Chapter 54
After the Storm
"Hey."
He squinted his eyes, not wanting to open them. He felt extremely tired, drained of all energy in his body.
"Hey, wake up!"
He felt someone grabbing his shoulder, trying to shake him awake. That voice sounded so familiar...yet distant. It was...soothing. It made him feel something he hadn't felt a long time ago. Being alive...
His eyes slowly cracked open, staring into a pair of blue orbs in front of him. He yelped, falling of a rock that he assumed he was sitting on. Satoshi blinked, confused at what was going on. Was he dead? The attack that Nishikawi had thrown at him was burnt in his retinas. He could feel it, even now, tearing him apart. So why was he staring at the moon?
"Sheez! Watch it, mister!" A girl with long white hair chided him, helping him up. She was wearing a brown bodystocking underneath a black leotard. She had a red ribbon tied on her head as well as a pair of bunny ears and white gloves."I get you're nervous, but this isn't your first performance."
"Erika...?" He muttered, his arms instinctively trying to reach out for her as if he were afraid of losing her."You're okay..."
"Huh?" She gasped once she felt his arms around her frame."What's with you all of a sudden? Of course I'm okay. When they perform the "cut in half" stunt, they don't exactly cut you in half silly." Not feeling his grasp loosen, she decided to return the gesture."I'm fine. Really. For a shortie, you're sure strong. I'm glad. When found you, you and your mother weren't in the best conditions. I'm happy that you're growing up big and strong."
He chuckled, pulling away and wiping the tears off his eyes."You are one to talk. You're a kid yourself, albeit a few years older."
"Ah, shut your pie hole." She playfully flicked him on the nose, sharing a small moment of laughter with him. She sat back down on a log while he remained standing, both of them watching the dark sky filled with stars.
"It's a beautiful night today, huh?" She asked, her eyes wandering about the endless void in the sky.
"Yeah." Was all he said, hands behind his head."Sorry about earlier. I...got a little nostalgic is all."
"I understand." She waved her hand dismissively."I get a little nostalgic too from time to time. But then I realize how far I've come in life. From living on the streets to performing in front of so many wonderful people and make their day a little better."
He could practically feel the passion flowing through her words. She was always so efficient doing her job and would go to any extreme to make sure her performances were top-notch.
"I've been thinking for a while, Erika."
She took a quick look at her watch, noting that they had some time to spare."More than you already do?"
"I'm serious." He flustered, slightly annoyed that she was teasing him."It's just...wouldn't the world be a lot better if Quirks didn't exist?"
"Hmm? What do you mean?" She tilted her head, scooting over to hear him better.
"It's just...Weird, you know. We have these "gifts" given to us. At first, this might seem good. I mean, who wouldn't want to have such a cool power? But that's about it. We don't get to choose what our Quirk can be. It's basically a gamble when we are born into this world. Like a cursed set upon us the moment we are to come here. Pretty much society separates villains from heroes based on their Quirks, right?"
"Hmmm..." She hummed, folding her arms under her chest."I suppose you have a point. Go on."
"Essentially, not every person born with a Quirk can become a hero. That's just how life is. Even when that's the case, there are other factors to consider. My family was...separated because of my imperfections. Because I didn't meet the standard that my father had set for me. That's something I had no control over. It just happened. Which made me think about the other unwanted things that people go on a basis because of their Quirks. Inconveniences, that although may seem small, pile up over time and create a snowball effect. For that reason, I think this world would be a lot better If we weren't concerned about such things. Perhaps everyone would be happier. Maybe humanity wouldn't suffer as much, wars wouldn't happen, that the death toll would decrease."
"I disagree with you on some parts." Erika finally spoke up, shooting him a smile."I think it's true that a person's value is decided on their Quirk. Unfortunately, that's an even greater fact to consider for the Quirkless, such as myself. Yes, I think that maybe your family would still be together to this day if Quirks didn't exist, but that wouldn't solve family disputes. Look at me, for example. My dad was an alcoholic, my mom was a good-for-nothing woman that spent her days out rather than with her child. Unstable household, to say the least. And Quirks were never a thing to consider."
