Dear readers take care, this chapter and the next are heavy and quite sad. If you are easily upset consider not reading. Your selfcare and wellbeing are more important than a story.
monsters are:
Ganrougel- Giroro
Kurse- Keroro
Krueger- Kururu
Taiki- Tamama
Aldmora- Dororo
Molioke- Mois
"Wait you're going to what now?!" Taiki shouted as he bounced around the floor of the living room.
"Do you get like a super cool uniform and mecha?!" Kurse floated gleefully around his friend.
Ganrougel sat on the couch, his arms crossed over his chest. He growled, baring his fangs. "It was Natsumi's idea not mine."
"I think it's a good idea. You need to get out of the house more often and clear your head with something new." Aki munched on a chip, leaning back against the other couch.
"She's right. It could do you some good." Akina smiled kindly.
"You realize I'm not going to go around slapping them on the wrist and sending them on their way with a 'don't do it again'. You're all taking this too lightly." Ganrougel huffed.
"Who said you had to kill them though." Fuyuki added from his spot on the floor. He had been watching a tv show as the conversation unfolded behind him. "You didn't kill that guy yesterday and yet I'm sure he definitely got the message."
"Yeah, and everyone is different. You could take it case by case and see how it goes. There will probably be some moments when a kill is warranted sure, but we all believe you'll know when they just need to be straightened out. A lot of people aren't actually repeat offender types and only do horrible things once before the regret and guilt leads them to live much more upstanding lives." Aki explained. "Comics and Tv just like to play up the drama for villains."
"You all trust me to make that call?" Ganrougel looked to the floor thinking it over.
"Of course." Fuyuki smiled brightly.
Ganrougel allowed the support and trust they had in him to finally fill his heart. He felt a small smile on his face as he brightened up. Maybe if they all trust me so much… I can trust myself too. That moment against the bull, doesn't have to define me as an entirety. There are so many other moments and actions that they're all seeing; ones I forgot to consider.
Later in the night, Ganrougel stared at the moon. He rested over the grass just outside Koyuki's cabin in the woods. Aldmora sat next to him with his legs crossed, meditating over Ganrougel's declaration.
"I thought you had given it all up with the time you spent with Natsumi and the Hinata's." Aldmora stated.
"I wanted to actually, after I got my revenge on the bull." Ganrougel sighed. "But with everything they all did for me… I want to do something worthy with my life. I have all this time now to actually help people instead of just running in a blind rage."
"Aldmora! The tea's ready." Koyuki shouted out to them from her window.
"Koyuki, Natsumi says hi and she misses you." Ganrougel spoke up before he forgot.
Koyuki smiled brighter as she shed a few tears. "Thank you, it's good to know she's alright."
Aldmora chuckled softly, waving to Koyuki to let her know he would be back in soon. After she left the window he whispered. "I was thinking… maybe I should do the same too. I like the idea to use our supernatural skills to help, especially now that we met these friends who let us leave our old lives behind. I feel like a whole new person with Koyuki and I want to make up for all the innocent people I've wronged. Let me help you."
"How?" Ganrougel sat up, looking to his friend properly. "Can you even fight?"
"Koyuki's been teaching me some things but mostly I've been practicing opening my dimension." Aldmora pulled a small blade from behind him. The metal had an unusual edge. It glimmered like..
"That crystal? Is that made from the crystal you talked about? The one they used to control you?!" Ganrougel looked at the blade with surprised and angry eyes.
"Yes. I asked Krueger to make it many months ago and I've secretly been using it. Koyuki caught me shortly after but wanted to help as long as I promised not to hurt myself too much." Aldmora stared at the blade before returning it to it's sheath with a sigh. "I didn't want to say anything until I figured a way to help the innocents left inside. If I can use it as a prison for the unforgivable you come up against I'll feel better. If we can trap them, there will be less you have to actually kill."
Ganrougel smirked. "I'd appreciate that. Alright let's work together."
A week had passed as Ganrougel and Aldmora patrolled streets. Designing their tactics to use their skills and intimidation to get the best outcome. Often they would have to chase people after they had done their dark deeds. They held strong tho for the moments they actually stopped an act before someone was hurt.
After each hunt, Ganrougel would sit beside the crystal. He had waited until he knew he had enough energy for a proper conversation before he would try to talk to Natsumi again. Over the week he was losing motivation to really do so as he started noticing a small and painfully disheartening fact. Though Natsumi still showed signs of maturing inside the crystal over the year, her stomach had not. There wasn't even the faintest of that happy bump. The sign of a new developing life.
Ganrougel took a staggering breath before focusing. It didn't take any effort before the beeping machines faded out and Natsumi's muttering could be heard. He opened his eyes to see her standing and facing away from him. He forced a small smile hoping she wouldn't notice his worry. "Hey."
"Oh you're back." Natsumi turned to face him. A bright smile gracing her face and warming his heart. "You looked like you had passed out last time. Probably took you forever to get enough energy back huh?"
Ganrougel chuckled remembering how he had ended the last conversation. "Yeah. Sorry about that. How was your week?"
"Just the same wandering over here. Maybe ten feet that way. Sometimes I'll try to sit right in the very middle. It's a limited space." Natsumi advertised with her signature soft sarcasm. Slowly her smile waned. "I was thinking. You said you took care of the bull and all and everyone has returned to more or less normal lives."
"Yes." Ganrougel assured.
"I had it in my hands when I cast the spell with the crystal and I remember Krueger saying something about Molioke being able to help. Did she try or say anything about… about the baby?" Natsumi stared at the ground beneath her. "It's been a lot easier to just talk about other things but I can't stop thinking about it."
