As I stepped up to the road where Liam stayed, I could see it empty, no cars, abandoned houses, and those who haven't left yet are busy packing up. Cars upon cars driving to the airport or harbor. "This is not a drill. By order of Lord Aamon, emergency evacuation has been set. Make your way to the nearest seaport or airport immediately." I stepped up to the porch of the Kara-no-goki home, then took a deep breath. It had been almost a day since Liam and Hisashi finished the job, but I hadn't heard from either of them yet. I stepped up to the door and knocked. As my knuckles hit the door, it pushed open. (It's not even closed...) I walked inside to find the house a wreck. As if a tornado tore through it. I went up the stairs and reached Liam's room. I saw him staring outside, looking towards the city. "Liam?"
The room was quiet except for the TV playing news reports of bodies found at some location. I ignored it and focused on my friend.
"I would have done anything for him." He answered with a horse and raspy voice.
"Liam, what are you talking about?"
He said nothing...I looked him up and down, bullet holes, puncher wounds, cuts. All are relatively old.
"My god, Liam, what happened.... Liam? Where's Hisashi?"
He turned around and looked at me, his eyes bloodshot. "H...Hida...oh god..."
"Hey hey, you're okay." I stepped closer and hugged him. He broke down in my arms, sobbing like a child.
"It's okay, come now. Whatever it is, we can fix it. Just tell me what's going on." My heart began to race. (I've never seen Liam like this. Did something happen to Hisashi? Please tell me he's okay.)
The door was pushed open, and Vesta and Yato walked through.
"L...Liam?" Yato asked with a puzzled expression.
"Hey, you're safe, Liam. Just tell us what's wrong."
(Liam)
I looked up at them and squeaked out. "Hisashi.... he's a Peacekeeper."
"What...what do you mean?" Ask Hida as she let me go, letting the cold envelope me once more.
"He betrayed us, he's working with the Peacekeepers," I explained.
They all murmured, trying to rationalize what I said.
"Liam." Hida's voice was ice cold. She grabbed my shoulders and looked me in the eye. "Tell me exactly what you are trying to say."
As I explained everything to them, horror flooded the room. Yato was hunched over on my bed, rage burning in his eyes. Vesta simply looked at me, taking in every detail... expressionless. Hida was holding back tears. We all sat away from each other in relative silence. Listening to the town get ever so empty. All I could hear was my mother's words, ("monsters can't be mothers". Is that truly how she felt...was...was it my fault? Hisashi called me an abomination. Maybe he was right, maybe I'm just cursed, maybe monsters can't be sons either. Maybe they'll be better off without me.) Then a thought hit me. My heart stopped as my blood ran cold. "H... Hida. There's something else."
She wiped her tears and turned to me. "What?"
"When your brother died. You messaged me right before. That's why you suspected me."
"Liam, now is not the-"
"You were also with Hisashi the same day."
Her pupils dilated as she looked at me. The realization of what I was saying dawned on her.
"N...no...h...he wouldn't. No, Liam, no. You're wrong... you're w... you're wrong okay."
My heart rate increased as I simply looked at her, tears running down my cheeks. "I'm so sorry, Hida."
She did not cry or yell. Hida simply fell to her knees, like a puppet whose strings were cut; it was as if the very colour in her was drained away. Vesta walked up to her and hugged her. Holding her close. Vesta chimed in, "my god...I left him alone with Su, Beth, and Chrys. What if he did something to them?"
"Greetings, I am Ash Deamont. Leader of the Peacekeepers." It was Hisashi. He appeared on my TV giving an announcement. He wore a yellow, black, and gray suit with a black and yellow fedora. His red hair dangled from the edges. "We recently came into the position of a powerful weapon, a weapon capable of destroying the oppressive Kara-no-goki rule. Too long have the citizens of Star City lived on the backs of the working class. Too long have they eaten lavishly while The Playground begs for scraps. We Peacekeepers have only one thing to say...no more. This is the dawn of a new era. One where freedom rules, where all are seen as equal. Where the circumstances of your birth don't determine your value. I could not have done this without my friends, the Phantom Dragons. I will never forget who you are, and if you wish to participate in the upcoming wars... I'll make sure nobody will forget who you are either." His final words carried the air of a death threat.