She took a long breath, running a hand through her hair."You are a bit too cynical for your own good, you know? You look at all the dark parts instead of the shades of grey. Sure, you may not have your family together like before, but you met wonderful people on your way, right? I'm happy I met you and if that didn't happen to you, we wouldn't have met. Some things are just meant to happen. The concept of free will is used loosely, haven't you noticed? Do we really have control of the things we do or are we destined to do those things?"
"Where did that come from?" Satoshi quirked a brow, leaning forward.
"I tend to reflect whenever I'm not doing anything. I like listening to my thoughts and see what kind of crazy theories I can come up with. But in all seriousness, if Quirks didn't exist,t think about the many people that wouldn't be able to be saved. Yes, it's true that Quirks are also used by bad guys, and if Quirks weren't a thing, there wouldn't be many life-threatening villains. But there also wouldn't be incredible heroes to save them. Quirks are not cursed. Quirks are a key that identifies us. Whether we let that drag us down or use it as a blessing is entirely up to us. People are free to choose."
Satoshi remained silent, letting her words sink into his mind. He was about to say something when he heard his mother calling for him."Oh. The show is about to start."
"Yep. Better go get ready then. I'll be counting on you for our performance together today."
Satoshi closed his eyes, chuckling at her words."Fine. After this, I was thinking we could go and enjoy the ci-"
Blood splatter on his face, cutting his words off. The sound of gurgling and the flames blazing around him were the only sound he could hear. Inches away from his head was a crimson beam of light, covered in blood. In front of him, Erika stood still, choking on her blood.
'That's right...that day...she saved me...'
The light was retracted, letting Erika fall back on top of Satoshi. But regardless of how much she struggled to survive, the only thing she cared about was to keep his mouth shut. Using her last of her strengths, she placed her palm on his mouth, keeping it shut and waiting for the men that had slaughtered their friends and coworkers to leave.
"ERIKA!" He screamed once no one was in sight. He set her gently on the floor, shedding tears of anguish."Erika! Please don't die! Please! I don't want to be alone! I finally found people...people who cared about me!" He began to panic, the realization that her friend was fading in his arms settling in."Please! Please don't go! Don't leave me! I beg of you! God, don't take her away from me!"
Erika's eyes were beginning to lose their light. She could barely hear the sound of his voice as her life began to fade away. She moved her hand to his nose, gently poking it. And that was the last thing she'd do before dying. Covered in her blood, Satoshi held her close to him, sobbing uncontrollably, lamenting his own weakness and for expecting anything good from this world.
"That's right..." He stammered, closing her eyes with his hand."You were wrong, Erika...I killed you...they were here for me and my mom. To silence us...but they wouldn't take any chances if you guys knew the truth..." Setting her body on the floor, tears continued streaming down his face."I killed you. Because of me, your life was snuffed away from you. Why? Why such a kind would be taken away? Why do I have to go through this again?! Why do I have to lose everyone I love?! Why?! Why am I not different?!" He fell on his knees, slamming the floor in utter despair."All because of my Quirk...I swear, Erika...I'll find a way to never let something like this happen again..."
He crawled over to her, grabbing her hand as he stared at her body."I swear I will..."
"Hey, Teema."
He gasped, shocked to see where he was now. He was sitting in a small room with a small table in front of him."What...where...?"
"You're spacing out again?" Asked a young man with bored eyes."I asked if you're ready to toast."
"Kai..." Satoshi muttered, glancing down at his hand holding a small cup with sake."Right...we were about to toast and become soul brothers, right?"
"Teema-oni-san!" A younger Taichi waved his hands around, pouting."Hurry up! I want to drink already! If I want to be the future boss of our organization, I have to take alcohol!"
Kai sighed, ruffling his brother's hair."You need to be patient. Besides, you shouldn't even be here drinking with us. You're too young. If the old man finds out, we'll all get an earful."
"I think it's better if we keep him here with us." Teema shook his head."He's your brother and I consider him a little brother as well. Not to mention he will definitely snitch if we don't allow him to hang out with us."
"Fair point." Kai finally relented, handing his little brother a small cup filled with sake."Let's make this quick. From here on out, we will become soul brothers. It doesn't matter if Teema isn't blood-related. Our bond will run thicker than blood. We fight for each other and die for each other."
