The darkness cleared just as Corvade escaped. The villain snapped his eyes onto Furutani, who was standing a few feet away. "What a lame trick!" he exclaimed, running up to her.
Sidestepping, his fists missed her by a centimeter. Furutani opened her cloak to attack when his other fist slams into her gut. The girl flew across the room and smashed against the wall. Within seconds, the villain appeared in front of her to pack another hit. Using a dark arm, she smacked his fists away from her. She dug her heels into his chest making him stumble back and knocked him off his feet by swiping an arm underneath him. His body crashed onto a table. She attempted to hit him but missed it when he rolled away.
"Let's see if you like this!" he hollered. With lightning speed, he jumped up and headbutt her in the chin. He slammed both his fist down on her. Pain erupted throughout her head and she fell forward. He didn't give her time to recover because he sends a heavy kick to her side, and she tumbles away and skids into a chair. Although he looked as thin as a twig, his fists felt like metal beams every time they collided. Even as he walked over, she noticed that his shoes were creating an imprint into the ground.
"You should've left when you had the chance," he rasped.
Furutani peered up at him with warm blood trickling down from her scalp. "I must stop you...from going after...the boss..."
Upon saying that, a long claw ejected out of her cloak and it slashed across his face leaving three deep marks. Jumping up from the ground, Furutani sprinted over and tackled him with a giant arm. He skidded backward creating a line of dents on the floor.
The villain gave her an angry grin as he wiped the blood off his face. "That quirk of yours is strong."
The two opponents charged at each other. He began to barrage her with punches as Furutani deflected them with her shadow arms.
"You're pretty creepy, you know? I'm sure you've been ridiculed throughout your life! I know how it's like! I was subject to abuse as well!" he remarked, throwing a fist. His knuckles skidded on the side of her cheek, pulling off her black veil in the process. It fluttered onto the ground as she dodged his kick.
"But I was strong. I was gifted, and so are you."
A shadowy fist goes barreling toward his face, and he hardly had time to duck. Zipping back into her cloak, Furutani said, "I am not joining...so enough talk."
Eraserhead's voice played suddenly on her radio informing that Rin was spotted. The edges of the gloomy girl's lips curled up slightly. Despite her glee, the expression plastered on her face conveyed something more sinister instead.
A loud explosion beneath them rattled the entire base. Tables, chairs, and the red wall fixtures violently shook. The lights on the ceiling flickered and some crashed down. Furutani found that as a chance to attack while he was distracted. A four feet wall ejected out of her dark cloak that smacked him in the chest promptly knocking him off balance. Opening her cloak, she spoke.
"Devil's Chains."
Six black chains ejected out of the darkness and wrapped around his arms and legs. The villain attempted to break free but found that it only wrapped tighter. A chain curled around his throat as Furutani's outstretch fingers curled. It was about time to end this battle.
"You'll never...find her!" the villain cried. "Your life ends now, hero!"
The atmosphere of the room changed. The air grew dense and it got harder to breathe. An invisible weight fell upon Furutani making her fall onto her knees, effectively weakening the chains' grip. That proved an opportunity for the villain to break free. Around her, the chairs and tables began to break in half feeling the weight of the pressure. Furutani tried to stand up but found herself collapsing. Each second that passed, the pressure got heavier. She expected that her enemy would stroll over and finish her off but found that he couldn't move either; his quirk affected him as well.
"You're not going anywhere! Your efforts are worthless!" he exclaimed. Lights from the ceiling began to crash down affected by gravity. One crashed next to Furutani and she felt sharp shards of glass stab her skin. The room went dark with the hallway lights being their only means of vision. However, Furutani could see the sharp grin plastered onto her opponent's face.
"I'll send this entire place crashing down!"
The pressure intensified forcing Furutani to lie on the ground. Her ears popped and her skull began to get crushed. The ceiling and walls groaned loudly as her vision grew blurry.
