Chapter 19

I held Noire in my arms, her eyes were shut tight. "N-Noire… come on. Wake up."

My ears stopped ringing and I was able to hear everything around me clearly. Takahata was still screaming as Nishihara held him down. Ozaki was beside both of them trying to calm him down.

IF stared at both me and Noire. The look she had was a mixed expression between fear and sorrow. She looked over and yelled, "Ozaki!" Ozaki looked over at the call of his name.

"Is she alright?" Ozaki asked, but I didn't answer. My focus was set on Noire and only her… why did she take the bullet? Why didn't she just push me out of the way?

Takahata's screams calmed down as the darkness and dark veins on him disappeared. He dropped his head and breathed deep breaths as he pulled his head back up. "What… happened? What… was I doing?"

"Takahata?" Nishihara called out to him and Takahata looked up at the big guy.

"Nishihara? Ozaki?" He called out, Nishihara smiled as patted Takahata's shoulders.

"You're fine now." Ozaki said, I glanced over at them. What did they mean HE was fine?

I put Noire on the ground as I slowly stood up, my eyes under a cast of shadow, I looked over at the three members of Alpha squad and started walking towards them.

IF looked at me and said, "Hikan?" But I continued to pace myself towards them, Ozaki and the others looked at me as I walked towards them.

"Hikan? What's wrong?" Ozaki asked me, I was now in front of them. I balled up my fist.

"You… bitch!" I yelled as I punched Takahata across the jaw, he fell over with a muffled gasp as I crouched over him and repeatedly punched his face. "How could you!? What the hell were you thinking! She could have DIED!"

Ozaki grabbed my arm trying to pull me off of his teammate, "Hikan! Calm down!" He yelled, but I elbowed his face and continued my assault on Takahata.

"Why!" I yelled with each punch. Nishihara grabbed ahold of me and threw me off Takahata. I flew back and landed on my back.

"Get off of him!" He yelled and stepped in between me and Takahata. Ozaki helped Takahata up as blood escaped from his mouth and he held his jaw.

"What… what happened?" Takahata asked again, I gritted my teeth and glared at them.

"You know what EXACTLY happened!" I yelled and ran at him again, but Nishihara grabbed ahold of me again and lifted me up, I kicked and struggled to move, "Look at what you did! She had nothing to do with this!" I yelled and Takahata's eyes moved slowly at Noire's body.

"Huh? I… I didn't do that… I didn't do it!" He pleaded.

"Hikan, he wasn't in his right mind! Calm down!" IF yelled at me, Ozaki got on his phone.

"Shizuki… we need your help. Meet us in Lastation. Hurry." Ozaki said and hung up, "Hikan, now is not the time. I know how you feel, how angry you are. But Noire's hanging on, I know it. If we get her back to Lastation, we can save her."

"..."

I didn't say anything, Nishihara put me down but he slapped his hand on my shoulder. "If you think about running at him again, then I'll make sure you end up in a bed too." He warned and I ripped my shoulder from him and looked at him.

"Try me."

Ozaki and IF stepped up and pushed us away. "Enough! We need to get her out of here. Quick." IF pointed out and I backed away and looked at Noire.

My role as CPU Red Heart was to protect the Goddesses as well as Gamindustri… and I couldn't even do that with one of them. What kind of guardian am I?

"Nishihara, pick her up, let's get her back to Lastation." Ozaki instructed as Nishihara nodded.

"Roger."

With that said, Ozaki helped Takahata with walking as Nishihara carried Noire, I walked cautiously beside them, making sure to watch Noire. IF walked next to Ozaki and looked back at me, she then slowed down and started walking beside me.

"Hikan. I know you're upset, but it's alright. She'll live." She said and grabbed my arm, I yanked it away.

"She wouldn't be like this if I was stronger." I said and walked ahead, passing Ozaki and Takahata. I can't even use my CPU form for a long time like the others. I can't even protect her from something. She was the one that had to protect me.

We walked back to Lastation as fast as we could go and saw Shizuki waiting outside the Basilicom, She had Kotomi with her and Uni was outside with them as well. "N-Noire!" Uni yelled and ran towards us, she ran right towards Nishihara and looked at Noire. "What happened?!"