"Cheers!"
They all gulped their cups down, cringing at the after taste. Satoshi was the first one to lower his cup down, slowly cracking his eyes open."Man, that was some-"
Once again, his surroundings had shifted. He was in a dark, spacious room, dim-lid by the moonlight coming through the windows. He was kneeling down on a red carpet, glancing up at two beings sitting on what appeared to be thrones at the end of the room.
"Tomorrow, you will be sent back to Japan to begin your infiltration." Came the haughty voice of a female on the left."You'll be posing as a regular thug, it's entirely up to you how you get acquainted and how you gather allies. After all, there are formidable heroes in Japan, and most likely than not will be looking for the one responsible for the death of such a prestigious figure, like Terunosuke Kachidoki."
"However, do keep in mind that you will be acting as a vanguard for us. You are to gather intel and send it back to us. After all, you are the only one in our hierarchy that doesn't belong here. You will go by unnoticed. Even more so, because it is believed that Satoshi Kachidoki, or should I say, Satoshi Haneyama, is long dead. You killed the patriarch of the family, thanks to us. Now, as we agreed, you will devote your life to our cause and become one of our members. Naturally, I have a position available to an outcast like you."
Satoshi glared up at the man sitting on the right. He watched as a small orb of red energy flew from his hand over to his legs. Carefully picking it up, he realized it was a black ring with a golden shank.
"From now on, you will be known as The Baron." Said the woman, her piercing red eyes glaring down at him."How fitting for a lowly pest like you to earn that lowest title of our ranks. But it is no matter. Your power speaks for itself, so we do have high expectations of you."
"That is right. You came from the lowest point in your life and bounced back. You have great determination. Such a trait comes in rare nowadays. I wish to see if your loyalty is also as strong."
Satoshi nodded, fixing his position, and got on both of his knees."I will, sir. I will carry out your will and do your bidding. I will forever be grateful for what you've done for me...and for giving me the strength I needed to get back at the bastard who stole my life. If you allow me, I wish to exterminate the entirety of the Kachidoki family. I want to put them to rest...and spare them of ever becoming like me."
"Very well. Now go on, starting from now, you are a survivor. You...are a survivor."
Satoshi's eyes snapped open, coming face to face with a person wearing a black mask with only two eyes openings.
"Oh, he's awake." The person cackled, taking a few steps back.
Satoshi tried moving, but his arms and legs were restrained. Scanning his surroundings, he found out that the ambulance carrying him had been utterly destroyed, and the people escorting him were undoubtedly dead. A limousine was parked on the side of the road, and a vast number of people wearing black tuxedos stood outside of it.
A door of the long vehicle opened, revealing a burly man wearing a similar suit to everyone around him. All of them were wearing the exact same mask, hiding their facial features and anything that might recognize them. He walked close to his stretcher, giving one of the men a nod. They ran up to Satoshi, removing his binds and forcing him on his feet.
"What...what happened...?" Satoshi grabbed his throat, feeling how dry it was. He felt completely exhausted, but thankfully the medics had stopped the bleeding and patched his wound on his chest.
"You lost." Came the reply of the imposing man standing in front of him. His presence alone was intense, even more so consider that they were dressed the same way. His voice was low, yet powerful, and it sounded as if he drawls in every sentence."They were about to take you away, possibly to interrogate you before locking you up in Tartarus. But we intercept the convoy taking you and well, the rest is history." He placed a hand on his shoulder."How are you feeling, son?"
"King...why are you here...?" Satoshi nearly tripped, but the man caught him in his arms, patting his back.
"You don't look so good, Baron." He muttered, setting him straight and grabbing his shoulders."The heroes sure gave you a beating. I have to admit, I never expected you to be defeated. You are my most prized soldier, hand-crafted by me. It's a shame to see my own creation in this state."
"I..." He was thinking of an explanation that didn't let his plans be exposed."We were attacked. Apparently...they found a lead to Overhaul's drug business. On top of that, our shipment of "Nurture" wasn't able to be shipped out. There were major...complications."