They had barely found Rin and now the whole base was on the brink of collapse. She promised Corvade that she would hold him off. She tried playing a hero but failed.
She slowly lifted her bony fingers up to her earpiece. Clicking on it, she spoke. "The base will crash. Everyone...you must find Rin and escape." Placing both her fingers on the floor, she began to channel as much energy as she could.
"You can't be a hero! Your face looks creepy and your quirk is a curse! You're better being a villain!"
Perhaps that was true; maybe it was better for her to be a villain. As much as her mind was screaming that, her heart wouldn't listen. When she muttered those two words from her lips and let the shadows free, all her hopes were placed on prolonging the collapse even if her life depended on it.
»»—- —-««
There was no one I could depend on; no hero to rescue me, no brother, no quirk. It was just me. So how was I able to flick that dagger away from Strawberry Shade's throat?
The blade slapped against the wall with a metallic cling! The two of them stop fighting and turned to me. I was standing in front of the tunnel with outstretched hands. My heart was pounding so hard and sweat dripped down my face. The building trembled around me. Or...was I the one who was trembling?
"Rin-chan, what are you doing? You are supposed to leave!" Strawberry Shades spoke.
Without warning, the Crescent Reaper lunges to him and slashes his weapon across his face. Strawberry Shades was able to dodge the attack by just a split second, and the blade creates a small cut across his nose. But like the battle at the first base, the villain's weapon disconnects and heads toward Strawberry Shades. My feet moved on their own as it headed straight for his stomach. Swiping my hands down, the weapon zips down to the ground and Strawberry Shades knees him with a layer of seed on his knee. The Crescent Reaper swung his weapon back up to his face when I moved my hands. Again, the scythe changed its direction. This time, it zips left. Strawberry Shades slugged him right in the face that sent him sliding away. A small crack appeared on his mask and blood trickled from it.
However, that didn't halt him. Reaching for his boomerang, he was quick to throw it at him. Strawberry Shades smoothly dodged it sending a seed from his palms. As the boomerang swung around him, it began barreling toward me.
"Rin-chan!" Strawberry Shades exclaimed, holding a hand out. He was interrupted by the Crescent Reaper's attempt to cut his throat again and had to dodge.
As for me, my heart skipped when it neared my face. It was mere inches until impact.
Now.
The boomerang surges away from my face and flies toward the Crescent Reaper. It bonks him in the head.
"Bullet Onslaught!" Strawberry Shades cries. Tiny seeds began to shoot out of his mouth at lightning speed. Although they looked weak, the speed of it was enough to force his opponent back. The Crescent Reaper dived across the floor to grab his boomerang. Just as he wrapped his hands around it, a loud rumble erupted. The entire place violently shook and the lights shut off.
It was pitch black. The only thing that illuminated the darkness was the redness from the villain's blade. The battle continued. I listened in as Strawberry Shades and the Crescent Reaper blindly attacked each other. Strawberry Shades must've sent a seed because I felt something hard hit my arm. I was nearly knocked back from the impact. My shoulder began to throb.
The lights flickered back on. The Crescent Reaper was standing behind Strawberry Shades with his weapon in hand. This time, I wasn't fast enough. It slams into Strawberry Shade's shoulder and he let out a yelp. Blood seeps from his shoulder as he dashes away. A line of red splatters on the steel floors.
"Strawberry Shades!" I exclaimed, dashing to them.
"Stay back!" he snapped whipping back to his enemy. He raised his left arm up to block the villain's blade. This time he was prepared because there was a seed protruding out of his forearm. Instead of sinking into his skin, the blade got stuck on the seed. It was in deep because the Crescent Reaper couldn't pull it out in one try. It was unsettling how much power he put into it; he could've sliced Strawberry Shade's arm off.
However, the Crescent Reaper counterattacked. His boomerang, that I didn't even see him throw, surges back at Strawberry Shades. I was prepared this time. Stretching my hands out, I curled them into a ball and watched as the weapon slammed into the villain's mask. The boomerang flew back at me. I barely managed to catch it.
