Sakido started upwards, awakening from whatever had just occurred to him. He started screaming frantically and looked around the room for traces of where he was now. All of the recurring events had been so surreal, he felt as if he could open his eyes and wake up from a dream. He knew it was real, but a myriad of questions still linger in his mind. This is what he longed for, but he didn't expect the mystery to be so perplexing.
He felt a cold sensation and looked to his right to see Korihime wrapping his upper arm in a bandage. Presumably, this was a location in which Hiru has lacerated him with one of his sword birthing abilities. The bandage was cold, but her hands were very warm, her soft fingers soothed the senses of his skin.
"Sakido, everything is alright, you're safe now!"She remarked as she noticed he was turning his head.
"What the...? How, what?!" Sakido was lost in confusion as he had no idea of the events that unfolded in the time that he was unconscious. The last thing he remembered before that nightmare was being on his knees in front of Hiru, and seeing the assassin of his parents. He figured that bringing up what he had just saw to Korihime now wouldn't be a good decision, he felt that waiting for a calmer time would be better.
He shot upwards as thoughts raced through his mind. "Korihime! What happened??? What happened? It was her wasn't it? It was unmistakable!"
He scared her with this reaction as his voice was so suddenly assertive. "Yes, Sakido, it was. She saved you. She didn't kill Hiru, but she intimidated him and sent him through some...how would you call that? A dimensional rift?"
"A portal?" Sakido questioned.
"Perhaps, yes." She accepted and continued " I asked her why she did such, she refused to elaborate and sent me away, I have no idea myself. But, she was very concerned for your health, that's all, she suddenly disappeared. I had help from someone to get you back here.
Suddenly, he heard the sound of footsteps coming from his hallway, and in came Izumi, dressed in her usual professional attire, her hair tied back into a ponytail, with her bangs still covering the sides of her face and forehead as usual. She began speaking with "Ah, you're awake now."
"What the hell is happening, Izumi?!" Sakido pleaded to her for an answer.
"Alright man, don't act as if you haven't been asking for this. As much as you try to hide what you are, there's still a piece of you that holds a morbid curiosity. A curiosity that I'm sure you regret having mortified." Izumi reproached him.
"Yeah, I really do...especially now." Sakido spoke softly.
Izumi let out a half hearted laugh "That just goes to show how fucking weak you are."
"What?!" Sakido asked, stunned by her vulgar words. He was no stranger to Izumi's sharp tongued way of speaking, but he did not prognosticate such a response.
She turned to him and walked to where he was sitting. She took her hand from her cheek and said "Awwwww. Did I hurt your feelings, you poor boy."
Sakido shot upwards onto his feet and positioned himself closer to her. "What the hell is your problem? That fucker almost killed me. I'm being...HUNTED and I don't know why. He killed my fucking friend! He butchered him in front of me, I can't just unsee something like that, what the fuck...what the fuck???!!!" Sakido said these words as he broke down in front of her.
She leaned closer into him, her hair and glasses touched his nose and cheeks. "You don't know why? Wow, you're not very bright, but THAT? I can't imagine being that unaware. You're putting Ichika and Korihime both in danger because of your actions! When in the face of something greater than yourself, you back down and rely on others for help. That's pathetic. And, although it wasn't your fault, you got Shizuka killed by that bastard from Kurotsuchi. I mean, that's just rough."
Sakido looked down and stepped back, her words cut deeper than any blade, he stood and thought for a moment. He then asked "Wait...how did you know about Korihime?"
Ichika looked at him and grinned for a moment with a sanctimonious look. "Oh Sakido, how do you think she found you?"
These words penetrated Sakido's psyche and resounded through his heart. He heard them echo over and over again within his mind, he felt them tear his psyche apart. All of the world went black and his eyes widened.
"You...you can't be serious... Izumi tell me you're joking." Sakido had managed to say.
She responded with "I don't take my life as a joke, unlike you."
Sakido's cadence changed into anger, and he shouted "You're working with her! You're helping that whore who killed my parents...the one who...took...everything away from me!"
"If that were true, Sakido, would that change how you see me?"
"Of course it would."
"Good boy." She responded insultingly. "You're learning. Anyway, no, I'm not working with Mizumi. I just sensed Korihime's presence that night and led her to where she wanted to go. She had a resounding Ketsui around her."
Sakido repeated "Mizumi..." He then said "Mizumi, as in the one that Kampori mentioned? Wait, that assassin, she's the Queen of the place that I used to live? Before that massacre happened! Why did a Queen kill my parents? What, why? What did they or I do to deserve this fate?!"
Izumi cut his rant off by saying "You may as well be speaking to the wind, man, because I don't have the answers. I fled Kurotsuchi before that massacre occurred. Ichika and I were already living here. Your unconscious body was brought to me by a servant of that realm in an effort to save you."
Sakido then said quietly "So yet again, the more that I know, I'm only swarmed by more questions. This woman...Mizumi, I need to get answers from her."
