"Kotori" POV:
Finally! Peace!
Seriously, how could she be this annoying?! What a drag!
What a mouthful girl till the very end… forcing me to this.
Hmmmmmm… Bleh!
I hate this! It stinks, is sticky, and overall just bothersome!
Can't believe I used to want this… heck, even loving this.
Guess I'm not really in my right back then…
Then again, who wouldn't be sucked inside yourself, seeing the other you being all happy and loved, while you just locked there watching it all in total isolation…?
Not me, obviously! Duh!
… But for real though, what I just did—Yike!
Yeah right, I ain't doing it again at least for a few days. No, a few weeks!
Now, what should I do next? Killing everyone is out the window…
"Neh? What do you think?"
I lifted the puppet from that… brat (?) from earlier, asking it directly.
No response.
Hm… tough guy ain't ya? No matter, I'll force you to talk down the line!
… What should I do next here?
Shido POV:
So this is the place… its lair.
The only thing I could draw from this… is a factory.
Like, the whole thing is all in construction, with many humanlike robots walking around.
And to be honest, although I have no idea what they are building… This still looks awesome!
I mean, who wouldn't feel exhilarated with the scene drawn directly from a sci-fi movie?!
… Well, saying that is quite exaggerating, even more so with what I'm dealing with, but I honestly think so.
"We're here."
The lifeless voice of
"Take your time, kid."
Leaving that line behind, turns around and walks away, leaving me alone before the door.
Taking a deep breath in, I stare at the door with conflicting feels… and open it.
The room, or a whole suite if I'm being honest, was quite extravagant.
But despite the size and the impressive decoration here, my eyes automatically drop on the residents here.
"… Eek!"
The first was a young girl in a green raincoat, decorated with a rabbit theme, now slowly inches back with a trembling look.
… She seems pretty weird, for some reason, but I quickly shrug it off. She's probably afraid of me… and what happened back then.
"Shido…"
And, murmuring my name with what seems to be a concern, is the one that changed my destiny.
Sitting there on the chair… with her leg bandaged… injured from… saving me…
No. Stop that. Not the time.
I steady my breath as I stare at her injury, trying not to burden her more with my impulse, and look at her… conflicting expression.
"Tome."
I confirm her name with a… I don't know how to describe that honestly, probably conflict… while returning the looks.
Well… this is… awkward.
I… what should I do here? Angry? Concern? Sadness? Grateful?
Like… What should I really do here?
I mean, the whole thing was, in its own words, probably for… me.
… And I—honestly have no idea how to react to that.
"Um…"
The one sitting opposed me open first, after a long time just… well, silent, earning a shudder from me.
"… I'm sorry!!!"
Bowing wholeheartedly at me with a yelp, something I should do instead of her, Tome showed me her most apologetic apology.
"I'm sorry for keeping the whole thing a secret from you Shido!!! I truly am!!!"
Tome hastily apologized to me with tears in her eyes, as if afraid of me leaving her at any moment… probably.
… And, if that was the truth, then it—irritated me.
"I… I'm sorry for leaving you alone! I'm sorry for letting you go alone! I'm sorry to… let you… almost die… again…"
Tome voice slowly died down as she continued, with her head lower down avoiding my gaze.
Death… huh.
What she said… wasn't wrong there, at all. But if I have a choice to evade that or else… I'd still do it again.
Because, despite everything—I just can't let her go.
"Why?"
I slowly mutter the word at her, with my bang covering my own vision… earning me, ironically enough, a shudder from her.
"Why didn't you… say anything?"
I asked her… with none of anger, or disbelief. Just a simple question, for a simple problem.
… But it seems to backfire and scare her more, evident from the way her eyes widen.
"… I… just wanted to not concern you…"
Finally, after falling silent for a while, Tome gave me her answer.
"Concern me…?"
And that response… confused me.
Why did she fear that her secret would concern me? If I knew it, I'd support her the whole way through.
"Why did you think so?"
"… Eh?"
Tome let out a confused sound, as I returned the same look at her.
I mean, I did feel a bit lonely with her avoiding me… but I honestly couldn't bear to hate, or even angry, at her.