"Your villainy ends now, villain!" Strawberry Shades proclaimed. Nudging his left arm up to his face, the Crescent Reaper's face smashed into the end of his weapon. Strawberry Shades sent him flying with a powerful kick to the stomach. That caused the reaper to let go of his weapon. Meanwhile, I ran over and threw the boomerang at him...but missed. It flew down the left hallway. If it weren't for the life-or-death situation I was in right now, I would've dwelled on my pathetic attack a bit longer. But it's fine. We were going to win.
I was going back to my old life.
"Prepare to be planted!" Strawberry Shades started to launch another seed when a man appears behind him. In a flash, a large arm collides with his back. Blood spurts from his mouth and Strawberry Shades crashes into the wall.
"I see that you decided," a chilling voice spoke.
I felt my heart drop seeing Kiyoshi standing there with his right arm covered with white bone. My throat went dry and my breaths got heavier. And for some reason, I became weary; so tired. I couldn't move an inch.
We were winning. We were about to escape. It was going to be all over.
Kiyoshi casually strolled over to me with one hand in his pocket. He wore a relaxed expression on his face and had no signs of any injury. He looked just as crisp and clean as he did when I last saw him. The calm temperament he held intimidated me; how was he so calm during all this chaos?
Thump...thump...thump...
I need to calm down. Getting overrun by emotions will make things worse. Breathe.
Kiyoshi let out a disappointed sigh. "I thought you were going to join Crimson Eclipse for sure. Why the change of heart? You saw what they did to your brother. The League of Villains murdered him. Shigaraki murdered him. Don't you want to avenge Hiro?"
"No. I...can't," I replied, shaking my head.
"What do you mean? I told you, I'll give you power; I'll make you strong," he said walking closer. "I understand that this is a hard decision. Achieving your desires will never be easy. You must prepare to make sacrifices to reach your goal. You must harden your will."
"I know that. But I-"
"If Hiro were in your place, he would've joined Crimson Eclipse," he interrupted. "He loved you; I know he would do anything for his precious sister. So if you really love Hiro..."
He peered down at me with a stern gleam in his eyes that made my blood run cold. "You will abandon everything and come with me."
"You are wrong!" the strawberry hero suddenly said. A seed zips out of his hands and he dashes forward. The seed weakly bounces off of Kiyoshi's right arm as Strawberry Shades throws a punch. Kiyoshi dodges and Strawberry Shades tries again. For a moment, the hero threw punches, kicks, and shot seeds. However, Kiyoshi was able to evade or block them all.
"I don't have time to play with you right now," Kiyoshi tiredly said. A barrier of bone appears on his knee and he knees Strawberry Shades in the stomach. However, Strawberry Shades acted quickly and made his own barrier made of seed on it. He only got knocked back a few feet because of that.
A small smirk appeared on Kiyoshi's lips. "Oh? You can do that too? What a coincidence."
Strawberry Shades lifted a finger at him. "Leave Rin-chan alone! She will never join your evil league!" he peered over to me. "Tell him!"
The images of Shigaraki and Hiro flashed in my head. I felt warmth rise up in my chest just recalling that horrid scene. I hated that man for killing Hiro. But it wouldn't have happened if Crimson Eclipse didn't kidnap him. That's right; Kiyoshi did this. He ruined everything. Joining Crimson Eclipse won't help me at all; he just wants to use me.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
"That's right. You're the one who brought Hiro here in the first place. You were the one who chained him up and left him to die." I flickered my eyes at Kiyoshi giving him a contemptuous glare. "I'll never join Crimson Eclipse. So, leave us alone."
A tint of amusement gleamed in the villain's eyes. A small chuckle escaped his lips and he apologized. "What a frightening glare you have. It's scarier than Hiro's; maybe even more than your father's."
