HI EVERYONE! Welcome to 'Aftermath', the newest entry of 'Kakumei'!
I'm so excited! I've never been so happy about a story before, ever! I didn't expect such a tremendous response from the last chapter! I can't tell you how much your reviews meant to me, but they were all WONDERFUL! The responses all of you gave me made me really happy to be a writer. THANK YOU...ALL OF YOU! This isn't just my story any more; it's EVERYONE'S! YAY!
I'd like to dedicate this ENTIRE CHAPTER to all of my friends! Thank you everyone!
Theme of 'Aftermath': Mystical Princess by Masashi Hamauzu, Mermaid Hime from Chobits, 'True Love's First Kiss' from Shrek score. This chapter was inspired by my friend Dejichan, and her last review. I would like to give a huge hug to her!
Time increased its pace after the tremendous battle.
In the blink of an eye, every resident of New York learned of the battle. News reporters emitted swift waves of excitement during their sessions, journalists rapidly created articles, and adrenaline struck the entire city in the form of a thunderbolt. No one had ever witnessed such an enormous event, and so the intense battle produced a wide variety of reactions. Many were horrified, others were shocked...and others were jubilant, for a new hero had emerged from the battle.
Eiri Uesugi's heroic acts followed the details of the battle. The novelist quickly became a celebrity throughout the colorful city; children quickly made them their new super hero, and others were simply stunned by his bravery. The battle that had occurred within the Empire State Building took on the qualities of a fairy tale; it became known as the 'Duel of Love'. Many news reporters referred to Eiri as 'Romeo'; as soon as they learned of his deeds, they immediately thought of the beloved character from 'Romeo and Juliet', a time honored tale of true love. Shuichi Shindou instantly became 'Juliet', and everyone fell madly in love with the restored epic. The entire city felt as if all fairy tales had come to life within their own city, and they had never felt so proud of their home before.
The story behind the battle was told by none other than Claude K. Winchester. His name carried an enormous load behind it; he was practically popular with every media and military establishment. He bore the desire to share his friend's heroic deeds, and did so without the slightest hesitation. As soon as he opened his mouth, news reporters and even citizens jumped on him...the way lions would have jumped on a piece of steak. The responses he received were passionate; many individuals even shared their thoughts in tears. The reports also created negative responses, though; an epidemic of shattered relationships began. Many women and men realized that their lovers wouldn't have risked their lives for them, and so they tore off their bonds and went about their ways. Of course, they left behind tremendous confusion; their lovers even tried to deny their accusations. Their attempts to deny everything fell through, though; it was clear that none of them would have sacrificed anything for their loved ones.
Shuichi Shindou, the young songbird of Bad Luck, was instantly rushed into New York's finest hospital. He was placed into I.C.U without question, and was followed by Eiri Uesugi. The battle between good and evil was at a close, but the ending brought about no relief. There was not just one but two lives at stake; the songbird and the prince were both in critical condition. Their loyal friends posted themselves in the waiting room, and drowned in excruciating agony...each of them carrying their own thoughts...their own wishes.
Days elapsed...and each day took on the form of a year. None of the knights slept, and they refused to eat; none of them had the desire to function. Their songbird was still in danger, and their brave prince...the one that had been so far from them for so long...was also in danger. Eiri Yuki had been a stranger to all of them...but Eiri Uesugi had become a very, very dear friend. A single thought of him brought tears to their eyes, for they had come to love him...the way they would treasure a family member.
News of Eiri's condition came on the hour, every hour...right along with news of Shuichi's condition. At one point, the news of Shuichi caused all of them to break down...for it was anything but positive. The doctor reported that he had awakened, but was lost in fear; he felt as if his captors were still after him, ready to devour him once again. He was able to acknowledge the doctors, but was unable to calm himself; it was as if Yoshiki and her partners were in the same room. He struggled violently against human contact, and made several attempts to dash from the room; he was like a frightened canine...a shattered canine that had endured the worst abuse. The songbird's friends knew of rape's side effects...and feared the worst. However, their fears were extinguished after two more days, for Shuichi's cries were born from another reason. A sorrowful Tohma Seguchi made a visit to him, and spent the first half of his visit in sobs. His heart-rending cries caused the songbird to awaken, and a conversation ensued.