Izumi yet again laughed and said " Good luck with that, kid. In all the years that I raised you, I don't think a more impractical thing has come out of your mouth. The Queen won't answer anything that you ask her, only if it fits her insidious whims, trust me."
"I've told you before Izumi, I will bring that woman to her knees!" Sakido shouted to her.
Izumi facepalmed herself and briefly looked at both sides of her hand, while adjusting her stance. "Sakido, unless your balls suddenly drop and you have power that could eradicate all existence, then you might as well give up on that. But then again, motivation is the catalyst for willpower. So, do as you wish. Just remember that you didn't even land a hit on Hiru, who is nothing but an insect compared to Mizumi. That royal bitch definitely has trained, I'll give her that."
The three sat in silence for a little while, a quietness calmed the room and created a tension between Sakido and Izumi.
Korihime was the one to break the silence with "Sakido, how are your injuries? Do you still feel the pain?"
"It's much better. How come this time the cuts didn't heal completely like with Kampori?" Sakido asked her.
"I didn't have enough power to heal all of you. Many of your lacerations were sealed, but some still remain. What I couldn't heal, I bandaged instead. It should heal in time." Korihime responded.
Sakido then looked at Korihime and walked over to where she stood. He took her hand and looked her in her caring, yet wandering eyes. He then said "Korihime, thank you for all that you do. I wish that I could repay you. If there's anything I can do, please let me know."
At these words, Korihime blushed and looked away for a moment, she hadn't known the pleasure of being praised as many times as others have in their lives. "I thank you Sakido, truly, for your so very kind words. But, all that I need is for you to be safe. It's clear that we both don't know the true origin of our being, therefore, we shall take care of each other."
Izumi yet again interrupted "Ah, someone that speaks rationally. Sakido, you really need to take some notes from her book." Izumi said these words with a devious, yet playful grin, clearly being facetious with Sakido.
Sakido sparked a smile and said "You know, Izumi, sometimes I just can't tell if you're being serious or not. You really have a way of acting."
"And that is the mark of a genius." Izumi said with a girly wink.
Sakido rolled his eyes and laughed a little. Korihime then turned to Izumi and asked "Izumi, do you believe Sakido will be okay with his current disposition? I stopped all of his bleeding and his bodily warmth has mostly returned."
Izumi peered at Sakido for a moment, touching her chin with the tips of her fingers. "Yes, he should be fine. I've known him for a long time, he'll make it through this. I give him shit, but he's tough enough for this at least."
Korihime then bowed to Izumi and said softly. "Thank you dearly Izumi, for all of your help, I don't know how I would have done it without you."
Izumi put her hand over her heart and said with a blush on her cheeks. "Aww, thank you sweetheart. I'd do anything for Sakido, as stubborn as he can be sometimes."
Sakido rolled his eyes at hearing her statement and scoffed.
Izumi pet Korihime on the head and ruffled her hair a little and said "It wouldn't have been possible without you." Korihime blushed and smiled upon hearing this, she looked down in very unsubtle embarrassment. Izumi then put her arms around Korihime and hugged her. At first, Korihime didn't understand this gesture, but her intrinsic feelings sparked and she put her
Izumi walked back over to the bed where Sakido was standing and embraced him. He put his arms around her as well and sighed heavily onto her neck. Something in him, something fragile broke and he held her tighter, he pulled her closer to him. She was the closest thing to a motherly bond that he had. He had faint memories of his biological mother before the incident. He remembers her being absolutely beautiful, he remembers her voice, her touch. It strains him to imagine the things that he will never feel again. The past is far too gone, and ever too real.
He closed his eyes as Izumi embraced him. Her soft breathing managed to comfort him as thoughts of what was and what is to be buried his conscience alive. After a few moments, Izumi let off a little and looked Sakido into his eyes "I'll always protect you and Ichika, okay? You two are my everything. Just take care of yourself, okay? Don't forget Sakido, running is always an option, don't take fights that you know you can't win. I only make fun of you because you can be too pompous when it comes to moments like that. You need to realize that you can grow, but not when you're dead. I love you, okay?" After speaking these words, Izumi kissed Sakido on his forehead, creating a slight blush onto his cheeks as well. "You may think you're all tough, but you're still that little boy inside to me." She said as she winked at him and stuck her tongue out slightly.
She then gathered herself and made her way towards the door within his living room. "Sakido, Korihime, you as well, keep me updated, and don't take any fights that seem skeptical. Remember, there's no shame in running away, only in believing you're above the world and it's tribulations."
The two nodded and both expressed their thanks once again to Izumi. Before Izumi headed out the door, she turned to Sakido and said "Remember, there's the fireworks show tonight at 9, don't forget, Ichika and I will meet you there, it's on the cliff near the Mitzi gardens. I'll see you there."
With those words, she took her leave and left an air of silence as Sakido and Korihime stood there together, attempting to conjure words to entertain each other.
