As Caspian sat there, watching Tatsumaki's figure turn into a green dot as she flew away, it was once again time for him to make a choice: should he catch up to her, or let her go?
Caspian stood, looking at Mosquito Girl, Yuta, Suiko, and Fubuki, who had turned back to face him.
"Don't stand here staring at us, go get her!" Mosquito Girl stepped aside and motioned toward the balcony.
Suiko mimicked Mosquito Girl and said, "Where's the powerful man I fell for? Go!"
"I share their opinion. This attitude does not suit you." Yuta placed her hand on his shoulder. "Tarry no more. We understand and accept you."
Caspian gave the three of them a warm smile before flicking his gaze to Fubuki. Her face burned as she clutched her head, grappling with the reality that her sister had heard her 'sharing' comment.
There was only one choice to be made here: If he didn't catch her now, he would lose her forever.
¤ ¤ ¤
Now that he's gone, we can handle the problem without interference.
Mosquito Girl swatted the kitchen nook. "Are you girls ready to go find her?"
"Are you talking about Wavygyaza? Didn't he speak against this?" Suiko asked, brows raised.
"So what? I may have forgiven him, but he's still being a stubborn idiot. The four of us are going to go find her and allow her to share the same happiness we all have."
Yuta crossed her arms and asked, "And how do you propose we uncover her location?"
"Easily." Mosquito Girl gestured to the jar beside her. "She heard Genos and Caspian talking about Wavygyaza's two probable locations."
Suiko moved forward and scrutinized the jar. "Little M is that smart, huh?"
"Bah!"
Suiko hopped back, covering her ear. "Why did you do that?"
Mosquito Girl frowned and said, "Don't use that horrible name. Caspian is amazing at many things, but naming isn't one of them. We'll need to keep a close ear when it's time for all of us to pick out baby names. T—"
"Get back to the matter at hand." Yuta's stern voice cut off her digression.
Talking all serious and composed, and yet you're blushing. Silly girl.
"She told me earlier that her real name is Carmin. And let's just say she's not too happy with Caspian's naming choice. In fact, she dances about in a rage when he calls her by the name, and our Caspian has the nerve to think she's happy about it."
"Carmin is much better," Suiko noted.
Mosquito Girl walked over to the distressed Fubuki and clasped her shoulders. "Are you ready to go?"
"Huh…?" Fubuki raised her head.
"Tsk. Get that pretty head out of the gutter. I'm sure he'll breed your sister properly in a bit, but you need to save those thoughts for later!" Mosquito Girl spun on her heels and headed down the hallway. "We're leaving now, ladies!"
Fubuki's flummoxed voice resounded from behind. "D-Don't say such things!"
¤ ¤ ¤
Caspian caught sight of her in the distant sky as he leapt from one rooftop to the next until he exited Z-City Ghost Town and ended up in the barren wastelands that Tatsumaki and he always wound up in together.
With every ounce of his willpower, he believed and hoped that it would all work out.
He blazed across the air and land, arriving beneath her.
Caspian's foot smashed against the rust-colored earth, sending him upward. His feet found purchase on nothing but air as he sprinted straight into the sky.
By the time she stopped and swung herself around, he had taken her into his arms.
"Please don't leave…"
"Caspian! Let go!" Tatsumaki's enraged shout bellowed out.
"At least hear me out and let me explain."
She clenched her fists. "There is nothing for you to explain. I understand exactly what you've done."
"Even so… Please."
A long pause followed before she muttered, "Fine, but release me first."
"I would, but I cannot fly yet."
Tatsumaki snapped. "There!"
Her aura enveloped him, allowing him to float back a distance away.
Caspian took in her countenance. She displayed no doubt, no hurt, no tears. Only a frigid look that gouged into his soul.
"What can I say—"
"That you're a selfish, lying bastard!" Tatsumaki didn't give him the chance to finish his sentence.
Caspian couldn't refute her words, but he wouldn't back down here either. "You're right. I am. I should've been honest and upfront with you."
"What would that have changed?" Tatsumaki gritted her teeth. "You were with that Mosquito Girl even back during our first date! I'm just another item in your perverted collection. Right? Right!?" Her voice climbed to a high pitch.
How could he get through to her here? There was nothing to use to his advantage here, and even if he had a piece of information thanks to his knowledge, he would've refused to use it.
Caspian's expression hardened. "Don't say such a senseless thing again! I have lied. I am selfish. I am greedy for wanting it all. But I have never once viewed you or anyone else as an 'item.' Tell me. Before today, did you ever feel like I didn't love or treasure you? That I didn't view you as my most precious person? Well?"
"No…"
"I'm truly sorry for deceiving you, but I won't apologize for loving you and wanting you to be a permanent part of my life. The way I went about it by abusing my knowledge was wrong.
No matter what I say here or what excuses and reasons I give to you regarding my actions and choices… I know they will never be enough.
Still, I must try!
You know, when you first found me that day somewhere down below us, a long-awaited, and I feel deserved, happiness washed over me."
"And I felt something similar that day," Tatsumaki said, a look of uncertainty rippling across her face. "But then you added five more women into that happiness I found, my younger sister being one of the five!"
"Six actually, and what's stopping you from still having that happiness?"
"Six!?" She ground her teeth. "You can't seriously be asking me that?"
"I am. Others may find it strange or wrong, but I don't see why the eigh…six of us all can't love each other and be a big family. Sharing our lives together through all of life's many joys and hardships."
Tatsumaki's lips parted and closed multiple times. "This is just your delusional fantasy! All of us together, sharing… with my sister…"
"It doesn't have to be delusion or fantasy, not here at least."
Caspian saw her lip tremble. A sign of her inner struggle. He couldn't miss this chance. Muscles tensing, he propelled himself through the air, closing the distance between them.
"'Not here at least,' What nonsen—d-don't come any closer…" she said, though the conviction in her voice had waned.
His approach continued. A single meter separated them. If her psychic power flared and she attempted to fling him away or drop him from the sky, he would know their relationship was through.