"You...be quiet!" I snapped, charging at him. I blindly swung my fist at him. Smoothly stepping to the side, he readied his fist and went straight for my side. However, his fist gets pulled back just as his jaw gets slugged. He nearly tips over from the impact. Strawberry Shades attacked immediately.
Crap... I'm getting ahead of myself. My heart is beating so fast; it's going to explode. Everything feels like I'm on fire, and my head hearts so much. If I don't calm down, I'll ruin things again.
The base violently shook again. Debris from the ceiling began to fall and lights shattered. Everyone in the room was knocked off balance from the sudden impact. This place was about to crash.
"Rin-chan, you have to leave!" Strawberry Shades warned. Shortly after, he gets punched by Kiyoshi's bony fist. Blood spurts from his shoulder wound, and he let out a cry of pain.
"No! I'm not leaving you!" I spoke. "I can't lose you either!"
"That's right! You're never leaving! I need to hand you two over to Kurogiri!" Kiyoshi exclaimed.
A cloud of dark purple fog appeared behind Strawberry Shades. A skinny, pale hand stretched from the darkness and wrapped around Strawberry Shades's neck. He began to nudge him off when Kiyoshi spoke.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you. Once he places all five fingers down, your body will get turned to dust."
Now that I inspected the hand, it did look familiar. Realizing this, my heart nearly stopped.
"I'll give you two choices, Rin. Come with me and I'll let your hero go. Refuse and he dies."
Oh crap... This just got worst. I can't join Crimson Eclipse; I can't! But at the same time, Strawberry Shade's life is at stake. He's doing exactly what he did with Bakugo. Only this time, he intensified it a hundred times. What am I supposed to do?
"Can't I just kill him right now? I don't want to waste my time doing your dirty work," Shigaraki gruffed.
Kiyoshi's eyes flickered at him in disdain. It looked like he wanted to snap at him, but he held his tongue.
I recalled the similar incidents I experienced in the past. First, I thought of the Wren Inc when Mrs. Wren was being held at gunpoint. I remember attacking the gunman with Dad's lunchbox. Then, the Hero Festival with Ruby. I sprinted away from the villain to distract her. After that, my first encounter with Kiyoshi. I pretended to go with Kiyoshi to give Bakugo a chance to send out my location.
"Time is ticking. You don't have all day. The base is about to collapse," Kiyoshi spoke.
"Rin-chan..." Strawberry Shades spoke, peering at me with sad eyes. "You have to go! Now! I promised your parents that I'll rescue you. So please..."
I can't think straight. There's too much going on. I need to clear my head and breathe. It was a weak middle schooler up against two elite villains holding someone hostage as the place crumbles. The odds were not in my favor. What can I do? I can't do it. I won't be able to save him no matter how hard I tried. But...there was only one way I could.
I'm sorry everyone. Your efforts to save me ended in failure.
I began to slowly walk over, hanging my head down. Seeing that, Strawberry Shades began to protest. He begged me to run away; to leave him behind. Hearing his desperate pleas made my heart sink. I had to hold back tears; I couldn't even look at him.
"So this is yes?" Kiyoshi remarked.
I nodded numbly. This was to save Strawberry Shades. This was the best a weak, insecure, quirkless kid could do. Who cares about me? As long as he gets to go free...
An intense tremor erupted. It was worse than last time. We were all knocked off our feet. In an attempt to keep him still, Shigaraki's fifth finger pressed against Strawberry Shades neck. Right before the room went dark, I stretched my hands out.
My bare knees hit the sturdy metal floors as the place continued to tremble. Kiyoshi and Shigaraki began to bicker about something but the groaning of steel prevented me from understanding their words. Besides, I don't think I could focus on their troubles right now. My mind was provoked with the dark thought of Strawberry Shade's decayed body lying on the ground in pieces. I wanted the lights to turn back on but at the same time, I was terrified of what I was going to see.
He can't be dead. It can't happen. I can't watch another hero die. Please, don't leave me.
