Tokyo-to High: Year of the Dragon
Ooo Suspense! It builds! Who could be at the door?! And what happened at the school after Akito left with the others? And more importantly isn't Akito going to finish his letter to Tsunami?! She's probably worried sick about him! How inconsiderate of him!
Also please note that it is in my opinion, when someone enters a Riot mode pain is not felt. However this does not mean they do not sustain injuries. It merely goes with the saying that pain is an illusion. And if a person in a Riot of Blood is not in their right mind then they will not feel the injuries till afterwards.
And back to the action in Chapter 11! . !!! Go go Akito-chan . !!!
Hoopla!, Akito Yagami & Nova Yagami © me, Tsunami is © my lovely Tsu-chan, all other characters are © either Capcom, SNK, Sammy, or any other company I have borrowed existing characters
Chapter 11 – Injury
The door knob was in his hand; so soft and cold. He looked over at Ibuki and his sister Hibiki positioned on adjacent sides of him. Akito turned the door knob and opened the door quickly ready to dodge backwards away from an incoming attack. Hibiki and Ibuki had also moved in to strike only to be stopped in their tracks.
"Akira?!" The trio stared at her in a mixture of surprise and pity. "hey guys..." she smiled and looked up at them. She had bruises all over her face and her lips were encrusted with blood. She stumbled forward and Akito caught her. "Akira what happened to you?!" Ibuki started up. "Akira..." Hibiki added stroking her hair as she put away her weapon.
Akito carried Akira to where he had been laying in the room and set her down. "I'm fine..." She started in an obviously unconvincing tone. Akito looked down at her squarely nothing but concern in his gaze. "Akira... what happened?" He asked her in a stern voice. "Well... after the patio area collapsed on itself... Ibuki, Pupa and Hibiki snuck you out of the school..." "Yes I assumed that! What about you? Why are you so injured?"
She coughed once and spat out some blood. She held her chest as she took in deep breaths. "... You see... I stayed behind... to cover for your escape... but once everything calmed down I tried to sneak away... to find you... but Eiji followed me, so did Gan and Zaki..." She looked up at her friends and smiled triumphantly. "I made sure they wouldn't find you... but I got a few bruises myself..." She smiled meekly up at them and struggled to regulate her breathing. "Baka..." Hibiki said as she held her hand trying to give her something to hang on too for comfort.
Akito admired her strength, it was obvious she just as stubborn as him. But why did it have to be her that was injured protecting him? Akito took of his jacket and rolled it up into a pillow and set Akira's head down on it so she could calm down. He slowly got to his feet and faced the door and took a deep cleansing breath. "Ibuki. Sis. Stay here watch after Pupa and Akira... I'm going to get Daigo..."
Ibuki bolted up from her seat. "Get Daigo?! Are you nuts?! You're going to get us all about a years worth of detention!" Akito glared back at her and retorted in an agitated voice. "This is more important then stupid detention! Akira was badly injured trying to protect us! Trying to protect me... The least I can do is see that she is given proper treatment and handed over to her brother!" Akito sighed and looked back at them. "I... I will not mention any of you... I'll take the fall for this myself..." Hibiki rose to her feet and picked up her weapon and spoke in a rather stern voice. "I'm going with you... you're still injured yourself... and there could be others who are trying to harm you..."
Akito shook his head and looked back at his sister. "Not this time sis... I need you here to protect Akira... Besides what happens if Eiji shows up with reinforcements? Ibuki will need you to help protect Akira." Hibiki looked down then nodded in accordance. "Your right brother... but be careful."
He nodded at his sister and Ibuki and turned his gaze to the still dazed Pupa curled up in a fetal position. "Take care of Pupa too..." He opened the door and stepped out side closing it behind him. Pupa lived on the third story or the co-ed dormitory and Akito was dreading the walk due to the fact of his injuries. But it was his fault and he knew it. If he never would have met Akira she wouldn't be injured right now. If he never would have met Pupa she wouldn't be in a state of manic depression. Everything was his fault.
It was almost dusk now, hardly anyone was on the streets. That meant it would be easier to sneak to the school and get Daigo. Akito wasn't even sure if he would be there at all, but he had to try something. His mind began to wonder, what if he called his cousin Iori. Surely he would know what to do.
It was quite apparent by now that his injuries were slowing him down. He sighed heavily and sat down behind a garbage dumpster resting for a moment. He cursed his weak body with every breath, he was not going to fail his friends and especially not after all they had done to protect him. He rose to his feet and clung his hand to his chest tightly and growled in pain. Light instantly flashed on him and he withdrew against the wall looking for some escape. He knew this was it, no more running he was caught. Blinded and weakened like a dear caught in the head lights.
"Akito?!" A familiar voice rang out at him with concern and anger. "A... Aunt Leona...?" his mind instantly relaxed. This wasn't someone who sought to bring him harm, it was his aunt. Someone who could help him. She quickly ran to him and wrapped her arms around him as he almost collapsed into her. "Akito what the hell happened to you?! Where's Hibiki?!" Her voice was hysterical. "P... Pupa's place... Akira... she's hurt... we need to get Daigo... everyone's in danger..." Akito's voice dropped to a whisper and he felt his head becoming light headed. "Akito stay with me! Tell me what's going-"Akito fell silent and all became dark.
