It started to rain. They had found a blanket inside and draped it over the body. Ryuji watched the drops of water darken the fabric in wide blots. His chest was cold and there was a buzzing in his head. Despite all the death, it remained surreal every time, this being the most unbearably unbelievable. That was it. The end. He really had nothing left anymore.

The water began to form the blanket to Shima's face and Ryuji looked away. Kamiki was curled up under a tree clutching Kage Ketsueki to her chest, tears rolling down her face. Ryuji couldn't bring himself to cry, no matter how much it hurt. It was a stabbing pain in his heart that refused to fade, it just got worse as time wore on and the feeling of dread sunk in. He was the last of his family, he was truly alone in the world and that was the most crushing feeling that had ever taken ahold of his heart. His throat was raw from prayer.

"We can't stay here."

Ryuji looked over at Kamiki, her voice startling him. He watched her wipe her tears and stand, using the sword to steady herself. Mephisto had given it to her, but Ryuji still couldn't wrap his head around why. Shouldn't he get to at least be the one to carry his dead friend's sword? Wasn't that only fair? After all, what was Izumo Kamiki to Shima? She wasn't family, she didn't know him like Ryuji did.

"Suguro, did you hear me? We have to leave. We have to-"

"And go where?" Ryuji screamed at her, throwing his arms to the sky. The rain grew heavier. "Back to that shitty apartment building? Or even better, back to Kyoto? And then what, Kamiki? There's nothing left, nowhere to go. Might as well just stay put."

Kamiki held the sword protectively to her chest as Ryuji started towards her. His heart hammered in his chest. It wasn't for her, she shouldn't even have it.

"I just...I just can't stay here anymore. Not with him, not like that." She gestured to Shima and shook her head slowly. "Please."

"Fine. Leave. Go away." Ryuji was only a few inches away from her now and Kamiki stepped backwards, bumping the tree. "Leave the sword."

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Kamiki tried to step aside but Ryuji placed both hands next to either side of her head on the tree.

"It's the least you could do. You're the reason he's dead." His voice was hollow, booming with the distant thunder. "You have no right to it. He was my family."

"You're going to be so petty? After everything? You're not the only one who's lost people you love. Don't do this to me, Bon. We don't have anything left but each other."

Ryuji dropped his arms and stepped back from under the tree into the rain. "What did you call me?"

"Suguro-"

"No."

"Bon," she spat the name at him. "Precious little Bocchan. You lost a friend, a brother even. I lost the man I loved without even being able to tell him what he meant to me. So no, you arrogant bastard, you don't get the sword. It's not yours because your time with Renzou was greater than mine. You don't get to talk to me like I meant nothing to him just because you're hurting. I'm hurting too." Kamiki stepped up to Ryuji, rain streaked down her contorted, pale face. "Don't you dare make this harder for me than it already is."

"I just..." Ryuji tilted his head towards the sky and gave a pained chuckle. "I have nothing left."

Kamiki sighed. "You idiot. We're supposed to be the ones carrying hope aren't we?"

"That was back when I thought hope still had a chance." Ryuji pushed his hair out of his face and looked at her.

"It does. We still have Rin on our side don't we? And even Mephisto."

"Great. Two demons, I'm sure we'll win."

Kamiki drew Kage Ketsueki from it's sheath, staring at Ryuji with wide eyes. He held his hands up in surrender and waved them at her. "It was just a joke, Kamiki."

She shook her head and used the blade to point past his shoulder. Ryuji turned and his stomach dropped as his whole world simultaneously tilted and spun, lightning flashing in his peripheral. The soaking white blanket lay crumpled on the ground at Shima's feet. The gaping hole in his chest had a burst of congealed blood all around it and there was a dried line of red that ran from his mouth down his chin. His eyes were looking in Kamiki and Ryuji's direction, but remained unfocused.

An airy hiss escaped his lips, "Where's Okumura?"

Rin stood in front of the remains of a cooking store, peering in through the shattered glass of the window. The last time he'd used even just a frying pan had been a special occasion, Shiemi's birthday, and it had only been to cook some spam. He'd lost the damn thing months ago and though it seemed foolish even to him, the idea of maybe finding a new-relatively new-one was exciting.

"Maybe after everything settles down everyone could go for some spam." He crept through the window, tiptoeing over the shards of browned glass. The book was heavy under his arm so he placed it on the counter as he ventured back into the store. The shelves were bare, but on the far wall hanging in the dim light on a single hook was the most beautiful thing Rin had seen in a long while.

Rin plucked the frying pan free and turned it over in his hands. It was heavy, caste iron and dented to hell.

"Perfect." He grinned.

Someone crunched on the glass behind him and Rin whirled, swinging the frying pan with all his might. Shura dodged out of the way and caught the pan with one hand, pulling it from his grasp.

"Your skills in the kitchen never cease to astound me, Rin," she said, slinging the frying pan over her shoulder with a grin.

"Shura!" Rin beamed at her feeling a giant weight lift from his shoulders, then a lump dropped in his stomach. "Uh, sorry I left the dorm, but I thought that maybe I could do something a little more proactive."

"Oh right," Shura nodded to the counter, "the book. Well we'd better get to it then."

"But what about Shiemi and Yukio?"

"What?"

Rin frowned. "You never found them?"

Shura shook her head and shrugged. "There wasn't anything left of the pharmacy when I got there. I assumed they got out just fine. Yukio's with her, right? He'll take good care of Shiemi. So how about you worry about what's really important." She pressed the frying pan back into Rin's hands, shoving his backwards, and patted him on the shoulder.

"Sure. Right." He set it aside and followed her out of the store, grabbing the book on his way. "I want to make sure everyone's alright first. Something just doesn't feel ri-"

"Okumura!" Shura turned on him. "Think of the bigger picture here. You have a bigger role to play than big brother and doting boyfriend. Get that through your head."

"They're my responsibility."

Shura glowered at him and crossed her arms. "Frustrating little prick."

"Are you going to help me or not?"

With a sigh she scratched the back of her head. Rin watched her, the strange feeling in his gut refusing to leave.

"You're stubborn, brother, I'll give you that. Maybe that's why He's so fond of you. Must say, I'm not big of a fan." Shura's face split down the middle and the skin peeled away.

Author's note: I'll be settling into school for the next couple of weeks so chapters will be short or postponed entirely. The regular schedule of Monday/Tuesday should return by Sept 16/17.