Suddenly, I saw a glowing light in the right hallway. I tried to see who was behind it, but it was too dark. It was getting closer and closer by the second. Kiyoshi noticed it too because he let out a curse. "That bitch is back!"
When the lights turned back on, my eyes snapped onto the woman in the right hallway. In her hands was a long, steel, baton. Her curly brown hair was a complete mess. There were patches of sod on her face and her clothes were burned. She looked injured but moved as if she was in perfect condition. She dashed by me. As she did, her piercing violet eyes glanced at me for a split second before focusing on the enemy. Her baton slams into Kiyoshi's face, and blood spurts from his nose.
"Now!" she ordered.
My heart leaped seeing a pink-suited hero jump to her aid. He slugs a seed into his gut just as Corvade quickly attacks again. Her sharp heel was blocked with Kiyoshi's forearm covered in armor and he pushes her off. He sprints forward to smash her against the wall but his hand gets jerked back with the swipe of her fingers. She springs up and roundhouse kicks him in the face.
"You're really that desperate to save her, aren't you?!" he exclaimed. "Why can't you show that enthusiasm toward avenging your father?!"
"Enough!" she barked. She was about to jab her baton into his torso when a vortex appeared behind him. He took a step back into the void. The next thing I know, a pair of hands wrap around me. And then, I was in complete darkness for a moment.
My body pops out of the vortex. The bright sun contrasted highly from the dimness of the hideout. It felt nice out here; there was a cool breeze blowing in my face. I heard the distant crashing of waves and smelled salt in the air. As I neared the sand, I saw that we were teleported to Takoba Municipal Beach. Kiyoshi gripped me tightly as I struggled to break free. Corvade was speeding after us; she must've jumped through too.
"Get...off!" I elbowed him in the gut. That didn't do much.
The scenery changed when we fell through another portal. The sounds of the train blast in my ears. It looked like I was in Hosu City; the iconic yellow train gave it away.
Corvade sent a zipline toward my gown. I expected to get stabbed by the hook, but instead it launched above my shoulder. Kiyoshi yelped in pain when the cold metal sunk into his skin. In an instant, Corvade zips to us and shoves her heels into his face. Grabbing my gown, she attempts to pull me out of his arms.
"I see that you're still remarkably annoying after all these years!" Kiyoshi remarked.
Corvade punched Kiyoshi in the jaw as we passed by the train filled with onlookers. It was really uncomfortable being stuck in between them while they fought; I was getting squished by their bodies.
Corvade's violet eyes peered down at him. "And you're still remarkably idiotic after all these years."
Dark blood ran down both of Kiyoshi's nostrils. He barred his teeth at her. "You..!"
We got transported to another location. From this view, I could see Wren Inc in the distance. The sound of the bustling street was heard from below. But most of all, the sound of Corvade's and Kiyoshi's battle.
"I'm going to end this foolishness!" Corvade proclaimed, reaching into her cloak. Pressing a gun against Kiyoshi's forehead, she pulled the trigger.
I expected his brains to get blown apart but instead, his body stiffened. His grip on me loosened and I untangled from his grasp. Grabbing me again, Corvade pulled me off of him and into her arms. She sent a zipline toward a nearby building. We flew away from the incapacitated villain.
"Stay," she sternly ordered as she dropped me on an apartment balcony. She whisked away back to Kiyoshi, who was heading straight to the street.
"This isn't over!" Kiyoshi barked as Corvade dived to him. Latching another zipline onto his shoulder, she zipped toward his body. Kiyoshi punched her straight in the face with his bone-covered fist. She didn't waver one bit. He struggled to fling her off but it was no use; she wasn't going anywhere.
He slammed back-first with Corvade standing on top of him, creating a giant outline of his body on the cement. Passerbys frighteningly scampered away and stayed at a distance. A brunette girl with round, rosy cheeks let out a gasp upon exiting the apartment door behind me. She rushed over to the ledge.
