"Yato, go."
"No! What's that supposed to mean?" Yato stepped closer to the wall of fire. "What do you mean, 'In the end?' Hiyori!"
"...Sorry, Yato."
"For what?! Hiyori, what are you-"
"Thank you."
Have you seen the little cat?
He looked around frantically for nothing, blue eyes searching the darkness. The digital clock on the nightstand glowed red. 2:48...He sat up. What...what did I dream…? He raised a hand to his forehead. I don't… He shook his head. He was definitely missing something, but he couldn't tell what. He stared out the window. The moonlight had turned the sakura blossoms white under the light, and the water only reflected it back. He frowned deeply. He couldn't remember a single thing from his dream.
Yukine gasped and curled up on the bed beside him. "Ah…"
"Yukine…!" He reached out a hand to the shadowy figure. Did he still have the Achlys? Did he get sick again? He needs to get to Kofuku quickly then...
"Hiyori"
He froze at the whisper. Hiyori...His arm dropped. Was that…
His thoughts were interrupted by Kofuku, who quietly came in and kneeled by Yukine's bed. She lay her head down and whispered softly to herself. Yato felt himself go cold when he heard her.
"I'm so sorry."
Yato sat up, bewildered. "Kofuku...what…" He reached out a hand.
She jumped when she saw Yato was awake. "A-ah! Yato! You're awake?" She edged away and hurriedly started towards the door.
Yato grabbed her wrist. "Yeah, I am. Was there something you needed?" Or something you need to say…? His eyes narrowed slightly.
"N-No! I was just checking if you guys were alright, but I see it's okay…" She gently pried his fingers off and walked towards the door. "Get some sleep, okay?" She smiled and started to close the door.
"Wait."
"Yes?"
"I...You…" He blanked. He had so much he wanted to ask, but all of a sudden, none of them seemed more important than her. "Hiyori...How is she doing?"
Kofuku stiffened. "She's...fine. But I wouldn't suggest seeing her yet, her condition's a little...unstable." She looked down "Maybe when you get better I can…" She jumped when she realized she was talking out loud. "S-Sorry! I'll leave you be!" She closed the door with a loud bang.
Yato didn't stop her, but stared at the shut door for a long time, as if trying to stare a hole through it. He finally closed them and sighed, flopping down onto the bed. Kofuku…
What could you possibly be hiding from me?
Kofuku shuffled down to the kitchen drearily the next morning. She hadn't gotten any sleep at all, thinking about Yato and his hopeful puppy look when he asked about Hiyori. Lying to Yato had practically become a routine since he had woken up 2 and a half weeks ago, and she really didn't have it in her to cry anymore. He asked about her every time he saw Kofuku, and it killed her. But… She thought as she walked into the kitchen. Hiyori is…
A glowing, pink cat poked its head out from where it was resting beneath the table. It mewed at Kofuku and it's crimson pink eyes looked at her expectantly. Its violet tipped split tail waved from side to side lazily and the feathery wings on its back rustled. Kofuku chuckled softly. "Alright, alright." She reached up to get a can of sardines. "Ah…" She waved her hand a little, but she couldn't reach. "Hm…" Her hand fell down to her side and she turned to get a chair.
And promptly crashed into Daikoku. "Here." He reached up and easily got the can, handing it to her. "A-hey, Kofuku, are you alright?"
She had spaced out. Daikoku watched her worriedly. He had come to realize that spacing out was Kofuku's new way of venting out pain instead of crying. "Kofuku…" He reached over and took her hand, firmly placing the can in her palm.
Her eyes snapped back. "Oh, thank you, Daikoku."
He didn't let go. "What's wrong?"
She shook her head. "I just...What are we going to do about Hiyori?"
He nodded slowly. "Her spirit showed up almost immediately after she died, didn't it? She must be waiting for something-someone." He let go of the can. "Maybe…"
"Yes, but more importantly, we can't just keep her in spirit form!" She stole a glance at the cat, who was busy trying to catch it's own tail. "She'll easily be taken over by…" She trailed off. Even thinking of Hiyori being possessed brought the Achlys to mind. She looked up at Daikoku. "We'll...need to tell Yato soon, I think."
"Tell me what?"
Yato leaned on the doorframe, panting heavily.
Kofuku leaped up and swiftly slid the can of sardines away. "Y-Yato! When did you get here?"
"I thought I would walk around a little for practice. So what did you need to tell me?"
"I…" Kofuku started talking but her throat closed. "Hiyori…"
Daikoku put a finger to her lips and shook his head. He gave Yato a long look and pointed to something on the ground. Yato looked down.