"BASTARD, KEEP OUR NAME OUT OF YOUR MOUTH!" Yelled Yato.
"It's a threat Yato," I responded.
"So what, Liam?" He asked.
Vesta answered for me. "What do you think will happen to Beth, Su, and Chrys if you and I are outed as terrorists. What about Hida? She wants to leave this life behind, but how can she do that with hunters on her tail?"
"He's also saying that we can leave." I added "He doesn't want us involved."
"Bit late for that," Yato said bitterly. "Now what?"
I heard someone walking up the stairs. Vesta and Yato prepared for a fight. Hida was still on the ground, looking at nothing. I...I just couldn't.
A young-looking boy peeked through the door and waved at us. His black hair bounced as the small pink streak in his hair swayed side to side. Hida finally looked up and squeaked out.
"Tammy...why are you here?"
"I came to inform Liam. I'm sorry, but there was an incident at the Vermont Delores. If I'm guessing correctly, you guys had something to do with it."
We all looked away, a bit ashamed. "Anyway, Liam. I'm sorry, but your parents have been confirmed dead." Finally hearing it...broke something in me. "I'm sorry, kid. When I heard what happened to Liam's parents, I thought I'd check on you guys, you've all already lost so much...then I saw Hisashi's recording. He sent it to the police station an hour ago and told us to play it or else. Lord Aamon told us to follow through. I remembered him from the funeral. Didn't take long to figure out what's going on here. You guys got played, didn't you?"
We all looked down, anger, sadness, and confusion boiling in our souls.
"I have an offer...join the hunters association. We can train you, protect your family, and hide your identity when you go after the bastard. What do you say?"
"What's the catch?" I asked.
"No catch, you want Ash dead, we need soldiers. Most of our trainees ran away when they heard the evacuation order, and Hisashi's message didn't help much."
"My siblings, I want them safe." Said Vesta.
"Done, we have an offshore base, they'll be safest there."
Hida finally stood up, "We won't let him get away with this." She said softly.
"He has to die." Vestas' head shot up hearing Yato.
"Yato!" She yelled.
"I'm serious, he needs to go." He clenched his fist, "That bastard hurt my friends. Death is too good for him."
"Yato, I don't think you understand what you're suggesting. This would mean war; we won't just be killing Hisashi. We'd be killing anyone who gets in our way, there's no avoiding that."
"He hurt my friends," Yato repeated, his voice cracked a little as if he was choking back a tear.
"I need to know why," Hida said, "...why would he do this to us. Vesta?"
"I'd rather get the kids away from all this, but...I can't leave my other kids behind." She sighed, "Alright, I'm in."
"I'm out."
They all turned around, stunned. "Vestas siblings are safe at least, and the rest of you can handle yourself...so...I have no reason to stay. I'm sorry but...I...I've got nothing left. Su, Beth, Chrys, Aiko, Julz, Taiman'a, Niyuki. They all could have died because of me. It would be best if I weren't here." I looked up at them. Hida had a pleading look in her eye, but I stood up and teleported away.
As I stood on the evacuation boat, I could see fires raging in the distance. The island now became a distinct blob over the ocean. I looked up as countless fighter jets flew in, the Captain Kirk's just waiting to die. (..die....die?.....die, yes.) I walked to the edge of the boat and looked over (the water is so dark...so slow...so peaceful. Enveloped my pure absence...that sounds so nice... doesn't....absence. In absence I can't screw up, in absence I can't lose anything because I have nothing...just me and the eternal dark). "I love you, you and your brother." I turned around and saw a woman holding her two sons tightly. They were afraid but having her close gave them a smile. I shed a small tear as I knelt down and curled into a ball, closing my eyes.
"I have a brother."