That Day
At some point there was just no helping it. The two of them would just continue arguing without much of a reason.
Inukai understood this well, which was why he just decided to sit off to the side and look at his phone. He would have called Mei or Minoru but the two idiots arguing a few feet away had yet to get hands-on and stuck to mocking each other with petty insults.
He knew that there was no real way of stopping them once they started, so sitting there was all he could really do in this situation.
I wonder if I should just call Shiro-chan over. Maybe his cuteness will brighten things up here~
As he started snickering to himself, he could hear the argument going on. It was getting to the point of them almost relating themselves.
They must both be in a good mood. Neither of them has raised their fists yet. Maybe they're actually growing up.
Seeing that the both of them were now pouting a bit - something he never got use to seeing - he could tell that they really weren't growing up too much when fighting each other.
It really looked like two children fighting on the playground.
At the same time, it was somewhat nice to see this kind fight between the two of them. A fight where they were just yelling at each one and not doing any physical harm to each other. Those kinds of fight meant that they were both well and lovely enough to have them.
It seems like a long time ago but... That Day was really only a while ago. Just a bit before those two met Takeshi.
The hatred between the two was still there back then, there was no denying that. It was just lessened compared to right now. Back then it was just a glare here and a glare there, now they would be at each other's throats when they see each other. At times it was literal.
It had been easier back then for Inukai since he never had to really get between them. While he couldn't stop their fight now, he was able to keep them a few feet away from each other while waiting for the two who could.
It was a terrible sight for everyone watching, yet no one got involved since everyone knew how it would turn out. They only really got involved when they saw fists about to fly.
Those kinds of fights had been when others saw the very ugly sides of the toe respected agents.
Even as he thought about it now, Inukai could remember That Day rather vividly. Not small things like what he had for breakfast, or even what day it really was. The thing he remember was the moment when everything went to hell.
A wide-eyed Ninomiya and a coughing Yuki.
No. He was still "Kiyoshi" then.
That was around the time "Taiyōko Kiyoshi" had decided to die and pick up the name "Tsukiko Yuki".
He was not the only one there. One other person had been standing there. That person was also watching, eyes just scanning over what had happened. She had been calculating how it had happened and what other possibilities there had been.
He had been the first one to move, rushing to the coughing person.
The coughing could still be heard. It seemed like he was listening it happen right this instant.
Almost like...
"H-hey...!"
Inukai blinked a few times as he heard a yell.
He quickly turned his head to see that the two idiots were no longer fighting. The reason for this was simple.
Yuki had started coughing violently.
Seeing his captain standing there, not really knowing what to do, Inukai ran over to his friend's side.
He slid on his knees as he moved up to Yuki. He tried to sooth the A-Rank agent while feeling around Yuki's jacket for his pills.
By the time he found the small bottle, Yuki had his eyes closed and was leaning forward.
Inukai was quick to catch him.
He gently opened Yuki's mouth before looming inside.
"Good. No blood. So it was just the coughing." He looked up at his captain, who was still just standing there. "I'll go take him to Kotowari Squad's room. They're closer than others. In no one is there then I'll just wait with him."
"Their door would be locked then."
Inukai nodded his head as he stood up.
"Yeah. I know. It's fine. I'm sure they'll rush over when I message them."
"..."
As he was about to lift Yuki up, Inukai got a surprise when his captain slowly, with much hesitation, moved towards Yuki. It got even weirded when he tried to fix the A-Rank so that he was carrying him piggyback.
Seeing Ninomiya give him a look, Inukai went into action by helping to adjust his unconscious friend.
"Um... Ninomiya-san?"
"I am taking him to our squad's room. Go find someone who can deal with him and tell him that we are going to be there."
"Uh... Please don't try and-"
"I hate him, but I wouldn't kill him. Not on purpose at least..."
Inukai said nothing else as he looked at the expression his captain was making. It was one of complete guilt and a bit of anger.
He was one of the few people who knew why this look came upon the former A-Rank.
"If he wakes up before you guys get there... I want to talk to him. Can you message Tsuji, Hiyami and Minoru to tell them not to go into the room?"
It was not an order, but a question.