I mean, the fact she hid everything, avoiding me the whole time… all just to protect me, if I believe what it said.
And that… made me happy, to be honest. Happy that she's willing to train to help me, to lessen my burden.
I just wish she would never talk to me about it, not leave me in the dark.
"You… aren't angry?"
Tome muttered back with a pure disbelief expression, staring at me intensely.
"Why would I? You do all that for me aren't you? How could I hate you for that?"
And I, in response, smile warmly at her, all to assure that I bear no anger or resentment whatsoever.
"I… Shido…"
Tome, with tears already leaking out, ran up to me and hugged me tightly… and I, ignoring the pain from her abnormal strength, returned the hug with a faint smile.
In the next few minutes, we just… standing there hugging each other, with me patting her head while she was shaking in my arms from her cries.
Kinda remind me of after the inspection, all just to "know how it feels like", per her reasoning.
… All in all, that went better than I expected. I honestly thought this would be more difficult to explain to her.
"Tome, next time please, PLEASE inform me before doing anything. I honestly am pretty nervous seeing you all distance from me at school…"
I slowly asked her that and, from the way she nudged my arm, I think she just agreed with a nod.
"… Honestly, I thought you'd grown to hate me because of what it said about Nia."
I slowly mutter that back down at Tome—unknowing that her cry has suddenly ceased.
"Well, I can't exactly blame that… since I pretty much messed up that whole thin—"
"Stop."
Tome voice suddenly stopped my whole rambling, and she quickly stepped back from me.
And when she looked up at me once again, I couldn't help but take in a breath for a moment. For her eyes right now isn't that of her usual rather-childish self… but that of a woman who's experienced everything.
"I've heard the story, Shido. And I don't think you're to blame for that."
… What?
"I did think that the whole Nia thing is messy… but I never once thought it's all you. After all, all you wanted… was to save her, right?"
I… she… that… is it?
How… how can she say such a line… how can she… be this understanding…?!
… How can she come up with that conclusion?
"I… I don't know…"
I, for once, didn't know what to say to her… should I continue to blame myself for that? Should I outright deny such a claim? Should I… accept that as a fact…?
What should I respond to? What should I answer? What should I do?
"It's okay if you don't answer back. I know how difficult it is to understand."
And, as if to see through my confliction, Tome calmly gave me a way out… give me time to understand that very question.
"But please, even if you couldn't answer back, you should know this—I'll always, always believe in you, Shido."
… My heart ached with such a matured response.
For I… have never heard such a thing from others, beside Kotori… beside the Itsukas.
I already know that they love me, I know that they see me more than blood and flesh… and yet, sometimes I… grow to doubt that.
I… during my lowest point, sometimes thought of such. Always think that they merely pity my circumstances. Always thought that they might despise me behind my back. Always thought… that they'd one day… stop loving me.
After all, why would my own mother throw me away if she didn't have any love for me?
… Those thoughts, despite my best ignorance, would still come to haunt deep in my consciousness.
They never surface, never directly at least, but they'd still be there, reminding me of my deepest fear.
The fear of being abandoned. Again.
"… Yeah."
Suppressing the feeling once again, like many times before, I shot back an assurance smile at Tome.
"Hm…"
Tome, for some reason, frowned a bit for a moment in response to my smile, before returning the smile back at me.
"… So, uh, what do you plan to do?"
And now for another important matter, the size of my sister. To save her from herself… and to save everyone else from my ignorance…
"… I have a plan."
So, with a deep breath to calm my beating heart, I stare directly at her filled with determination.
"I see! Then what should I do?!"
…What?
My determination immediately turns to confusion, one that… seems to unphase Tome, as her expression turns to that of an excited child.
"What did you mean by… that?"
"I mean what I say! Obviously I'm going to help you!!"
… Okay, so I didn't misheard that. I wish I did though.
I slowly looked down on her… leg, and the confusion quickly turned to a deep frown, looking at what should be there.
"… No, you should rest here."
I shake away her energetic eagerment with a shake of my head, and her expression quickly plummets down.