"Wh-what happened? How did you get here? Is this a villain attack?" she blubbered. "Huh?! Is that Corvade?"
Corvade clicked on her earpiece to inform the authorities that she apprehended Kiyoshi and rescued me. Then, she peered down at Kiyoshi. I couldn't understand what they were talking about but I could tell their conversation was tense. Whatever Kiyoshi said to her pissed her off because she kicked him in the face with her heel.
My knees buckled and I leaned on the cement fence in fatigue. The girl asked me if I was okay. I couldn't reply to her; my throat was so parched. I felt like I could finally breathe again. It was all over. This is the end.
But I was wrong.
In a flash, I saw Kiyoshi pull out a small glass container full of green gas. He slammed it on the concrete creating a huge cloud of green gas. It spread through the air in a 20 ft dome. Pedestrians screamed. The two figures disappeared into the cloud. My heart beat loudly in my chest as I waited for the gas to clear. Please still be alive. Please be okay.
Please.
Finally, the smoke cleared and my heart dropped. Corvade was kneeling in front of Kiyoshi. Both of Kiyoshi's arms were both covered in white bone. There was dark blood tricking down from her forehead. There was a dazed look in her eyes. She was clutching her left arm that had gone limp.
Thump, thump, thump.
"You should've just stayed in Venom's Bane. Both you and Ryu," Kiyoshi spoke with a shadow cast on his face. He lifted his arm up to punch her. I expected Corvade to move, but she was glued to her spot. That gas must've done something to her.
People screamed in terror as Corvade began to get punched by him repeatedly. Everything was falling apart as the world began to spin. My breaths got quick and heavy and it hurt to breathe. I clutched the cement wall, my finger scraping against its rough texture.
It's just like the Sludge Incident earlier this year. I was away from all the action, wasn't I? I stood there as Bakugo got hurt; I stood there like a little weak puppy. He could've died and I did nothing. He was lucky that he got saved by both Midoriya and All Might. But this time, there was no one coming to save Corvade; no Midoriya or All Might. I was just here. I am here.
I weakly slammed my fist in frustration. Someone's getting hurt for my sake. It's always like this! I'm always getting captured and Blackbird is always rescuing me! Why does this keep on happening?
I'm so weak. I'm so useless. I'm so quirkless.
"You have a habit of demeaning your worth! You are quite amazing! Your eerily collected temperament is something I am jealous of along with the ability to keep a clear head during the chaos!"
I can't calm down. There's too much; too much fighting, too much pain, too much emotion. It's overriding my brain.
"Oddly, you have a way of calming me down with your presence alone. You always give it your all and even when you fail, you still get up and try again. Not to mention, your helpful nature."
Everyone, just stop. Please stop. I can't take it anymore.
I watched as Kiyoshi raised his hands up. Sharp pieces of bone protruded out. He was aiming right for Corvade's skull. People cried for help; they cried for somebody to save her. The girl beside me started to cry.
I can't watch another person die.
Without knowing, I climbed onto the ledge as the girl tried to get me off. Without knowing, I leaped away from safety and toward the battle below. Without knowing, my bare feet slammed onto the concrete without breaking. Without knowing, my legs began to move. Without knowing, I pushed Corvade away as Kiyoshi's fist neared my face.
"You claim that you dislike conflict, but yet I always see you running into it...purposefully."
The prickling sensation started from my toes. It spurred through my entire body and up into my outstretched fingers. My strength, my power, my Quirk coursed through my veins. It was going to explode. Everything was going to explode. I was going to explode. And this time, I didn't hold back.
"Rin, you're much more heroic than you think."
A huge blast erupted from my hands. The sharp blade on Kiyoshi's fist snapped. His arm got blown back and his body followed after. I immediately felt a wave of fatigue crash down on me. My limbs were about to break, and my muscles were on fire. However, I didn't stop; I couldn't stop now. There was something inside of me that refused.
