Finally got around to posting this here! Part of my 'Heroes AU' headcanons/series on Tumblr. An inconceivable tragedy in the future leads a 20 year old Honoka to go back to the past to when she was 16. Set after 'Cold' but I'll be writing fics set between that and this one. So the series isn't really in order. This fic assumes all of Muse knows about each others abilities. There's a list of abilities at the start of chapter one.

Warning(s): Major character death. Like a lot of character death in here. Kind of self-injury so don't read if it'll trigger?

List of abilities:
Honoka - Time/Space manipulation.
Umi - Hyperkinetic.
Kotori - Invisibility.
Eli - Pyrokinetic (blue flames)
Nozomi - Empathy.
Nico - rapid cell regeneration
Maki - Telepathy
Hanayo - Phasing.
Rin - Super speed.
Yukiho - Hydrokinetic.
Arisa - Ability to find other ability users.
Anju - Transformation.
Erena - Controls shadows.
Tsubasa - Can take other people's abilities by killing them or studying their brain.

Aqours don't join for a while but theirs will be:

Chika - Ability to learn other people's abilities by watching them being used (she can know up to 4 abilities at the same time)
Riko - Ability to clone herself.
You - Super Strength.
Mari - Puppeteer (ability to control other peoples' body parts/limbs).
Kanan- Hydrokinetic. A more powerful version of Yukiho basically.
Dia - Enhanced memory.
Ruby - Sonic waves.
Hanamura - Absorbing solids - like she touches metal and her skin turns metal.
Yoshiko - Illusionist.

CHAPTER ONE

Honoka squinted against the sunlight, the blinding glare a harsh contrast to the darkness she'd been surrounded by just a moment ago. She lifted her hand into the air to block the sun and glanced around, blinking against the halos of light still clouding her vision. It took her a moment to figure out where she was but when she did she inhaled sharply. The school roof. It had been a long time since she'd been there but she remembered it vividly. She wasn't sure she would ever be able to forget it. How far had she gone back exactly? She hadn't been able to use her power properly when she'd tried to go back. There was no telling how long ago it was.

Her knees weakened suddenly and she stumbled forward, barely able to catch herself against the railings. Her head throbbed with pain and she winced, lifting a hand to her head. Even now the headaches she got when travelling far were excruciating. That hadn't changed since she was a teenager. Forcing herself to use her power had only worsened the effect. She felt a strange wetness on her hand and pulled it back to stare at it. Blood. Of course. She had been hit at one point during the fight. It mixed with the already dried blood coating her skin and clothes.

Memories of being trapped in the class with A-Rise hit her hard, causing bile to rush to her throat. Her friends were all dead, because of her. Except Nico, of course. Honoka had merely abandoned her, left her behind in the future while she fled to the past. One by one, images of her friends being cut down flashed through her mind. Rin, Hanayo, Kotori, Umi, Eli, Nozomi and finally Maki. They were all dead because of her, the supposed leader of the team. She was supposed to protect them and yet they had died protecting her.

She felt a sharp pain in her knees as they finally connected with the solid ground. She felt something wet spilling from her eyes though she knew it wasn't blood this time. Before she knew it, she was sobbing in earnest. She couldn't remember the last time she had allowed herself to give into emotion like this. Maybe when Alisa had died, after she had watched Eli fall apart in front of her, clutching her sister's dead body to her chest. Maybe after that, when she'd had to tell Yukiho about it. She couldn't remember. Either way it had been a long time ago.

"Honoka…" Maki's lifeless hand hit the floor as Nico finally stood up from her position on the ground. She was soaked with blood, both her own and Maki's. It covered her clothes, her hands, her arms, even her face from when she'd tried to wipe her tears away. The attempt had proved pointless and the salty liquid had merely created tracks through the drying blood. "Go back! You have to fix this!"

"B-but you…"

"JUST GO!"

She heard an anguished scream echo around her but she didn't recognize it as her own, even when her throat burned in the wake of it. She wept into her folded arms, her shoulders shuddering with the force of it.