Inukai nodded his head.
Without another word, Ninomiya started walking away with an extra load on his back.
As he was walking, Ninomiya could hear the whispers around him.
"Hey... Doesn't that seem weird?"
"Do you think he's finally going to kill him?"
"Should we inform someone?"
"Will the directors be of any help here?"
"No, no! We need to call one of those two!"
"This is getting scary!"
He was trying his best to ignore them all, seeing as how they didn't know about the current situation, but it was easier said than done. He wanted so badly to say something to them. The issue with that was the fact they would most likely not believe him.
After all...
I would never help this damn faker. Even now... This isn't helping him so much as making me feel less guilty. Right. I just don't want to feel more guilty.
He let out a sigh while muttering under his breath.
"...Even if I am the reason he is like this..."
The moment his enemy had fallen to the ground, coughing and holding his chest, he remembered That Day as if it was happening again. Moments like those didn't come too often, but when they did they hit him like a truck.
The guilt and regret from that day lingered over him every time he even heard his enemy's name. Seeing him fall to the ground like that reminded him of just how fragile the younger one was now.
"Taiyōko Kiyoshi" had been strong and relentless. "Tsukiko Yuki" was weak and deteriorating. It was a sad contrast that could not be avoided for a while now. The fact that he was invoked with that contrast made Ninomiya's stomach churn.
He knew about everything the person known as "Tsukiko Yuki" couldn't do anymore.
Minoru had told him about all the places he couldn't go to anywhere, all of the thrilling things he refused to go on now, even smaller things he wouldn't do so that others wouldn't have to worry about him.
Inukai had told him about the fun things he couldn't do anymore, everything that he couldn't do because of the energy he didn't have, how the person that was once called "Taiyōko Kiyoshi" really wasn't there anymore.
He had once heard Murakami talking to himself, saying how the person known as "Tsukiko Yuki" finally felt like he was able to do something when Border had to deal with the Wanderers and he was able to leave Mikado City. When he thought about it some more, Ninomiya could remember seeing a glint of excitement in the younger one's eyes at the time.
Even Kageura said something about the person known as "Tsukiko Yuki" not even being able to participate in Sports Festivals, or going to school with a pain filled smile.
Mei had made it a point to not say anything about what the person known as "Tsukiko Yuki" could no longer do. She had even gone so far as to tell the others not to say anything about it either.
None of them meant any real harm since they were all friends of the person known as "Tsukiko Yuki," but he felt his stomach churn each time he had heard about the things the person known as "Tsukiko Yuki" couldn't do.
He knew he was the one at fault for that.
Even so, there was something that only a few people knew about the two of them. It was a fact that they would never say out loud, or even think about, but it was there.
They respected each other.
Everything that made up "Ninomiya Masataka" and everything that made up the person known as "Tsukiko Yuki" screamed hatred towards the other. They were enemies that had no real basis, people who just hated each other because they were living. Everyone knew this.
At the same time, everything that made up "Ninomiya Masataka" and everything that made up the person known as "Tsukiko Yuki" screamed to respect the other. That respected was hardly ever shown, but it was there. It was respect for life, the lives they had been given, changed, and now had to deal with.
Ninomiya Masataka respected the person known as "Tsukiko Yuki" for living his life even with his deteriorating body and painful days. Those were things that showed him that the younger one was a strong person. He respected strong people.
The person known as "Tsukiko Yuki" respected Ninomiya Masataka for staying the way he is throughout everything. The fact that they were still enemies and there was never any pity made him respect the B-Rank captain.
It was an odd relationship, yet one that worked for both of them.
So out of respect - and some guilt - he decided to appear to help the person who was known as "Tsukiko Yuki."
"This guy... This damn faker. Just touching him makes me feel like my skin is on fire. It's really disgusting."
Even though he was the only one awake in the room, Ninomiya complained about the sleeping person in the other room.
He had carried Yuki all the way to his squad's room to set him down. It was a better option than letting Inukai take him and both sitting against the wall. At least here he could lay on a mat.
How am I going to say this? Just thinking about it hurts. I would get Inukai to do for me, but if know I have to say this in person.
