Amber: Well. I know it should've happened last Friday, but I got stuck with a few things. I discovered an all new way to do things.
Saren: Many thanks to those of you who reviewed. You may have saved Kisa's life.
Kit: ..You were going to kill KISA!
Amber: Don't worry. I know I have a couple reviewers now. I'd have had them all cutting themselves by the end of the chapter if I had killed her the way I wanted.
Kit: I...I-..You-... (seizure)
Saren: (carts the Kitsune off to the hospital)
Amber: I hope you realize that now there is a greater price to pay, because you stole a good portion of my plot line. If you are faint hearted, and I do not use that term lightly, turn away and never come back.
Disclaimers:
I don't own Battle Royal, Furuba, or Azumanga Daioh. Frankly after this chapter even the people who made Battle Royale might be horrified.
They all sat, relaxing inside the zone of safety they had reached, most of them eating the rations they were given and looking out at the sea.
Chiyo-chan was sitting closest to the edge, crying quietly and looking out over the ocean. Kisa was next to her, comforting her, and listening to Chiyo talk about Tadakichi-san and Yamamaya. Sakaki had dropped her head into her hands as soon as she heard her little kittens name. Kagura patted her on the back while Sakaki tried to keep it together, but it was hard for her. If anything happened to her, Yamamaya would have lost two mothers and he would have no place to go.
Momiji was helping Arisa change the dressings on Tohru's shoulder while Hana looked on, her eyes on them but her mind quite visibly scanning the area like an angry and territorial predator. Osaka was trying to watch and understand so if the skill was needed she would know something, but Yomi did a better job of that. Tomo was seated slightly outside the scattered group, on lookout.
"What are we going to do?" she called back to the others.
Sakaki pulled herself together and looked up.
"We're staying in this zone until 6, thats for certain. We'll find Tohru's friends, then we'll go back to the hospital if the zone becomes safe."
"What if it doesn't?"
"Then we move of course. I'm sure there are other places around."
"But what if-"
"Stop it Tomo." Yomi called sternly. "We'll be ok."
"I hope so Yomi. I really hope so.."
The morning passed in relative ease, most thought it actually reather nice to be out in the open, not worrying. It was a big relief when Chiyo and Kisa started playing handgames. If they made it out, there was hope for both ends and things could be somewhat ok again. By noon, a lot of them found themselves bored. It had been decided that even though the entire block of space they could move in was two miles, they might pass right by Yuki and Kyo if they set out to look for them. So they stayed where they were and waited, making a bit of play noise, while Hana assured them they were safe to do it Sakaki even held a little game of tag with Kagura and the smaller girls, but eventually Chiyo and Kisa had simply stopped and gaped at how fast Kagura and Sakaki could move.
Around noon mostly everyone was dozing, but Tohru was slightly awake underneath a tree where they had all saught a bit of shade and rest. She noticed a kitten staring at her and being half asleep, she thought it must have been a dream when it suddenly vanished into the bushes. A little while later she awoke to the sound of someone moaning. Apparently, Yuki had arrived and startled Hana. She assaulted his mind on impulse and caused him to black out, but he was moaning in his sleep.
"Hana-chan..." she whimpered.
"It's alright Tohru." Hana said with a smile. "He's just got a bad headache, he'll be fine."
Tohru smiled and nodded and looked questioningly at Arisa. She pointed toward the cliff edge where Kyo was sitting before a big patch of recently overturned dirt.
"He finally buried Shishou?"
"Yes. He said Shishou would've liked that spot and just...started digging with his bare hands. I guess its good the weather isnt too bad. Shishou went a day without smelling like a corpse at all."
Tohru looked over at Kyo sitting there and joined him. For a while they sat in silence but eventually Kyo began to talk to her.
"I thank him Tohru. If it wasn't for him I would've never known kindness. Not like his and not like yours."
"Shisou loved you Kyo-kun. You were a son to him, out of all the boys at the dojo. He wanted you to heal inside."
"I know Tohru. Dammit, I dont know what I'm trying to say about him...but...I'm grateful. I'm so grateful."
