Kofuku and Daikoku run about trying to get all the hot water and towels to clean the two wounded gods up. Yato hadn't thought his wounds still so grievous after his father had allegedly healed him. The new flesh was bleeding in several small places. Take was obviously still much worse off, without any flesh binding his open wound. Saiun had warded off the worst at least, and they staunched the bleeding. But he was in no condition to fight any further.
"What the hell's going on out there?!" Daikoku wipes the sweat off his brow as he takes a breather, sitting down between Yato and Take.
"A battle between all of Heaven's forces and that god of disaster commenced… and we were instantly unprepared," Kiun says with dripping disappointment.
"Haa? What the hell is Heaven doing? All their guns against one god and they can't even-?!" Daikoku sighs irritably and runs a hand through his hair, "Well what the hell do we do? Just a few moments ago, I felt a weird tug and so did Kofuku. What does the guy want?"
"When we were assembled by Heaven, we were only told this man is trying to split the shore, Far and Near. Now I am beginning to fully comprehend Heaven's urgency… The anchor of the gods will be no more," Kiun's eyes narrow and he bites his lower lip, "All the souls that normally cross will no longer find their way across. We ourselves could cease to be, as well as the gods."
Kofuku stiffens at the notion, "W-what? But why would anyone want such a thing..."
"Is it the damned sorcerer..." Daikoku growls.
"...Yato's dad..." Yukine speaks up from the corner where he had been sitting quietly, "He had a hand in it..."
"Tsk... Well what can we do?"
"Heaven is low on forces after the fight with Bishamon. I suppose you wouldn't be the keenest on joining the fray?" The goddess of poverty and Daikoku look down a bit hesitantly at Kiun's query.
"... He's using... Hiyori..." Yukine murmurs quietly.
"What? That girl usually seen by Yatogami?" Kiun looks to the hafuri with scrutiny, "But what do you mean? She was a shinki?"
"No, he... I don't know, but that's... that's what Yato said..." Yukine's troubled eyes clench shut, "Dammit! If we fight him... then we'd be hurting her!"
"Is that why Hiyorin's body is like that right now..." Kofuku murmurs a bit fearfully, "That's just... that's just too mean!"
Daikoku rubs her shoulders soothingly as she tries not to cry. There is a grunt as Yato sits up from the futon he'd been lain on.
"You look like hell. Lie back down," Daikoku says tersely, throwing a look at the delivery god.
"...I need to go see Hiyori..." The delivery god slouches lethargically as he goes to get out of the covers, ignoring his freshly bandaged wounds.
"Yatty!" Kofuku looks to him with angry, teary eyes, "You're going to die if you push yourself!"
"Hiyori will die if I don't do something!" He barks. The goddess flinches from his loud voice and meekly wails into Daikoku's apron.
"We must stay here with our lord," Kiun looks to Yato firmly, "Are you going to avenge our losses?"
"... I'm gonna do what I can..."
"Yato, you're seriously gonna go up against him..." Yukine trails off, gritting his teeth in silence, "How are we gonna win...? Normally, you'd need a few days to even recover from this… and you're going in injured?!"
Yato says nothing. The sheer effort required to sit up right now was infuriating. It was as helpless as he'd felt in a while, from when he thought Hiyori would never wake up again after Rabo had slashed her memories. Everyone was speaking a lot of sense, but what the hell did any of it matter when it just meant he can't do a damn thing?!
Angrily, he punches the wooden floor beside him. There is a loud bam. The impact split his knuckles, but he didn't care. All conscious eyes were on him.
In a low voice, he repeats himself, "… I just gotta go see Hiyori…"
Daikoku picked up the slightest quaver. He can't see the delivery god's eyes. His hand still comforting Kofuku, the man gives a derisive scoff.
"You made Kami-san cry already. So let yourself out."
"D-Daikoku…!"