With every word he thought, Ninomiya felt an intense anger bubble up. It was hard to keep down, but he knew that he had to try his hardest not to just pick up the other body and toss it outside.
There had to be an easy way around all of this.
As he thought about, his anger rose, while at the same time, the memory of That Day came flooding back with full force.
Ninomiya himself was standing there, looking down at the person who was coughing a lot. The coughing intensified, quickly turning violent. The color red could be seen splattered on the ground and on the person's hands. Multiple gasses filled the air, clouding the surrounding area.
Among all that gas and coughing a yell was heard. The yell had come from Inukai. While he stood there in shock, Inukai had ran over to the person. He didn't move an inch, even as Inukai called out to someone else while looking after the person.
A fourth person came from the gas. It was a girl, one that was on the same team at the person Inukai was looking over. She moved slowly towards the two on the ground, seeming to be unsure on what was going on.
The three who were not coughing were fine since they were in Trion Bodies, but the person with blood on his hand and mouth was in his real body. Because of that, everything that was in the air started to get into his body.
He slowly looked around to see some destroyed containers. Each one had holes through them, making it obvious that something had shot through them. They were heavily plated, yet something had shot through them. The closest thing to being able to do that were the Triggers owned by Border.
The reason for them all being in that strange place was unclear. Hardly any of them actually remembered why they were there. The best they could come up with was that they were going after some Neighbors and ended up there.
There may or may it have been a few Marmods there as well.
Even if he couldn't remember the reason too well, Ninomiya certainly remembered Inukai shaking his shoulder.
There was some movement in the next room over. A groan and a statement.
"Everything hurts..."
Ninomiya made no move to stand up.
He sat there, staring into nothing particular. Far too caught up in his thoughts to even notice the person walking out if the next room over.
"What the hell...? I thought that Inu had brought me here. Hey, Airhead, where is he? I don't want too, but I have to at least thank him for bringing me all the way here."
Ninomiya said nothing, instead he just continued to stare into blank space.
Seeing this, Yuki walked forward, ready to do something. His first reaction was to punch the older male in the face, but he went against that and instead just waved a hand in front of his face.
It was odd to not hear a comeback right away after all.
There was only one other instance where he had seen the former A-Rank so lost in thought that he ignored any provocation towards him.
That was a time he hated with a passion.
He was someone without a legal name anymore. It had been decided that he would no longer have the name given to him by his deceased parents. That name was for someone that he no longer was.
He sat in a hospital bed with no name and two people by his bedside.
The first was another legally nameless person while the second was his friend with a Side Effect. They both looked like they had things to say, yet nothing came out. They simple sat there in silence.
They had found out the consequences of taking in so many gasses at once, within a closed space, and not being treated right away.
His body was deteriorating.
Any energy he had before was down to almost nothing. He sat up right, but had no desire to move. He could feel a pain in his chest and coughs trying to escape with all their might. He held them back as best he could. It was made harder since his arms and legs were also in pain.
His appearance didn't betray how he felt, yet the two next to him could easily see it.
Knowing this, the nameless boy opened his mouth to speak - a feet that cost him needed energy.
"-"
Before any words could come out, there was a knock at the door. It slid open to reveal a Gunner with a smile on his face. He had a bag in his hand as he walked over to the bed.
"Hey there. Sorry it took so long to come see you. I had to tell some others an interesting story. They seemed to like it, so I left them with that."
He put the bag on the table next to the bed.
The moonlight coming through the window illuminated the darker side of the room while the hospital lights did enough for the rest of the room. Do to the table being on the darker side of the room the moonlight was the one to shine in the bag. The three others could we that what was in the bag was a small container of ice cream.
"So, Tai-"
"That's not my name anymore."
Inukai tilted his head a bit at hearing this.
"I legally don't have a name anymore. Rather, we're waiting for me to pick a new one. After this, I refuse to the 'Pure Sun Child' of that family. A sun is suppose to be a sort of symbol for energy. I dint have much if that anymore. And there is no way that I'm pure."
The other three said nothing about this.
The nameless girl and Murakami looked away.
Seeing the atmosphere going down, Inukai brought his smile back up.