Producing speech was almost impossible for the gentle Seguchi, but somehow he was able to speak his heart. He wasn't just visiting on Eiri's behalf; he had come to love Shuichi...as much as he loved Eiri. He brought the vocalist into a sorrowful embrace, sobbed until his eyes were burning...then spoke his thoughts. He spoke of how everyone had missed him, how everyone had feared the worst...and then he spoke of the transformation Eiri had gone under. The novelist went from being a cold-hearted, stoic rock to a loving, dauntless prince...and the details of his transformation were shared with the songbird. K's reports sprang from the Seguchi's lips...and then the latest news of his condition followed. The novelist was not in the best shape...as a matter of fact, they were severely close to losing him. His wounds had been healed, but he was trapped within a comatose state; the doctors told him that the situation had everything to do with his mental state. He received several head wounds during the battle, but those wounds had nothing to do with anything. His comatose state was born from his heart, not from the wounds. Something was preventing him from awakening...and no one knew anything.
Tohma's reports caused the young vocalist to break into sobs. The gentle songbird pierced the air with soul-shattering cries, and felt his heart unite with Tohma's. Both of them held each other...and filled the night air with tears. Their cries alarmed the other loyal knights...and all of them united with each other...for what felt like the VERY first time.
The following day brought about more sorrow. Visits to Eiri took place, but none of them produced any relief. They only succeeded in producing more tears; Reiji broke into sobs, Tohma did the same, and so did Yuuji Nakano. Hiroshi Nakano and Suguru Fujisaki had never sobbed before in their lives, but the mere sight of Eiri shattered their hearts. None of them were able to awaken the sleeping prince...and so they felt as if they had failed him.
Shuichi's violent reactions to human contact vanished. Tohma's words echoed throughout his mind as time passed...and his trauma disappeared as quickly as it came. His fear of Yoshiki drifted away as soon as K reported everything to him...and it was replaced by his fear for Eiri's life. The songbird felt as if he would never stop crying...and a burning desire to see his prince tormented him. However, his injuries prevented him from doing so; he was not ready to stand upon his feet yet, due to the horrific wounds he had received from Yoshi. More tears came about from his inability to stand...for his heart longed for a chance to look upon his prince's face.
The entire situation had both teams of doctors in tears. They too knew of the latest headlines, and none of Shuichi's doctors liked hearing his cries; listening to him was like watching a one-legged puppy die. They had never encountered such a passionate patient before...none of them had ever been involved in such a heart-rending love story. Two lovers were torn from each other, trapped within time's relentless grasp...and they could do nothing to unite them.
January 12th, 2006.
One of Eiri's doctors made her descent from Shuichi's room. The door to the songbird's room came to a close, and gave birth to broken spirits. The songbird's loyal, devoted friends were with him; they were trying their hardest to comfort him, but all of their attempts were crumbling as soon as they were made. They were just as worried as he was, and so they were unable to provide any true comfort for their beloved friend. The news they received didn't lighten the situation; as a matter of fact, the news only made it worse. Eiri was slipping away from all of them...and he seemed to have no desire to return.
Claude K. Winchester placed a hand on his chin. His eyes glazed over with thoughts, and their emotions alarmed his partner. Ark looked into his dear friend's face, his own eyes radiant with confusion and apprehension. He gave his friend a moment of silent thought, but he could allow no more.
"What's on your mind, K?"
K's eyes were calm, filled with the benevolence of a father...but they were also sad. All eyes fell on him; all of them came to see K as a wise leader, and they carried enormous admiration for him. After another moment of silence, the officer folded his arms and spoke.
"I know why we're losing him."
A chorus of 'what's filled the air, followed by a passionate 'why' from Shuichi. The officer released a sorrowful sigh, looking as if he were about to accept an execution date. "It's easy." he said softly, looking straight into Shuichi's violet eyes.
"Guilt."
More 'what's pierced the air, followed by several gasps. Shuichi's gentle eyes became alive with sadness and horror.
"He knows he can awaken...but he doesn't want to seize any opportunities to do so. He wants to sleep...and it's because of guilt. He can't wipe the treatment he gave Shuichi from his mind...and he feels that he doesn't deserve him. He feels that he doesn't deserve another chance, and would rather die than look upon Shuichi ever again."
Gasps and sobs of horror followed the explanation. Shuichi began to tremble tumultuously as sobs racked his body...and filled his eyes...
"That's...that's...that's horrible...it's too sad..."
