage of his doubt. ‘…damnit…what am I supposed to do?’

Katsumi suddenly changed up her tactics and darted around behind Seiji, not completely catching him off guard. He partially managed to block the attack, but it staggered him. It knocked him enough off balance that Katsumi could follow up quickly with several clean shots.

He had to pick himself up several meters away. Flashes of red light far in the distance distracted him for a moment until Katsumi came up to him once more. Her knee rammed through his stomach taking him off the ground and falling to the floor. “Ugh…I’m getting tired as hell of this!” Seiji pounded the floor into a small crater as he stood up.

Throwing his finger out at Katsumi, he tried to get something resolved. “Do you want to fight or don’t you?!

Nothing.

He roughed his hand through his hair annoyed. “Stop it! Either look like you want to fight or stop it! You’re confusing the hell out of me!” She remained silent for him. No answer only frustrated him further. “Damnit all! Why the hell are you fighting with that face?!”

Suddenly laughter came out from Katsumi. It was completely disjointed from the rest of her. Almost like her mouth was a speaker. It was still hear voice, but the rest of her face did not match.

Seiji took a step back feeling even more unnerved by the situation. It was not very common that he saw horror movies, he absolutely hated them and could not stand watching them (you can remember why, right?), but the whole scene really felt like something out of a horror film. Katsumi looked possessed, but it had only captured her voice and nothing else.

“What the hell’s going on?! Why are you laughing?”

An awkwardly ripped up smile came across Katsumi’s face as if the corners were pulled up with string. Out of her nearly unmoving lips came her disembodied voice. “So you’re the macho muscle head Saki was telling me about.”

“Saki!” Seiji immediately jumped at the mention of her name. “Where’s Saki?”

“So single minded. I’m hurt.”

“I don’t give a damn about you!”

“Oh, but that’s not true. You came all this way just to see me. You seem to disapprove of my world view.”

“The hell?” It took until then for Seiji to realize what was wrong. The horror imagery screwed with his mind enough that he did not consider it. “Who the hell are you?! You aren’t Yumi’s friend!”

“So the big idiot finally figured it out after I spelled it out for him.”

“You! You’re the one aren’t you?! The one that is causing all of this!”

Katsumi’s body clapped her hands together stiffly. “That’s right! Congratulations! What shall I give you as a reward for understanding something so simple and obvious?” Her foot wound up suddenly and kicked a stray bit of debris in Seiji’s direction.

The speed of it was not much to worry about for him. He simply lifted his arm up to deflect the debris away, but instead he was jerked backwards as blood sprayed through the air. Seiji threw himself against the wall needed some support. “What the hell?” He glanced down to see the debris had imbedded itself in his arm with part of it stuck through the other side. Blood streamed down his arm. Without a second thought, he ripped it free from his arm as it poured out blood. “What the hell did you do?”

“Better watch that, you’re going to bleed out.”

“Go to hell!”

“Already visited.”

“Damn you.”

“You’re as charming as she described.”

“Stop acting like you know any of us!”

“Oh but I do!” Katsumi stepped roughly forward a step. “I know all of you so very well see. I know what you’ve being doing recently in a little place called Atlantis. I know all about you and Saki and Yuki. She hates you, you know.”

“Shut up! You don’t know Saki!”

“Touch a nerve have I?” The creepy smile grew larger nearly looking like a crescent. “It’s the truth. She can’t stand you. She wishes that you’d just disappear.”


“You’re lying!” Seiji’s fists tightened up. The blood started boil for him listening to Takako. He knew what she was trying to do. It still angered him that she would go so far as to make such attempts. He charged in after her. “I’m not going to allow you to talk about Saki like that!”

Katsumi took Seiji’s punch to the forearm with only a push back. The force of his fist blew her hair back. Laughter came out of her once more. “She never told you. She’s making you think that you’re all just friends.”

He wound up his punches again throwing more and more power behind them. Katsumi just stood there and took it all barely doing anything other than sliding a little back, as her feet could not keep a grip on the floor. At the end, all that he could see different was her full arm length gloves were a little frayed. Some tears were starting to develop, but nothing more really happened.

“You’re upset because you know I’m speaking the truth.”

“Shut THE hell up!” Seiji’s hand lit up briefly as he pulled back for another wind up. Katsumi took his rage head on, but this time the force was enough to knock her off her feet. She flew backwards a meter, but managed to catch herself in time. Large tears tore through the cloth as it started to hang.