"You annoying kid! You're just like that bitch, aren't you?! Forget about joining; I'll kill you!" Kiyoshi yelled.
He sprinted over. He punched me in the shoulder. Pain erupted throughout my entire body, but I was still standing. He broke a piece of bone off his arm and tried to stab me. However, his hand jerked back with such force that I heard a crack.
"Why...why would you do that?" I asked.
Jumping away, he picked up a truck effortlessly and hurled it in my direction. Swiping my fingers, it curved to the right and began barreling at him. That caught him by surprised and he gets smashed. Glass flew up in the air along with a bag of groceries. Dropping my hand down, the shards and groceries switched directions and zipped down. Glass stabbed his skin and vegetables tumbled off.
"Why? Why would you kill my brother?" I staggered over to him with my entire body aching. I was trembling with adrenaline and my chest felt so heavy. My heart was going to pop out of my chest. There were a million emotions running through me that it made my head pound.
Kiyoshi lifted the car off of him. He looked like a complete mess. Shards of glass were stuck onto his skin. Blood ran down his forehead and bruises were all over his face. He wore an enraged expression on his battered face.
"Your brother was weak! It's his fault for getting kidnapped in the first place!" he shouted with a sharp grin. "If he was strong, he would be alive!"
"You're wrong! Hiro was strong! He's the strongest, best, big brother I could ask for!" I exclaimed. "Why couldn't you leave Hiro alone? He did nothing wrong! He was so kind! He was supposed to become a Pro Hero and be saving people, but he can't anymore!"
Tears pricked my eyes. I couldn't stop anymore. It erupted and now, I was falling apart.
Everything hurts so much.
I felt a hand land on my shoulder. Peering behind, I was met with familiar purple eyes. Her usual steely gaze was gone. Instead, a soothing look replaced it. Seeing that expression made me feel even worse, so I angrily nudged her off and began matching over to Kiyoshi.
"I hate Crimson Eclipse, I hate villains, I hate you! Why can't people with strong quirks leave us alone?! Why can't you be satisfied?!" my voice shook.
A dark vortex appeared behind Kiyoshi. A misty arm reached out and grabbed him. Kiyoshi gave me a strained smile that boiled my blood. I took off running after him. There was no way this was ending like that. He can't go away scot-free.
"Rin, stop!" Corvade barked. I felt something grab the back of my gown. I tripped and my face hit the ground. I turned around and tried to nudge her zipline off in desperation.
"He's escaping! He can't leave yet! Get this off!"
I glanced back at Kiyoshi. He had merged into the darkness now. However, I could see his white face stare into me. "Goodbye, Rin. The next time we meet, I'll kill you."
"No! Stop!" I cried stretching my hand out. I watched as Kiyoshi disappeared with the vortex closing.
I finally managed to get her stupid claw off of my shirt. I flung it away with all my strength, and it clattered on the ground. For a moment, I sat there on my knees. My body was at its limit and I was ready to collapse at any moment. Despite all the pain in my limbs, the pain in my chest hurt even more.
I slammed my fists down on the cement. It hurt, but I didn't care. I began to weakly punch the ground as hot tears streamed down my dirty face.
Why? WHY? Why does he get to go? Why does he get to win? It's so unfair!
I heard Corvade's heels slowly walk over to me. Stopping next to me, I peered up at her. Blood stained her face and several bruises were beginning to appear. Her hair was a matted mess. Her cloak was lying on the ground exposing small cuts and scratches all over her body. Her left arm hung limply to the side, and her right arm held her ziplining device.
"Why...?" I started, grabbing onto her. I shook her. "Why did you stop me? He was right there! You let him get away!"
The woman didn't say anything. She just stared at me with that unwavering gaze of hers.
"Why did you leave me? Why did you have to go? I hate you!" I whimpered. Tears slipped down my dirty face as I gripped her shirt. "Hiro, please don't go..."
Pressing my forehead against her body, I cried.