Disclaimer: I don't own The King of Fighters…
A/N: Hello, fellow readers and writers. Though not technically the climax, the story has come to a major conflict. There's one rather graphic happening in this chapter, so be forewarned. We're getting down to business, and I've kept you waiting long enough. And here … we … go:
The King of Fighters XVI: Where the Heart is
Hearts Afire
THUMP-THUMP… THUMP-THUMP… THUMP-THUMP… Her heart was beating so hard, she could hear in her ears, never a good sign. She was hearing whispers in her mind by a voice she had not heard in some time. A familiar, dreadful sensation began to slowly creep up on her, and vigilantly, Leona forced it back down each time. The Ikari team using their own transport, Ralf and Clark noticed their young partner's solemnity; usually, her reticence would not register, but this was a first spell in months…
"Hey, kid…"Clark called out. Leona looked up from her trenchcoat in her lap, slightly startled by her thoughts being broken, Clark continuing, "I know that look… What's eating you?"
Conflict in her voice, Leona relayed, "Our next match… Our mission and … our opponents…"
Ralf enthusiastically expressed, "Oh, you don't need to worry about that. If you don't feel up to it, then I'll take him. He'll understand if we go through him to complete our mission; the commander, on the other hand, won't understand if we shirk our objectives because of personal issues. Just stick to the game plan; your boy's not going to get hurt … much."
Her commanding officer's support gave no solace however, Leona simply throwing her coat on as they landed in South Town… The South District Train Station had clearly seen better days; the once-bustling transit center had fallen into disrepair because of the new train system linking South Town Main and Second South Town. The Ikari team walked down the tracks until they came to the central station hub where Vice, Mature, and Hiroshi Amaterasu waited, the Heaven and Earth team discussing the station's condition and how it ended as it was. Hiroshi eventually wondered about preserving the station or at least its asset potential though Vice and Mature quickly rebuffed the idea.
The trio sensed someone approaching, soon hearing people walking up, and turned to see, Hiroshi smiling as soon as his eyes landed on Leona. Normally, Leona felt her heart skip a beat on those occasions; this time, however, her heart only beat harder, another sign that things were not well. Feeling the omen, she suddenly stopped as Ralf and Clark kept going. Undeterred, Hiroshi walked forward to her as Ralf and Clark watched, aware that Leona had stopped. Vice and Mature made up the distance, stopping next to Ralf and Clark…
Seeing Leona stall, Mature asked, "Hey, is the girl going to be okay?"
Ralf confidently answered, "She'll be fine; you should be more worried about yourselves."
Mature chuckled slightly and explained, "That's nice of you to say, but… I mean, how's her head? Has she been growling, scratching, biting, or anything like that?"
Clark coolly replied, "That takes some nerve. You really that concerned she's out of control?"
Vice bluntly stated, "Sounds like a legit concern to us. Frankly, we don't think he should be standing that close."
Ralf lashed out, agitated, "Save it! Leona knows the danger too well… She faces it and fights it every day. Trust me; she is in control."
Vice harshly fired back, "Tch. It doesn't matter how it looks like she's handling it. At any moment, everything can change, and she could snap. Trust us; we've seen her 'condition' at work firsthand … and so have you."
Adjusting his cap, Clark remained calm as he retorted, "You'll have to excuse me. Last I remember, we settled that little flare-up just fine."
Mature pointed out, "Oh, did you? Didn't that 'little flare-up' put you both out for a month? Didn't slitting you two up put her out of action for a year?"
Ralf adamantly said, "Look! She can keep it together, and if she can't, then we can beat any storm she throws at us."
Not convinced, Mature pointed out as well, "Yeah, that's what we thought too … Then, it happened, and we ended up on slabs…" Ralf and Clark pensively remained silent as Mature expressed, "We've got a kid we're trying to keep safe too, you know."
