Confusion

Author's note: I ABSOLUTELY recommend listening to the song Confusion from Mother 3 when you read the line "Thunder boomed in the distance…"

(When I say absolutely, I mean that song is, in my opinion, the most important one to listen to.)

Tears lined Hisame's face while he sprinted through the forest. For all he knew, he had just been the cause of Kamui's death, and he surely would be executed if he went back to the army.

Once he was sure he was safe, Hisame slowed his running to a brisk pace, and his tears began to slow. This was his life now; because of one stupid decision, he would never see Caeldori again, and his parents hated his guts. He would have to live on the outskirts of society, hunt animals for food, and make a shelter out of grass and dead trees.

He seated himself against the base of a tree while his feet ached, and a nagging voice bore into his thoughts.

"Or… You could use that nearby cliff to your advantage…" Hisame's attention was brought to a clearing in the forest, which revealed sunlight shining onto a ledge.

Without thinking, Hisame got to his feet and began to trudge towards the cliff. His entire body was telling him to stop, but he kept going. He continued until he was standing on the edge; a cold breeze lashed at his face. Hisame turned his gaze to his shoes and stared at the ground below the cliff. It was quite a massive fall, and pointed rocks littered the area under the edge.

"Do it… Jump…" The voice continued to pound in his ears. Hisame seated himself at the edge; his feet dangled in the air as he sighed.

"Should I do it?" Was the only thought that he could muster. His hands trembled as he looked to the sky above, and every part of his body was telling him to not do it.

Hisame began to sob profusely as he gripped the rocky edge of the cliff. He laid back on the ground and continued to wail as he pulled his feet out of the canyon. He just wanted to see his daughter again. He just wanted to see his best friend again.

He just wanted to see his wife again.

Hisame stood upright and grabbed a nearby rock. He grunted in anger before throwing it into the canyon and fumed silently while he folded his arms. "Why did I have to be dealt such a horrible hand of cards? Why did I have to be yanked out that blissful trial?" He felt as though his rage was palpable while he scanned the surrounding area.

A field of red flowers swayed in the breeze to his left outside the forest. Normally, these plants would mean nothing to him. These were no ordinary flowers, though; these were Caeldori's favorite flowers.

He brought his knees to his chest as he sat in the field of flowers. The pleasing aroma from the pollens wafted into his nose and tickled his nostrils. Hisame shut his eyes as he laid down in the field.

"Hisame, are you alright?" A voice spoke, a voice that he recognized immediately the second it began speaking.

"C-Caeldori?" He asked while opening his eyes. Caeldori leaned over him with a tender smile. "What are you doing here?"

"That's not important," Caeldori said in a soft voice. She laid down beside him and held him in a warm embrace. "What's important is that we're together again."

"Daddy!" Shigeki yelled as she leaned over her father. Her red ponytails swayed in the breeze before she curled up next to her father. Hisame held his daughter tightly with his other hand.

"I missed you all so much…" He spoke in a shaky voice.

Two minutes passed as the group laid together in the field of flowers.

"We'll always be here for you, because that's what families do." Caeldori broke the silence. Hisame was on the verge of bawling his eyes out as Caeldori rested her head on his shoulder. "I love you."

"I love you, daddy!" Shigeki began to speak while she was wedged in between her mother and father.

"I love you too, sweetie…" Hisame's voice matched the trembling in his body as he spoke.

A familiar voice removed him from his trance-like state.

"Hisame, wake up!" Kamui called out; his voice echoed and reverberated around the area.

"Kamui?" Hisame stood up, much to the dismay of himself and his family. "Kamui, please don't wake me up…" Hisame clenched his fists in frustration. The ground around him shook while Shigeki and Caeldori disappeared. "I've finally reached peace, and you're taking it away from me!"

"Hisame, come on, wake up." Kamui leaned over his sleeping friend while the flowers around them swayed in the gentle breeze.