Ayaka covered her face with her hands, her own eyes overflowing with tears. Her voice was just as shaky as Shuichi's, and filled with motherly sorrow.
"It is too sad...we can't lose him...we just can't...he means so much to us...to all of us..."
The songbird pierced the cold air with a passionate sob, and emitted the gentle sadness of his heart. Oceans poured themselves from his eyes...they tore themselves from his heart and soaked the world around him...
"I HAVE TO GO SEE HIM! I JUST HAVE TO!"
Shuichi's vibrant, poignant voice brought even more tears from the knights. The songbird wasn't the vocalist of Bad Luck for nothing; he had a voice that emitted the true depth of human emotions. Simple sentences were miraculous creations, for even those carried great emotion behind them. His violet eyes never failed to accompany his words, for they met the emotion of his words flawlessly. They took on lives of their own, and spoke with the fire of his young heart. More words tore themselves from his lips, and caused many doctors within hearing range to break into tears.
"I CAN'T LET HIM GO! IJUST CAN'T! HE NEEDS ME! PLEASE LET ME GO!"
One of his doctors had made a silent return during his previous cry. His fatherly eyes fell into Shuichi's passionate eyes...and a warm smile bloomed on his warm features. He felt like a parent facing a desperate child, and wanted to make Shuichi's wish come true. "You may visit him, young one." the forty-year old doctor said comfortingly, unable to restrain a vibrant grin. "Your injuries are enduring the process of healing, but they are no longer preventing you from walking. You may need some assistance, however-"
The doctor was unable to emit the rest of his sentence. With an ardent 'Thank you!', the vocalist placed a blanket about himself, removed himself from his confinement and dashed from the room, acting like a child embrace Christmas Day. The songbird was immediately followed by Ryuichi Sakuma, Hiroshi Nakano and Tohma Seguchi. Fervent tension prevented the others from following for a moment, but they quickly recovered.
It was dark...dark, cold and empty.
There was no light of any kind in his world. He had locked himself within a black hole, one that carried no warmth or dreams. It was a hole that had been crafted from his emotions...and from his own desires. It consisted of the past, and carried the stench of a dark future. The skies were black, filled with endless, icy winds...and beneath his feet was an everlasting sheet of black snow. It was cold...too cold for human comfort...
...but it was where he wanted to stay.
Tears were streaming down his face, and each of them glimmered with the beauty of a dewdrop. They fell upon the cold, snowy earth...and made their final havens as starlight. His shivering heart was covered in snow, and it bore the desire for death. It was still creating a rhythm within his body, but it wasn't a true rhythm; it was a dirge, a song of everlasting pain. His entire body was covered in black snow...but he had no desire to remove it. He was a truly a part of the world he had created...and didn't want to stain his previous world any longer. He had ruined his chance at love...and felt as if he had no right to earn another.
Cold winds whipped over him, but he bestowed no warmth upon himself. He saw himself as a cold, bitter monster...a monster that deserved endless ice. In his eyes, he was no more than a beast, a creature that had tainted humanity. Sunlight was calling out to him...but the endless snow was so comforting...so right...
"YUKI!"
That sorrowful, desperate cry pierced the skies...but it was a gentle zephyr of forgotten sunlight. He refused to acknowledge it, for it was no more than a dream, a mirage of bliss and purity...
"YUKI! YUKI, ANSWER ME! PLEASE!"
The cries continued, and they covered his shivering heart. More tears tore themselves from his eyes...as he continued to ignore each cry...
"YUKI! WAKE UP, PLEASE! PLEASE DON'T GO!"
A dream was calling out to him, crying...shedding eternal tears of pain. It was a dream he had once held...the dream he had tormented...
"DON'T GO, YUKI! PLEASE!"
He didn't want to return. He had no right to do so.
Love was calling out to him, crying...
...but he didn't deserve it.
A soft hand grabbed his and squeezed it. Pristine, moonlit tears descended from love...and they embraced the sleeping prince's face. The eyes of the prince's dream were radiant, filled with immeasurable pain...and his voice was no different...
"IT'S ME, SHUICHI! CAN'T YOU HEAR ME, YUKI?"
More tears removed themselves from Eiri's eyes, which caused the songbird to break down in sobs. Tohma and Hiroshi immediately came to his assistance, and gave him the strength he needed to stand once again. The songbird's loyal friends watched him, drowning in their own tears...right along with the doctors. Oceans were coursing from Shuichi's eyes...breaking his heart...