Oblivious to the conversation going on behind them, Leona and Hiroshi were discussing the precarious situation they were in…
Leona pointed out as Hiroshi came close to her, "You do it so easily… your smile…"
Hiroshi sweetly replied, "Of course, I'm smiling. I'm always happy to see you, Leona-chan."
Leona, her face flushing slightly, confessed, "I've never been in this position before."
Hiroshi kindly reassured, "Neither have I. So, we'll just have the experience together…" Worried, Leona remained silent, and Hiroshi, his mind flashing back to the previous fight, noticed and asked, "Leona-chan … are you … feeling okay, in general I mean?"
"I … No, not really…" Leona said, starting to conceal her concerns but ultimately confessed, "There are signs that worry me … signs I've seen before."
Hiroshi asked, now concerned as well, "Well, do you feel you can continue?"
Resigned and resolute, Leona stated, "I have to. My mission is too important to be canceled."
"Alright, then…" Hiroshi reassured again, "In that case, I'm sure you'll overcome it, and I'll be right here to help in any way, okay?"
Hiroshi punctuated the conversation with a brief kiss to Leona's cheek, but Leona responded by pulling him back and gave him a brief kiss on the lips, her hunch proving a slight success as the affection calmed her slightly. With that, Hiroshi headed back to his side, but Ralf and Clark stopped him…
Both having a hand on either shoulder, Clark said, "Not so fast, guy … Listen, you've been taking real good care of our princess, but … there's still some questions we need answered."
Part jest and part threat, Ralf added, "And top of the list … we never got to see what you're made of, to see if you deserve to even carry her bags."
Hiroshi placed his hands over their wrists and said with a smirk, "Gentlemen, I understand your concerns and questions about my character. However, I must insist…" He coated his hands in fire as he continued, "We have to save all aggression for the match."
The Ikari soldiers could feel the heat of the white flames, but there was no burning. Not intimidated but impressed by Hiroshi's small display of mastery, Ralf and Clark let go, and Hiroshi rejoined Mature and Vice as he extinguished the flames…
The announcer's voice rang out over the station's PA, "Teams, congratulations on your impressive victories, and welcome to the King of Fighters XVI Quarterfinals! This match is: the Ikari team of Clark Still, Leona Heidern, and Ralf Jones versus the Heaven and Earth team of Mature, Vice, and Hiroshi Amaterasu! Please select your order, and send out your first member!"
Clark and Vice stepped forward as 'Outstanding Directive', the Ikari team's theme, faded in…
Clark asked, "Vice, I have a few questions for you. Would you mind talking with me about some things?"
"Sorry, the answer is no." Vice teased her combatant, "I'm already seeing someone."
Unfazed, Clark responded, "Difficult as always. You never turn it off, do you?"
Vice nonchalantly suggested, "If you don't like it, you can just quit now and save yourself some time."
Clark adjusted his shades, saying, "I'm afraid, that's against protocol… But, fortunately, I've prepared for just this scenario."
Vice sarcastically and defiantly responded, "Is that right? What are you going to do? Toss around for a little while?"
Clark, adjusting his hat this time, said, " That is my specialty."
Vice subtly threatened, "Then, this is about to get really ironic."
As both got into fighting stance, the announcer proclaimed, "Round 1! Ready! Go!"
Vice and Clark were natural combatants with answers to each other's arsenal. The kicks of Vice's 'Outrage' matched the punches of Clark's 'Vulcan Punch'. When Clark planted her with 'Super Burglary Back Breaker', Vice drove him with 'Nail Bomb'. Vice's 'Mayhem' to 'Deicide Slayer' met Clark's 'Gatling Attack' to 'Death Lake Driver'. Clark's 'Super Argentine Back Breaker' to 'Flashing Elbow' accompanied Vice's 'Gore Fest' to 'Tranquility'. The battle had enough slams and tosses to fill a professional wrestling ring. Meanwhile, something was amiss with the environment, unnoticed by the intensity of the match. The ground shook with every slam, and even began to shift and slump as the battle wore on.