The cat had curled up and had fallen asleep on his feet.
"So you're telling me Hiyori is dead."
Kofuku nodded for the hundredth time. "It was the only way to save...all of you."
Yato couldn't hear a thing. He stared at his upturned hands, once covered in blood red and shuddered violently. "You're...joking…" He squeezed his eyes shut and put his hands over his ears, but all he could think about was Hiyori. And maroon. "You've...got to be...fucking…" He let out an broken wail. He could feel the reality pressing down on him, but he kept his eyes shut. He could feel the truth whispering in his ear, but he refused to listen.
Kofuku touched his hand lightly. "Yato…"
"Don't fucking touch me!"
Kofuku flinched and drew her hand back, silent. She had gone through the same grief, and she knew it was something Yato had to do alone.
He drew in a shuddering breath and moaned. He pressed his hands against his head, harder, harder, hoping, praying, to someone who could just…
Promise me you won't run. You can't.
You can't.
Yato.
He gritted his teeth against the onslaught of memories. "Hi...yori…" He opened his eyes to stare wearily at the cat.
He got up abruptly, face overshadowed, and stormed out of the house. "Y-Yato!" Kofuku called after him, but he ignored them, continuing his limp to the gate.
His legs gave out under him, and he fell hard. "Fuck!" He cursed loudly. "You're kidding me! You're lying! Hiyori...Hiyori's not fucking dead!" He slammed his fist down hard onto the stone, bruising his knuckles hard. "Ku…" He rose up again and saw his reflection in the ripples in the pond.
How sad, the little cat that lost it's way.
"Shut up...shut...the fuck up!" He cried hoarsely. He picked up a nearby rock and flung it at his reflection. It should have been me, he thought savagely. He picked up a nearby branch and threw it into the pond as well. I should have been the one to die, He kicked the nearby bonsai, ripping a branch off, blindly, frenziedly destroying everything around him. I should've been there when…
When she needed me.
His fingers slowly dropped the branch and he gasped for air, all strength draining out of him.
"I'm sorry, Yato."
He gritted his teeth, but didn't explode.
"It's okay."
It's not, Hiyori. He thought wearily.
"You're fine now."
I'm not fine. He stood up and made his way back to the house, where Kofuku and Daikoku stood worriedly.
"I'm glad."
He tripped over himself and hit the nearby sakura tree. "Ah-" He noticed the red kanji under his fingers.
Gift.
He stood, paralyzed, staring at the word. Then up to the sky. Then down. He withdrew his hand and looked at it, the red that covered it, like the poison that had engulfed his body before Hiyori saved him. He closed it, forming a fist, droplets only now just starting to fall.. Hiyori, you… His vision went blurry, and the blood on his hand smeared and fell away. I…
"I'm sorry, Yato."
No…
I'm the one who's sorry, Hiyori.
At first, there was nothing but fire.
It spread rapidly, furiously, engulfing what was and what is. It blinded him, turning every little atom to dust, melting away the lines between real and unreal. There was nothing but pain, the flames rising high above him, burning away the sun and moon. heaven and hell, reducing him to the nothingness, the air he had come from-
"Yato."
He gasped, and found that he could breathe. He blinked, and found that he could see. He raised a hand to the fire, and saw that he was. That he is.
And then, the fire was gone.
"Yato."
He turned to the voice, but it was pitch black behind him. He tried to walk to it, but his feet wouldn't move. He called out to the voice:
"Hiyori?"
"Yes."
"Hiyori!" He desperately willed his body to move, but it stood still. "Hiyori, where are you?"
"I see you really are better now. I'm glad."
He clenched his fist. "Hiyori, what happened?"
"It doesn't matter right now, Yato." The voice was everywhere. Hiyori was everywhere. She wrapped around him in a haze, danced above him in the smoldering embers, embraced the
darkness that surrounded him.
"Listen to me, Yato. When you wake up, you won't see me anymore. I won't be there anymore. But it's okay, okay? You're not alone, really. You have so many friends now. You don't have to run anymore. Promise me you won't run. You can't. Promise. Don't worry about me, I'm fine now. You're fine now. It's okay, Yato, it''s okay."
"Hiyori, what…" Yato could barely hear her over the static in his brain. "What...are you saying?"
The flames stirred at his feet. "It's okay, Yato." They grew larger and larger. "Ha...In the end, you never really did get to my wish…"
Yato looked at the wall of flame in front of him. "What? H-Hiyori?" He took a step closer, finding his body was able to moved again, and reached out tentatively. "Ah!" He quickly withdrew his burned hand.