Hisame snapped upright as his eyes fluttered open. He turned his focus in every direction until his gaze focused on Kamui.

"K-Kamui?!" Hisame's eyes widened as he looked to his best friend. "But Ryoma killed you…"

"It'll take more than that to kill me." Kamui spoke, then held his hand out. Hisame took his hand, got to his feet, then wrapped his arms around Kamui.

"I'm sorry for trying to kill you." He mumbled into his shoulder.

"It's fine; you were just angry, and I don't blame you." Kamui spoke back as he held his friend.

"So why did you wake me up?" Hisame asked as he took a step back.

"Because you were crying in your sleep," Kamui spoke as he placed his hand gently on Hisame's shoulder. He expected Hisame to brush it off, but instead, he was still. "I thought you were having a nightmare or something."

"Why are you here, and how did you find me?" Hisame found it trivial to state that those were tears of joy rather than sadness.

"After I woke up, I set up a search party outside Izumo, because that's where your deeprealm was." Kamui gave him a reassuring smile. "Subaki and Caeldori are searching the town itself, and Hana and Hinata set up a camp where you can all discuss your problems. You left a trail of footprints, so I followed those and found you resting in this flower bed."

"Knowing my parents, they probably forgot that I exist." Hisame nodded his head and let out a sigh.

"Hisame, they know they messed up. They told me that they will do anything to fix their relationship with you, and I hope that you'll accept. " Kamui pointed to the setting sun behind Hisame. "What say we get you back to the camp?"

"Okay." Hisame nodded his head and stood up. "Lead the way."

Kamui walked into the forest; Hisame followed after him in silence. The pause of noise continued until Hisame heard a faint cry.

"Wait, do you hear that?" Hisame held up his hand, and the sound of their feet crunching the foliage stopped.

"Hear what?" Kamui asked while tilting his head.

The sound of an animal yelping broke the silence.

"I'll go check it out," Hisame stated before sprinting into the brush of the forest.

"Hisame, wait!" Kamui attempted to grab his shoulder and was practically behind him. He outstretched his arm while chasing after Hisame, but his foot got caught on a log that Hisame leaped over. Kamui stumbled to the ground and watched as Hisame sprinted away into the foliage. "Hisame, where are you?" Kamui called out as he desperately scanned the area, but he was unable to find his friend.

Hisame could not hear Kamui; all he could hear was the sound of that animal crying. He followed the sound until he entered a glade, and noticed a small brown creature sitting by itself underneath the sunlight. Upon closer inspection, it was a bear cub. Hisame slowly approached the cub and stopped his approach when the bear turned around the face him. It sat on its hind quarters and looked rather sad.

"Where's your mother?" Hisame asked. The bear didn't respond, and instead strode towards Hisame until it was directly before him. "You're lost, aren't you?" Hisame knelt down beside the bear. It sniffed his face before it began to lick his cheek in an adorable manner. "Don't worry, I'll stay with you until your mother comes." Hisame smiled before holding the small bear in an embrace. The warm feeling of its brown fur against his hands sent him into a trance.

He was in such a trance, that he didn't even react when a pair of large bear claws tore through his back.

Hana sat atop a fallen log as the campfire warmed her body. The moon above was in its last quarter and looked half-illuminated.

She couldn't care less about lunar phases; her real attention was on her son. Subaki had assured her that he would be found, and then she, Hinata, and Hisame could all sit-down and fix their broken relationship. She would finally get to be part of a family again, like before they forgot to visit Hisame.

"Subaki's here!" Sakura stood up and smiled as Hana and Hinata got to their feet.

Subaki emerged from the forest with a panicked look on his eyes. He had gone through every possible way to break the horrible news to Hana and Hinata, and every solution ended with them being emotionally crushed. Subaki had never had to deliver news of this caliber, so he figured he should try to soften the blow.