"Oh yeah! There is someone else here! He said that he had something to say to you. So, please don't start fighting."
Without any more hints, the three knew who exactly it was.
They were proven right as Ninomiya Masataka walked into the room with a glazed expression.
Decide to be a bit nice, the nameless boy said nothing, knowing that anything that would come out of his mouth would start a fight.
"..."
Even so, nothing came out from the older man.
He tried to be patience and let Ninomiya say something.
"..."
Nothing.
Having enough of the silence, the nameless boy clicked his tongue.
Ninomiya was looking at nothing particular. Instead, he was spacing out and even said nothing about the small provocation from the nameless boy. That was how they all knew something was wrong.
"Ninomiya-san, you went to say something, right?"
Inukai gently nudged the man's arm.
He opened his mouth this time.
It was not what anyone was expecting.
"You... You gave up your name, just like that? Are you going to make a new identity for yourself?"
"Of course I gave up my name. It's really nothing. A name is a name, a person is a person. I'm still alive, so I can just keep living. Even if I go by a different name I will still be myself. It's a simple idea that even a child could understand."
"That would make you a faker then."
The nameless boy clicked his tongue again. This time it was out of pure irritation.
The other three looked ready to get involved.
"It's fine. I'll still hate your sorry ass, not care for others and punch everyone and everything."
Ninomiya didn't say anything. All he did was let out a mental sigh. It was a relief to know that only this person's name would be changed and nothing more.
That was all he needed to know to feel a bit better.
But that only lasted a while.
Not too longer after that, the nameless person and started going by the name "Tsukiko Yuki" while the girl was "Takaoto Mei." While "Takaoto Mei" was not much different from "Shitokei Fuji," the person known as "Tsukiko Yuki" was by no means the same person as "Taiyōko Kiyoshi."
While "Taiyōko Kiyoshi" always hit heavily like a hurricane and was as loud as a train, "Tsukiko Yuki" used sneak attacks and feints, as well as spoke softly rather than loudly. His whole attitude was different it the point of some people not even being able to tell that he was once that delinquent-like person.
Ninomiya saw this disgusting transformation and always felt his anger grow. This festered to the point of completely hating the person known as "Tsukiko Yuki," as opposed to simply disliking him.
While the person known as "Tsukiko Yuki" would call him "Airhead" as a petty insult, Ninomiya would call him "Faker" out of pure anger.
Seeing that there was no way to snap the former A-Rank out of his own little world, Yuki thought it best to just wait.
Then he remembered who was in front of him and went for a different option.
"This should work."
Lifting his foot, Yuki slammed his heel into the other's chest, sending him backward and falling out if his chair.
The look of pure shock on Ninomiya's face was enough for him to feel happy, even with the pain.
"What do you think you're doing!? Do you know what could have happened if I didn't land right?"
"Yes. So stop complaining. You're fine, and sadly nothing is broken. You've been through worse anyways. Now stop being such a girly-girl about it and tell me where Inu is."
Ninomiya was about to tell the A-Rank off when he noticed the way Yuki was addressing his squad's Gunner.
When he was known as "Taiyōko Kiyoshi" he had called Inukai "Inu." On the flip side if that, when he became "Tsukiko Yuki" he had started calling him "Haru." It was a bit odd to hear him call Inukai "Inu" now.
Even so, he pushed that thought out of his mind as he stormed over to the smaller male while glaring down at him.
"I'm the one who brought you here, so be more thankful."
Yuki was quick to wrap his arms around himself.
"What did you do to me!? Was something implanted? Are you the reason why my whole body hurts!? Wait... Did you...!? Oh god... I don't want to, but I have to tell Minoru about this!"
"Shut up already! I'm not that kind of person! And the reason you're in pain is because you passed out during one of our arguments! Now sit down before I kick out your knees!"
"No! You definitely did something to me! You're nothing but a disgusting, perverted airhead after all!"
"You damn faker! I already told Inukai to go get someone from Kotowari Squad! I brought you here because I wanted to say something to you!"
"And what is that!? That you really wanted me all along!? Well too damn bad! I'm Mei's boyfriend! Now I get to kick your ass for hurting Minoru again!"