1 hour earlier/4 years in the future.

She wasn't sure how long she had been tied up. She had woken up to a dull pain in the back of her head, obviously an effect of whatever her kidnapper had drugged her with. She vaguely remembered something being placed over her mouth, then the taste of fumes followed by…nothing at all. Trying to use her powers proved useless. She couldn't so much as transport herself across the room. She was stuck right where she was.

As she stared into the dimly lit room, she silently prayed that her friends wouldn't follow her. They would know that it was a trap. They had been doing this for a long time, they wouldn't just walk into the abandoned school without thinking it through first. The niggling fear that they would do just that played on her mind. Eli, especially, would think nothing of putting her own life in danger. It had been that way since Alisa had died. She just didn't seem to care any more. Not even Nozomi would be able to talk her out of it.

Honoka wasn't sure how long passed before she heard the door at the far end of the room slam open, light spilling into the room. She blinked against it, making out several figures standing in the doorway. Her heart seized with panic. Those idiots. They knew it was a trap and yet they'd still come for her.

"No…" She mumbled weakly, struggling against the ropes that bound her hands together behind her back. She tried to push herself away from the wall she was leaning back against but only succeeded in sending herself crashing face first to the floor. It seemed as though the sound caught the attention of the rest of the team as she heard footsteps coming toward her. Soon enough she found herself being pushed into a sitting position and a moment later, warm hands were pressed to her cheeks. It took her a moment to focus on the concerned amber eyes staring back at her. "K-Kotori, y…"

"Shhh." Kotori shushed Honoka gently, pushing her hair back from her face. She frowned at the sight of the fresh cut on her best friend's forehead and moved to untie her.

Honoka let out a gasp as Kotori let go of her suddenly. She tilted forward but she merely fell against the soft body in front of her. As she felt fingers picking at the rope that bound her hands, she spoke up in a whisper, her mouth near Kotori's ear. "It's a trap."

"We know that." Eli's voice sounded from her left, causing Honoka to turn her head toward the sound. The older girl was standing near her, her hand engulfed in fire. The flames lit up her face, her blue eyes glimmering as she looked to Honoka. "Did you really think that would keep us away?"

"It should have! You…" Honoka's gaze focused on something beyond Eli. The team had scattered around the room, Maki and Nico moving in one direction while Hanayo and Rin had moved the opposite way. Nozomi was still standing near the door. That wasn't what she was concerned with though. It was almost as though the shadows were rippling, moving of their own accord. She'd seen that before. An arrow shaped shadow shot suddenly from the dark corner toward Rin and Hanayo. Honoka instinctively tried to stop it in it's tracks, forgetting that she couldn't use her powers given her weakened condition. Her heart leapt in her chest and she opened her mouth to desperately call out just as the arrow struck Rin in the back.

Hanayo let out a startled scream as Rin was sent flying through the air, landing on the ground with a sickening thud. She lay there after, unmoving as blood pooled beneath her.

"R-RIN-CHAN!"

Kotori stood up quickly, taking up a more defensive position in front of Honoka. She felt Eli move to her side, her hand lifted as she prepared to attack.

Honoka tried to get to her feet too but failed each time. All she could do was watch as Hanayo took off running toward Rin's body. An icy chill of fear ran down her spine. Even from her position on the floor it was obvious that there was no hope for Rin. "No…" She mumbled as she watched another arrow head straight toward Hanayo. She could phase through almost anything, even bullets but there was no way she could phase through a shadow. She watched as Hanayo ducked to the left, narrowly dodging the arrow so she could reach Rin.

"Rin-chan!" Hanayo slipped her arms under Rin's and pulled her up with some difficulty. Rin was a dead weight in her arms but she finally managed to get a good hold on her. She glanced toward her friends before she squeezed her eyes shut.

Honoka realized what Hanayo was planning to do as her feet disappeared into the floor along with Rin's. She was trying to get Rin out of there, even if she had to go through the floor to do it. Before she could get any further, a shadow struck her in the chest, sending her flying in much the same fashion as Rin had a moment ago.

