Mikagami Tokiya was polishing his beloved Ensui when the phone rang, for the second time in three days. In which reminding him to get rid of it completely, or to change the number and not tell the pests.
Morikawa Ganko, who he had been looking after for the past eight hours, answered the call. The blasted toy fox on her shoulder, mimicking every word she was saying.
Thinking nothing of the call, he resumed his task. He looked out of the window when he heard the soft drizzle of rain against the window. Dark clouds hovered in sky, as slowly, the rain grew harder and the lightning flashed more frequently.
"That was Yanagi; she said that she would be coming over later to pick us up."
He nodded at her before pausing and asking when her dear surrogate sister was going to pick her up.
"Not that I mind you or anything," he added quickly when he saw the hurt look on the child's face.
"I don't know really, she said that she wouldn't be back so soon."
Tokiya gazed at Ganko, feeling something was not right, and that she was not revealing something.
Ganko looked away from his gaze, fiddling with the hem of her dress, causing his suspicion to amplify.
"What did she have to do?" he questioned, peering at her face intently for clues.
Her blue orbs sparked with fear and worry as she answered.
"A chore or somewhat."
"What chore?"
"Just a chore."
He put down Ensui gently on the table.
"What are you not telling me?"
She look frightened, devastated even.
"Leave her alone."
The fox; the sickening, irritating fox said. A withering glare shut him up however.
"Ganko, tell me. I won't be angry."
"I promised. I can't tell."
He felt a twinge of annoyance at her answer. He just wanted to know where Fuuko had gone. What is that hard to answer?
He glared at her, seeing her cowering.
"Is it an important matter?"
"Yes."
"A dangerous one?"
No response, her head bowed eyes downcast.
"It could be a matter of life and death."
His eyebrow twitched up.
Life or death?
"What did she do?"
Ganko seemed to be struggling with an inner-war.
"Fight."
Silence.
"She's going to fight Raiha. Settle everything. She's been practicing, for the past two months. She's ready. I've seen her battle. She can beat him."
Thunder roared loudly as Tokiya stood up.
"Are you sure she's ready Ganko? Are you absolutely sure?"
Ganko's hands stopped playing with the hem. They grew still as her body tensed.
"She said she was ready, and I--"
"Believe her?"
Ganko looked at him.
"I don't know."
Tokiya grabbed his Ensui, keys and jacket.
"Let's go. Do you know where they were supposed to meet?"
Ganko stared at him, mouth slightly open.
"Yes, but she said that she didn't want anyone disturbing the fight."
"Have you seen the weather outside Ganko? It's unnatural. It's too sudden, too harsh. Something's wrong."
He proceeded out of the door, certain that Ganko would be following. He walked towards the car and waited inside for her. Only to find the good-for-nothing fox had met up with him instead.
The toy, seemed to be hyper-ventilating, and Tokiya remained indifferent, hopeful that maybe the fox would quit itself out.
"Ganko- Kaoru- wound- Raiha- wound- cry- wound-"
Tokiya, feeling that he had heard enough, followed the stumbling fox, and found Ganko crying silently by the phone.
He stared at her, feeling very awkward at not knowing what to do. Finally he settled on asking her what was wrong.
"Fuu- Fuuko dead. He found her—dying. She- she" and her words grew indefinable as she choked on the suppressed sob.
He gathered her in his arms, not knowing what to say, yet knowing exactly how she felt. He was unaware that the car's engine was still on, or that the door was wide open, or that the phone was ringing. All he knew was that she was dead. And somehow, he couldn't help feeling that he had let down another person.
