Identity

Chapter 8: Friendship

There was nothing. Nothing at all.

The field stretched on for miles. There was nothing that suggested otherwise. This time, Fuuko feared, there was no crack in the sky to save them.

Ignoring the ache in her body and the numbness of her shoulder, the fuujin-wielder lifted her hand and sent out a current of wind all around her, hoping it would hit something solid – a wall, an invisible building… anything. But it curved away from her into the deep blue sky, unimpeded.

Fuuko closed her eyes, refusing to accept defeat. "I know you can hear me, Narumi or whatever your name is!" she yelled. "At least take Asagi… Sai back! She's injured. Please."

There was no reply.

Fuuko expelled a long breath. For the first time in a while, she did not know what to do. The last time she had felt like this, she thought with a wry smile, was when she had to make a decision about leaving Tokyo – her home, her family, her friends… And when she had, it had changed her life in an enormous way.

It would have been alright, if it was only her stuck here. The place wasn't so bad. But Sai was wounded and she needed medical attention immediately.

Fuuko looked over at the other girl who was some distance away, and frowned. Something was wrong. She didn't appear to be moving.

Fearing the worst, Fuuko sprinted back. "Hey!" she said, kneeling beside the fallen girl. "Asagi! Are you alright?"

When she didn't get a response, Fuuko felt for a pulse. She was relieved to find one. It was weak, but it was there.

She looked down at the pool of red seeping through Sai's shirt and clenched a fist. She'd thought that Sai had dodged the full brunt of the attack, but it seemed that she hadn't. "Why?" Fuuko said softly. "Why didn't you tell me, Asagi?"

"Fuuko?"

She looked up at the familiar voice and into a pair of concerned blue eyes. "Mikagami?" She was suddenly aware of the cold, concrete floor beneath her and the enclosed surroundings. They were back in the warehouse.

"Yeah," the ensui-wielder suddenly seemed a lot like Recca, "sorry it took me so long."

Fuuko looked past him at a woman with short, brown hair standing some distance away.

Mikagami followed her gaze. "Don't worry. I destroyed her madougu immediately after she brought you back," he said, indicating some broken glass nearby. "Besides, I don't think she's an enemy anymore. I'll explain later." He quickly closed the distance between them in a few steps. "Are you alright?"

"I am, but she isn't," Fuuko replied, looking down at the girl in her arms. "We need to get her to a hospital right away."

"No." It was said quietly, but insistently.

"Asagi?" Fuuko said, startled.

The injured girl propped herself up with her arms slowly, the pain evident in her eyes. "Fuuko-san, that's not the most important thing right now."

"What? Of course it is. You're bleeding to death."

"Unfortunately it's not that simple," Sai said, smiling despite her pain.

"What do you mean?"

"Just trust me, Fuuko-san," she replied. "It's not your fault that I'm like this." She turned her head towards Narumi. "Nor your's either."

"Sai," Narumi said softly.

She turned back to Fuuko. "Listen to me, there isn't much time. The one you're looking for – the one I work for – is…"

"Sai, don't!"

Sai smiled sadly at Narumi. "This is something I have to do. Please understand, Narumi. Fuuko-san, the one who started everything is Sendou Ryoujin."

"Sendou Ryoujin?" Mikagami repeated slowly. "Why does that name sound familiar?"

"Sendou is now the head of Kinta Corporations."

"Kinta Corporations," he said, startled. "We're back to them again?"

"Kinta... Corporations," Fuuko said quietly.

"Fuuko-san," Sai said, concerned, as she looked at the other girl's face.

"Asagi," Fuuko said, standing up suddenly. "Let's get you to a hospital now."

"Fuuko-san, I'm really glad I got to see you fight in the Urabutousatsoujin. I'm also happy that we got the chance to be opponents."

"What are you talking about?" Fuuko was suddenly angry. "We're friends."

"Is that so?" Sai's voice was filled with sadness and wonder.