"So, overall, it's been one failure after another." The King surmised, causing the younger man to tense up."Relax. In our line of work, these things are bound to happen. You did great. I think it's about time we head back home, no? You've been here far too long, that it might have messed with your head. You don't belong here, Baron." The imposing man took a step back."You belong in the darkness. You may have failed to exterminate your family, but this is just the beginning of a new era. You can still help change the world and fulfill your purpose."
"Thank you, sir," Satoshi muttered, relieved that his plan hadn't been discovered.
"Oh, one more thing."
Satoshi rose his head to hear further instructions, but a sharp pain in his chest drained him of all hope. He looked down, his gaze meeting the black-like object piercing through his chest, right next to his heart. His eyes were nearly bulging out of their sockets, staring at the eye holes of the mask."Wha..."
"You didn't bow." The King pushed him away, making him trip against the door of the ambulance. "You also didn't mention any of your agenda to me. Not a word of the details of your little rebellion plan. You didn't even mention what you were doing with those stones you got from the Kachidokis. But given the circumstances, I'd say that plan backfired on you. I would have overlooked this if you were a little more loyal. Thankfully, Mary kept me informed since you were unable to do so yourself."
Satoshi grabbed his chest, violently coughing up blood while staring at the limousine window. He could have sworn he saw Blood Mary's wide grin, but it could have also been his mind playing tricks on him since it disappeared a second later."I...I did every-" His words were cut off by more blood that he vomited, nearly choking on it.
"Everything I asked. Yes. You were a valuable pawn. But as any other pawn, you served your use. You stopped being useful to me a while ago, I just let you have your fun. It was more entertaining that way, destroying everything your little mind thought you had. It all started when Mary leaked the information of your deal over to the heroes."
"You...ordered that...?"
"Correct. You were starting to get too smart for your own good. You thought you could make things work without me knowing. My objective is far too great for it to be outshined by your childish wish of a world without Quirks. I knew you were planning to usurp my position using the Crown. I have ears everywhere. But it turned out I didnt have to lift a finger. You were doomed to failure since the moment you were born."
Satoshi's eyelid grew heavier and breathing became more difficult. He felt cold and weak, due to the amount of blood he had lost.
"Before you die, there is a couple of things I need to tell you. Firstly, the Chisaki brats are most likely going to end up locked away for life. You grew too attached to them, didn't you? Well, I am happy to let you know of their fate. Secondly, let's talk a little about what happened that night you came to me. After your grandfather took everything from you. I wonder...how did your Grandfather found you? Who told them the schedule that your little circus was following? Was it Terunosuke himself who decided to get rid of you? Or perhaps someone else talked him into it?"
With each other, Satoshi's eyes grew wider and wider and The King knelt closer and closer."That's right. I am the one who orchestrated that incident. I needed the perfect soldier and your Grandfather needed the motive to kill you off. I convinced him that you would spread the truth about being a Kachidoki to the world during one of your performances and how you've been getting popularity, which would make it worse for him. I am the one who told him to break you and kill those dear to you right in front of your eyes. That girl died protecting you because I wanted it. But then I also needed you to get rid of Terunosuke for me. All I had to do was give you praise as well as access to your second Quirk to get you working for me. I got rid of a pest and gained a valuable soldier at the cost of his life."
Satoshi rose his trembling hand, gracing King's neck. He tried squeezing it, but he had no more strength. He slowly closed his eyes, lamenting the way he had lived his life and cursing himself for being manipulated. But most of all, he regretted dying at the hands of the man who ruined his life and that his dreams were never going to become a reality, no matter how much he tried. It was pointless.
The King hummed to himself, observing the lifeless body of The Baron in front of him. With a sigh, he stood up and went back to the car."Get the head. We are going back. Kill anyone who sees you."
Musutafu Hospital, Room 310, Night
Darby ran a hand through his face, contemplating whether to call on a nurse or to try and sleep some more. He wasn't sure how long it had been since he had gotten hospitalized. Hell, he didn't remember what happened after he passed out. But then everything hit him like a bag of bricks. All the things that had gone down and the death of his friends.'Shit...'