She looked at me for confirmation, I looked away from her and closed my eyes and walked past them. I feel so ashamed for this… seeing her big sister like this… it's unimaginable the pain she's feeling right now.

Ozaki explained the situation to everyone. And then they took Noire inside. No doubt everyone was going to be in an uproar. Leaving me, Shizuki, and Kotomi outside.

"Hikan. What happened?" Shizuki asked me and I looked at her.

"I happened." Was all I said and walked into the Basilicom, as expected the Basilicom staff were running all over the place, voices resounded everywhere. Talking about Noire and what happened. And… it would all go back on me…

Seymour straight up ignored me as he was in deep conversation with the other staff. I walked past them and went up the stairs towards Noires room. Walking inside, I saw Nishihara lay Noire on her bed, a huge bandage was wrapped her back and stomach to slow some of the bleeding. Noire's skin was more pale and her eyes darkened somewhat. Uni was sitting beside Noire's bed watching over her. Making sure not to make eye contact with me.

Shizuki bursted into the room and ran towards the bed as she started talking with Nishihara, I didn't want to hear most of it. I sat down on the couch and put my head down and shut my eyes. I can't believe this happened… and it's my fault, I should have been stronger. I should have been ready.

The room brightened as Shizuki shined, she held her hands over Noire as her skin started to get more color. A couple minutes later, she was fine. But was asleep.

Nishihara had left with Takahata and Ozaki, he said something about looking for their last comrade and then left. IF had already went back to Planeptune I felt someone sit down next to me and I looked up and look over. Shizuki.

"You should head back to Planeptune, this must have been difficult to you." She said and I looked back down at my feet. "Hikan. This isn't your fault. You tried to fight as much as you could, but even you can't fight everything. Not anymore."

"Then maybe I shouldn't have come back." I said and stood back up, I glanced over at Uni and saw her purposely throw her gaze away from mine. I left the room.

[Kotomi]

I saw Hikan exit out of Noire's room and then walk past me, he never even gave me a glance. I reached out to him, but he never did anything. He just walked down the hall and turned.

I walked into the room and saw Shizuki sitting on the bed with a sleeping Noire. Uni was sitting next to the bed.

"She's fine Uni, she's just sleeping now." Shizuki said and Uni nodded and smiled at her.

"Thanks Shizuki."

I walked up to them, Shizuki looked back at me. "Kotomi? What is it?"

"Hikan left. But I don't understand what happened? Hikan's upset because Noire's like this, I understand that, but he said he did it?" I said and Uni looked away from me.

"No… he didn't do it, he's blaming himself that he did it because he couldn't do anything to help her. She was the one that shielded him instead." Shizuki said and Uni's hands tightened on her legs.

"Why… why did she help him?! Why did she do it!" Uni demanded an answer, did they not know already?

"Why? You don't know why?" I asked and looked between them, both of them looked at me confused.

"What? Do… you know why?" Uni questioned and I tilted my head, how could they not know?

"Noire's heart starts pounding when around him, that's why she acts the way she does when she's around him. She constantly thinks about him when they're apart and talks about him at least a couple times when she's discussing something. Even now, she's thinking of him." I told them.

"So… what does that mean?" Uni asked again and I sighed, can they really not tell?

"It means, she's attracted to Hikan. She likes him. And I mean like like." I said and Shizuki bit her bottom lip.

"I… I knew about that… but I didn't know if she was serious or not. When I came over here to talk with her and spent the night, we talked about Hikan a good bit. She asked me what he was like when we were in The Saviors. I mainly discussed the good things about him, when I asked why she wanted to know, she just came up with a normal excuse."

"N-Noire… likes… Hikan?" Uni said slowly as she looked at her older sister. "No… I can't believe it."

"I can't believe it took so long for you to notice." I told them and Shizuki looked at me.

"Wait… Kotomi? How do I feel right now?" Shizuki asked me. Taking a good look at her, it became obvious.

"You're worried about both Uni and Hikan, you want to help Hikan, but you're worried about Uni and don't want to leave to go after Hikan." I said and Shizuki gasped.

"That's… exactly what I felt. Word for word." she said, "Kotomi, how did you do that?"