"Don't go...please don't go...I don't want you to go...don't leave me alone..."
I don't want you to go...
Don't leave me...
He removed oceans from his eyes, which only brought more oceans. A weak, fragile smile spread across his face...but it was a tiny, delicate smile...
"Yuki, it's okay. Everything's okay now. I'm fine now. We can go back home, back to Tokyo. I won't bother you so much anymore, I promise. I'll try harder! I'll even become a better cook, and I'll clean and do lots of stuff, so you can write your stories! We can start all over, together! But you have to wake up first, so I can give you your 'good morning' hug! "
Those words caused K to break into soft sobs. There wasn't a dry eye in the house; the new 'Sleeping Beauty' was breaking everyone's heart.
The smile on Shuichi's face began to wilt, and so did the happiness of his voice...
"After you wake up...I'll take you home, okay? We'll go home and start all over...and do lots of things. Just...Yuki..."
The songbird's voice broke, which sent two male doctors into hysterical wails.
"...I don't want you to go. If you go, I'll be all alone again...and I don't want that to happen! I love you, Yuki; I've always loved you, and I'll never be able to love anyone else! I love you more than I've EVER loved you! I understand everything now, and I WANT US TO GO HOME!"
A loud sob ripped itself from his chest, and brought him to his knees. Hiro and Suguru embraced their beloved band member, instantly followed by the other loyal knights. All of them held each other...crying...
"This is all my fault...all my fault...if I had never left him he'd be okay..."
I'm so sorry, Yuki...
"I did this to him...everything's my fault..."
All my fault...
A gentle, frail voice drifted into the cold air...and followed the songbird's cries...
"No it's not. It isn't your fault."
A cold gasp rose from Shuichi's throat, and his eyes widened with hope. The eyes of his devoted friends also widened, each of them radiant with immoderate apprehension. Several of them exchanged glances with each other...as Shuichi slowly rose to his feet once again. He looked upon the face of his prince...and felt his heart stop.
"YUKI!"
More sobs removed themselves from his heart, and rivers coursed down his body...
"Yuki...oh Yuki, you're awake...you heard me...I'm so happy..."
The prince slowly placed a hand on the songbird's face, and brushed away shimmering tears. An infinitely warm, jubilant smile drifted into his cold soul, and filled his heart with undeniable happiness...
"I'm so glad you're awake...I missed you..."
Eiri continued to stroke Shuichi's cheek. His eyes were small slits, but they were filled with the essence of true, everlasting love.
They were also filled with eternal sadness.
"I'm sorry...so sorry, Shuichi. You're crying again...all because of me..."
A tiny smile lit up the vocalist's face. "No no...it's...you're not doing anything! I was just...so sad...I thought you'd never wake up..."
"I don't want to wake up. I want you to leave me...so I can rest...in the world I belong in. I can't be near you, Shuichi..."
"Why not?" the young songbird asked, his voice hoarse with tears...
"I don't deserve you. All I ever did...was make you cry..."
"No! No, that's not true! THAT'S NOT TRUE AT ALL!"
"Yes it is...Shu-chan." the prince said softly, sobs racking his body. "All I ever did...was bring you pain. I...I love you...I've always loved you, Shuichi...but...I was just...too afraid...to let you know..."
"It's okay. It's okay, Yuki. Everything's fine now. We can start over!"
"I...don't want to. I don't want you...to be near me anymore. You filled my days with happiness...you filled them with miracles I thought I'd never see...but I brushed them all off. All of your smiles, your songs...you gave me so much...and I blew it all off..."
"It's okay! We can go back home and start over!"
"I can't. It's not that easy, Shu-chan. I've ruined everything...and I don't deserve a chance to get it back. You gave your heart to me...and I crushed it. You told me...you loved me...over and over again...but I never said it...once..."
Shuichi gently placed a hand on Eiri's cheek, his eyes glimmering with the purity of a sunrise. "I understand everything now." he said softly, his voice as delicate as a spring breeze. His voice tone surprised his audience, for it wasn't a tone that would have been applied to someone so young. It was the tone of a wise mentor, a guiding beacon. Even though tears were still causing his body to tremble, he was able to speak with the tenderness of wisdom.