"NO!" Honoka glanced across the room to see Nico trying to hold a struggling Maki back from Rin and Hanayo. She was surprised the smaller girl was managing it. Though Nico had grown over the years and had gotten much stronger, she was still shorter than Maki. "LET GO OF ME! HANAYO! RIN!"

Honoka looked back to Hanayo and Rin, barely able to take in the sight of them lying close together on the ground. There was so much blood. "T-This can't be happening." She grabbed Kotori's arm and dragged herself to her feet though she was barely able to stay standing.

"Nozomi!" Eli called loudly, noticing movement out of the corner of her eye. She stepped back, positioning herself closer to Honoka. She couldn't look in the direction of Hanayo and Rin so she didn't notice Nozomi moving over there.

"I know, Elichi." Nozomi was careful as she inched toward Rin and Hanayo. She knelt down beside them and with shaking hands, checked for any signs of life. There was no pulse, no unsteady intake of breath. They were dead. She closed her eyes at the realization, the corners of them stinging with oncoming tears. "T-they're gone."

"Of course they are." A new voice sounded, echoing around the room. The group looked up upon hearing the sound. Even Maki who had dropped to her knees in tears was distracted by it. A moment later two figures stepped out of the shadows, matching smirks on their faces.

"You!" Eli hissed at Erena, almost taking a step forward before she remembered that Honoka was behind her. She knew that power. She would recognize it anywhere. "You did this!"

"We're not done yet, Ayase Eli." Anju said, her smile turning somewhat innocent as she lifted the gun in her hand. She stepped forward, aiming it toward Kotori and laughed as the girl tensed. "Minami Kotori. I wanted the pleasure of killing you myself."

Honoka clutched Kotori's arm, pulling her back slightly. It didn't escape her notice that while Kotori looked afraid, she didn't turn invisible. "Run!"

Kotori didn't move as she stared down the barrel of the gun. She could use her power to turn invisible. She could even turn Honoka with her as her friend was still clutching her tightly. She could probably get them both away but that would mean leaving the rest of her friends behind. She didn't hear the sound of footsteps rushing toward her. "Anju…" She trailed off when the A-Rise member squeezed the trigger and instinctively threw her arms up to protect herself.

"Like hell!" Eli threw herself in front of Kotori, blue flames engulfing her body from head to toe. She hit the first bullet away with her flaming fist, barely feeling the pain of the bullet grazing her knuckles. The other was propelled through the air by the flames surrounding her body.

Anju looked surprise by Eli's bold move but she continued to fire, each of the bullets being batted away by Eli as if they were annoying flies. She had figured she would gain the attention of one of the older members of Muse by attacking the younger members.

Erena stayed where she was, making no move to put out Eli's flames. She knew exactly what Anju and Tsubasa had planned and had no desire to interfere. Indeed, a moment later she saw a blur in the air as Tsubasa used the speed she had picked up earlier to move toward Kotori and Honoka.

A sharp pain in her side caused Kotori to glance down. She wasn't quite able to comprehend the image of the knife protruding from her side and for a moment she could merely stare at it. She looked up again, finding Tsubasa standing next to her, her hands bloodied.

"Kotori!" Honoka grabbed Kotori just before the girl crumbled to the ground. In her weakened state she couldn't keep Kotori standing and she sank to the ground with her. "No, no, no…Nico! NICO!"

Nico didn't so much as glance in Honoka's direction as Anju had turned her attention toward her and Maki and she was currently trying to shoot past her at Maki. She was doing her best to shield Maki with her body, taking the bullets for her but she wasn't sure how long she could keep it up, even with her power. Maki had already been hit in the leg and was on her knees behind her.

Too late, Honoka remembered the vials of blood Nico had given them before they'd gone into battle. She hurriedly searched Kotori's pockets for the vial, finding it after a moment.