Yato gathers his balance, or what he could of it, and barely manages to stumble on his feet before falling flat on his face. It took all he had not to scream out, cursing his helplessness. He bites hard and feels his lip bleed.
After a few awkward moments, Yukine shuffles to go and help Yato up, hauling the other's arm over his shoulder.
"S-sorry about this… Daikoku…" The boy barely manages to keep his voice steady as he and Yato head for the door, faced away from the others, "W-we'll see Hiyori and… come up with something… maybe…"
The door is heard shutting as the two leave. Daikoku grinds his teeth in disgust. Kofuku merely sniffles, pressed to his chest. Kiun and the rest of Take's entourage share bemused glances.
"Daikokuuu… you were… too mean…" The pink haired goddess mutters.
"… Serves him right… running off to die like that…"
"I'm sure … Yatty's really hurting…" Kofuku hiccups.
…
Outside, the night sky was no longer simply dark. A hazy magenta light overtook the cloth of night, seemingly emanating from the eclipse overhead. Humans were marveling at the spectacle, ignorant of the clash overhead. The groaning of the chains strain is unheard by the mortals. For a moment, when Fudou slashed the sky, the light which illuminated the moon dimmed and flickered, but it was nigh imperceivable to the humans.
Yato leans on Yukine heavily as the two make their way towards the hospital. The god heaves as the flesh is slow to fully integrate and heal.
"… Yukine…"
"… You should save your breath… dumbass…"
"…Sorry… for being such a … crappy master…"
Yukine almost drops him in surprise. Yato was usually always so confident and loved to praise himself. To hear him saying that about himself… It hurt even the shinki a bit.
"… Yato, you…" Yukine's tongue stumbles a bit as they walk, "You're so… stupid…"
There is the sound of clashing above. The boy tunes it out as he tries to put his thoughts together.
"Y-you saw Take… he couldn't do any better… you're not… the worst…"
It dawned on him a little now. He'd been scared the whole time for Yato because, as his guidepost, he won't let him die. So he wanted to keep him from fighting Fudou. Seeing their powers matched like that… it scared him. He wants for nothing more than Yato to sit this out.
But the delivery god didn't care for that. All he wants is to save Hiyori no matter what. What was it Kazuma told him again? Well, that bastard has told him a lot of things, honestly. It would be a pain to remember them all. But he did remember what things Kazuma had done for Bishamon. Many a horrible thing, and he never had guilt for it. As long as it was keeping her safe, he wouldn't even tell her either. And Yukine had found that … mildly disturbing.
He can't… he isn't Kazuma. There's no advising someone like Yato. "Protecting" him, keeping him sidelined? He never listens. So, as his blessed regalia…
"Yato… We'll find a way right… We'll definitely… find a way together… to save Hiyori."
He'll support him. All the way. He'll watch his back in battle and keep him from dying.
The boy's words seemed to surprise the god. His eyes widen a bit. Yukine feels a slight tremble in his body. Yato says nothing. It takes the boy a few minutes to figure out that his face was wet. By then, they reached the front of the hospital.
…
"Code blue in room 247!"
There is a flurry of activity as the nurses and doctors run for Hiyori's room. The front of her robe is pulled off and they promptly attach the marking pads on her chest and abdomen. One doctor, her father's associate, quickly flicks the switch to collapse the bed flat before immediately placing his hands on the center of her chest and starting vigorous compressions. The monitor on the side is making the high pitched whine of death. Asystole.
A nurse at his side starts bagging Hiyori, manually squeezing the oxygen supply into her lungs. The family stands outside the room, just by the door, dazed and horrified as they look on.
"Charging… clear!"
At the touch of the paddles, Hiyori's body jerks. It is not a dramatic flop like in the cinema, more like a twitch as the current runs through her body.
"Still in v-fib!"
"Damn! Charge it again! 300 joules!" The doctor resumes compressing Hiyori's chest, hoping to maintain fibrillation at least.
