Write date: 09-07 ; 09-17
I'm reaching 100k with this update! Now if only this creation would be worth that much words, and that much time... It's been more than a year since I started writing it. Anyway, hope you enjoy this huge flashback.
And here's the most unneeded part, a list of inspiration for this chapter. This is more for myself than anyone:
The Kindred- sinner pt. 2
Clint Mansell - Lux Aeterna
Thrice - the dark
-X-X-X-
- more than a year ago-
The whole village stood clear, as the officials from Septimal Moon gazed from a higher view. The mountain revealed the little houses and trees down below, exposed the peaceful life. To maintain that everlasting calmness, that's why they came there.
Ritsu motioned his head, to his comrades, as they began the trek down the mountain through the narrow stone steps, that led the way to the village. The numerous pebbles and fallen leaves crunched beneath their feet. That was probably the only sound of the misty and cold evening.
Takehito soon sped up his pace. In the process he nearly stumbled and fell down, due to the sharp tree branches blocking his way. Regardless he detoured through other units, all the way to the front and right behind Ritsu. Finally the dark-haired man let out a breath, setting his hands in the pockets again.
"I still can't believe this is happening..."
"Hmm..." Ritsu only mused, narrowing his eyes to concentrate on the shallow and twisting path ahead. It was hard to see with the minimal radiance of a few flash lights.
"Who could've thought that Hinazuki's would snap like that, writing a petition against you, then attacking the school?" Takehito shook his head as if not believing his own words. Even though they had clear evidence - a burnt wall and cracked windows from the explosion - he couldn't admit it was the truth. His mind thought it to be a wild fantasy at best.
Ritsu nodded tiredly in response, before giving his companion a burning side-glance.
"No one. And it's not our fault, we did nothing wrong to deserve this..."
"Yes, I get that. But I don't understand how they're not tired of this foolishness yet..."
"It doesn't matter. Either way we can't let this slide so easily, we have to take measures." Ritsu hissed, clenching his hands into tight fists. Meanwhile Takehito evaded another tree branch, before he gently tapped the silverette's shoulder from the back.
In all honesty, Ritsu wished to compose his thoughts in silence, maybe go over the planned speech in his head one more time, but not be bothered with his companion's nonsense. In so the irritated answer wrecked the quiet.
"What do you want?"
Ritsu then heard a rummaging of what could be only guessed as candy wrappers. Of course, what else would Takehito carry around.
The dark-haired man extended his arm filled with various chocolate bars toward Ritsu. When the other made no attempt to take the pile of offering sweets, Takehito grabbed him by the right arm persistently.
"Would you stop that?" The headmaster finally snapped back, arching his hand away and eventually pausing in his steps.
"Oh, come on... I know your stressed and all, but you don't have to be so down in the dumps. just take it. Don't tell me, that you despise chocolate."
"Not the time, Takehito." Ritsu snarled back quickly, before his eyes jumped from either sides of his companion. He scarcely spotted the rest of his crew catching up to them." You're holding the line, get moving. I want to get there before sunrise."
The silver-haired man heaved out after his utterance, while he watched his own breath leave the body and scatter away.
He knew, that they didn't had any time to waste. Every minute was precious, because they had no knowledge of what the Hinazukis had up their sleeve. What if they already organised a second attack? He could never know, especially with their ill-tempered mood and logic questioning decisions. Ritsu wanted to protect Septimal Moon at any cost. Even if it meant, humiliating himself to the point, of going to sign a peace treaty with Hinazukis.
"Rude..." Takehito whined out a few seconds later.
"Stop walking so close to me."The silver-haired male remarked coldly, before he felt himself being violently pulled back by the shoulder. He glowered at Takehito's poorly visible form and the latter leaned toward him, whispering suddenly.
"Ritsu, don't you see what's in front?" The silverette gave a glimpse, noticing the mingling gloom down the mountain. He shook his head.