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A soft beeping emitted from an unknown source. It seemed to grow in intensity. Akito's eyes finally opened and he looked with blurred vision at his surroundings. Breathing slowly became natural to him. He tried to sit up but searing pain shot through his hand. He laid back instantly and looked at his hand. He had an I.V. inside it and he slowly relaxed so the pain would reside. His head pounded and his chest ached.
"Take it easy..." He felt a soft hand on his forehead stroking him as he closed his eyes. He recognized it as Leona. "Leona... Akira... we need too-""Shhh..." She hushed him and managed a sweet smile at him. "It's all been taken care of. That was weeks ago, Akira has since recovered nicely. She's stopped in every day with Hibiki and Ibuki to check on you."
Akito's eyes widened in disbelief. "W-Weeks?!" "Yes Akito, you've been out for weeks... the injuries really took their toll on you, but you managed through." Akito turned his head to the side. "I'm sorry to have worried everyone... this is all my fault..." "Oh hush!" Leona interrupted him in a motherly tone. "You didn't make anyone come to you aid we all did this out of our own accord. So stop having a pity party and get better." Akito turned back to his aunt and smiled at her. He admired her strong will and kind nature. He was unsure of himself at times but he could almost swear she liked looking after him.
During the week of his recovery he had gotten many visits, and it warmed his heart to know that people cared what happened to him. Hibiki had brought Ruffles over in a small portable cage so Akito would have someone to talk to while everyone was at school or work. She had also snuck in a small plate of homemade chocolates chip cookies she had baked for him. In fact Hibiki would rush over after school and Akito quickly grew accustomed to her visits and looked forward to them.
Ibuki stopped by from time to time half threatening him to get better and half apologizing for not going to get help herself and letting Akito's injuries worsen. Akito always joked at her not to get soft on him otherwise she'd never stand a chance against him in their rematch.
"How's Pupa?" Akito asked Ibuki on one visit. "Oh... she's... Fine..." Akito could tell by Ibuki's tone that Pupa was still struggling with that fact that she had been used by Nova and a part of his plan. "Tell her I miss talking to her..." Akito said softly guilt in his voice. If it wasn't for him she'd never have to had met Nova and be treated like that.
Akira and Daigo came to visit him later that day. And much Akito's surprise Daigo congratulated him on a speedy recovery and treated more like a hero then a delinquent. Daigo had informed principal Hideo Shimazu to his absence and his heroic deeds. Akito always felt somewhat humbled by other people's praise. He had really done nothing special at all, he didn't understand why people were treating him like a hero.
Akira brought him the work he missed and turned in what he did finish. It was apparent she spent as much time as possible with him and Akito appreciated the attention. But he had grown weary of the Hospital, he desired to join his peers in school so he would stop being a burden on them.
Much to his surprise Muchiko had managed to sneak in a visit when no one was around. Although she said little to him except "Your lucky you got away with so much damage to the school." In fact Akito learned from his sister and Akira that the collapse of the patio Area had been blamed on a termite infestation and that Akito was merely in the wrong place at the wrong time. He couldn't help but laugh at this. "Yea termites."
Whether Akito liked it or not he definitely had enough time to catch up on his homework and finish his letter to Tsunami. When Akito had finished he was sure it was nothing less then a short novel, yet Ruffles seemed more then ecstatic to deliver it to Tsunami with little more then a series of grunts when taking off. He watched with mild interest as the small owl flew almost drunkenly into the distance.
His cousin Iori had also stopped in and dropped off a copy of his new Novel, "The crimson flower with amethyst petals" Akito was not to fond of his cousin's writings; somehow the fact that it was inspired by his cousin's love life was unsettling. Yaoi never was a forte of his and he wasn't about to make it one.
The week passed and Akito was released from the hospital much to his delight. However he was still confined to his residence at least for another week. Akito hadn't seen Nova since his battle with him and he felt he at least was able to relax.
Akito closed his eyes and began to nap, he heard the shito door slide open but did not look to see who it was. His ears twitched and he yawned slowly drifting off to sleep. Iori often raided his room for glasses and plates while he slept, so he was use to people coming in and out as they needed to.
He purred steadily while dozing off and felt someone plop down next to him. He did not open his eyes but his ears twitched listening readily. He heard the sound of shoes hitting the ground with a soft thud and ruffling of the covers of his futon. He was use to Hibiki napping with him and thought nothing of it.
Akito rolled over to face his sister and yawned opening his eyes that soon widened in shock. He saw the sweetest pair of emerald eyes staring at him and the softest smile on her face. "Tsunami?!" his voice rose with disbelief and shock. He heard her playful giggle as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her head against his chest. "Hai hai!" she said playfully and nuzzled him.
He sat up in disbelief and looked at her blinking. It had to be her, the long scarlet hair, ivory bangs, adorable glasses that hugged her button nose. She looked up at him and sat up herself stretching. "Surprise!" she said in a playful voice and hugged him tightly.
Akito couldn't believe it, she was here, she was really here with him. "If this is dream don't let me wake up, if this isn't a dream... I never want to sleep again..." she nuzzled her nose against his and smiled up at him. "You silly!"