R & R longer note at the end

The four members of the elite team walked through the halls to the training arena, their skirts fluttered in the slight breeze as they walked through the wooden gate still feeling hesitant Yomi locked the gate behind them before following her friends. She watched as the two combatants walked to the starting position, she couldn't ignore the weight forming in the pit of her stomach the feeling something was going to happen that could never be changed.

"We'll treat this with the same rules as training" Haruka said as she stood between the two "No killing, no time limit, the only way to win is to make your opponent give up or unable to continue. Winner becomes the leader of the elite class". Mirai nodded as Haruka's eyes looked towards Hikage who shrugged she hadn't fully understood the reason for the sudden challenge, she had never wanted the leaders position knowing who she was it would be worthless for someone who had no emotions to take on something so important.

"Do we really need to do this?" Yomi spoke up as she sighed "We're all friends, this isn't the time to be fighting among ourselves". Haruka looked to Yomi seeing the sadness in her eyes, the older girl couldn't deny she had felt the same way but maybe this was what they needed, the anger they must each feel from their former leader's betrayal would spill over one day.

"You wouldn't understand" Mirai said as she looked to Yomi who looked a little taken aback "You're not looked down, not treated as the weak link. Hikage the emotionless looks to you as an equal, you all do but me you look as a child because I'm the youngest. This is my chance to prove my worth, to prove that I belong and the best way to be looked at as an equal is to take the top spot of this group. Can we start please?"

"Contestants ready" Haruka spoke up before Yomi could respond, with a small sigh she walked away hoping the growing unease she felt was misplaced, Hikage removed her black handled knives she used training, along the blade where small notches where she could extend the blade at will. Mirai slowly swung her umbrella into her hands as she prepared for the fight ahead, she knew if she could keep the girl at a distance she had the advantage but even she knew when facing the green haired girl in front of her, that was easier said than done.

"Good luck to you both" Haruka said as she raised her hand "Begin!"

XXX

As Haruka stepped back the two girls locked eyes neither one making a move, they had trained many times knowing each other just as much as they knew themselves, the first to flinch would be the one at the disadvantage. Taking the chance Mirai clenched her umbrella a little tighter as her thumb reached the small concealed button, Hikage continued to watch she had seen the younger girl's slow hand movement knowing what was to come.

"Take this" Mirai called out as her small frame jumped back the umbrella flicked up as she opened fire with the concealed gun inside, purple orbs flew from the small opening at the tip of the weapon as they flew at her opponent. Hikage waited a moment before making her move, Haruka and Yomi watched on they had always found the green haired girl's movements bizarre as if all of her bones had suddenly disappeared as she moved snake like dodging attacks thrown at her while closing the distance.

"You should know better" Hikage said as she got closer, Mirai glared as she clenched her teeth in frustration as she fired off more shots in a sweeping arch to distract her opponent attempting to put some distance between them. Hikage continued to dodge as she kept her target in sight, she remembered a training session the two had competed in that time it was instructor Suzune who had acted as referee that time, after the two had finished they had been lectured.

She had told Mirai to focus on keeping her emotions in check something Hikage hadn't fully understood but now she could see what the instructor had been aiming at, as she continued to frustrate the younger girl she noticed her shots had become sloppy. Hikage wondered if Mirai had even listened that day or was this perhaps a deliberate attempt to throw her off in some way?

Mirai smirked a little as she continued to fire off in random directions, she could see her plan was working she had always known close range was her biggest downfall but after numerous training sessions and private conversations with Homura. As soon as the image of the tanned shinobi she had looked up to came to mind she suddenly felt sick, that traitor had helped her with her fighting even taught her how to deal with close range fighting but now she had left her, abandoned her and turned renegade.

"Look where your stepping idiot!" The young girl was snapped out of her thoughts as the shout of her opponent rang in her ears, she looked down at her feet as her eyes widened in shock and fear, she had lost her footing seeing the pin of the land mine at her feet. She looked up as tears began to form in her eyes, Yomi and Haruka started to run toward her but even she knew it was too late this was how her time at Hebijo would end.

"I-I'm sorry" Mirai whispered as she closed her eyes, suddenly the air was knocked out of her as her eyes shot open feeling a warm feeling around her small waist, the last thing she saw was the green haired emotionless girl tackling her as light consumed them both.

"You were the most valuable of us all" was the last words she heard as the green haired girl for the first time since they had met showed an emotion, one of sadness as the shorter girl slowly smiled the explosion rang out throughout the grounds, the force of the blast sent Yomi and Haruka flying backwards as they called out to their friends, their team mates.

XXX

"Instructor Suzune said they felt no pain" Yomi said as she wiped the tears forming in her eyes as she looked at Homura still shaking on the floor "The explosion killed them instantly". Homura felt the warmth of her own tears rolling down her cheeks, her body and mind where numb as Yomi's story flooded her mind. She hadn't meant for any of this, she wanted nothing more than to turn back the clock to when they were all together, the time they had spent in that club room was some of the happiest moments of her life.

"You don't deserve to cry" Haruka said her voice shaking as she tried to contain her own sadness "If you hadn't been so selfish then they would still be here, you did this and now Homura you will pay for their lives with your own". The girl continued to stay on her knee's unmoving, she wasn't convinced she could move her body felt like it was being crushed by a metal weight.

"Goodbye" Yomi's came as she raised her sword high "Homura".

It's not easy killing characters off which is why I don't really do it but with this it was required, Haruka and Yomi hating Homura just for her going renegade didn't feel like a valid reason to me so I had to give them a reason and this was it. For those who have played Burst Re:newal then this will make a little more sense but let me explain why it was Hikage that tried to save Mirai first, in Burst Re:newal there was a moment when Mirai ran away feeling she would be kicked out of the elite and Hikage was the one who found her and convinced her to return so that's why it made sense for me to have it be this way rather than Yomi or Haruka being the one's to die instead