"Honoka-ch…" Kotori couldn't finish what she was saying as she choked on the blood in her throat. "H-H…"

"It's okay, Kotori-chan. You're going to be fine." Honoka desperately pushed up Kotori's shirt to expose the bullet hole in her abdomen. Her hands shook as she uncorked the vial and poured the red liquid into the wound. She waited impatiently for it to heal but to no avail. It didn't make sense. Nico's blood could heal any wound. That was why she'd given it to them. "I-I don't understand…"

"H-Hono…" Kotori weakly reached for Honoka's hand but her blurred vision made it impossible to grab it.

Honoka looked up as she felt Kotori's fingers brush weakly against her own. The sight of blood streaking from the corner of Kotori's lips coupled with the tears that had welled in her eyes made her want to cry herself. She grabbed Kotori's hand in her own, ignoring the fight around her. She could hear gunshots, Maki screaming desperately at Nico, Eli trying to get Anju's attention back, but she couldn't focus on anything besides her best friend. The other hand, bloody from Kotori's wound moved to the top of her friend's head as she leaned over her.

"Kotori." Honoka's voice came out harsher than she had intended as she stared into Kotori's unfocused eyes. "Don't you dare die. If you do…" She trailed off helplessly. It wasn't a threat. She knew she would fall apart without Kotori. She'd already lost Umi, she couldn't lose another of her best friends.

Kotori used her remaining strength to reach up and grip the collar of Honoka's jacket, pulling her down. Their foreheads collided awkwardly but neither paid attention to it. With their bodies closer together now, Honoka could feel Kotori trembling beneath her.

"I-I…" Kotori struggled to speak despite her throat being mostly clear of blood now. "I love you…and….Umi…tell…" She trailed off and turned her head, coughing up more blood. Honoka felt a splatter of it hit her cheek but she couldn't care. The sound of hurried footsteps caught her attention but she didn't look up. Tsubasa could kill her if she wanted to. It hardly mattered.

"Please…" Honoka felt the corners of her eyes sting with tears despite her best efforts to force them back. The idea of Kotori dying was incomprehensible. Her best friend had been the only constant in her life. She felt Kotori's grip loosen on her collar and reached up to grasp her hand, forcing her grip to tighten. "Don't…" The footsteps were practically on top of her now and she closed her eyes, preparing for the pain that would follow. All she felt was a slight jolt as someone dropped to their knees beside her, knocking into her shoulder.

"Umi…" The name left Kotori's lips as a weak yet content sigh and Honoka's eyes snapped open. Umi? She couldn't be there. She had betrayed them. A slight glance to her left assured her that Kotori wasn't delusional from the pain. Umi was kneeling next to her, wearing the most pained expression Honoka had ever seen on her.

"I'm right here." Umi's voice was choked as though she was near tears herself. She placed her hand gently on top of Kotori's head as Honoka was desperately gripping her hands. "Stay with us, Kotori. It's going to be okay. I promise."

A choked whimper escaped Kotori's throat though a smile lingered on her lips as she looked up at her two best friends. She'd never thought she'd see them together again, at least not for a long time. Slowly, her eyes began to close as black filtered into her vision.

"Kotori-chan!" Honoka cried out, gripping Kotori tighter than before. She called her name again and again but Kotori-chan was still. "No…" She leaned down, turning her head to press her ear to Kotori's chest. Nothing. It didn't rise and fall as it had been previously. "Kotori!"

Umi trembled as she stared down at her lifeless friend. If only she'd gotten there a few minutes earlier. She could have stopped this. "Hono-" She was cut off by a force pushing her to the side. She toppled over but scrambled to her feet a moment later, positioning herself in front of Honoka. She reached up, unsheathing her katana and held it protectively in front of her. She noticed Eli standing near Honoka's other side but she didn't see anyone else. She gasped as she felt something slash at her back. She almost feared it was Honoka as she turned around but she found her friend still on her knees, her face buried in Kotori's chest. Realization hit her suddenly, bringing with it a fiery rage. Tsubasa. She swung her sword in a wide arc, slashing at the space around her.

