It was always the little things that hurt us the most, all those little choices and decisions we thought didn't matter. Funny how all it took was a simple solution to a complex problem, that made us all realise how foolish we were.

Chapter 1: Sour Lemons

Pain. Hurt. That was all she felt as she pummelled to the ground. With each blow she felt herself grow weaker and weaker. No matter, all she had to do was stand again and again.

"You Gatchaman are serious..." Katze san groaned, and she agreed. He stood there, and she watched him, waiting for the blow that was sure to come. And there goes her arm she thought, though she could barely feel the pain anymore. If so, then why was she screaming?

Tears were clouding her vision. She must have cried a lot since what must have been Joe san's Phoenix Dive did nothing to dry her tears. Blobs. All she saw were blobs. Maybe she would introduce them to Mess chan next time...if there was a next time.

"Die Gelsadra!" green blob senpai screamed, preparing what would certainly be the final blow. Then suddenly red came into view, in front of her was a blob of red. All she could see was some green blob and some red blob arguing over something trivial, inconsequential even.

"Please..thats enough!" red blob-chan cried. She couldn't help but smile.

"Tsubasa...don't...you can't..." was all she could muster, and red blob-chan slowly lowered what appeared to be her hand. She could feel it, the last farewell the team gave her though she couldn't see it. The NOTE was such a wonderful tool, to convey such pure feelings and emotions. She could see though, slowly. Her eyes dried enough to focus upon the one thing that mattered to her, standing as proud as when she first saw him, as cool as when he first appeared. She can't help but be glad that it was him, though she was a little bitter, bitter for having spent so little time together. She could feel him, his hesitation and reluctance, all she could do was offer him some support.

He can't help but regret...everything. He can't help but listen in either. Her feelings..her last thoughts. His attack was slowly making its way to her, and he could not help regret. The feelings of the entire team together he felt, could not even compare to the feelings he had now. Her eyes shone with pride, tinged with sadness and a little bit of regret. Her tears only made it worse. Her consolation gave him the final push needed, to do his solemn duty. Her scream was simply excruciating. And then there were none. The fire that burned warmly, the lightly that glowed happily, was quickly replaced with cold emptiness and darkness and silence.

They all stood together, an hour later. It was almost like a funeral. It would have been better if it was though, better than this shrouded uncertainty. It would be easier if she were one or the other, not suspended this like Schroedinger's cat. Sugane could not help but feel like he was somehow responsible. He felt that only Joe and OD understood of course but the rest...they just could not stop it, the comfort, the soothing words, all that meant nothing to him. He was responsible after all. By his own volition, he had agreed to this and by his own volition he struck her down.

"Sugane, you...it was not your fault alright? It was the fault of everyone here so..."

"It was my fault!" He hated being rude, especially to Leader, but he simply exploded "If only I held back more..."

"You couldn't. She would not have wanted that." OD said. He was right of course but still.

"Go home and rest. We will talk tomorrow." Joe ordered.

Nodding, he walked towards the lift, shrugging of Tsubasa's hand when she tried to comfort him. He knew she too felt guilty, but he didn't want to talk about it. It looks like she got the message, he'll apologise later when he felt a little better.

Warm showers really were a comfort. It reminded him too much of the atmosphere. Resting really was relaxing. It reminded him too much of the atmosphere. Crying was an instinctive release. It reminded him too much of the atmosphere. He simply lay there, in the darkness, in the room he ordered so carefully, in which he lay so emptily. What little chaos that entered his life, simply was non-existent and the joy he had, evaporated. What was it that his lecturer taught him...the principle of least action was it? He felt like he understood what he was trying to teach him now. Guess that exam is in the bag he thought with no thought at all.

Tomorrow was simply a long way away. He must have laid there for hours since the next thing he knew, it was already 3 am. And no sleep. Sighing, he dragged himself off towards her room, where she no longer resides. It provided no comfort for him but her hammock at least provided a means to delude himself into thinking she were still there. The soft pillows and cloth, felt like she did when he hugged her during the Katze fiasco. He was as angry with her as he was then, for allowing herself to suffer, for being the only one to suffer, for having to be the one to suffer...