She started to discard the gloves causally as she straightened back up. “I can walk through their memories and thoughts the same as I’m walking through this girl’s body.” Katsumi’s hand brushed over her cheek to point out the complete dominance she had over the girl. “I’m so much more intimate with Saki than any of those who think they are her friends. So…much…more…” Laughter came out of Katsumi again. “She’s told me all of her secrets and all of her lies. She has so much darkness within her it feels so amazing.”

“You know nothing!” Seiji threw out another fist as he closed the distance, but Katsumi held up a plank of wood from one of the classroom walls. His fist crashed into the wood unable to do anything to it. Blood sprayed up from his wounds applied from his force. “Just stop talking!” He kept throwing more fists at Katsumi always blocked by the wood until his knuckles were bleeding.

Tossing the plank behind her, she retrieved a new pair of gloves. This pair was dark brown leather with plates of metal around the backs of the hands and thinly spaced around her fingers. “Trying to punch me quiet? That won’t work. You can’t beat me while I’m in this girl’s body.” Katsumi ran her fingers up and down her arms as though washing them. “This girl’s abilities are unique suited to being perfect just for you.”

“I don’t care anything about any of that! I’ll still stop you!”

Laughing, Katsumi started to move towards Seiji. “By all means make your attempts. I’ll show you how weak you are. You’re just a clueless monkey.” She rubbed her hands together looking like she starting to warm up. Winding up her punch, she met fist for fist against Seiji. Nothing stopped her anymore. Explosive shockwaves flew off their clashes shaking the ceiling.

Blood, Seiji’s blood, coated the knuckles of Katsumi’s glove. It only seemed to be getting worse for him. She no longer even lost her traction in the fight. In fact, she seemed to be getting stronger with each punch. One of her punches slipped through Seiji’s defenses landing square in his jaw. He slid back a little staggered from the blow as blood started flowing from the impact.

Seiji spit out the blood from his mouth and charged back in after Katsumi, or rather Takako. “Damn you!” However, while he was stunned, Katsumi retrieved a long board from one of the trashed classrooms. Already in motion, Seiji put up his arms to block the hit.

It was like being hit by a truck. He flew out of the hallway through a classroom and out the window into back of the school grounds (opposite of Haruo and Fumiko’s current fight). Seiji spun end over end through the dirt until he came to a stop in a pile of earth up against the corner of the school fence.

As he tried to pull himself up more blood dripped over his face. His left arm was completely thrashed from the blow. It hung weakly at his side. He was not sure if it was broken or worse, but he could not move it. ‘…damnit…I can’t lose here, not to this psycho!’

Katsumi marched out of the school still holding the wood board. “You don’t have to worry. I’ve no interest in adding you to my army. You’ll just die here like everyone around you wants!”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

Laughing, Katsumi started to move towards Seiji. “By all means make your attempts. I’ll show you how weak you are. You’re just a clueless monkey.” She rubbed her hands together looking like she starting to warm up. Winding up her punch, she met fist for fist against Seiji. Nothing stopped her anymore. Explosive shockwaves flew off their clashes shaking the ceiling.

Blood, Seiji’s blood, coated the knuckles of Katsumi’s glove. It only seemed to be getting worse for him. She no longer even lost her traction in the fight. In fact, she seemed to be getting stronger with each punch. One of her punches slipped through Seiji’s defenses landing square in his jaw. He slid back a little staggered from the blow as blood started flowing from the impact.

Seiji spit out the blood from his mouth and charged back in after Katsumi, or rather Takako. “Damn you!” However, while he was stunned, Katsumi retrieved a long board from one of the trashed classrooms. Already in motion, Seiji put up his arms to block the hit.

It was like being hit by a truck. He flew out of the hallway through a classroom and out the window into back of the school grounds (opposite of Haruo and Fumiko’s current fight). Seiji spun end over end through the dirt until he came to a stop in a pile of earth up against the corner of the school fence.

As he tried to pull himself up more blood dripped over his face. His left arm was completely thrashed from the blow. It hung weakly at his side. He was not sure if it was broken or worse, but he could not move it. ‘…damnit…I can’t lose here, not to this psycho!’

Katsumi marched out of the school still holding the wood board. “You don’t have to worry. I’ve no interest in adding you to my army. You’ll just die here like everyone around you wants!”

Working up as much bravado as he had available on hand, Seiji straightened himself out to appear like none of it harmed him. “Good, I had no plans on joining your army anyway. So come over here and try!”