Korihime suddenly spoke and said "I can sense a dread and simultaneous guilt within your eyes Sakido. Do not feel compunction. You had no idea of the danger Shizuka was in. That person was evil, he killed for the thrill of the feeling with no regard. How can a human do such? That would be no human. Unless you separate humans from morality, in that case he is one, just not one that we consider as our own."
Sakido smiled and looked at her with a face of genuine reassurance. Perhaps he was happy to hear level headed thinking, perhaps it was her sympathy, perhaps a calm environment did a wonder to his inner turmoil. He then said with a sigh " This isn't the first time I've lived with the death of someone I've known. But, Shizuka is different from the others, I've known him in recent memory for years. He doesn't mean near as much to me now as he did...but it still...hurts..."
Sakido's eyes welled with tears as he was beginning to break down yet again. Instinctively, Korihime moved towards him and embraced his body, converting whatever sympathy she had to him through the power of touch. Feeling her warmth was indeed soothing, the touch of another perhaps does calm a troubled mind, but to an intellectual troubled mind, the touch of one close to them is the only touch that could possibly make a difference.
"It doesn't feel real! How can he just be dead? Just like that?!" Sakido cried these words as he gripped Korhime's garment and fell to his knees, he felt his tears soak her clothes, but he was too far into his emotions to care about physical problems.
"Why did he have to be so fucking stubborn? He didn't deserve to die. There was always a chance, always a way. FUCK, I was so wrong, it's all different now, it's all different...it's all different." Sakido cried and cried as he repeated those same three words with a voiceless breath over and over and over again.
Sakido lifted himself slightly and looked Korihime in her eyes. "If I don't change, if I don't get stronger than I am now, they will ALL die. They'll get you, Ichika, and who knows who else they'll come for. FUCK. The innocent that have had to die already, it's tragic. If he killed Shizuka that easily, I can't even begin to imagine how many others he slaughtered and threw aside like trash so easily. Fuck, not only the ones I love, but I'm putting the world in danger as well! FUCK!!! What happens when those power hungry bastards from whatever kingdown they come from, make their way here, they'll cause the end for our entire civilization. There has to be something I can do!"
Korihime put her hand on his cheek and said with an undeniable softness in her voice "Sakido, I am dearly sorry for the loss of your friend, but these occurrences you imagine, they won't happen overnight, and they haven't happened yet. Stressing over it won't make you feel any better or your results the more efficient. You will have the ample time to train and gather as much of your strength that is necessary. I will help you in any possible way that I can. But as you said earlier, we must work together, for it seems that our fates are intertwined."
After hearing her sensical words, he looked down and put his hand on hers.. He thought to himself and recapitulated what felt like endless thoughts within his mind. He thought of everything that had happened so far. Of the massacre 10 years ago, of Ichika, of Kampori, of Shizuka's death, of the newfound knowledge of the assassin's identity, of Hiru and his defeat of Sakido. He wondered if this was just the beginning, could it send soon, could this feverish nightmare be put to rest? Could he force his eyes open hard enough to where he wakes in the 'real' world, a world in which death doesn't follow him behind every curtain, where conflict isn't his birthright, where fighting is an obsolete skill for him to know. This reality is far too much of a blessing for him to consider, as the reality he exists in is there before him, and he has no use, but to face it as well as he can.
Korhime then spoke again, in her comforting way. "Don't forget as well, Sakido, that you have a fireworks show to go to tonight, this sounds soooo..." She began to think of a word, language was still new to her."
"Fun?" Sakido proposed.
"Yes, fun!" She said happily. "Only..." She said quietly.
"Only what?" Sakido questioned her with.
"What is a firework...or fireworks?" She asked, her inquiry taking hold of her.
Sakiod was able to briefly take his mind off of his turmoil and console himself with her adorable ignorance of vocabulary. "A firework is a device that contains gunpowder, and when you light it, it flies into the air and a volley of beautiful colors and lights rains down."
"Ohhhhhh" Korihime said, immersed in her imaginations of what this phenomenon would look like. "Do not feel guilty of not being able to take me tonight, that would be a rather uncomfortable situation with your romantic companion, I will watch from here, but I want for you to enjoy yourself and have fun."
Sakido smiled at her kindness, a slight teariness showed in his eyes that reflected her gaze "You are just too kind, thank you, Korihime, be safe here by yourself. Remember, if anything happens, run, run to me as fast as possible. It will only last for two hours."
She nodded in acceptance and now had completely detached from Sakido's body. Sakido looked out at the darkening sky. He observed the thousands and thousands of lights that reflected lives, passions, and pleasures, held by all, he thought to himself how little his problems seemed to himself, considering the devastating effects that they could have on the world. He wondered what it would be like to be one of the people shining in those rooms and street lights, with their cares being corporeal, emotional, logical, and not entangled in shattered bloody memories.
He wished his journey would be over soon, but inside he knew that this was just the beginning.