Part of him wants her to wake soon, the other part of him wishes she won't. She has already given so much, it would be cruel to have her give anymore. If peace was unattainable for her while she lives, then he would gladly carry this heavy feeling in his heart forever. This guilt, was simply what he deserved.

Sugane's departure left a heavy atmosphere in the room. Everyone was as uneasy as the other, which only caused more uneasiness. What if the Kuu sama's appear again? Pacing uneasily, I was mentally, physically and emotionally prepared to jump into battle at any time now. In my head, I knew what to do but I simply could not organise my thoughts. Flurry thoughts and blurry words passed my mouth, I felt as useless as I did a year ago.

"Pai-Pai calm down" OD said "lets just think of our next course of action."

"O..Of course!" I screamed, snapping out of my thoughts. "First off, as discussed previously, Newbie will go with Prime Minister Sugayama and Rui to Millio tomorrow. Utsutsu, OD, and Gelsadra will take care of Hajime and the Gatchannel link for tomorrow. Joe and I will go clean up the mess in town."

"Understood!" came a unanimous reply.

"Alright then, dismissed!"

"But what of Sugane senpai?" the Newbie said.

"Sugane needs to sort things out, as do all of us. But this is especially harder for him then for us so just leave him be..."

A nod was all that was returned. Everyone save OD, Utsutsu and me left. Utsutsu tended to Hajime while Joe went out drinking I guess. As for me, I was wallowing my pitiful self in booze. Cans and cans of booze. Binge eating a few cookies, burgers, fries, chips and anything that was remotely edible, binge eating my pitiful, useless self down the drain. What stupid kind of leader am I? How can I even call myself a lea...

"It wasn't just your fault you know. We all should have stopped it when we could." OD interrupted, taking a can for himself.

"Practice what you preach OD..." I said referring to his can "...You rarely drink at all. Save for the really hard times."

Smiling slightly, we spent the night trying to drink away our sorrows.

She could not stop crying. Her red frog lay forgotten in the corner of the room. Even towards the very end, Hajime was smiling. Utsutsu understood what she tried to say to her, about the street lamp. Now she was alone again. Utsutsu cried out her eyes. Al chan was sleeping in the corner, she feels envious of him, to be able to sleep so easily. Her mind was in turmoil, her first friend. She tried to kill her first friend. Utsustu feels gloomy, for the first time in a very long time.

In the next room, a different scene is playing out. Rui has Tsubasa help with removing her makeup. Gelsadra simply stands in the corner. Silence envelops the three as they come to an understanding. Rui understands that they did what they felt was right. They understand that they were wrong. Tsubasa understands that she didn't listen. Rui knows Tsubasa tries.

"I'm sorry..." she whispers "for not listening when you tried to warn me."

"Its alright," he replies "I didn't listen to her before too."

Gelsadra just stands there. She thinks that she should leave, but she wants to stay by Tsubasa.

And the night just moves by silently. She stands there silently like a log

Rui has known Hajime for nearly a year, but she could never fully understand her. The way she spoke, confusing and vague, but true nonetheless. JJ san had a way of telling the truth too, but unlike Hajime his words were crystal clear and understandable if only slightly cryptic. He feels like Hajime did see this coming, she did know this was going to happen. Perhaps this was why she felt so responsible, so willing to carry the responsibility herself. However, these thoughts are merely assumptions. Tsubasa was putting away his dress now, he knew she too felt the most responsible, along with Gelsadra, but they barely knew her. Not like he did, like they all did. But even so...

Did he know her, yes.

Did he truly know her, maybe.

Did he understand her, perhaps.

Did he truly understand her, no.

If anything, Hajime was as understandable as JJ san. Cryptically clear and confusingly insightful. He just hopes she wakes soon.