Eventually, Clark caught Vice with his 'Running Three', slamming her into the ground, running to the other side of the area, and slamming her again, repeating twice, the ground rattling and even bouncing slightly. Vice responded with powerbombs of her own with 'Withering Surface', each spike producing a deep pounding sound much deeper and different than usual. Vice, going for the kill, unflinchingly walked forward for 'Cannibal Corpse', but Clark responded with a slightly better counter, 'Ultra Clark Buster'; He brought her down with a running tackle, lifted her up in a fireman's carry, rocketed into the air, and spiked her into the ground upside down … with unforeseen disastrous consequences!
Unable to take any more impact, the ground finally succumbed! A violent, chaotic cacophony of calamitous noise filled the air, accompanied with a massive cloud of dust. The music abruptly cut off as a shower of splintered wood and dirt was thrown upward. All six people were plunged downward, but Clark and Vice received the worst of it; both crashed onto and bounced off an abandoned train car, Vice hurt from being driven and Clark also receiving damage from driving and landing on his head. All laid on the ground for a short time, but neither Clark nor Vice moved as the other four stirred…
The announcer's voice echoed through the tunnel over the PA, "Double KO! This round is a draw!"
Suddenly, the match had a new location. They had landed in one of the underground train tunnels on the long dead tracks with the one solitary car on one side, sparsely lit by the dim station lights along the walls but aided by the moonlight falling through the now-gaping hole in the ceiling. The tunnel filled with the group's groaning, grimacing, stretching, rubbing their sore bodies, and adjusting themselves, all trying to recover from their surprise ordeal. Vice and Clark tried to recover, but they could not even sit up. The other teams came in and had to carry them to their sides…
The voice practically unchanged, the announcer requested, "Remaining participants, are you still able to compete?"
Still favoring his back, Hiroshi said as he attended to Vice, "Remind me to change that question later…"
Ralf enthusiastically replied, "We're all okay and still ready to go!"
Seeking confirmation, the announcer added, "Heaven and Earth team?"
Hiroshi asked as well, "Mature-chan … are you alright? Do you want to continue?"
After thoroughly checking her legs, Mature replied, "Well, I'll live, so I can fight."
A bit weary but concurring, Hiroshi called out, "Let's continue."
The announcer went back into routine, her voice blasting over the area, "Very good. Teams, please send out your next members!"
Ralf and Mature came forward as 'Reunion' faded in, Ralf tightening his bandanna and Mature stretching her fingers…
Getting riled up, Ralf interrogated, "You know, you two always seem to be around when something happens to her. How do we know you're not the ones giving her so much grief?"
Mature hostilely mocked him, suggesting, "If you're so worried, maybe you should just lock her in a room somewhere. Better yet, how about you show some self-preservation … and keep her in a cage."
Ralf, angrily proclaimed as he started cracking his knuckles, "Okay, that's it. I'm not taking that one quietly. Bring it!"
Mature simply replied as she went into fighting stance, "With pleasure…"
As Ralf followed suit, the announcer exclaimed, "Round 2! Ready! Go!"
As much as the last two were similar, Ralf and Mature were just as opposite; Mature was specific and thorough, cutting away at vital points with 'Death Row', 'Metal Massacre', 'Despair', and 'Sacrilege'. Ralf, meanwhile, was bombastic and destructive, causing small-scale explosions with 'Burning Hammer', 'Dynamite Ralf Punch', 'Dive Bomber Punch', and 'Vulcan Punch'. As such, the battle's tide was vastly different as well with no back-and-forth in sight, Mature having the advantage in speed and exploitation while Ralf personified damage dealing. Mostly, she dodged and evaded, slicing away at him whenever an opening came or when Ralf made a mistake. Ralf was left chasing but, to counter this, put all his power into every shot, measuring then erupting into action whenever he had her trapped.