She laughed a bit more, clearly amused by Seiji’s façade. “I’ll oblige you.” Swinging the board around a little, she launched it at Seiji with some added force from her punch.

The scars along his right arm lit momentarily as he threw himself into his punch to meet the attack. The wood board rammed into Seiji’s hand coming to a sudden halt that sent cracks through the wood. A flash of light jumped through the wood before it exploded in splinters. ‘…damn…’ Seiji wound back a little from the recoil. ‘It’s just wood, but it hurts like hell! What the hell is she doing? This is all part of this girl’s strange power isn’t it?’

Shaking his hand a little, he worked off the pain that threatened to numb his hand. ‘For looking so frail, she hits like a truck! Damn, I can’t believe I’m actually missing the Atlanteans. They were at least more straightforward with their powers. I knew what I was dealing with. Whatever her power is, it’s not flashy like others.’ He clinched his hand up and knocked himself in the cheek. ‘What the hell’s wrong with me? I just have to fight like I always do. No thinking. It’s my way! She’s strong, so I can put my full power in this and not worry!’

Chapter 330 – Back-to-back Punch Out

Seiji charged in after Takako, already in motion as well. She had only waited long enough to see how things played out. Like he already noted, she was bad at fighting. The smarter fighter would have gone immediately after him while he was countering the first attack. She had moments of awareness, but she was extremely inexperienced. It was his only advantage against her.

With his head in the fight more than it had been before, he could see her movements a lot easier. He evaded or deflected her punches with ease. Shockwaves ripped through the grounds from the clashes when he met her punch to punch.

He slid around to her side the moment he had her off balance. Takako only managed to get her arms up to take the blow before it ripped her off her feet and threw her across the grounds. The body of Katsumi crashed into an earthen mound created by Takako’s take over. A tall cloud of dirt shot into the air from her impact.

‘That connected, but it still didn’t look like it did much of anything to her…’ The sting still rang through his fingers. He had not really run across anyone with such a resilient body. So the whole experience was new for him. It was not going to stop him though. Takako had to be stopped.

“Owies,” Takako spoke with a fake playful tone. “That really hurt.”

“Stop lying. I know well enough that did nothing to you.”

A sigh escaped from the smoke. “You’re not much fun.” Takako walked out of the cloud with only dirt ground into some of her uniform. She readjusted her full length gloves after Seiji’s punch knocked loose. “You’re such a boring man.”

He had said that it did nothing, but he still hoped for something. She did not even look any more fatigued by their fight. ‘…still nothing… How hard to do have to hit to actually do something?’

“It seems that you’re actually taking this seriously now. I’ll have to step things up then.”

“Bring it!” Seiji threw up his fist doing his best to look like a fighting stance for having one disabled limb.

“Aren’t you an eager one to face your death.”

“It’s all talk until you actually succeed. I’m still standing.”

Takako began to dig around in the pockets of her skirt, where she seemed to be dragging everything from. New metal parts were retrieved. She locked them into place on the leather glove. Tapping a switch on the plating she just added. Expanding and locked into place, nearly all of the leather base disappeared as the metal grew out. “I managed to find someone in the city with quite the scientific mind. Seems that Yuki’s gift to them was greater engineering skills and knowledge. They’ve come quite in handy for the little toys I have them make for me.”

Completed, her glove looked more like a gauntlet now rather than something that seemed more like a punk accessory. Each metal plate locked and interconnected with another. They wrapped fully around her forearm. Even her fingers had well crafted plating that gave maximum flexibility while still maintaining defense.

Showing off the change to Seiji, she grinned with delight. Murderous disjointed expressions came from her as she controlled Katsumi’s body. “I’ll let you in on one little thing about this. The metal I added was made from a different material than what was being used. It’s a new alloy that hasn’t existed in our world before created by that special someone.”

The look he got from the improvements did not give him a positive feeling. ‘Damn, I already was having trouble doing anything to her with that defense and it looks even more solid than before. How the hell am I going to break through?’ It appeared that she had called his bluff. Seiji started to have some unease about his situation.

Unease or not, nothing changed what he had to deal with now. He hardly even had the time to complain before Takako was back on the attack. The new changes to her gear did not change her speed or reaction time, which mean he could still dodge her with ease. He did not really want to meet her head on any longer. It hurt before and he got the feeling it was going to be several times worse.

It did not take long for him to get an example of the change. Early in his dodging around the grounds, an earth mound that was part of the school’s perimeter wall was at his back. He had to get out of the way due to the poor position it put him in, anything like that at his back was a bad idea. Though it seemed to stop being a point of concern after Takako was finished.