"Hinata, Hana…" His voice sounded incredibly upset as he shifted his focus to everywhere that wasn't the two people. "Just… Stay calm and listen to me… I've got…" Subaki's mouth was shifting around, and it looked as though he were attempting to mouth a sentence. "I've got news."

"What happened?" Hinata asked as he tilted his head. Her heart began to thump in her ears. Subaki had no idea how to phrase this, so he figured that maybe he could soften the blow with some positive news.

"I… Uh, Kamui found a nice bear pelt for you two, and it could make a nice... rug." Subaki rapidly shifted his focus to the space behind the family.

"Is Kamui alright?" Hinata interjected.

"Yes, Kamui's fine…" Subaki had to say it; he needed to. "But I've got bad news."

"What's the bad news?" Hana's eyes widened, and Subaki felt as though his heart were torn to shreds as he noticed her innocent, child-like state.

"The bear was mauling Hisame."

Thunder boomed in the sky; not only outside, but in Hana's thoughts as well.

"Oh, gods…" Hinata's voice had lost every sense of confidence as he dropped to his knees. "Why… Why us?" He moaned as he knees buckled underneath and he tumbled to the ground in a sobbing mess.

Subaki stared at the dirt with a somber look.

"Kamui slew the bear before it could do any more damage..." He attempted to sound confident as Hana stood before him. Her eyes were completely emotionless as her legs trembled.

She was completely in shock, and her mind was filled with denial.

Hana fell to her knees and began to pound the dirt with her clenched hand.

Hinata had, on occasion, gone hunting with Takumi as a friend. There was always one part of the hunt that he was fascinated by, and it was when the hunted animal knew that it was cornered. No matter what species it was, the animal would howl violently before going into a panicked frenzy.

Hana just let out that scream that Hinata had heard from countless animals, but he never expected his wife to make that noise.

"Hana… I'm so s-sorry…" Sakura placed her hand slowly on Hana's shoulder. Rain began to pour onto the top of their heads while Hana jerked her shoulder back. Sakura was knocked onto her back and began to cry as her childhood friend flew into a blind rage.

Hana continued to furiously pound the ground with her fist. Subaki shuffled backward a few steps.

All Hana could feel, was anger. Anger at the world for tearing her child away from her. Anger at all the things that went wrong with her relationship with her son.

Anger at herself for letting this happen.

Tears began to streak her face as her poundings slowed.

"Hisame, I'm-m-m so s-s-sorry…" Her lower lip trembled. "I sh-h-hould have b-b-been there for you…"

"Hana… Everything's going to be fine..." Subaki stated as he continued to watch from afar; he looked rather somber as well. Hana stopped punching the ground and slowly dragged her head up to face Subaki. Her hands shook violently.

Pure, unfathomable rage was in her eyes as she leaped onto Subaki and wrapped her hands around his neck. Everything was not going to be alright. How could he understand? He had a perfect daughter, and a perfect life. Everything about him was so insufferably perfect. So perfect, that Hana was certain he didn't care one bit about her son.

"Hana, please!" Sakura cried out; tears streaked her eyes. Death was a horrible thing, and seeing her retainer and best friend like this made Sakura feel absolutely awful. She ran over to Hana and meekly grabbed her arms.

Hana responded by slamming her elbows into Sakura's gut and knocking her backward. She held the sobbing princess against the ground as her breathing accelerated. Sakura shut her eyes as she felt the coldness of her friend's breath waft over her. "Please… don't... h-hurt me…"

The only emotion that was in Sakura's voice was fear. Hana ignored it and stepped off of her.

She turned her gaze back to Subaki, who was crawling away as he wheezed for breath. She grabbed him by his ankles and dragged him through the dirt.

"P-Please… Hana, don't do this…" His left eye was shut and bruised as he laid atop his back. Hana got to her knees and leaned over him, then pulled her fist back.

"Hana, stop!" Hinata grabbed his wife by the shoulders and attempted to stop her rampage. She responded by jerking her clenched fist back and smashing it into the front of her husband's head.