"Yato, go."
"No! What's that supposed to mean?" Yato stepped closer to the wall of fire. "What do you mean, 'In the end?' Hiyori!"
"...Sorry, Yato."
"For what?! Hiyori, what are you-"
"Thank you."
Yato stared intently at the cat. After he had realized they could bring Hiyori back by making her a shinki, he brightened up a lot. He rubbed his eyes a little. "So…" He turned excitedly to Kofuku. "When can we change her back?"
Kofuku smiled uneasily, feeling that she missed something. "Well, as soon as possible would be the best, but maybe we should wait a while…" She shifted uncomfortably on the porch step and looked at the cat worriedly.
Yato thought about it carefully. "Okay, but…" He glanced at Hiyori. "We should probably do it soon." He really only wanted to see Hiyori again.
Kofuku eyed Yato for a minute, then chuckled a little. "If you really want to that much, you can do it now."
Yato leaped up. "Really?! Alright then!" He raised a hand and pointed two fingers at the cat.
"You, with nowhere to go and nowhere to return…" He swung his arm, leaving a glowing trail behind. "I grant you a place to belong. My name is Yato. Bearing a posthumous-" He faltered, but took a deep breath. "Bearing a posthumous name, you shall remain here. With this name, I make thee my servant. With this name and its alternate, I use my life to make thee a Regalia. Thou art…" He stopped and stared at the half-written kanji. "Thou art Hiyori." His voice shook. "As Regalia, Rin. Come, Rinki!"
The cat glowed brightly for a few seconds before the name appeared above it and it transformed into a beam of light, shooting up to the sky and zigzagging down back to Yato. There, it shone blindingly before changing into it's shinki form.
Kofuku's eyes widened. "That...That's Hiyori?"
Yato had a bracelet around his right wrist, and a small pair of glowing wings behind him. He carefully raised his arm and shook it, then jumped up and down. "W-Woah!" He shot a good 10 feet in the air and landed softly down. "O-Oh, I see…" He laughed That's...just like you, Hiyori. He grinned widely and stood up straight, calling her to human form.
Kofuku suddenly jolted upright. What I missed… "Yato, wait!" Her eyes widened and her blood ran cold as Hiyori-Hiyori- floated into the courtyard. She stared at her, awestruck, until she realized "Y-Yato!" He waved her off. Kofuku backed away slowly, tripping over herself and slamming down hard onto the ground. Hiyori...doesn't…
Yato couldn't make a sound, but just stare at Hiyori. "Hiyori...I…" He raised a hand, but stopped. "I'm so sorry." He bowed slightly.
Hiyori looked around confusedly before focusing on Yato. "Ah...Are you my master?" She tilted her head inquiringly.
Yato's eyes widened and his head shot up. "Hiyori you-" He grabbed her shoulders. "Hiyori it's-"
Hiyori doesn't remember you.
Yato backed away slowly. "Me…"
He bumped into Kofuku, who had gotten up to stand by him. She looked at Yato through her bangs. "I'm sorry Yato, but you need to finish."
He nodded numbly. "I...I've summoned you from the Far Shore to serve as my Regalia. I permit you to serve and remain at my side longer than kin." His own voice sounded far away, not to mention Hiyori's reply. All of a sudden, he couldn't feel a thing.
Kofuku put a hand on his shoulder and smiled wearily. "I'm Kofuku, Hiyori. Would you like to come in? We'll get you changed…" Kofuku gently led Hiyori away, leaving Yato standing there.
Yato duly heard the door close behind him before walking to the koi pond.
How sad, the little cat that lost it's way.
Yato gritted his teeth and stared at the dying sun. "Hiyori, I promise…"
I'll definitely find you and bring you back, no matter what.
y2k here! My god, I am so sorry for the super late update, everyone! I had to get over the 2 week syndrome, AND school was ending, AND this chapter was a bitch to write AND yes, yes I did end up flipping my table and crying in a corner for an hour qwq.
Even now, I'm not all too 100% happy with the chapter, so if anyone has any comments, questions, suggestions, just leave me a review!
Just a little clarification, if needed, in the end, the little thingy with Hiyori and the fire was Yato's dream in the beginning. If you go back and read it again, you can see a lot of things from the previous chapter and the dream were used :)
Anyways, I think that's it for now, hope you all enjoy the chapter! ^^
Noragami does not belong to me