Once it is charged again, they administer the second shock. Again, another twitch from the pale girl's body. There is a moment of unbearable silence, and then a nurse gives a slight sigh of relief. The machine gives a beep, and then another. The line is no longer flat on the screen.
"We have a pulse. She's back."
Masaomi had been unknowingly holding his breath the whole time. He and his parents nearly collapse in relief when the doctor comes out to tell them Hiyori had regained a pulse. His head was dizzy and he holds to the wall for support.
"But she hasn't shown any sign of consciousness. We will be moving her to the assisted breathing machines."
His parents nod grimly. There was no explanation for Hiyori's condition physically. Masaomi can only think of those things outside, crawling around, as well as that sense of impending dread. The only ones who might be able to answer his questions… are Yato and Yukine.
Speaking of the devil, those two limp up to Hiyori's room a few moments after her cardiac arrest. The blonde boy looks in slight confusion to the new machines set up around her. She now has an endotracheal tube in her mouth. Whatever her pallor was in the last hour, she looks ten times closer to a corpse.
"Hi… Hiyori…" Yukine's voice catches in his throat over the hiss of the machine.
"… You guys…" Masaomi says in a low voice, "What's happening to her…?"
Yato's eyes are downcast, hidden under his bangs, "Her soul's being twisted by the ayakashi part… The cord is severing."
"Does it have anything to do with those weird things out there? And that light in the sky?"
"Yeah," Yato stumbles a little as he relinquishes his grip of Yukine and totters to Hiyori's bedside, his gait improving a little, "The light… that's where she is. And we need to get to her…"
He espies that necklace on her. Gingerly, he takes the small piece of metal to his hand. Suddenly, he heard her. It was a soft voice. And it was calling his name. A thin thread, not even a cord, still linked her. She's still there.
"… That's the necklace granny told her to wear…" Masaomi murmurs.
"… She's a smart woman. It's a tethering charm…" Yato sighs, "Otherwise, she'd be… in a much worse shape probably…"
Masaomi takes out a 5 yen coin and looks with slight desperation to the delivery god, "If I… I can make a request of you right?"
"… To save Hiyori?"
"Yeah…"
"I'm not gonna do it because you asked…" Yato coughs slightly and stands, slightly wobbly, "I want her back just as much as you."
"Yato," Yukine says grimly, "We need a strategy against Fudou. Otherwise we're just asking to be killed…"
"Yeah I know… Heaven probably is understaffed. And Fudou's shinki ain't sleepers either. With that … new sword of his, it felt like he was cutting through everything easily…"
"Could it be that dual nature again? I couldn't… reach in that weapon's barrier at all!" Yukine puts a pensive hand to his chin, "It didn't feel like Kazuma or Kiun's. No matter how much I focused to try and grab it, it felt like I was trying to catch water."
"Uh… I-I'm not sure exactly what you guys are talking about but… my two cents? Humans would say to just fight fire with fire," Masaomi scratches his head, "… If that's possible."
"You mean like find another person like Hiyori? Who do we even…"
The idea comes to both Yukine and Yato at the same time.
"Tesso…!"
Before Masaomi can ask, the two quickly say good bye and half limp and run out of the hospital. He looks with exasperation to Hiyori's still form in bed.
"… Good luck you two…" He mumbles.
…
Yato and Yukine swiftly made their way to Tenjin. The old god had been standing in his tranquil yard. The clash overhead fazes him little. Tsuyu stands at his side, watching with an impassive face, but worry underneath. The rest of his shinki had been watching the eclipse as well, but now a pallor of fear has come over.
"Tenjin!"
The delivery god's voice breaks the calm and the god of knowledge gives a sigh of annoyance.
"What is it?" The old man looks to the two approaching irritably, "We're trying to enjoy a quiet night here…"
"We gotta get to Heaven. To Tesso…"
"…I must be getting on in years truly now…"
There is a rumble around the atmosphere above the shrine area. It sounds rather dangerous. Tsuyu looks worriedly to Tenjin's inscrutable face. She knew he was mad. The last few days had been wearing on his nerves. This was just building on. His voice was low and that was a bad sign.