"Do what? All I did was answer your question." I said, why was she making such a big deal out of this?

"No… there's more to it then that. I… I think you can read people's feelings through their hearts." Shizuki said and I tilted my head.

"What?" I questioned, she sounds like she's crazy, "But… I do see something from everyone from time to time."

"Then, it's true? Can you actually see that stuff?" she said and I looked over at Uni, my eyes looked at her as if she faded out, but I could see her outline, she had a burden deep within her, she was mad at Hikan, but also happy in another way, though I can't really point out that happy point just yet.

"Uni. don't be mad at Hikan, he tried what he could." I said to her and Uni shifted her gaze to me.

"...Whatever." she said and looked back at Noire. I turned my gaze back to Shizuki.

"You can stay here and watch after them, I'll go after Hikan." I volunteered and Shizuki nodded.

"Thanks." she said and I left the room.

I walked down the stairs and out of the Basilicom. Hikan was standing outside and was staring up at the sky.

"Hikan?" I called out to him, he rubbed his eyes with his arm and looked back at me, clearly he was crying.

"What is it Kotomi?" he said and I frowned at him, poor guy.

"I came to tell you that it wasn't your fault, you did what you could." I told him and he looked away.

"I can do better, but I wasted my energy on a single fight." he said, "Back then… I could fight and fight. Now… I can barely protect Noire."

"She's fine, and she's currently thinking about you." I mentioned and he looked back at me, "Do you think she wants to wake up with you blaming yourself for what happened? She may be a complete tsundere at times, but even she wouldn't want that."

"..."

"Forgive yourself, you did what you could."

"Kotomi?"

"Hm?"

"What makes you think that you can say this stuff to me? You don't know all of us, back then. Noire counted on me to help her with her problems, I helped her win her nation back from The Saviors, And how do I pay her back? She got herself injured trying to protect me."

I felt my anger rise, "Do you really not get it? Noire did what she did because she loves you! Deep down, she doesn't want to lose you! It was a last minute decision and she chose to do what she did!"

"..."

"You can think that it was your fault that she ended up like this, but when she wakes up. The first thing she'll ask is if you're okay. I'll be sure to tell her that you're okay. But you're sulking up in tears."

Hikan grabbed me by my neck and threw me to the wall, "Don't you say another word." he warned I grabbed his arm and pushed him back.

"This is what the great Hikan Masato does when he messes up one thing? Blames himself for everything?" I said, "It's a good thing that I'm the only one here to see you this way."

"Shut your mouth!" he yelled and grabbed my shoulders with both hands and pushed me back to the wall. I grabbed both of his arms.

"Everyone makes mistakes! You shouldn't be blaming yourself for any of this!" I yelled at him and he threw me down. I quickly recovered and got back in his face.

"You've got a lot of nerve to say that shit to me." he snarled and I stood right in front of him. I'm not backing down.

"Then do something about it. Or are you too pathetic to hit me?" I challenged him and he breathed out his nose. I stared at him in the eyes, I'm not someone that will back down just because someone warns me too.

Hikan balled up his fist and raised it towards me, "Go on! Do it!" I told him and got closer, "Hit me Hikan!"

"Gah!" he threw his fist at the wall, blood shot out of his knuckles and splattered on the wall. "Dammit!"

I backed away from Hikan, "I knew you were a pushover."

He glared at me, "You… you made me realize something." he said and I smirked, my message got through huh?

"So it worked?"

He cracked his bloody knuckle, "If I don't want the same thing to happen again… do something about it. I'll train then, train my body to use the CPU ability."

I punched his shoulder. "There you go, I knew you could figure it out."

He smiled at me, "You got some ways kid." he said and then grabbed my shirt and pulled me closer to him, "but don't do it again."

"If things go right, then maybe I won't have too." I said and then he let me go.

"But, I won't be able to do it alone, Kotomi?"

"Yeah, I'll help you." I interrupted and he looked at me one last time and then turned away.

"I know you will." he said and walked away from me, I smirked again. My eyes gazed on him as I saw how he felt, I saw no anger coming from him, what I saw was… relief? So he wanted that to happen?

"You're a weird guy Hikan." I said and followed after him...