"How dare you!" She growled furiously, angry tears filling her eyes. That Tsubasa had taken Kotori's power and was using it against them enraged her. She knew that Kotori would have been heartbroken over her ability being used in such a way. She would never hurt her friends. She'd rather die. She felt a rush of satisfaction at the feeling of her sword cutting through flesh. If she couldn't save Kotori, she would surely avenge her. She continued to slash away at the space surrounding her but she didn't manage to land another blow.

Honoka was mostly unaware of the fight around her as she gripped Kotori's body tightly to her. It was a nightmare. It had to be. She'd had many of the same kind over the past few years. Nightmares in which she'd had to watch her friends being tortured and killed. She couldn't wake up from this one though.

A few minutes passed before she heard the sound of something hitting the ground next to her. She glanced up, her eyes widening at the sight of Umi on her knees. She was clutching her throat, her eyes wide in surprise. Blood seeped from between her fingers and her katana lay on the floor next to her.

"U-Umi…" Honoka watched in horror as Umi fell to the ground next to Kotori, gasping for breath. "No…No!" She scrambled over Kotori's body to Umi, clutching her friends hands to draw them away from the wound. She could fix it, she still had her own vial of Nico's blood. She was stopped by the sight of glassy eyes staring back at her. She was already dead. How could this be happening? Even after everything Honoka had seen, this was too horrible.

"Honoka, move!"

Honoka didn't have time to look up before she was tackled to the side. She hit the ground hard, her breath escaping her as the person who'd pushed her landed heavily on top of her. She didn't have time to panic before she realized who it was. Though flames didn't surround her, Eli's skin was scorching to the touch. The older girl didn't linger on top of her for long. She got to her feet with her usual grace though Honoka couldn't think past the ache in her chest to admire it as she usually would.

Eli's fists clenched at her sides and with a low angered growl, her body was engulfed by flames once more. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Umi and Kotori. It was obvious they were dead. She glared at Erena, her eyes prickling with oncoming tears. First Hanayo and Rin then Kotori and Umi and now Erena was trying to kill Honoka. It was too much.

"I'll kill you." She snarled, her anger overtaking her. She pulled her hand back, preparing to throw a fireball toward the smirking A-Rise member. She had every intention of killing her in the most painful way possible.

"Oh?" Erena waved her hand in front of her, using her powers to put out Eli's flames. She gave a throaty laugh at the shocked look on Eli's face. That had been far too easy. A part of her had wanted to drag it out a bit more, to really torture the blonde. "I think you're the ones dying." She motioned toward Kotori and Umi's lifeless bodies on the ground. "It's just a matter of who's next." Her gaze shifted past Eli to Honoka who was standing on trembling legs. "I've been waiting so long to kill you, I'm not sure how I'd like to do it." She took a step forward, causing Eli to tense and reach behind her to pull Honoka close to her back. "Maybe I should kill you like I killed the mousy one over there. Piercing your heart with darkness seems fitting."

Eli let go of Honoka's wrist and focused intently, trying to ignite her flames again. "I won't let you touch her."

"Oh Eli." Erena lifted her fist and clenched it in front of her, focusing on the light of Eli's flames. They faded immediately but she wasn't finished yet. Eli had flames filtering through her, even moreso than when they had first met all those years ago. She focused on the mental image of those flames coursing through the blonde's body, imagining them fading to be replaced by her darkness.

"Eli-senpai!" Honoka gasped as Eli fell to her knees with a choked cry. She joined the blonde on the ground, gripping her arm tightly.

Eli could feel her power being forced out of her body, her energy being sapped away by the invading darkness. It was a pain unlike any she had ever felt before and she screamed out in agony, the sound echoing around the room.

"ELICHI!" Nozomi, who had been trying to inch toward Nozomi without being detected suddenly tried to hurry forward toward Eli, only to be shoved to the side by stopped by an invisible force. Even from across the room, she could see that Eli's usually blue eyes had blackened. Icy fear coursed through her and she struggled against the person holding her back. "NO. ELICHI!"