"I never thought that I'd say this to the cool, popular Junko Asagi, but you really are an idiot. Of course we're friends. I've never ever felt otherwise."

Sai smiled. "Thankyou, Fuuko. I'm really glad I met you." She then closed her eyes.

A blue glow surrounded the fuujin-wielder and her eyes went wide. "Asagi," she whispered, staring at the curly-haired girl with shocked eyes. "Don't…"

Mikagami caught her before she hit the ground. "Fuuko!" he looked down at the girl slumped against him in concern. "What did you do to her?"

Sai was unfazed by the youth's anger. "Don't worry," she said as a small, blue knife slid from Fuuko's back and clattered on the floor. "She's just resting now. Please bind up that wound, Mikagami-san."

Mikagami gently lowered Fuuko on the floor and tore a strip from the bottom of his shirt. Then with careful hands, he bound the material across his friend's back and around her shoulder. "What did you do to her?" he asked quietly as he worked.

"I… just helped her sleep for…" Sai paused as a wave of pain washed over her, "…for a little while. I drained a little of her life-force into my dagger." She swallowed as it became more difficult for her to speak. "It's not lethal though – just… just enough for her to sleep for a… a few hours."

Mikagami looked over at her, this time with more warmth in his eyes. "Try not to talk."

Sai smiled. "Believe me. It's easier if I do." She paused, her breathing growing shallower. "I'm glad that… that she didn't have to see me like this."

"Maybe," Mikagami looked down at Fuuko and smoothed a stray strand of hair from her face. "And maybe she would have preferred to share your suffering, because that's what friendship is about."

"Friendship, huh?" Sai said softly. "I haven't really had the chance… to learn too much about it." She stopped as she succumbed to a coughing fit.

"Sai!"

Narumi had been silent for such a while that Mikagami had almost forgotten that she was there. The brown-haired woman ran to her partner's side and knelt on the cold floor.

"Na… rumi," Sai managed to conjure up a smile. "I'm glad I got… to work with you. Do one thing… for me. Don't go back… to him." She clenched her fists as she began to convulse uncontrollably. "Mikagami-san, I… I have one favour to ask."

Mikagami leaned forward to catch her fading words.

"Please… please take good care… of Fuuko."

"You have my word," the ensui-wielder said softly.

A blue glow enveloped the Sai's body, and to the two's horror, she started to disappear. Mikagami watched helplessly as the girl became translucent, the sound of her ragged breathing fading away with her, until there was nothing.

Silence filled the warehouse.

Mikagami stood up, slinging Fuuko's bag around his shoulder. Then he bent down and lifted her in his arms.

"Where are you going?"

He turned at the question. "You should go and get some rest," he said.

Narumi didn't move. "Do you think I'll just let you leave like that?"

Mikagami's voice became icy. "Don't get in our way."

"I won't let you hurt him."

"You can still say this after what your partner told you?"

Narumi faltered. "I owe him everything to him. And he's a kind person."

"Is he?"

The woman was unable to reply as his question echoed the doubts that she had chosen to ignore for so long. She bowed her head over where Sai's body had been. "I just… can't believe that she's gone," she said softly.

"Things disappear from the world, just like this knife will," Mikagami looked down at the dagger lying on the floor, spotted with Fuuko's blood. "But our memories of it won't. Just because her body is gone, doesn't mean that she is. And until we forget, she'll still live in our memories."

He turned and slowly walked towards the door. He stopped when he reached it. "I didn't know Sai very well, but from what I gather, she wanted to change very much. It was too late for her but she knew that it's not for you." Mikagami paused as he shifted Fuuko closer against him and turned the doorknob. "Do what you think is right," he said before walking out.

******

It was nearing midnight when Asura regained consciousness.

He stood up slowly, the memory of what had happened coming back to him. "Fuuko," he said softly. He looked around.

That's right, he was in front of the warehouse that she and the long-haired man had been so interested. Not knowing what else to do, he walked towards what appeared to be the front door. Half expecting it to be locked, he was surprised when it opened.