He rubbed the edge of his nose."What am I going to tell the others? Fuck, how can I even begin to explain what happened? Shit, shit..."
"You should calm down a little."
He looked up, meeting gaze with Takashi, who was covered in bandages. The right side of his face was covered in bandages as well as part of his ear."Yo. Nice to see you finally decided to wake up."
"What happened?" Darby asked his friend as he took a seat next to him.
"Well, you passed out. Severely dehydrated and exhausted. We all were. But in contrast to us, you didn't have any injuries. But I could have sworn you were pretty banged up before I went out cold."
"About that...the Crown granted my wish. I met with the first-ever Neon-user. Her name was Kaoru. She told me she had been living inside of the Crown for 100 years or so. Basically, she was watching over her family, knowing that one day their ambition will make the Crown become completed. She hoped she would be able to change their path and stray her family to a better lifestyle. Apparently, the Crown healed my body, since I had died due to the injuries I sustained fighting The Baron."
Takashi rubbed his chin in thought, absorbing the information he had just received."No wonder Satoshi was hell-bent on using that Crown. It gave you god-like power. In the wrong hands, everything would go to hell real quick. Still, I heard of her. Kaoru. Not much was said though."
"From what she told me, apparently her family was forcing her to produce powerful offspring. Since she was the only one at the time who had the Neon Quirk, they needed to multiply their numbers. In exchange for the family prosperity, she suffered all of her life, forced to be looked down on as a breeding toy. She ended up committing suicide and had her wish granted. To see that one day her family would go down the right path."
"Shit..." Takashi breathed, rubbing his temples."Sounds like something my family would do. What a load of bullshit. Everything was always about bringing the family to the top in exchange for our happiness. Well, no more. Now that we're free from our past, we can have a new beginning."
"What about the others? What about you? How are your injuries?"
Takashi sighed, leaning back on his chair."Everything went horribly wrong. This is a bittersweet victory. We beat the Baron and avenged our family, but the cost was too high. My sister...Ayushi's lower body suffered tremendous damage. She'll be able to walk again, but her organs...her womb was crushed by all the rocks that fell on her. She won't be able to have kids. Not to mention that..." He covered his mouth."The one she was carrying...died. A few months old, but just enough for her not to put out."
"Oh, my God..." Darby muttered."I'm so sorry, Takashi..."
"It's...not fine. But at least we're alive. Nero suffered permanent damage to his lungs. One of them was graced by his broken ribs. Hisashi and I are mostly fine. My earlobe was cut off and it'll leave a scar. I can't help but think that Satoshi won, even if a little bit. Sure, we beat him, but thanks to him, my sister won't be able to have children. Which is essentially what he wanted. For us to be eradicated and for our family to become extinct. As for Hoshi and Yasukage...they weren't able to get any remains of Hoshi. Yasukage was beyond saving thanks to the poison. Overall, three people died in the raid. Sir Nighteye was also killed after succumbing to his injuries."
"Holy crap..." Darby gasped upon hearing the news."Three of us died...Three heroes who were just doing their jobs..."
"They're going to hold a funeral in two days for them. We'll mourn them there. However, I also have news regarding the Shie Hassaikai. It was...a success, mostly. They captured Overhaul and all of the Eight Precepts. The Deadly Sins were captured as well with the exception of Lust who, well, you know...Anyway, Salazar was arrested as well. He passed out several blocks away from her after losing too much blood."
"You're leaving out the most important in the group." Darby pointed out, earning a nod from the brown-haired teen.
"Satoshi...The Baron...is dead."
"Huh...?" Darby blinked, unsure if he had heard right."No...did I...?"
"No, it wasn't your attack that did him in. Apparently, the convoy he was being transported on was ambushed. He was killed. The weirdest thing is that his head was missing. Just like my dad's. Makes me think that there is something else going on. At first, I thought Satoshi decapitated my dad as a way to prove himself. But if someone else did it to him, it makes me think someone is following a different MO. Someone hiding in the shadows."
"You think your brother was working with someone else?"