Erena laughed above the sound of Nozomi's desperate yelling. It amused her greatly to see them like this. So weak and helpless. She paused in her torment of Eli, turning her focus to Honoka. She was the real target. The real leader of Muse. Honoka was too focused on Eli to even notice that she was suddenly a target. That just made it so much easier. Mustering up her power, Erena summoned a shadow and sent it flying toward Honoka, aiming for her head. Her powers had grown so much that she hardly need any shadows to turn them into something fearfully offensive.

Honoka's eyes widened when Eli's body suddenly ignited again. For a split second, the sight of Eli's familiar flames comforted her but then the blonde had moved in front of her, her hand moving to the back of Honoka's head to draw it protectively against her shoulder. She felt Eli jolt, a pained gasp escaping her before she stilled. Her hand fell limply from the back of Honoka's head and she fell forward against her.

"ELICHI!"

Honoka didn't dare breathe for a moment as her arms numbly circled Eli. Her flames were out once again. She could hear Nozomi crying out for Eli but she didn't get an answer. That wasn't right. Eli always answered Nozomi. Slowly she drew back, looking Eli over. Her eyes were dead and unfocused, red covering the front of her shirt. On the opposite side to where she'd drawn Honoka to. She had known what was going to happen.

"No…" Honoka whispered, reaching up to touch Eli's pale cheek with a shaking hand. She couldn't be dead. She was the strongest of all of them. "E-Eli-senpai."

A sudden scream caught her attention and she looked up to see Nozomi finally shoving her way past Tsubasa. She ran over to them, falling to her knees next to Eli. She pushed Honoka away, taking Eli away from her.

"Elichi." Nozomi stared down at her girlfriend, tear steadily streaming down her cheeks. "Elichi, wake up. Wake up."

Honoka felt something in her hand and looked down, finding Eli's cross in her palm. She blinked at it in surprise. She had never seen Eli take it off. "S-She's gone." She could hardly bring herself to believe it. The person she looked up to most had died because of her. Instead of her. The agonized cry that escaped Nozomi caused her to flinch. She had never heard Nozomi sound so broken.

Nozomi held Eli close to her chest, sobbing brokenly against her. Eli had often told her that if Nozomi died she would lose herself completely. Her heart had been broken when Alisa had died but if she were to lose Nozomi she wouldn't have anything left. Her sanity would surely slip away. Nozomi had never said anything but she felt the same way. The only person she trusted completely, with every piece of her, was Eli. She didn't allow anyone else to see her vulnerable side, not even their friends. Eli was the wrong person she could depend on.

Honoka listened to the sound of Nozomi's cries, her gaze shifting around the room. Nico was crouched over Maki, a dagger in hand. She seemed to be cutting relentlessly at every inch of her own skin that she could. It took a moment but Honoka finally realized what must have happened. Maki was gone too. Nico was trying to bring her back using her own blood, even if it meant hurting herself to do so. The scent of blood filled the air and Honoka found herself gagging against the bile that rose in her throat.

A laugh filled the air and Nozomi's crying stopped suddenly in response. Honoka turned her attention toward the purple haired girl to find her lowering Eli gently to the ground. Her cheeks were tear stained but there was no mistaking the hatred on her face. It wasn't an expression Honoka had ever seen from the usually gentle Nozomi. She watched numbly as Nozomi rose to her feet and slowly turned on her heel to face Erena. She didn't say anything, she merely held her hand out, palm up. A moment later Erena cried out in pain and sank to the ground, clutching her chest.

"Hurts, doesn't it?" Nozomi walked forward toward Erena, doing nothing to block out the emotional pain she felt. She took in Honoka's and Nico's too. She could feel Honoka's heartache at having lost Eli, Kotori and Umi and the others, Nico's at having lost Maki. Somehow it didn't add up to the pain she felt over losing Eli. She poured it into Erena, taking satisfaction in the agonized screams she could hear from her. She took it one step further, seeking out the physical pain Nico was inflicting upon herself. She fell to her own knees, lightheaded as her body throbbed in agony. Oblivious, Nico continued to cut relentlessly, trying to heal Maki with her blood. It wouldn't work. They both knew that and yet she continued to try. Nozomi understood completely. Nico felt about Maki the way she felt about Eli. She couldn't lose her.