Hinata sat on his knees as Hana loomed over her; her eyes were completely blank while she pulled her hand back. "Please… stop…" Hinata coughed red fluid onto the ground as a terrified look grew on his face.

Before Hana could beat her husband senseless, a voice called out.

"Everybody, stop!" Kamui screamed out as he and Caeldori emerged from the forest. They were both carrying a bloody pile of rags.

Reflection flashed in Hana's eyes as she lowered her hand. She fell to her knees and hung her head above her husband. She wrapped her arms around Hinata in an embrace.

"I'm… so sorry…" Her voice sounded as though it were falling apart at the seams. Tears streaked their faces as they held each other.

Kamui gently lowered the pile of rags onto the ground, and the two parents rushed over. Upon closer inspection, that pile of bloodied cloth was actually Hisame. His face had massive claw marks running across it, and he was making a wheezing noise with his mouth.

Hana scrambled next to him and got to her knees. "Oh, Hisame…" She lifted his head up and cradled him like a newborn. Hinata knelt next to his son and was wailing in anguish. "I-I should've b-been there for you…"

"M-Mother… am I going to die?" Hisame croaked as he used every ounce of strength he had to focus on her radiant smile.

"No, y-you won't die." Tears began to run down Hana's face as she pressed her son to her chest. "Yo-ou're not g-g-gonna die on m-me…"

Sakura stood next to them and raised her staff toward the sky. A bright light enveloped Hisame, but his wounds did not disappear. Sakura tried again, and let out a cry when the second try failed.

"He's t-t-too far gone for healing…" Sakura's voice was even quieter than usual.

Hana looked at her friend, then back to her son when something emerged in her thoughts. Maybe, she could sing that song. Maybe she could heal his wounds, and try something, anything to save her son.

"Dear sweet child oh pl~ease." Hana began to sing the very same song that she had sung when she gave birth to Hisame. "Dear sweet child oh please, dry your eyes, please, love, dry your eyes, for, me, dear." Hana's voice sounded frail and on the verge of breaking into tears. "Dry your eyes so we can all see your beau~ti~ful smi~le."

Hisame's breathing began to slow as his eyes focused on Hana.

"Please dear dry your eyes so we, can, all see." Hana's voice croaked out the last words. "Your beau~ti~ful smile that bright~ens up, my, day."

Kamui and Caeldori leaned over their dying friend while tears streaked their eyes. Hisame looked up at them, and gave them one last beautiful smile.

"Kamui… Caeldori… Thank you… for being great friends…"

Hisame gave his final breath, and slowly shut his eyelids. Kamui fell to his knees before Hisame and buried his head into the dirt.

Hana sniffled her nose and remembered Hisame's smell: he smelt like a beautiful field of flowers. She buried her face into his chest along with Hinata, who was now sobbing uncontrollably.

Caeldori wept as she stood above this disaster. Even Subaki joined in and began to sniffle.

Hisame rose out of his body and got to his feet. He looked at his hands and noticed that they were translucent and pale. His entire body was pale, and it looked as though everyone couldn't notice him.

His focus turned to his mother, who was burying her face into his chest. Hisame knelt down before his mother and wrapped his pale arms around her body. "I forgive you." He whispered.

A ghostly image of Caeldori appeared before Hisame as he stood up. He noted that she looked much older than the Caeldori that was currently crying over his deceased body.

"Hisame… Come here..." She spoke with a bright smile; the same smile that he had known for twenty years.

Without saying a word, Hisame shambled into his wife's embrace.

They both walked off into the distance and toward the shining light in the forest.

"You must be so tired…" Caeldori spoke as she kissed Hisame on his cheek. Inside the bright light was a certain building that Hisame instinctively recognized.

It was the house he had raised a family in.

Credit to Rubiarts (can't post the link) for the cover image.