"Possibly. Regardless, it's being investigated right now. And frankly, I don't give a damn. My goal is completed. I got my father the revenge he deserved and all those people that died because of him." He closed his eyes, a single tear going down his cheek."Still...he was family. At the end of the day, he was a victim, just like we were. If he had lived differently, maybe things wouldn't have ended up like this for him. Maybe he could have had a normal life. I don't know. I know I hate him. But...I also feel bad for him, you know?"
"Yeah...I felt the same way when I fought him. His words...made some sense. He looked at the world and its issues from his perspective, making him associate Quirks with the worst the world has to offer. But you aren't like him. You are a good person who wants to make the world a better place with actions."
"So are you."
"No...I don't know, Takashi." Darby avoided his gaze."I...I let people die...I couldn't save any of them. I could have done so much more. We all could. And yet...it wasn't enough. Yasukage and Hoshi are both gone...along with any hope or dreams they might have had...I just can't stand that...they'll never come back to us...that we will never share memories with them...and for what...? For the rest of us to keep going forward? Well, what a shitty ass price to pay..."
"Yeah, but it's a necessary one. Sorry to say this, but it's better for two of us to have died than everyone. Hoshi sacrificed himself by taking the bomb away. If he hadn't done that, we all would have died for nothing. The only one who I could say die in vain is-"
"Don't you dare finish that sentence." Darby glared at him, his eyes dilated."Yasukage didn't die for nothing!"
"I wasn't going to say that. I mean, for sure he didn't die in vain. He gave the antidote to Nero. But from what Nero told me...he did it because he didn't want their child to be born an orphan. But the...the kid died so..." He covered his mouth, holding back the need to vomit."Sorry..."
"No, it was my bad..." Darby held a hand apologetically."I didn't mean to bring that up...It must be really hard...I'm sorry for being insensitive."
The boys stayed silent for a few minutes, reflecting on everything that had happened. Neither of them knew what to say to the other, but perhaps silence was just as good as any word.
A nurse opened the door, walking into the room with a clipboard."Oh, Nishikawi-kun is awake. And I wasn't expecting to see you here too, Kachidoki-kun."
"Yeah, I came to check up on him and he woke up when I walked in. Anyway, rest up Nishikawi. You're pretty much a hero. You saved us all and don't forget that." Before hearing an answer, Takashi existed the room, hands in pockets.'Not like I expected an answer.'
"Someone is looking better."
He cracked an eye open, flabbergasted to see a familiar face he hadn't seen in a while."Sai-san?"
"Greetings, Ta-kun." Saiko Intelli beamed at the youngest Kachidoki."It's been a while since we've seen each other, huh? Care to join me for some lunch?"
Musutafu Hospital, Cafeteria, Night
Saiko watched patiently as Takashi walked over to their table, his tray holding a ham and cheese sandwich and a can of grape Fanta.
"Are you still drinking that stuff?" He cringed at that line."It's not healthy for you to always drink that, you know."
"What are you, my mom?" He sighed, taking a long sip of his drink."Besides, you're always drinking the same thing as well. Kind of hypocritical of you to say that."
"Unlike those artificially flavored drinks you call beverages, this is actually useful not only for my body but also my mind. But I digress. So, how is everything?"
"I think "fucked" doesn't even begin to cover half of it." Takashi idly took a bite out of his sandwich."I played it off, but I hid some stuff from Darby. I don't want to drop too many bombs when he's just woken up."
"How considerate of you. You've really changed, huh?" She smiled a genuine smile."You are like a completely different person than the last time I saw you. Even before our provisional license exam."
"I don't think I've changed that much." Takashi waved the compliment off."On the other hand, you've changed a bit yourself. You're more pleasant to talk to."
"Wow, you really are bad at sweet-talking girls. I feel bad for your girlfriend." She teased him."But yes, I suppose I've changed a bit. I had to. When I lost during the Provisional Exam, I realized how much I had dragged down my friends. Because I thought I knew it all. I cost them their exam, even after they were depending on me. I never want to disappoint them again. They never blamed me. I...And because of that, I decided to put an effort. Unfortunately, that's when Salazar had made his move and abducted me. But thanks to you, he never laid his hands on me. I was so worried...worried that I would never get to be a better person. That I would never get to show my friends just how grateful I am to them."