Moonlight shone through behind him, lighting up part of the warehouse. He could make out shapes of discarded office furniture occupying the unlit areas, but apart from that, there was no sign that anyone was inside.

She was gone, again. Asura sighed. It was doubtful that he would ever see her again, but at least he knew her name – her first name anyway.

He began turn away when a blue glint caught the corner of his eye. He quickly looked back, but there was nothing there.

Asura shrugged and walked back out into the cold night air. He could have sworn that there had been something there, but then again it was late, and it was easy for the dark to play tricks on people's minds.

******

Tanaka looked up at the young woman from behind the counter. "Yes?" he asked, trying to look fully awake.

"Can I have a room for the night?"

He started. The voice was distinctly male. He adjusted his glasses and blinked his watery eyes. Darn kids nowadays, wearing their hair long and such.

Of course, that explained how he could carry that woman on his back without too much difficulty. Tanaka couldn't quite make out her face, which was half-hidden behind a curtain of long hair that hung over the man's shoulder, but he guessed that she was around her friend's age. A big, blue jacket had been slung around her – a jacket that, Tanaka presumed, belonged to the youth. That made him feel better. At least chivalry was not completely gone from the world.

"Two rooms?" he asked, glancing at the woman.

"No, we'll share a room," the young man replied, looking a bit disgruntled. "My sister's pretty drunk. It might be better if I'm there when she comes to – in case she needs to… be sick"

"Ah, yes." Tanaka certainly didn't want any of that ending up on his carpet. He reached for one of the keys hanging on the many hooks on the wall and placed it on the counter. "That'll be 7500 yen."

He watched as the man held up the woman with one hand and took out his wallet from his pocket with the other. Then with the same hand, he expertly drew out the appropriate notes and slid it across the counter.

"Your room's on the second floor, number 25. Make sure you check out before 12pm." Tanaka said as he scooped up the money.

"Thankyou."

"Oh, and you'll have to use the stairs!" he called after the pair, suddenly remembering. "I'm afraid the lifts aren't working today!" Nor had it for a while, but Tanaka didn't have to add that. In fact, not many things worked anymore. After all, the place was old, like Tanaka himself.

He leaned over the counter to peer after the couple. He slowly shook his head. Young people nowadays – getting drunk seemed to be the only thing they did.

******

Asagi!

Fuuko bolted upright and winced when her back protested in pain. She looked around, a little disorientated. She wasn't in the warehouse anymore, that was for sure.

She was in a small room. Besides the creaky double bed she was sitting on, there were a desk that had an out-of-date television on it, an old chair, and a small table on which a bedside lamp sat, dimly lighting up the room. A sliding door on her immediate right seemed to lead to a tiny bathroom.

She closed her eyes. So she was in a motel somewhere. How on earth did she get here? The last thing she remembered was looking into Asagi's brown eyes and then feeling a weird sensation in the back of her shoulder as if the energy was being pulled out of her.

Asagi. She was alright, wasn't she? She couldn't have lost to a little wound like that, Fuuko thought. And yet the look in her eyes…

Fuuko looked up as the door to the room suddenly creaked open.

"You're awake," Mikagami said as he walked in and shut the door behind him. He placed the small paper bag he had been carrying on the table and pulled up a chair where he sat, silent.

"Mikagami… Asagi?" Fuuko asked quietly.

The ensui-wielder didn't reply immediately. But when he did, she already knew the answer. "She didn't make it. I'm sorry, Fuuko."

"I see."

Mikagami was worried by his friend's reaction. She didn't say anything else. She didn't cry or shout. In fact, she didn't show any emotion at all.

Fuuko lay back down and turned her back to her old team-mate who remained unmoving in his chair, watching her. She was too numb to feel anything at the moment. She closed her eyes, wondering if she could even sleep while she was in such a state.

But she could, and when she eventually did, it was thankfully a deep and dreamless one.