Ganrougel's heart stilled. "I can't either. Molioke was here for months after we brought you home. I was told she worked hard to return the baby to where it belongs and they all seem so confident that she was successful."
Natsumi held a staggered breath. "But you don't."
"I want to." Ganrougel answered. His voice giving way to the heavy worry and fear. "I want to have hope like them but I spent all this time doubting I even had the right to have you and the baby back. That it was because of me you were even in this position. There's also the fact that… out there we can see you changing slightly. Longer hair, taller frame… but the baby hasn't grown. You've been in here a year and yet there isn't any sign that you're still pregnant."
Natsumi covered her face as she fell to her knees. She choked on her next words as tears burned her eyes. "I knew it. I couldn't feel anything."
Her body shivered under the weight of her sorrow. She felt warm arms wrap tight around her. Desperate for the sudden comfort, she returned the hug and pulled Ganrougel closer; her face buried in his chest. Even through her own sobs she could feel and hear him crying with her.
Ganrougel still didn't want to accept the loss but the sensation of finally allowing himself to cry for it, to let go instead of balancing between hope and despair, it was welcome. Almost cleansing to give in and hold Natsumi again, to pour his heart to her. In the very back of his mind he knew that even though they would feel empty for a while with the baby gone, he still had Natsumi.
"Oh my!" Akina and Fuyuki entered the basement to find Ganrougel trapped in the crystal, holding Natsumi tight in his arms as they appeared to be mourning.
"Grandma what do we do?! Can we get him out?" Fuyuki panicked as he wrung his fingers in his hair trying to think of how to help.
"I-I don't know -ah!" Akina gasped as the crystal glowed brighter. She and Fuyuki watched in startled fascination as the gem glimmered and faded around the couple, their prison falling away. "Fuyuki go get your mother."
"Right." Fuyuki didn't hesitate to exit and acquire help though he may have nearly fallen off the ladder in his haste.
Ganrougel took a deep breath before shuddering a sigh. He looked down in his arms to find Natsumi unconscious. Tears still damp on her cheeks. He placed a kiss to her head before placing an arm under her back and knees and lifting her to his chest as he stood. "I'm taking her to a hospital."
"Of course." Akina stepped to the side, giving room for him to leave. She glanced back to where the crystal once stood, frowning at the small pool of blood.
Ganrougel swiftly leapt up to the main floor, holding Natsumi tight to him and careful not to hit her on anything. He stepped into the living room to find Aki and Fuyuki quickly approaching. Kurse and Taiki peered over from the couch at the excitement.
"Natsumi?" Aki was crying in joy to see her daughter again.
"Aki. Get the car." Ganrougel's tone was soft but his eyes burnt with stern severity.
Aki didn't wait for anything more to be said and ran out to start the car. Ganrougel followed her leaving everyone behind in an air of concern. Fuyuki dialed his phone preparing to make a call to everyone and update them.
The drive to the hospital was short owing to Aki's old reputation as a skilled road racer in her youth. She hadn't asked anything the entire ride and stayed silent yet as they entered the building and checked Natsumi in. Ganrougel almost hesitated to hand her over to the nurses but did so.
One nurse remained asking Aki questions about Natsumi's conditions and anything they should be aware of. Aki started to explain the baby, trying to remember and explain the dates in a way that sounded normal.
Ganrougel watched Natsumi as she was taken away. "She… She may have miscarried."
The nurse and Aki both froze at the word. The nurse swallowed hard before nodding and heading to update the doctor on call. Aki stared at Ganrougel and only then spotting the blood on his shirt. She covered her mouth choking down the sobs. "Oh my- I'm so sorry."
Ganrougel stood still as if he hadn't heard her. It was when Aki had gently guided him to a seat that it started to hurt again. Now that he had done what he could and brought Natsumi to professionals, he was left only to worry about her. He didn't know how long he had been silently weeping into his hands before a man sat next to him and patted his back. Ganrougel glanced up to see his brother.
"Aki told us what happened. Everyone's here too." Garuru spoke.
Ganrougel dared a glance around and sure enough everyone had arrived. Standing or sitting in their own bubbles wearing faces of fear and sadness. Kurse and Taiki even showed up and found a corner to hide from other patients and staff. Krueger was the only one missing. Ganrougel would catch one or two peek at him, sorry for him just as much as Natsumi. Aki, Akina, and Pururu stood by the nurses desk waiting to hear the next update.
"What happens next? What should I wait for?" Ganrougel asked in a strained whisper.
Garuru was silent a moment. "When I sat here waiting for Pururu… It all just kind of blurred together. Wanting to know what they're doing, if she would be alright, when I could see her. When I did finally see her again after many hours, I felt stable again. It might sound harsh but baby or not I needed her. We slowly talked with the doctors about what had happened, what could have also happened to her because of it, and everything that was still at risk to happen. I can't say for sure what will happen specifically, especially for your particular case, but she is still young and strong. The doctors here did a very good job of helping Pururu. I know they will take just as good care of Natsumi.
In your spot I felt stiff, useless. Anything anyone did to try to comfort or help felt numb at the time. I guess that's more because there really isn't anything that can be done to help. If you're looking for what you can do next, it's sit and painfully wait. I will sit here and painfully wait with you though." Garuru grabbed his brother's hand and gripped it tight.
Ganrougel squeezed back. He was more than grateful to have him at his side and regretted once again that he hadn't been there for him. "Thank you."