"Well, you don't have to worry about Salazar anymore. He's behind bars, most likely for a long time. Too much evidence against him. But you know something funny? I think that defeat made us into better people. I came to understand that defeat is not bad at all. It's necessary if we want to improve and evolve. I can't say I can ever atone for what I did, but I feel like I can make things just a little better."
"That's what important." Saiko nodded in agreement."Even if we can't make a great impact in the world, anything helps. By the way, you need to stop tormenting yourself like that. I understand that what you did was wrong, but it's in the past. You've done plenty to atone for it."
"I don't know..." He groaned, rubbing the back of his neck."It's just...now everything just makes more sense, you know? Turns out my family was full of assholes since day one. We brought ourselves close to extinction. It's as if destiny itself planned me to go down the wrong path. To solidify that, I compared everything that we've done. My grandfather sent out people to have my oldest brother killed. Because of that, he turned to the darkness and spent his life planning an insane plan to rid the world of Quirks. He killed tons of people, one of which was my father, who was the one who abandoned him in the first place. My father dictated our family like a dictator and that got me so fed up that I went to my brother, unknowingly, and planned to kill my father. Little did I know I was being played and I ended up like a fucking dumbass, hurting my brother in the process. Then, if that wasn't enough, we went to the Shie Hassaikai Raid without proper authorization following my sister, who went to great lengths to get revenge for our family. Lengths that involved two of my friends being killed, my sister now unable to have kids, my brother-in-law with permanent lung damage, and all of us hurt. So overall, no, I don't know if what I've done is enough to atone, because there is so much fucked up shit connecting me to a bigger pile of garbage."
Saiko gently pushed his drink forward, which he gladly took and drank it all down."Sorry...I...guess I snapped."
"No need to apologize. You needed to vent and I understand. Besides, I'm your friend, aren't I? It' the last I can do. Moreso after you saved me."
Takashi chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck."Thanks, Sai-san...I needed that. Right now, I need to focus on the future. We Kachidokis have to clean up the mess that our own people made. We are going to do things right so that we can look back on this incident as a long-gone nightmare. I have to keep moving forward. No matter how much it might hurt." He took out a small pendant from his pocket.
"What's that?" Saiko watched in awe as he swung it around. It was relatively small, compromised of mixed colors blended together, forming a ball.
"Well, our Neon Stones were left useless and in pieces. So I decided to get a bit of each and make this. It's neat, I guess. And oddly enough, it makes me feel...connected to my family. That's not the only thing I got. Can I count on you to keep a secret?"
"Sure, Ta-kun, anything."
He reached for his back pocket, pulling up a scrap of paper. He handed it to her, waiting for her reaction.
"Release. That's what it says here." She said, flipping the paper around in hopes of finding more."What does this mean?"
"Beats me." Takashi shrugged, leaning back on his chair and finishing the last of his sandwich."When Darby delivered the final blow, that paper fell out of Satoshi's pockets. I didn't think anything of it. Some sort of code, perhaps? Regardless, it serves as...a memento I guess. Regardless of how much I hated him, he's still family. We just couldn't get to him in time."
"Not like you could have." Saiko pointed out."He was way older than you, right? I heard from your brother that he was born even before your older sister. Nothing could have been done."
"I know, I know." Takashi admitted, standing up and pocketing both the pendant and paper."I can't change the past, only what's in front of me. Anyway, it was nice talking to you, Sai-san. Let's keep in touch, yeah?"
"Of course. If you ever need anyone to talk to or vent at, I'm always there for you." Saiko gave him a warm smile."Now go. Your girlfriend must be really worried about you. Also, go talk to your classmates and stop avoiding them."
"Right. Guess I should have done that sooner." With that, he exited the cafeteria and headed to the elevator."Now...what am I going to tell them and how am I going to explain everything that's happened..."
Musutafu Hospital, Room 503, Night
"Are you really sure this is what you want? This could deal quite a blow to your family.
Nero sat on a chair, accompanying Ayushi who was talking with detective Tsukauchi in a hospital room.
"Yeah, listen to the detective, love." Nero tried to persuade her."I mean, are you sure you want to confess everything to the media? You don't have to go into specifics."