"It's okay. Tohma told me everything. I know now. That's why I love you even more than I did before, Yuki."
The prince's shaky voice became hoarse, even though it was as soft as a butterfly's wing. It took on the qualities of a broken child, a child that was afraid to expose his heart to truth. His eyes were moist with sorrow, filled with a beauty that had never been exposed before. Their audience members now felt as if they were watching 'Beauty and Beast'; their budding relationship had a lot of enchanting qualities to it. Suguru, who had never felt such high emotions in his life, was an emotional kitten; tears were streaming from his eyes like waterfalls, and each waterfall was as beautiful as a star. The doctors within hearing range were no different; none of them had ever been exposed to such a beautiful tale, and so none of their eyes were dry. The other members of the audience were drowning in tears, their eyes shimmering with hope. Even Claude K. Winchester couldn't keep a smile from his face, and gentle rivers were falling from his eyes as well. He felt a little sheepish, right along with Suguru, but accepting the truth was a lot better than brushing it away. There wasn't any room for embarrassment; true love was blooming, and it was a miraculous treasure.
Eiri's eyes looked as if they were carved from pure gold. If sunlight had been present, they would have turned into golden diamonds. They were paintings, delicate paintings of sunlit oceans. The oceans within his eyes were resting in harbors, radiant with the fragile breezes of unborn hope. Stars were falling into them, and they too were alive with unshed hope. Fear, however, was present among the light, and it refused to release its grip. The events of his past were still alive in his mind, and he was afraid they'd become his future.
"I can't tell you...how much I wanted to hold you. I've dreamt of you, so many times...and I fell for you as soon as I saw you. I'm just...afraid I'll keep on hurting you...but I love you, Shuichi...I love you so much..."
"He's staying within his own prison...just so he can protect Shuichi. Interesting." K murmured to Ark, wiping rivers from his eyes. His voice had its normal qualities about it, but it was a little shaky due to his tears. His partner smiled at him, his eyes filled with their normal admiration. "You think so?" he said, speaking like an officer in an investigation. "I think it's sad. He's tormenting himself!"
"You went through so much because of me, and I'll never be able to forgive myself. I'm...I'm so sorry..."
The songbird gently placed a kiss on his prince's lips, and then a streak of red bloomed across his face. Ayaka melted as soon as she saw it; he just looked too cute for words. The same streak bloomed on Eiri's face, but for a different reason. The prince didn't expect such a simple, passionate response.
"You don't have to torture yourself anymore! Everything's fine! I know you've been through a lot, but...the future is just around the corner! I've forgiven you, and I want to face the rest of my days with you, Yuki! We'll face whatever comes next, together!"
A smile passed between Tohma and K. Youthful fear fell onto Eiri's face, and gave him the look of an innocent child. "Shu-chan," he said, feeling as if he were about to witness a tremendous discovery. "are you sure about this?" he finished, and received the cutest smile.
"YEAH! I've never be so sure of anything before in my life!"
The passion within Shuichi's voice brought even more tears from Eiri's eyes. A smile slowly bloomed on the prince's face, and it brightened his eyes even more. "Thank you." he whispered, dangerously on the verge of tears. "Thank you...Shuichi..."
The two of them fell into an embrace that melted everyone's hearts. Warm smiles broke out amongst the audience, and warmed the cold room. All of them felt as if they were witnessing the greatest miracle, and they were. They were witnessing the birth of true, everlasting love.
The songbird and prince were locked within their first true kiss. Their bodies were gently tied against each other, and their hearts were softly pounding against each other. They were once cold, and lost within darkness...but now they were together, drowning in the sunlit warmth of newborn happiness. Promises, vows and dreams blossomed within that one, lonely kiss...and each dream etched itself into the future, shimmering with prosperity. Both of them had spent their days in confusion, agony and sorrow...but now...
...they were together.
They were finally together.
Golden silence kept them together for an eternity, then they broke away from each other. The songbird's face had a wide, childlike smile upon it; he looked as if he had just uncovered the most precious treasure. The prince's face was a painting of embarrassment and happiness; he looked as if he had just stolen a kiss from a secret crush. Both of them were too cute for words.
"Yay! We're all right now! I'm so happy!"