Regardless Ritsu was eager to get going, who cared if he didn't saw a few meters ahead. Although Takehito still held him in place.
"No wonder you wear glasses. That's a wall, right up ahead. We won't cross it. It wouldn't be wise to break it either."
"So what are you suggesting?" Ritsu cocked an eyebrow in the meantime. He wasn't in the mood to wander around a town just to seek for a way in. He was desperate. Hell, Hinazuki's knew, that they were coming, so why not put down the obstacle. It would mark the peace treaty perfectly, yes, this creative affair would be remembered for ages to come.
"We're going around." Takehito suggested lightheartedly as if the matter had been nothing more than the weather. He rose his palm, signaling for the twelve people behind them to slow down. Once they did, Takehito took the lead into the uncut grass and wildly grown bushes away from the stone steps. He giggled all of a sudden, knowing that Ritsu strode after him.
"Face it Minami, my eyesight is better."
X X X
After a few good minutes the group finally arrived at the huge metal gates, that reached nearly to the skies. The six units along with Takehito and Ritsu were immediately met with attention, as the old aged officials from the Hinazuki family greeted them with a slight bow. They were dressed in red loose robes. So they stood out with the shown superiority and brought a sour atmosphere to members of Septimal Moon.
"You're Minami Ritsu?" One elder asked with a gruff voice. He then pointing to Takehito, since he was the one leading the group.
"Ah... N-no. That's him." Takehito nearly stammered out form the unwanted surprise, allowing the headmaster to step forward. Ritsu held the piercing eye contact of the senior Hinazuki, before the latter motioned his hand to the right. The senile man motioned his head slowly.
"Come along. You'll talk privately."
"What? No way!" Takehito shouted. He suddenly gave a peek at the accompanying units. They stood there, illuminated by the high torches."We came here all this way, besides..."
"Kunugi-sensei..." A purple-haired girl tapped the dark-haired man's shoulder from the back to calm him down.
Takehito tched at the red dressed senior, while the old bearded man smiled kindly at them. Alas Takehito didn't trust those guys for a second. The dark-haired man knew, he could help Ritsu talk the Hinazuki's through. Going alone in there would be suicidal. One person won't win this court, the more voices the better.
"Wait just a minute, grandpa..."
"That's enough..." Ritsu scolded, turning on his heel at Takehito, once he heard the mocking. The headmaster gently lifted his glasses, as the humiliation rapidly climbed up his throat. God, if only he could duck tape Takehito's mouth. No, better throw him in the river...
The silverette exhaled soon, trying to calm himself, to shut off his emotions from seeping out. For some reason Ritsu couldn't. He was plagued with anxiety and doubt and there was no escape from it. He suddenly addressed the purple-haired girl.
"Mayu-chan, keep an eye on Kunugi-san, see that he wouldn't wander off, where he shouldn't..."
"On it, sensei!" Mayu saluted, with sparkling eyes. While Ritsu disappeared from the torches radiance, into the depths of the village. The headmaster left his comrades with the senile crowd, who seemed obviously disinterested in a conversation. Takehito snarled again, once the Hinazuki's quietly cleared of one by one, walking in their slow ghostly steps back to their homes.
"I'm following Minami..."
"Wait, Kunugi-sensei!" Mayu's fighter - a boy named Hisoka exclaimed." Ritsu-sensei, said that we should..."
And the red-haired teenager was cut off, as Takehito marched off by himself. Hisoka's cat ears fell flat on his head and the boy shook his head.
"My gut is telling me, that this will be a disaster..."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Mayu overlooked the remaining units." Let's go after him!"
"Here..." In the meantime the Hinazuki tilted his head at a white luxurious building, of probably twelve floors. Ritsu tapped closer to it as well. Ornamented faces, carved of stone, sat on the steps also at the corners of it. No wonder this was their pride.