When Kyo cried Tohru felt reminiscient. The last time Kyo had cried was because he hadn't thought Tohru would accept him in his cat-beast form. So she did the same thing she had then and hugged him, and when he changed, she held him the exact same way she had that day.
"It's ok Kyo-kun. Go ahead and cry."
A little further down from them, Sakaki and Kagura were standing at the edge, looking at the 2 o clock sun reflecting over the water. Sakaki seemed to be having a bit of a problem, so Kagura placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a worried look. Sakaki bowed her head and sighed.
"I'm scared Kagura.." she said quietly. "Did you see the way they looked at us this morning? They expect us to keep them safe, but we cant in the end."
"No, Sakaki. They only expect us to do our best, and thats all we have been doing and all we can do."
"But how do I know whats best? I dont know anything about killing and death. I dont even know if I could kill someone when faced with the decision."
Kagura grabbed Sakaki's face firmly in both hands and forced her to make eye contact.
"Stop it. You're stronger than that Sakaki. I know you like cats and cute things but you're strong. You're a good leader and you have me and Yomi for council. Are you hearing me?"
Sakaki gave a slow nod, her eyes watery and wide.
"Good. I need you to hear me Sakaki. We wouldn't know what to do without you. We need you here. I need you here."
"Huh..?"
"You're a strong woman Sakaki. Thats why I like you. You do your best to protect everyone, I'll be doing my best to protect you."
Before Sakaki could piece all of that together, Kagura had kissed her full on the mouth. When she let go of Sakaki's face and backed away, Sakaki seemed sobered. She hugged Kagura tightly and held her hand, looking back out at the sea.
"Thanks Kagura. I-! Who's there!"
Everyone heard Sakaki's shout and looked over, fight or flight instincts in high gear. Luckily, it was only Hiro. Tohru felt something cold in her spine when he looked at her, but it went away when Kisa suddenly grabbed his attention. He, predictably ran to her side, questioned her a billion times whether or not she was ok and hugged her. Tohru smiled and turned to Hana, but she was giving the boy a strange look.
A strange and very angry look.
Somewhere around 5 o clock there were two screams.
The first scream was Chiyo's, calling about a boat. This drew Kisa and mostly everyone else toward the edge of the cliff, sure enough there was a little speedboat circling in close to the island. It had about 5 people on it.
Just before they tried to catch the attention of the boat, Hana screamed, trying to scramble to her feet.
"ARISA! Get in front of Tohru!"
A smoke bomb had been tossed, and then there was a temporary lull before a 3rd scream rang out, but this scream was not a warning or a sign of hope. This scream was the battle cry of one Minagawa Motoko. The first bullet roared like thunder and suddenly a lovely red rose bloomed on Arisa's chest. Tohru and Hana screamed, one in horror, one in anger. A second shot went off, Sakaki took a step back and grunted, her side grazed by the shot.
At the same time, Chiyo and Kisa had been behind her and her step back lost them their balance and sent them over the edge of the cliff. Hiro screeched like a wounded animal and jumped over the edge as well, following Kisa. By now, people were running. Kyo and Yuki had already lost sight of Tohru and some of the other girls.
Hana was on her feet, an angry woman that looked like an angry gothic goddess. Her hatred for Motoko had swelled into something ugly in the past few moments, when a third shot rang off, Momiji's scream was the trigger that made Hana let loose. Motoko sensed it the way thunder might roll before finally crashing and ran away screaming at the top of her lungs. Whatever the hell it was in her head was sticking with her. As she ran, they saw her clawing at her skull, and ripping at her hair.
When the smoke cleared the only people left in the space by the tree line were Hana, Kyo, and Yuki. Hana had finally calmed back down and was now holding Arisa's body, rocking gently with it.
"Uo-chan!" she sobbed. "Uo-chan don't die!
"I'll die sooner if you keep rocking me like that..." Arisa groaned in reply.
Kyo and Yuki got the bags wth the medical supplies in it for Hana and she began to dress the ugly wound that had missed her heart but probably broke ribs and punctured her lungs. Arisa took it like a man and eventually shoved Hana away.