"Erena!" Tsubasa's voice sounded strangely panicked to Honoka's ears. She watched in a daze as Tsubasa began to hurry toward Nozomi.

"Stop!" Anju held her hand out, stopping Tsbuasa in her tracks. Nico was no threat to them now. She was too focused on healing Maki. "I'll deal with this." She flashed Tsubasa a coy smirk before she closed her eyes, concentrating on changing her form.

Honoka's eyes widened in surprise as she watched Anju change her appearance. "No." She muttered, shaking her head. Anything but that. She felt sick as she watched Tsbuasa chuckle and hand over the dagger she'd used on Umi. "No! Nozomi! Nozomi, don't listen to her!"

Nozomi wasn't paying attention. She was too focused on making Erena feel every bit of pain she felt. She could feel herself weakening with every second that passed but she pressed on. That is until she felt a hand come to rest on her arm.

"Nozomi, stop."

She froze at the sound of the familiar voice, her attention straying from Erena. "E-Elichi?" She turned her head toward the person next to her and gasped sharply at the sight of Eli. Her tears started afresh and she threw herself into Eli, embracing her tightly. "I thought…I thought…"

"Shhh." 'Eli' hushed Nozomi gently, her hand gently coming to rest on the back of Nozomi's head. "It's alright. I'm right here." She cast a smirk toward Tsubasa who looked on in amusement. After a moment she felt Nozomi begin to pull away and forced herself to look sincere.

"Nozomi." She reached up, placing a hand on Nozomi's cheek. She watched in satisfaction as Nozomi leaned into the carress. How touching. Even after seeing Eli die, Nozomi was choosing to believe that she was still alive. She gripped the knife in her free hand and thrust it forward into Nozomi's stomach.

Nozomi's eyes widened in surprise at the sudden pain. "E-Elichi…" She gripped Eli's shirt tightly, trying to comprehend what her girlfriend was doing. No. Not her girlfriend. Eli wouldn't. Eli would rather plunge a dagger into her own chest than do this to her. "No…Anju."

Anju laughed darkly and pushed the knife deeper. Warm blood coated her hand. "You caught onto me. I think this look is more fitting right now though, don't you? Who else would you want to be the last person you see before you die?"

Honoka could only watch numbly as Nozomi fell limp in Eli's…no, Anju's hold. She felt numb as Anju pushed Nozomi's lifeless body to the floor and stood up, turning back into herself.

Nico finally looked up as silence filled the room. She took in the sight of her friend's dead bodies and inhaled sharply. She had been so focused on Maki that she hadn't noticed. She could have helped. She could have done something. She felt the last of her wounds healing as she cradled Maki's body to her. It was pointless. Maki wasn't coming back. She watched as Erena got to her feet with Anju's help. Honoka was on her knees on the floor, apparently unable to move. Had she watched their friends die, one by one? The thought made Nico feel sick with guilt. She should have done something.

"Honoka…" Maki's lifeless hand hit the floor as Nico finally stood up from her position on the ground. She was soaked with blood, both her own and Maki's. It covered her clothes, her hands, her arms, even her face from when she'd tried to wipe her tears away. The attempt had proved pointless and the salty liquid had merely created tracks through the drying blood. "Go back! You have to fix this!"

Honoka looked up, her brow furrowing. She wasn't even sure she could. "B-but you…"

"JUST GO!" Nico charged toward where Honoka was crouching and grabbed Umi's sword. "Get the hell out of here!"

Honoka squeezed her eyes shut despite her uncertainty and focused on going back. She couldn't live in a world where her friends were dead. She knew Nico couldn't either. Pain shot through her head but she ignored it. She had to fix this.

Honoka wasn't sure how long she lay there, weeping into her arms but eventually her tears dried up. She clenched her fist around Eli's necklace and took a shuddering breath. They were gone. Her friends were gone but she could save them. In a way, she could. She got to her feet and with shaking hands, reached up to put on the precious necklace she'd been given. The last piece of her friend. She would fix this. She had to.

TBC.