"… But did you just come to me, to make such an absurd request?!"
Lightning crackles and comes down with fury. One single bolt singes the ground between the gods. Yato does not back down, but he does flinch slightly. Yukine cringes at the earsplitting crack that follows. Tenjin's face slowly turns livid, and almost frightening, even more than when Daikokuten showed his true colors.
"… They're fighting right now… and Tesso is my only shot of beating Fudou…" Yato grinds his teeth slightly, "Hiyori-"
"I warned you both, Yato… I told you to cut your ties!" The knowledge god's whiskers almost turn upward, "I won't stand to let you continue your foolishness any further…!"
"You threw your hat in the ring for us during the covenant against Heaven! How is this any different?" Yato tries to keep his voice below a shouting match.
"… I did that for you, yes," Tenjin grimaces slightly at the memory of Tsuyu's head being scattered into plum blossoms, "I wagered my own guidepost…"
"I'm not asking you to stick your neck out as far this time! Just gimme the heavenly robes so I can go up there! No one has to know!" Yato pleads, "Otherwise, what other shot do we have? We're all gonna be purged from this world once the rensa are cleaved…!"
"… No," The old man's voice quivered almost in something like a mix of fury and helplessness in his tone. The lightning storm subsides, but his face remains sternly looking at the two, "Now please leave."
Yato grits his teeth. The night wasn't going to last forever. But he wasn't getting anywhere with him. With a brisk motion, he turns to leave, "C'mon, Yukine… Sorry for bothering you, old man."
Tsuyu and several of the knowledge god's shinki look on from the averted crisis just now as the delivery god leaves. The plum spirit looks to the old man's face. The two of them have mirroring pained expressions. Their kindred emotions reflected; one of desperation, and the other of understanding.
"… I'm sorry, Tsuyu…" Tenjin says in a low voice, empty of the former ire, "I could not… risk you… or the others again this time…"
"… I know dear…" Tsuyu gently caresses his worn face with a hand, "You wanted to help…"
…
In the sky, as the delivery god and Yukine walked dejectedly out of Tenjin's property, they saw the white shrouds contrasting with the night. Some were torn and flapping like wounded wings. The ones being worn were descending onto a familiar goddess of war's property in the city. Heaven's messengers were coming down amid the backdrop of the conflict.
"Eh…? What's th- Why would they be…" Yukine starts. Then Yato half-sprints ahead, "W- Yato?!"
"C'mon, sekki!"
The boy jumps to him, quickly changing into blade form. As the god makes for faster pace towards the site of the gathering of the shrouds, holding his sword warily. Yukine winces, feeling Yato's pain.
"Yato, slow down… your wounds…!"
"I'm fine!" Yato pants slightly, "Heaven must be really needing some soldiers if they're coming to Bishamon so soon after they nearly killed her…!"
"What, are we going to have them take us up?"
"They'll probably just draft us really… But we just need to get to heaven, right? So let's go! I'm sure they'll make an exception for us too!"
Yukine hoped fervently that Yato was right and this plan would work. Otherwise, they were just asking to be hunted and struck down. And they would never see Hiyori again.
Or… would they all end up in the same place by the end of this?
…
The girl with the flower and the boy with the straw hat did not speak. They had no need to. Their loneliness more than connected them in the frozen lands of the north. Under the clear night, the stars descended from the sky and lay down in a glittering array across the snow. The moon was radiant, but the boy with no name simply stared on the terra rather than to the beautiful celestia above.
He broke the silence first, reluctantly. The ayakashi had left, but they always returned, seemingly drawn to the tree which sheltered the two. All he said was an echo of her name.
"Fuyutsubaki…"
"Like you have no name, I have no fragrance."
And indeed, the tree, which grew beautiful flowers like that of blood, could not be smelt.