"Go Hana... Go try to find Tohru, she needs these things more than I do."
"Don't be stupid Uotani." Kyo growled. "We can't just leave you alone here, and yet we cant carry you...Dammit!"
"Well... In an hour, the hospital zone will probably be free. One of you just..rrgh!...stay here with me then we'll meet everybody back there."
"I'll do it... Kyo, Yuki. I trust you two to be quicker on your feet than myself. Please find Tohru."
Kyo and Yuki only nodded then split away from each other to do an area wide search.
Tohru was no longer even in the C1 zone however. She had run with unheard of speed, urged by Momiji who was only trying to protect her. They had both collapsed in C2, Momiji with a hideous stomach wound that was bleeding furiously, and Tohru with her shoulder wound that was also bleeding again.
"Tohru..." Momiji called weakly, and sadly.
Tohru sat by him, holding him up so he could look at her, but not close enough so that she could make him change.
"Momiji... Please.."
"No Tohru... I'm not going to make it Even if we had been at the hospital.. I dont think you all could fix something like this."
Without warning he began to cry and Torhu couldn't control her own tears seeing how pitiful he looked.
"Momiji you have to hold on.. Think of Momo.. She'll never know.."
"I was thinking of Momo, Tohru.. I'll never get to play for her... I'll never get to play the violin on a big stage...just so she can see..."
"Momiji..."
She couldn't find words and began to sob, her head bowed as she held him.
"Don't cry Tohru...You're alive... You have a chance to make it. I could protect you this time... I just regret..that I wasn't able to protect you from Akito that day..."
"Don't think about that Momiji... Think of the happy things so you can have good dreams."
" Happy things huh...? Then Tohru... will you sing me the song..from that day..? 'm sorry..I dont think I can sing it with you this time...but you've got a good voice..."
He closed his eyes, but she could feel him breathing. He muttered that he hoped Kisa made it and that she deserved life.
For a moment she could not remember the song he requested and she cursed herself with words she would never use on others, but eventually it drifted back and she smiled, glad he wanted a memory like that to be the last thing to cross his mind. She took a deep breath to try and still herself and sang, breaking the silence in the woods around them.
"Yuhi you yamani
Teru-Teru Momiji
Kaeru yatokage ga
Kon'nichi wa
Koi no arai
Tabu no ko umani
Yuhi you yamani
Teru-Teru Momiji
Kaeru yatokage ga
Kon'nichi wa"
He smiled a little, and his eyelids fluttered. He parted his lips to say something, but it never came. He had died right there in her arms to the last stanza of the little song they had sung before in a much happier circumstance. Tohru howled miserably into his chest, noting that he didn't change and crying even more. It was done.
"You gave him a happy end, Honda-san."
Tohru turned with a look of anger, intending to kill the owner of the voice behind her in thinking it belonged to Akito, but it wasn't.
"..Kureno..san?"
Sure enough it was Kureno, standing there with that same sad and stoic look he always had, he knelt beside her, quietly staring at the corpse of Momiji.
"How'd you get here?"
"Well..." he began. "Someone came and got Rin, Ritsu, and I. They tried to get Shigure too I think, but he'd hard to catch. He was nowhere to be found."
"Rin and Ritsu...Where are they?"
"You know Rin, she wanted to strike off alone. Ritsu, he swung off into the trees somewhere. I heard you singing, so I followed it. I didn't think they were telling thr truth but...Momiji..."
"Kureno, you may have someone you need to give a happy end to as well...Arisa is here and she was shot."
Kureno gave her a horrified look and stood.
"Where? Please tell me where!"
"...Can we bury Momiji first..?"
"Of course...I just...want to see her.."
When they were halfway through the burial, Yuki found them. He covered his mouth and turned away at the sight of Momiji's body half covered in dirt, but he held it in and didn't throw up. Instead he became bent on giving the happier news.
"Arisa is ok.. for now. The bullet didn't hit her heart and I think as long as she doesn't do any heavy running or anything that would heighten the amount of air she needs, she'll be fine."
Tohru nodded and didn't say anything until the burial had been completed.