A large gathering of people also eyed the headmaster's moves threateningly. Men and female waited eagerly near the torches or trees, that circled the meeting hall. Some were standing by themselves, while others hunched in groups, with their sleepy or questioning children. their pupils shifting to Ritsu from time to time, while a few Hinazukis stalked him.
The silver-haired man was certain, that the whole kinsfolk came. Was this that much of big deal to them? Ritsu nearly sneered at the absurdity.
He nodded, after the Hinazuki opened the glass door for the headmaster. The officers, who stood by the door let him in. And as soon as Ritsu entered the main hall, someone called his name.
"Minami Ritsu..." The Hinazuki leader, dressed in a black robe gave a deep bow. The man seemed in his mid fifties, as the many wrinkles covered his otherwise flawless face. A guard stood just behind him.
"It's a pleasure to meet you again on such short notice."
"The pleasure's all mine." Ritsu returned a smaller bow. After the greetings had been exchanged, they went towards a big wooden table at the end of the room.
The hall in particular matched it's greatness with the outside quite well. The room was filled with various paintings of the family leaders and a red carpet ornamented with silver spirals was draped on the floor. However that didn't intrigue the silverette one bit, his eyes were set to the desk with the papers.
"My apologies, if we could've known that you'd be coming on such short notice, we would have made a feast... " The leader - Hinazuki Juro, laughed all of a sudden. That left Ritsu wondering in disgust, was this guy for real?" It would be a great honor... Maybe we could still arrange it."
"No need. Thank you for the offer, though." The silver-haired man frowned, but kept his voice steady. He just wanted to get over with this. The man sat down, entwining his fingers in front of him.
"Well, then we can start..."
"Certainly... I came here with an offer of peace." Ritsu nodded, seeing an oblivious Juro, who sat in front of him." We'll give you a bigger compensation for the loss of Hinazuki Kaito - fighter of Formless, who fell off the East cliff in unknown circumstances. And we, the Septimal Moon, will honor his death with a stand there. In return we ask, that you would repay the damage you have done to our school."
The headmaster blinked at the quiet monarch, when he ended his speech. Juro looked deaf as if he wasn't even listening. How impolite, Ritsu thought, as irritation rose in fumes with every silent second past.
"That's it?" The Hinazuki leader eventually lifted an eyebrow with great difficulty. Ritsu prompted his arms on the table then, bringing his fingers to his face. He clenched them harder.
"What else are you suggesting?"
"I'm afraid, this incident will happen again... We have to make some changes, Minami-san."
"The reconstruction of the barrier?"
"No. Not that... I'm talking about the members of Septimal Moon." Juro explained, with a spread of a confident grin. It seemed, that the horrid sentence echoed in the nearly empty hall. It made Ritsu's heart sink with uneasiness for an odd reason. Nevertheless Juro added, as his eyes pierced through the headmaster like daggers.
"It's obvious as day, that Septimal Moon is in a dire state and can't rule out beneficial decisions. Besides I have knowledge that one of your members is absent, I'm obviously talking about Aoyagi Seimei. His seat is free at this moment. Correct?"
Ritsu just waited for the other to finish. Meanwhile Hinazuki Juro looked positive, nearly joyful of the words to come. Shame, he didn't saw Ritsu's displeasure.
"It is. So I was wondering, shouldn't seven members make the great organization that is referred to as Septimal Moon? I'm sure you have it hard, old friend." At that moment the headmaster wanted to snicker at the phrase old friend. Now that was wild dream indeed. "So why not hire one of our officials to be of use? They could take care of the Seven Voices and everything for you."
"Are you saying, that I should give up my position as the principal?" Ritsu growled, his eyes flickering with rage. While Juro began scanning the papers in his reach absentmindedly.
"Yes. You're not capable. This incident also proves the theory, that you can't handle the academy properly, especially if you let your precious students die. Besides you don't even know the cause of Hinazuki Kaito's death. This shows how little you care for this job. You might one day put us in danger."