"Yeah, I bet you are, Shuichi." Ryuichi Sakuma said gently, removing tears from his eyes. Cheers followed his words, accompanied by passionate applause. Every individual within the audience broke out into ecstasy, and they emitted their happiness through their unique personalities. Two doctors pierced the air with enthusiastic cheers, others gave ardent words of happiness. If someone had said there was a wedding taking place in Eiri's room, they wouldn't have been too far from the mark. The room was anything but an operating room.
During the applause, the newborn couple received hugs and kisses. Happiness didn't just come from their friends; it came from the doctors as well. Three doctors launched into stories of their own relationships, and shared reveries with each other about long-lost passion. Stories were born within the small room, and they soared throughout the cold hospital...warming each and every soul within it. Happiness fell upon every heart, took each soul and danced with it.
"It took you guys long enough! Sheesh!"
"Lighten up, Suguru! The road to true love is never an easy one!"
"Isn't it 'the path to love is never smooth'?"
"No, it's 'the course of true love never did run smooth'."
"K, you've become quite the smarty-pants!"
"You guys are too cute! I wish you the best of luck!"
"Way to go, you two! Congratulations!"
"Ah, Shindou-sama...you lucky soul. How I wish I could be in your place. Ah, to savor a blissful kiss from the sweet Eiri-ow!"
Hiroshi Nakano laughed at the shocked Seguchi, who had just received a hit from an unexpected source. "Too bad for you, pal!" he said merrily, his eyes twinkling with sunlight. "Eiri's 'out of bounds' now! Ha ha ha ha ha!"
"Can you believe it?" Reiji cried out ecstatically, smothering Shuichi in a joyous embrace. "Can you guys believe it? We're done! We made it!"
The band of faithful knights released a passionate cry of triumph, which earned them a playful 'quiet down' from a nearby nurse. Embarrassment struck several of the knights, but Hiroshi was unwilling to restrain his excitement. He stole the songbird from Reiji and brought him into another embrace, one that was tight enough to suffocate him.
"This is great! We're all back together! We've got things back under control! We're all right!"
"Hiro, cut it out! I can't breathe! Lemme go!"
"TOO BAD! We're not letting you out of our sight EVER AGAIN! YOU HEAR ME?"
"Hiro, quit it. Talk about 'out of bounds'! The princess belongs to the prince, not to one of the prince's peons!"
Hiroshi instantly turned on the speaker, his eyes alive with playful wrath. Tohma gently removed Shuichi from the guitarist's grasp, giving him a chance to reunite with Eiri.
"Stuff it, dear brother of mine!"
"I'll have your head removed if you steal Juliet!"
"Shuichi," Eiri said warmly, his voice drifting into the songbird's ear. He received another jubilant smile as a response.
"Once we get home, I'll have to hire a chef."
The smile wilted. "Why?"
"Well, your cooking isn't exactly the best. I'd rather eat frozen ramen instead of your cooking."
"YOU'RE MEAN! I TRY MY HARDEST! I REALLY DO! YOU SHOULD APPRECIATE MY COOKING!"
"You mean your attempts at cooking? Or should I say your attempts to kill me?"
Claude K.Winchester listened to the banter that took place, his heart filled with warm happiness. He realized something; their relationship still carried quarrels within it, but the future didn't hold painful arguments. Their current argument was a playful one, nothing like the arguments of the past...and their future was going to be filled with even more fun.
"I never tried to kill you! And you know what? I LIKE COOKING, SO THERE!"
"Fine. I guess I'll have to spend the rest of my life eating dirt."
"You can sleep outside while you're at it! Talk to the bugs!"
"You can't kick me out of my own house, Shu-chan."
"Waah! I wish you'd stop being so mean to me!"
A smile passed between Tohma Seguchi and K...as the prince took the songbird into his arms.
A wave of sunlight filled Tohma's heart...and renewed the song of hope. He looked upon his beloved prince, his eyes filled with tears...his body shivering with sobs.
"You've been healed, Eiri."
The two of you have a loooong future ahead of you...but I know...you'll be all right.
The prince had spent a thousand years in darkness, filled with pain and sorrow...
...but a songbird rescued him, and brought him into a new age...
...an age filled with love.
This isn't the end, my friends! I've got the epilogue coming soon, so be prepared! I LOVED THIS CHAPTER, DIDN'T YOU GUYS?
I HOPE YOU'RE ALL SATISFIED. I had originally planned on killing Eiri...JUST KIDDING! Happy ending for everyone! Yay!