Neither forced anything and only took what their opponent gave. The game persisted with Mature being abusive by viciously slashing then ducking back out, and Ralf managing to corner her, deliver a few explosive blows before having to go in pursuit again. Capitalizing on a mistake, Mature hacked at Ralf with her 'Nocturnal Rites' Danger Move, and attempted to finish the fight with 'Sacrilege', spinning through the air at him. The One-Man Army, however, negates the multiple attacks with his rapid-fire 'Vulcan Punch', and used the advantage to punish her with his 'Bareback Vulcan Punch', pinning her to ground with a running tackle into the mounted position and pummeling with close-range, rapid punches.
With victory now within his reach, Ralf reared back and prepared his finishing blow, 'Galactica Phantom'. Mature fought to her feet, resting against the train car behind her, when she noticed a large crack in the opposite wall. Ralf, fully charged, swung with all his might, and barely missed the sidestepping Mature but not the train car, flipping off the tracks and splitting it open. Quickly, Mature grabbed him, raced forward, and slammed him as forcefully as she could with 'Heaven's Gate'. The impact, the weakness of the wall, and Ralf's bulk caused the partition to shatter! Another cloud of dust and another clash of noise filled the area, the bricks of the wall flying everywhere. Once the dust settled, Ralf was found lying, groaning in pain amongst the rubble…
The announcer's voice rang out, "KO! Mature wins!"
Another concussive conclusion provided another change of scenery. The two teams were now in the station's dilapidated underground plaza, the hub, like the rest of the area, being extravagant once but now in dire disrepair. The large chandelier solemnly hanging overhead was now dusted, dim, and dingy. The escalators had long stopped, and the spiral staircases leading up to the surface had more than a few steps missing. Benches were toppled over and strewn about the floor. The ticket booths were long abandoned with many signs above fallen or hanging by a thread, many of the travel information boards cracked…
As Hiroshi and Leona climbed through the hole, Vice and Clark staying behind, the announcer beckoned, "Ikari team, please send out your final member!"
Leona, still burdened by her discomfort, stepped forward her hands buried in her trench coat pockets. Mature instinctively picked up on the signs…
Mature asked with confidence of already knowing, "Let me guess… heart racing? Head pounding? Got the chills? Body shaking in your army boots?"
Leona admitted to the questions through her silence, struck by Mature's accuracy. She soon calmed down upon remembering her opponent's connection to Orochi, but her nervousness quickly returned as her mind shifted to where Mature would go next and what it would mean.
"So, it has started. Perfect…" Mature thought to herself before saying, "Then, you're probably getting a familiar sinking feeling in your stomach about now."
"No matter how I feel…" Leona resolutely responded, "I'll fight it. I won't … make the same mistakes again."
Mature glanced back at Hiroshi before offering, "Normally, I would tell you to listen to that little voice in the back off your mind … but our situation being what it is, I'm going to say something I rarely say… I hope you do keep your blood in check. I really do."
Leona looked at Mature in confusion as she went into fighting stance, stunned by the sentiment. Deciding not to analyze comments too closely, Leona took out her hands with a flourish of her coat and went into fighting stance as 'Outstanding Directive' faded back in…
The announcer's voice blasted through the plaza, "Round 3! Ready! Go!"
From the outset, Leona was on the defensive, trying not to be aggressive lest she ignite anything within herself. Fortunately, she was able to set up a 'wall' of counters in front of herself with 'Moon Slasher' up close, 'Baltic Launcher' for anything long range, and 'X-Calibur' for just about anything else. Meanwhile, Mature's strategy from the match before was completely reversed; she now had to put up a constant offensive to break through, a task much more difficult due to Leona's expertise and after her taxing match with Ralf.
Eventually, Leona badly missed a 'Moon Slasher' with uncharacteristic bad timing, and Mature quickly took advantage, unleashing a long combo. Leona was staggered, but fortunately she got more from Heidern than just her trench coat. Flashing briefly, Leona flipped over the charging Mature, grabbed her by the blouse, and drained Mature of energy, perfectly utilizing her 'Grateful Dead' DM as steam rapidly rose from her body. Exhausted, Mature collapsed to the ground with a barely-audible grunt…
The announcer decidedly proclaimed, "KO! Leona wins!"