Although the plan did involve her… I just can't let her do it, not after everything she's been through… for me…
"Wha…?"
"You've done enough Time. This time… I'll do i—"
"No."
As I decided to give my wholehearted response, a screeching voice suddenly cut it short.
I slowly turned back, anger swelling inside me… for I knew the voice.
… I didn't see it.
Like, I literally saw nothing else, aside from Yoshinon, Tome and me here.
And yet, despite not being here, it's voice comes through again from… somewhere.
"We're not cutting her off the plan."
"What!?"
I leer at it with a mixed feeling of frustration and annoyance, one that it didn't seem to care much about in the first place as it continued speaking.
"Tome, excuse me, but I need you as a crucial part in our overall plan."
That thing calmly lies to her face, all with a face that can only scream villainy... And, much to my dismay, Tone seems to buy its lie with how her face bright up and nodding eagerly.
"Get ready."
Without even soaring a glance at me, it's voice fell completely silent, leaving me with this bag of fury…
To think it'd force Tome even at this stage in that reckless plan of its…
… Again, who am I to judge her decision here?
Compared to her, I'm merely a boy who got involved in this with my… gift.
By beside that, what have I… what could I do?
What can I personally do to save Kotori? What can I hope to dent her power? What can I help in saving Kotori… myself?
Can I… can I go against it? Can I provide… a better plan…?
"Stop with that, Shido."
As I slowly doubt myself more… a lullaby voice suddenly snapped me out from my self-destruct.
It was Tome who just spoke, now staring at me with a serious… yet burdened expression.
"You're making that face again. Just… stop."
My breath slightly hitched with her words, as realization once again struck me.
She… when did she… how…?
"That doesn't matter, Shido. The only matter here…"
As Tome said so, she slowly approached me with a faint smile… and clapped her hand on my ears.
"… Stop being sad, Shido. Please… trust me."
Before me right now, before my very eyes… was Tome's smile.
Standing before me now… was the most beautiful smile I've ever seen.
Something no word can describe, nor being sculptured. Something that slowly calms my nerves down… and responds back with a small smile of my own.
"I…"
What should I say? Should I encourage her? Should I reject her? Should I…
"I'll try."
… And so, with a heavy heart, I decided to—lie.
An honest lie, for that was indeed the truth… but a lie nonetheless.
"So, once again, what's the plan?"
Once again, with an assured smile, Tome once again asked me. And I, although still conflicted with her determination, quickly took a peek at her… absent leg, before responding.
"Well, we'll—"
"She's appeared again."
As I said the line, that thing suddenly appeared again… well, it's voice only.
I immediately looked around to check it again… but found nothing, again!
Seriously, where the heck is that thing?!
"Meet me at the Hangar. I'll discuss more with you, Tome-san."
"Mhm. Let's go Shido!"
That thing coldly set a deadline for us before going off again, and Tome nodded back to its word before dragging me behind.
"What…?!"
Before I could process anything, I've already seen myself go through the same path again… trying to ignore the way she handles the crutch as she goes.
"Wait."
Right before we got out of there, that voice once again called out, stopping us dead in our tracks.
Then, walking up from the door, was that thing again… hm? 2 of them?
"Before we go, I have something for you."
As it utter the line, another one side my step up, hand holding what's seem like a… prosthetic leg?
"Please accept that, as my apology."
"Humu…"
Tone picks the leg up with a curious look… and looks back at it with a questioning look, one clearly screams "how does it work"?
"… My bad. Here, sit down please."
Obeying its command, Tome sat down flatly on the ground. That thing then crouches down and, within a second, installs the prosthetic leg on her.
"Try moving it."
"Humu…"
After a few minutes toying with the leg following its words, Tome finally stood up once again, now with her legs whole… partially.
"It's comfy. Thank you."
That thing nodded back at her bright smile, before finally turning and leading me through the same halls, through twists and turns I couldn't remember all.
Also, for some reason, Tome keeps up the lead right behind it… and me, with that prosthetic leg of her.
… I really, really wanna question her sudden fluency with that… but I keep myself together.