When she missed Seiji with her fist, it buried itself into the earth. For the moment, it seemed nothing really was going to become of it. Earth went up to her elbow from the penetrating force. However, a moment after all of the earth surrounding her exploded outward nearly appearing to have vaporized, though it had merely scattered into powder. The wall buried deep under the dirt became exposed and twisted from the force.

A bit of sweat dripped down Seiji’s face realizing that could have been him had he not moved. He did not like the looks of the strength that she seemed to be displaying now. ‘Hell! How much would that have hurt?’

He kept up his dodging of her attacks. It was about all he could manage anymore against her. None of his own punches actually did anything to her. Anytime he hit her it was as though he was hitting a steel wall. Nothing budged and the only thing that hurt was himself. His fist was bloodier than ever before. The skin on his knuckles had been completely torn from all of the clashing.

Seiji danced around the school grounds looking for any chance of an opening. He could not get a single blow past her defense. ‘For being so weak at fighting, she’s got an annoying as hell defense! No matter what she does, she always makes sure to have those weird glove things up to protect her. I can’t get around them!’

Breaking down her defense was his only chance. That much he knew. ‘Someone that caught up on defense is afraid. If I get past it, I can end this fight!’ However, he did not know how to do that. He only had one arm working for him and he could not really meet her blow for blow any longer.

Thoughts on strategy tried to move around his head, but none them met together. He could not think out his problem. Besides the fact that it did not really work for him, it stalled all of his actions. Takako did not give him time to pause. She kept putting two-meter size craters all over the place in trying to take him down. So thinking was out of the question.

“Damnitall to hell! I’ll just do what I do best!” Which when one considers the things that Seiji would do, was already a bad idea. Fortunately, it was not the worse outcome for him. A stupid idea was still a stupid idea though.

He caught her fist coming in at him. Not a bad idea, a painful one, but not a bad one. His muscles and bones complained about how terrible the plan was. But he still went with it. It was only one hand he had stopped, but it was enough. He pulled at her to throw her off balance as he came swinging in with the only other thing that he could think of on him, sadly it was not his feet. That would have probably been smart, but Seiji in reality was never really one to fight with this feet. A man’s fight should be done with the fists, of course. And when you run out of your fists, there was only one thing left to use.

His head.

It was definitely the most earth shaking head butt the world had known up to that point (because naturally the power progression of this story is going to render that entire statement meaningless in the future if worded any other way). Terrible shockwaves from the ear-splitting clash rang through the entire school grounds. The earth ripped up in front of them and shot outward like bullets leaving holes in anything that dared to stand before it.

The move did manage to stun Takako and throw her back. However, Seiji took just as much of a hit from it. Blood poured down his forehead from the nasty wound he created, one that Katsumi’s body shared.

Takako dragged herself back up with the help of part of the exposed wall. With a much worse looking image than Seiji, blood covered up much of her face, she still looked just as hungry. “I’m still here. Did you think that smashing your head into mine would eject me from Katsumi’s body?”

“No, I wasn’t thinking!”


“You did a little didn’t you?”

“Just a bit. Seemed like something worth trying.”

“You really are an idiot. That’s not how this work!” Seiji was an idiot. And he was about to deal with it. Takako suddenly looked a little confused at Seiji. “You trying something new?”

“Huh?”

“Your hair, it’s got electricity sparking.”

“It does?” He ran his hand through his hair only to remember what it was he did. Up until that moment, he had forgotten about it. And then he realized his mistake.

Yuki’s voice came to him reminding him of something important. ‘It’ll be fine as long as you don’t go head butting someone.’

“Crap…” The electricity came to a stop as though it all would just calm down. But that was not the case. A few second later, it started back up and heated up. Smoke started to appear from his head until it all finally exploded in his face. The blast was more startling than anything.

Seiji coughed a little from the smoke, but it only looked and sounded worse than it actually was. He waved off the cloud to get back into the fight. “So you do bleed,” he commented, finally back to being serious. The sight of the blood covering Katsumi’s face made it clear to him that he could do something in the fight. ‘I just need to get past her defense and I can do this.’

“Don’t make it sound like you’re making a comeback. You’re on your last leg and since this isn’t my body I can keep using it long past the point of fatigue or pain has already crippled it.”

“Bastard! People aren’t puppets for you to use!”

“They are with my power!”

“Damn you!” Seiji charged in after Katsumi. “I’m going to put an end to this right now!”

To be continued…