"Absur..."
"Listen, Minami-san, I'm not here to argue. I know my facts... And I'm saying you're worthless." Juro gave a smirk to the silverette's beyond traumatized face. His words came out clear and plunged heavily into the other's mind.
In the end, Ritsu managed to part his dry mouth, but his mind was a chaos, a disaster mixed with loathing and confusion. He didn't utter a single opposition. It seemed, the silver-haired man was drowning, sinking deeper so gently, without any strength left. His rational mind abandoned him and floated away into the abyss. Rage was the only emotion left to rot... Suddenly Hinazuki Juro concluded his thesis.
"And don't worry, this is going to be for the best, for all of us. We have far better people to rule Seven Voices and Septimal Moon."
"Not a chance you, scum!"
Juro's face darkened at Ritsu's obscenity.
X X X
"So this is where Minami went, heh?..." Takehito stretched his limbs, spotting the ivory tower... That seemed like a tower to him. God, twelve floors floors. The dark-haired man glanced at the crowd near the main hall for reassurance. They looked back at him annoyed, before they went on their private chats. He was in the right place, that Takehito was certain of. This was the building, where Ritsu was at the moment. Time to give him back up. The man believed, that nothing went unsettled with Takehito around.
The dark-haired man smirked, holding his hands on his hips in pride. Though firstly, he'd have to find a way to get in...
"There you are!" Mayu's voice rang loud, breaking Takehito's posture. He soon saw the six units run toward him." Ritsu-sensei, told you not to wander off!"
"Oh, come on. Minami's not my nanny." Takehito scoffed out.
Hisoka paused, suddenly wobbling for a minute, as he tried to get closer to his sacrifice. Another male noticed that, grabbing Hisoka's shoulders quickly. He stated frightened then.
"Hey, Hisoka?"
"Yeah... I'm fine... Just... Do you notice how many active battle domains are around here?"
"What?!" Mayu exclaimed, leaving Takehito and running toward her fighter in a worry, once she had noticed his state."Battle domains? You mean we're cornered?"
A gun shot broke the quiet...
The units and the Hinazukis gone into a short grim silence, while the sound and the realization of it sank in. Soon a squall spread, getting louder and more anxious with each passing second.
"What the hell was that?!" Mayu panicked, while whirling her head around in search of her companions. Soon Hisoka took her by the shoulders, pushing Mayu forward through streams of people. It seemed a few rebellious spirits were keen to know what happened, while others held their distance. The expressions blended into terror. The sacrifice stuttered out again."Hisoka... Wh-what? What's going on?!"
Takehito was the first one to desperately slide through the currents of others, only by luck slipping through the officers as well. What he saw upon entering terrified him.
Ritsu respired shakily. He was standing near the table, with a shot wound in the shoulder. Meanwhile Juro took his place near the guard, his eyes wide with a broken dignity.
"How dare you?!" He turned to the body guard behind him." I want that worthless beast dead! Do you hear me?! Aim properly!"
Takehito watched in dread, noticing, how right at those words the silver-haired man lunged forward at the armed body guard. He wanted to shoot at Ritsu again, however before he could do that, the man was already pushed to the ground. The fire went off, not meeting it's victim. Ritsu soon took out the dagger from the pocket of the struggling officer underneath him, before he was thrown off to the side by a kick. At least now the silverette had a weapon.
The headmaster wasted no time to attack the sitting officer again, driving the edge of the blade to the neck.
Takehito stared in a dire shock, watching, as Ritsu slit his opponent's throat fully, faltering for only a second. Soon enough the dark-haired male made his way toward his comrade, pulling the silver-haired man away from the dying body. Ritsu's breaths were hoarse, as his bloody hands trembled, but held on to the weapon.
"It's over, Minami Ritsu, can you hear me? Stop!" Takehito sputtered, turning the shivering man to face him. It seemed Ritsu was lost. Yet he continued to mutter something incoherent, before shouting out fiercely.
