Author's note: I don't own anything. And now for something completely different.
Makoto no Hata (The Flag of Truth)
Five: Only the Strongest
(Title taken from and story written to Breaking Benjamin's "Blow Me Away")
Watashitachi ha, makenai!
We will not be defeated!
Dareyori mo…anata ga itakara, watashitachi…
More than anyone…it's because you were there that we…
Tasukete…
Save me…
Tanomu…tasukete kudasai…
Please…save me…
"Oogami-san!"
The world swam in Sakura's vision as she lost her balance and fell back onto the hard surface of…whatever it was she was lying on.
"Oogami-san…" his name came out in a gentle whisper, all that she could manage…"Oogami-san…"
"Shinguuji-san…I'm glad to see you're still with us," came an unfamiliar voice. Female, young…reassuring somehow, and audible above the din that Sakura could begin to hear in the background.
"Where…am I?"
"On the floor of the dining hall where you fell, and still in the Imperial Theater, thanfully. Chateubriand-san, Milchstrasse-san, and Soletta-san were also incapacitated, but they're doing fine now. Tachibana-san's excellent marksmanship and Kirishima-san's…reckless fist saved you all."
Sakura managed to slightly open her eyes, and then slowly ease them the rest of the way open. A young, rather attractive woman in an Imperial Japanese Army medic's uniform smiled at her.
"I'm Lieutenant Shibue Seiko of the 297th Medical Operations Company. You'll be happy to know that the Imperial Army has secured the building."
"Thank…you."
Suddenly Sakura felt a bolt of memory pass through her as she remembered the man she'd left upstairs.
"Did—" the words fell silent on her lips as the man in question came into the haze of her view. He was dressed in a clean kimono and hakama, and looked very…rested.
"Shinguuji-san, I'm glad to see you survived. You were more fortunate than others who suffered the same fate."
"What…was…"
"Jigen Ryu. You got slashed across the back, but it seems that you fell forward just in time to keep your back from getting torn open. The shockwave was another story…"
Jigen Ryu…thought Sakura, dumbfounded. She'd heard of it—it was the legendary ultra-fast sword school of the southern domains…
And exactly what the rebels in Kyoto used for assassination.
Oh no. No. Kami save us all.
"And you…"
"Just woke up, that's all. My head still hurts, and I am kind of weak, but I should be fine."
"Sasuga…uwasa no Hijikata-san…"
("Ah the great Hijikata of rumor…")
"You flatter me Shinguuji-san. Lieutenant Shibue, I'll leave her to you."
"Alright, Shinguuji-san. We're going to take you up to your room to rest."
Jigen Ryu…Jigen Ryu…Jigen Ryu…
Sakura simply closed her eyes, and abandoned herself to the numbness of her pain.
For the longest time, all that Sakura was aware of was the ceiling of her room. She heard the knock on her door, but chose to ignore it.
Once, twice, three times…finally, on what must have been the sixth time, she finally managed to gather her wits about her enough to respond.
"Go away!"
"Sakura-kun? It's just me!" came the voice from beyond the door, making her instantly regret her carelessness.
"Oh! Oogami-san…I'm sorry. Come in…!" she weakly slumped back onto the mattress as he opened the door.
"I'm sorry…" she sighed, as he sat by her side and came into her vertically inclined field of vision. "I should've sensed…"
"No. Don't blame yourself."
"Oogami-san…" Sakura slowly took his hand and squeezed tightly. "How are the others?"
"Injured but stable. Will be walking by evening. The Army is going to keep their soldiers protecting the theater, though, and Lieutenant Shibue and her staff are temporarily assigned here, too. You know, she's just as psychically gifted as you all, but actually turned down an invitation to join Hanagumi, oddly enough."
"Wow…" Sakura's thoughts began to drift…and in one single moment her spiritual control loosened, sending her emotions and tangled thoughts rushing outward in a burst.
"Sakura-kun…" Oogami gasped in wide-eyed shock. No stranger to such energy himself, he could sense it… "I…"
"Oh….huh? Wha…?" And with that, she was once again out like a light.