"What about Kisa, Hiro, and Chiyo..?"
"We wont know for another 30 minutes..."
"Kisa and Hi-!"
Kureno faltered in the middle of his words. He couldn't grasp the possibility of the two of them being dead so soon after Momiji.
Yuki didn't pity Kureno, he'd had it easy, and was not well loved by those who actually had to deal with the curse. He did wonder what they were doing there and as they made their way back to Arisa, he told them. Arisa was sleeping, so they didn't disturb her. They simply sat and waited.
On a beach in the A1 zone, 3 children were washed up on the shore. Only 1 of them was breathing.
Hiro sat over Kisa, crying and trying not to.
"I knew being around Tohru was bad for you Kisa...I wanted you to live, but at least.. At least you can die without that woman near you. You can die next to me.."
He walked down the shoreline until he found Kisa's bag. They had given her some automatic gun, knowing full well a girl like Kisa would never shoot it. Probably a good thing too, because it was a good gun with enough kick to make her drop it if she wasn't completely in control. He resumed his position beside her and kissed her then sat up and shot himself in the head.
As he fell forward and collided with Kisa's body, the last working part of his brain got sound stimuli, someone was sputtering. His reasoning center had been blown out and things were already shutting down, so he never pieced it together that the sputtering sound was Kisa coughing up water when his head collided with her chest. Nor did he ever get to piece it together that maybe just a little bit of CPR might've left them both living.
Too late now, he never even got to hear her scream.
Kisa assessed the situation coldly. Hiro was no longer in the game, but there was Chiyo to consider. She lay a little ways away, still and soaked with one of her pigtails let down and spread out in the sand. Kisa went to her quickly and breathed into her. Chiyo began to sputter and cough and eventually began breathing on her own again. For awhile the two girls sat, recovering and coughing up water. Kisa took the gun and gave it to Chiyo, and explained to Chiyo that she was the tiger of the zodiac and wouldn't need it.
They studied the maps, thankfully laminated and simply sat, waiting for the announcements with their hands gripping each others. They would stick together, no matter what.
Kyo had come across Sakaki and the others, and everyone was ready to go when the announcements came. Kagura was pale as a ghost and aiding Sakaki who was similarly pale, but holding up well. When they announcements came, Kureno was the one who held Arisa and Arisa didn't wake as they walked, but thankfully, she was breathing. He sincerely hoped she opened her eyes one more time before this was over.
"Well, it's certainly been an uneventful day, so we're shortening things to 3 days. Kill or die, little ones. Tomorrow will be your last lazy day. When day 3 rolls around, its kill or die. To spice things up a bit we even brought you some company. Introducing Rin Sohma, Ritsu Sohma, and Kureno Sohma. Now, lets get on with it.
The Death Toll:
Kagura Sohma, zone death at 6:30 am
Momiji Sohma, shot in the stomach and bled to death at 5:18 pm
Hiro Sohma, shot himself in the head at 5:43 pm
You Sohmas really aren't cutting it. Keep up the bad work.
The Danger Zones:
A 1
Column 4
Row D
Once again, that means all of Column four and all of Row D are Danger Zones. The night is young, and we will make one more Death Toll announcement at 10 pm."
Tohru looked out towards C2 and began to cry again.
"Do you hear that Momiji-kun? Kisa is ok... Kisa is alive..."
She followed the others back to the hospital where they kept watch over Arisa and worked on Sakaki. They were tired and didn't bother to set up a watch system. Hana slept under Tohru's orders, and Kureno sat by Arisa, holding her hand. Nothing disturbed the night. Not even Kisa and Chiyo's return that Tohru was hoping for. The girls never came and everything was disturbingly still.
But the night was still young indeed, and they would not be prepared for the fireworks to occur a little later on.
Amber: I feel...so dirty...
Saren: ...(tries not to laugh at Hiro)
Kitsune: Ambie what have you done!
Amber: Forgive me, please forgive me... Oh God.. I think I need to sit in the corner for a while.. (shivers) You have reaped what your own hands have sown. I spared Kisa, and Momiji paid the price.
Kitsune: (cries)