"Kill them all! That's an order!"
Mayu's cat ears perked up at the hoarse scream, as she stood at the glass doors. She struggled with the officers to get inside the hall, like the frantic and confounded Hinazukis, though it proved to be of no avail. Once Mayu caught the voice, she paused, letting others push through her in waves. The purple-haired teenager stumbled backwards, wanting to get away and eventually fell on her back, away from the crowd.
"We have a new command!" Mayu exclaimed to her friends, who greeted her momentarily."Sensei said to destroy this dump!"
"Really?" Hisoka cocked an eyebrow, as he held his fallen sacrifice's shoulders protectively. However his face lost the anxious expression." Well, I'd say it's about time. They mocked us enough!"
"Minami, what in the hell?" Takehito's eyes went bloodshot, while the headmaster shoved off the other man's hand, leaving his side. He began to stagger to the door, shakily clenching his bleeding shoulder. The dark-haired man stammered." Stop it, Ritsu, where are you going?"
Before Takehito could run to his friend, a crowd emerged from the outside. They blended in, burying the sight from Takehito's eyes.
"Ritsu!" He yelled out, unable to spot the other in all the chaos. It seemed the Hinazuki's were desperate themselves, searching for their leader in means of protecting him. Juro was long gone though. And Takehito was soon overwhelmed with endless raging noises and helpless tones coming from opposite the walls. Something was crashing, erupting...
Whatever was happening outside was not pleasing. And as an apparent string of red was ignited through the glass door, the dark-haired teacher feared the worse. This was a symbol of war.
Ritsu was fortunate enough to drag himself out of the sight to the corner of the building, when the turmoil started. From there, he began to hobble away from the attention, all the while clenching his teeth harder from the pain.
The man would only be in the way, if he chose to linger any longer. The Hinazukis will obviously be seeking to end his life. How he wished to burn them all in hell for everything they've done.
The headmaster made his way to the town's center, where a wide gravelly area met his vision, with occasional trees poking from the sides. The torches glided along the path, illuminating and leaving no hope for the dark to seep in, only the pitiful shadows remained.
This was hopeless, there was nowhere to hide... Ritsu's eyes jumped eagerly to either side... Though the silverette's reaction was too slow. A man jumped from behind him, pointing a knife. Luckily, Ritsu staggered forward, evading the attack by an inch. Did he followed Ritsu?
"You, bastard..." The young Hinazuki let out a gruff snort. Before charging at the headmaster.
The silver-haired man blocked the attack from above, colliding his forearm with the Hinazuki's wrist. The man didn't seemed pleased, he swiftly kicked the headmaster in the stomach then, making Ritsu stumble down.
"You make me sick..." The Hinazuki spat out as his eyes lit up with malice. Suddenly he crouched down, pointing the dagger at the silver-haired man's eyes." I won't let you hurt our leader. You'll pay the price!"
Ritsu's pupils widened at the sharp metal in front, his fingers dug into the opponent's wrist, trying to prevent the injury. He couldn't die like this. He couldn't. Ritsu attempted to shove the other away, it didn't worked as he had hoped. Luckily, the man above him, lost the stability for a minute. In so the knife clanged to stone.
He continued to sway the other and eventually broke their contact a little. He had to run away. He had to run away... This fool...
Ritsu's eyes shot up with realization suddenly. That's right he was one of the Hinazukis. The ones, who threatened to destroy their school and injured his students with that explosion... The same reeking substance of meat... No different than their leader...
'I'm saying, you're worthless.'
Ritsu gripped the stolen dagger, knocking the other to the ground. The knife met the throat again, along with the headmaster's enraged eyes.
"Go on, why so hesitant?" The younger male taunted, forcing his blade into the headmaster's side as the last attempt. Ritsu coughed out with a wail, as his hands trembled from the pain, though stayed glued to the dagger.