"No, Taiyōko, I wanted to apologize for killing you!"
The two idiots yelling at each other went quiet far too quickly. If anyone were to have seen this they would swear that the world was ending five times then being created five times. There were too many things wrong with what was just said that neither one of them knew what to do.
Yuki took a step back with wide eyes.
Ninomiya let out a groan as he ran his hand down his face.
The first to speak was the latter.
"Like I just said... I brought you here to apologize to you. Something I should have done back then. Because of me, you are dying. Your body is deteriorating and you can't do a lot of things now. You are even weaker now because of me. A lot of people have told me about the things you can't-"
Ninomiya went wide-eyed when he was forced to stop talking.
Out of nowhere, a fist had been sent into his stomach. Another one managed to get an uppercut in on him, sending his head upwards. To finish it off, a foot connected his with chest for a second time.
He fell to the ground while holding his stomach, the part that was currently hurting the most.
He glared up to see a similar glare on the person standing above him.
Yuki had his arms crossed and was now looking at him as if he were an insect.
"Hey, Airhead, stop being so stupid. Who are you calling weak? Did those hits feel like they were coming from someone who is weak? If so, I'll make sure to hit you harder next time. And so what if I can't do certain things now? The fact others can enjoy them in my stead is enough for me."
He got some saliva in his mouth before spitting it on the other's face.
"Stop being so damn conceited! You killing me? Ha! No way in hell. You aren't anywhere good enough to do that. Everything that happened on that day was the result of the two of us being idiots. Don't think you can take all the blame yourself! You're making yourself out to be the only guilty one while the rest of us are innocent!"
Yuki bent down and grabbed his collar, lifting him up a bit.
Ninomiya could see his hands shaking from the use of engery.
"You don't get to say that I was killed just because you were there. Especially since I never died. I'm here, yelling at you! Breathing! Using energy! I have a heartbeat! My limbs are moving! I am alive, you damn airhead! Get your head out of your ass!"
With one hard shove, Ninomiya was back on the floor.
He could see that Yuki was beyond pissed off. Yet this was somehow different than his usual anger. This was not directed at Ninomiya himself but rather at something that neither of them really knew about.
Was he mad at that day in general? The results?
Whatever it was, Tsukiko Yuki found it stupid enough to get mad at.
He couldn't say that a burden had been lifted from his heart, but he could say that it was a lot lighter than before. The guilt of that day was still there, it just felt light enough to actually carry now.
It had been his fault, yet not his fault. Yuki was to blame, yet no blame should be directed towards him.
What was it that got the two of them mad at the current moment?
Not really caring about the answer, Ninomiya wiped the spit off his face while lifting his left up.
With a hard kick his foot slammed into the back of Yuki's leg.
Yuki fell to the ground quickly, only barely managing to catch himself.
"Those hits really were pathetic. I feel more hurt when I see that disgusting face of yours than taking those taps. Now that... That was a real hit."
Yuki turned his head to show an irritated grin.
This is how it's suppose to be.
They are suppose to hate each other and nothing more. They were suppose to respect each other yet never show it.
The person known as "Ninomiya Masataka" and the person known as "Tsukiko Yuki" would always hate each other. Even if the world were to end, they would try and end each other first.
Everything that made up "Ninomiya Masataka" and everything that made up the person known as "Tsukiko Yuki" screamed hatred towards the other. They were enemies that had no real basis, people who just hated each other because they were living. Everyone knew this.
At the same time, everything that made up "Ninomiya Masataka" and everything that made up the person known as "Tsukiko Yuki" screamed to respect the other. That respected was hardly ever shown, but it was there. It was respect for life, the lives they had been given, changed, and now had to deal with.
Ninomiya Masataka respected the person known as "Tsukiko Yuki" for living his life even with his deteriorating body and painful days. Those were things that showed him that the younger one was a strong person. He respected strong people.
The person known as "Tsukiko Yuki" respected Ninomiya Masataka for staying the way he is throughout everything. The fact that they were still enemies and there was never any pity made him respect the B-Rank captain.
It was an odd relationship, yet one that worked for both of them.