"No..." She trailed off, watching her covered up body from her waist down as well as the stitches on her stomach."I have to...I owe it to their families that they know why their children died. I wouldn't be able to live with myself otherwise. Starting from today, Kachidoki Agency will be closed until further notice and I'm also stepping down as a Pro Hero. Even if I don't, people would just call for my resignation. I messed up big time."
"That is true." Tsukauchi nodded, a grim expression on his face."I doubt the public would take it well when they find out how things went down with you and your subordinates. You went to the raid, unannounced and decided to take justice into your own hands. But, as I had promised, I will make it so that only you two suffer repercussions for your actions and not the kids."
"I can live with that." Nero sighed, having no other choice."I trust them. They are capable to make better decisions than we did. Detective, if it's not too much trouble, do you mind taking me to Yasukage's old orphanage? I think they deserve to know, even if they don't care. It's the least I can do for him."
"Of course." The man said in agreement."It's assuring to hear that Nagito Yasukage wasn't alone in the end. I looked info on him before coming here and learned he was an orphan."
"Yeah...he sacrificed himself so I could take care of my child once they were born but..." He clenched his fist, smacking his head."In the end, it was all for nothing...Ayushi can't have kids anymore due to the internal damage she's suffered...and our child..."
"But you have Takashi and Hisashi to look after." The detective offered, putting a supporting hand on Nero's shoulder."Guide them. Now that the Kachidoki family is free to make their own future, it's the perfect opportunity to make things right. They are still young and will need any help they can get."
"He's right, Nero..." Ayushi smiled at him, wiping the tears off of her face."I'm distraught...that my own flesh and blood went to these extremes to get rid of us...and he succeeded partially. But right now our priority should be to keep moving forward. It's up to them now. I know if anyone can bring our family to prosperity is Takashi and Hisashi." She then shifted her gaze to the detective."Well...I think I'm ready to go. To make things right."
Musutafu Hospital, Darby's Room, Night
Darby yawned, browsing through the insipid channels that the hospital had to offer. He settled for a game show since he found those appealing enough. He hadn't received any visitors, which was good. He had requested the doctor to not let anyone in his room, at least for the time being. He had his phone off, completely cutting him off of the outside world.
"I hope the others don't get upset." He muttered, his head sinking in the comfort of his pillow."But honestly...I don't have the energy to talk to anyone right now. Just want to be alone...and just...relax..."
Right. Everything had been so exhausting. He slept for a few days but he felt like everything had happened mere hours ago. He no longer felt that sense of invincibility he felt from the power the Crown bestowed him. But most importantly, he didn't feel fulfilled. He thought that once they brought down the person who caused everything, he will feel relieved. But right now, he doesn't know what he feels. He was better off not knowing Satoshi's true intentions. He was better off when he thought of him as a psychopath that only wanted destruction for a selfish reason.
'But he wasn't like that, was he? No...even Kaoru wanted to save him as well...I wonder...if he was still alive, could he have redeemed his mistakes?" He covered his eyes."I guess there's no use in thinking about that. They're right...we can't dwell on the past for too long, right? Hoshi and Yasukage...they died protecting us. And I did it...I beat The Baron and hopefully made their souls rest in peace. But why do I feel so troubled? It's over, right...?"
He decided to distract himself with his phone, glancing at the screen before turning it on. That's when he noticed something weird. He hastily stood up and went to the bathroom, checking himself out in the mirror.
"What the...?" He combed his hair back, noticing a black strand of hair. He grabbed it, pulling it gently and noticing it wasn't coming off."I don't remember dying my hair...?"
He got closer to the mirror, examining the strand of hair as closely as he could. He was breathing hard, panicking the more he realized that even the roots were black. He back down to the wall, watching himself in horror. From his messy golden hair, he could make out the odd onyx-colored strand of hair poking from his forehead.
"What the hell happened to me?" Darby gasped, dropping his phone to the floor.
And with this, I declare the Shie Hassaikai Arc as finished. Now, before the new arc begins, I'll take a break from the story so I can finish other stories I left on pause. Thanks again for reading and don't forget to leave a review or a like. Anything is appreciated.