I could ask her later, but the important thing now is saving Kotori!
We quickly arrive at a big space, the size of a stadium, with many more robots working around, along with some advanced-looking vehicles.
And, despite my situation here, I can't help but spare a few admiring glances at the vehicles laying around.
But Tome pull sadly disrupted my admiration short, as we finally arrived at its body… yeah, still pretty weird saying that, station just before a jet.
"I assume that everyone's finished preparing?"
"Mhm!"
That thing, still with that creepy monotone, calmly asked us… with Tome eagerly nodding back at it.
"And you, kid?"
Then, much to my surprise, that thing turned to me with the same question, staring with those ominous crimson eyes.
"Eh? Me?"
I, out of instinct, asked while pointing my finger at myself, like something straight out from a manga panel.
And that, despite everything, was not an exaggeration!
To think that this thing… the
Kotori…
"… Yeah, I'm ready."
I mutter back the response to that thing… something hurt me more than I realized.
"So… have you decided?"
The thing then, much to my surprise, turned to my back with the same question. I turned my head to follow its look… and finally realized the little squirming behind.
I… didn't realize Yoshinon was there. At all.
The little girl, with her head low down and with the hood acting as extra cover, was shaken a little… before slightly nodding.
"Good. So we're all ready."
With that, we all stepped on the jet and quickly departed from its lair, straight into the clear open sky.
Kotori… please, wait for me. I swear… I'll save you!
"Kotori" POV:
Humu… ah, I see… oh!
So that's how hydrogen fuel works… interesting…
Never thought my flame could work that way. There's always a new thing to learn, it seems.
Yes, it's decided! I gotta try that next!
… Preferably on some remote island. Like, for real.
After what I did to reach her… I'm tired of seeing red for now. And I hated to be disturbed by them.
Huh, can't believe I used to be eager to see bloodshed all this time… Time's weird, I suppose.
"Miss."
A weird voice suddenly cut off my train of thought. I took my eyes off the book up at the speaker… it's just the waiter.
"Oh. What's wrong?"
"There's someone who wants to meet you. It's urgent."
The waiter, some middle-age guy named Sean, handed me the store phone.
Someone call me? That… obviously weird.
Maybe it's my mom? Probably…
"Ah… um, thank you."
With an honorary thanks, I picked the phone from him and leaned it by the ear.
"Moshi! Who's there?"
["Kotori!"]
Ah yes, my wimpy nii-chan.
Kinda pity the guy there for all the treatment he received from the other me though.
Of course, not like that gonna spare him from total annihilation ~
"Nii-chan… so, you've received my word eh?"
My lips slowly curve up to a grin, as I casually remind him of what I did.
Pretty nasty work I admit, but my goal was, in all honesty, beyond such morals.
Once I go jail free I'll stop, but until then… I'll do whatever it takes.
["…"]
"So? Why calling now?"
I keep pushing him more through the phone, as he suddenly flames still.
Hm ~ still a coward huh ~ how boring.
["Please."]
"… Hm?"
["Kotori, please!! Please retur—"]
"Blah blah, done yapping?"
I quickly cut his attempt to free me, as I can feel something suddenly grasp at my heart.
Yeah, ain't no way I'm gonna let him try. Not in a million years!
["You…"]
"So, you make the call just to talk-no-jutsu me? Ain't gonna work, nii-chan ~"
That's right! More pushing! You ain't have that ball Nii-chan!!!
["… Fine. Let's finish this, Efreet."]
… Was that anger I heard in his voice?
Hm ~ Have he finally grown something there ~ I truly wonder ~
He then, much to my tiny surprise, spilled out the meeting location before going off, leaving me no chance to respond.
Rude!
… Although, if it would keep up, I'd agree.
After all, letting her rest forever, and least in peace, was pretty tempting.
Besides, I kinda wanna test some new tricks I just learned just now.
Using Shido as a test subject here would suffice enough.
… Yeah right, did he think I'm gonna come over there unprepeared?!
Dream on, nii-chan!!
Time for make some something explosive to give him there ~ fufufufu ~