"This whole night will be smeared on your hands. Where will you wash the shame of all those innocent women and children?" The Hinazuki hissed, all the while pushing his blade further in.
Soon enough Ritsu began to hyperventilate. And his eyes clouded, dimming the scenery all of a sudden.
"If it satisfies you, kill me! At least I know what I'm fighting for is right. You're pathetic, you know that?"
"Enough!" The silver-haired man shook his head, as he eventually drove the knife into the others throat, destroying the life support to the brain. Although as the Hinazuki painfully succumbed to sleep, he was calm. That expression irritated the headmaster greatly...
Ritsu couldn't have that, but he stopped his arm from dealing any more damage to the corpse. The words still tormented his mind, whilst the headmaster slowly drew up.
'You're killing guiltless people now... He's right... Damn it, he's right!'
The silver-haired man held the knife, which was stuck to his abdomen in place. He overlooked the empty town center, hearing heart wrenching screams in the distance. His face seemed neutral though, only the gloomy eyes stared off into distance.
'Why are they doing this? Is it because I said it? I said it... I told them to kill. What the hell are you doing, Ritsu?! They have to stop! Order them to stop!'
He saw a warned out body falling near a tree in the far end. It didn't rise up, giving into the endless slumber.
'This will fall on me. These corpses... I killed them, I killed them! Should I have fallen instead of that poor girl? She didn't do anything. She had died, because of my judgement. I'm guilty, I'm guilty, I'm guilty...'
He walked toward the unfortunate child. His expression remained dull, with a tightly clenched jaw. The man felt cold, an enormous cold... He pried his eyes away from the bleeding corpse in shame soon. The mind attacked instantly at that reaction.
'What's the matter, Ritsu? Can't face it? Are you scared to be in her place? But you killed this sinless girl... If only I could take her place. This is where I should've laid!'
The pain was starting to settle in. His face got covered in cold sweat suddenly. And every breath was gifted with excruciating sting.
Ritsu didn't thought about the unfortunate girl anymore. His thoughts stopped the atrocious blaming too... All that he could recount was the immense ache, wave after wave, nothing more. It was like his mind became a machine counting and counting the horrific moans, that were disguised as an act of breathing.
The injured man slowly staggered to the end of the town hall near a fence, that isolated the river down below. Ritsu wanted to end this. Or he wished for help, which obviously won't come... Both of the two options suited his need.
Suddenly his footing slipped, then his legs followed instantly after. That was all it took for the man collapse. A harsh growl escaped his lungs, as his body hit the stone. And he managed to turn on his back, with great difficulty. At least the knife hadn't slipped out, that would be a disaster...
Ritsu hesitantly looped his hand around the edge sticking out of his stomach. And for that one moment, when his fingers curled around the knife, the man wished to pull on it. That way the wound would be parted, and he would bleed out momentarily...
He set his gaze on his abdomen, still contemplating, if he should do the tempting act, or wait for someone to find him. Hell, what was the stake? Either he could die now, or from an infection.
The silver-haired man began to shift his attention to the empty space around him. There was no one coming to save him. Obviously. His comrades probably discarded him as gone, or perhaps a waste of time... Maybe they hadn't even noticed Ritsu's disappearance?
He felt so alone.
And yet he heard footfalls nearing. Ritsu groaned one more time, as he drew up his hand to grip the fence's railing next to him. He tried to use that force to lift himself up. If it was just for an inch.
The voices were unmistakable now... It was a tone Ritsu hadn't recognized. In so the dread spread once more, poisoning his mind. He didn't want this. He didn't want to face another illogical Hinazuki.
The silver-haired man acted on impulse, as he leaned his body over the railing, until eventually he fell over into the river. If it was only for a split second, he felt safe, as faces of well known people guided his fall to the abyss. Yes, Ritsu would be safe with them. Although that thought was quickly drowned out as his surroundings went dark.