She doesn't know how she manages to willingly face Academia, but Ruri remembers how her mother had sworn the Kurosaki's were made of stronger stuff than most. Maybe it's that inner strength that carries her through the place of nightmares.
Strangely it looks almost sad now. Ruri holds no love for this hellhole, but in the daylight, a certain regret lingers. Once it stood so proud, now the place barely stands at all. Maybe instead it's that pitiful state that lets her wander its halls. She could try to name a thousand reasons why she returned, but none would fit quite right.
Among the wounded and dead, she finds him. He has the same curly mop of red hair, same quick green eyes, but he is a different person from the one see knew. Instead of that warm and lively presence she was drawn to, he is nothing but tired and broken as their gazes meet.
"Dennis," He flinches at her voice but manages to respond.
"Ruri."
She doesn't know how long they stay like that. There's so much to say, so much better left unsaid. She has lost her home, her best friend, and her family. She wants to hate him with every fiber of her being, but the tiniest sliver of herself is too exhausted to. She may have loved him back then, when crushes and Algebra tests were the scariest things she had to tackle. Even if she wanted to love him again though, she can't find that innocent love anymore.
"I guess you understand my pain now," Her words tumble out clumsily.
"Is that what you wanted?" He looks back at the sea of causalities, "Satisfied with your revenge?"
"Not really," Ruri played with the fabric of her outfit. The darker parts of herself may laugh at the irony, but Yusho Sakaki's teachings still remained in her heart, "I believe duels should only bring smiles."
"Well your people have sure brought a boat-full of smiles, thanks a bunch," He snarls, every syllable is laced with deadly venom, but it does little to scare her. Instead she closed the distance between them without saying a word until they were only inches apart.
Amethyst meet green with an unexplainable purpose. Then slowly but surely she lifts her hand to cup his cheek. For a second there Dennis' expression flashes with an emotion softer than ones they now hold, but before Ruri could place it, it was gone, likely forever.
"I can never forgive you, Dennis Macfield," Her expression grows cold as the winter air, "Mother, Father, Yuto, Shun...they're all gone because of you. The scars you've left me with will never fade."
He looks truly terrified but doesn't move a muscle. It's only then she notices how easy it would be to wrap that hand around his throat instead. Again the darker parts of herself is intrigued, but there is too much blood staining this place already.
"Regardless, I hope you eventually find your happiness," She removes her hand from his face to ball it into a fist at her side, "Maybe when we're older we can find meaning to this horrid war."
"Ruri-" He looks ready to burst forth with so many things, but she knows they would all be useless in the end. An apology doesn't revive the dead.
Thankfully he is not the type to spew a pointless excuse, "-Me too," He sighs before shoving a hand into his curls. It doesn't matter if he meant to mirror her sentiment or merely repeat it, but with that, the pull to return to Fusion snaps. Whatever work that needed to be done was finished.
"If you're ever brave enough to see me again, then can you promise you'll smile for me? A real one like the ones from Heartland?"
His lips press together crookedly as he attempts to imitate it, "If I can."
That's the best answer she'll ever get from him, yet she can't help but feel a bit disappointed, "Farewell, Dennis," She leaves him without sparing a second glance. There's a girl waiting for her in Heartland. A girl she might be able to love uninhibitedly and rebuild her life with.
As she leaves she can't help but wish that Academia might be able to rebuild itself eventually as well. Maybe after that, the four dimensions could truly spread smiles instead of violence.
A.N. At first I want to contrast Janushipping and Ruri/Sayaka since we'll be getting a name for the latter soon, but Janushipping quickly overtook the rest. It's just so much fun exploring a Ruri who can't forgive but still cares about Fusion because they're all human in the end