BA-BOOM… BA-BOOM… BA-BOOM… The riot was coming; Leona's DM had indeed reached something. Her heart was beating even stronger. Her vision began tinting red. The familiar taste of warm, metallic liquid crept up the back of her throat… Vice and Clark finally entered as Hiroshi helped Mature out of the ring, and even from a distance, Vice and Mature could tell with dread that Leona was slipping…
The announcer enthusiastically summoned, "Heaven and Earth team, please send out your final member!"
With only Hiroshi left, Leona, as she had trained to do, forced the riot back down. Burying her hands in her pockets again, she swallowed hard to clear her throat, and shook her sight clear, though her heart continued to beat as if it were attempted to rip open her ribcage. Hiroshi slowly stepped into the ring, and upon focusing on her, noticed Leona in apparent discomfort.
Hiroshi asked with concern, "Leona-chan? How are you … holding up?"
Leona answered indirectly, "I don't like this part of the mission."
Letting the first part of the question slide, Hiroshi tried to comfort her, saying, "Yes, it is quite conflicting … but I suppose it's all in how you look at it." Leona looked up in interest as Hiroshi explained further, "For instance, we just call this a … 'training exercise'; approach it as trying to make each other stronger."
Leona reacted skeptically, "It seems like a stretch; do you think it'll help at all?"
The Amaterasu Son thought for a moment, then responded, "Maybe, maybe not… But, it's one way to give everything we've got and feel good afterward, no matter the outcome. That or just see it as another way of giving to one another…"
The Ikari Amazon considered it and replied, "Okay, I think I can do that … as long as it's you."
Hiroshi smiled and went into fighting position. Thinking it her best option, Leona decided to simply focus on Hiroshi, concentrating and redirecting any thoughts on him. With that, she threw off her coat, tossing it aside, and assumed fighting stance.
The announcer's voice boomed through the plaza, "Final Round! Ready! Go!"
This match was a much more competitive contest than the year prior as they actually fought this time around, feeding off of and reacting to one another. Leona amplified her efforts, and rapidly switched from defense to offense and back again, incorporating 'Earring Bomb' as a transition. Hiroshi, meanwhile, kept in step with her and changed as she changed, the battle landing right in his area of expertise.
BA-BOOM! BA-BOOM! Still, the riot continued to creep forward. Her heart pounded like a bass drum. She tried to stay focused, but the harder she tried to shake herself out of it, the closer it came. Her thoughts began to slip into disturbing patterns…
"Don't hurt him… Don't hurt… Hurt… Hurt … him… Hurt him… HURT HIM…"
Vice and Mature, meanwhile, could feel their marks burning and the power growing, thus were gripped with dread and even terror. They could feel it coming… Eventually, Hiroshi blasted Leona with his 'Reverent Saber' firestorm . Staggered, Leona countered with 'Grateful Dead' to regain her energy … when her insides finally broke. In the middle of the move, she vomited a fine mist of blood in Hiroshi's face!
"Hiro, get out of there!" Mature shouted in terror as Hiroshi staggered back in shock.
"Please… Go…" Leona choked painfully, clutching her head.
Despite her struggle, Leona's body noisily began to change. Her hands formed claws, and her pupils shrank to uncomfortable size. She continued to spit up ghastly amounts of blood as her hair flashed between blue and pink…
Ralf exclaimed with a mix of exasperation, dread, and worry, "D-! Here we go again!"
Vice grabbed by the arm, and, absolutely frightened, said, "Hiro, we have to get out of here now, before she goes berserk!"
In apparent agony, Leona pleaded with tears streaming down her face, "Hiroshi… Leave … me…"
"Leona…" Hiroshi responded as he shook off his astonishment, "No! I won't leave you!"
Mature vehemently protested, "Are you insane? We're not letting you stay! The girl you know is gone; she'll tear you to pieces…"
Hiroshi stayed steadfast, expressing, "It doesn't matter. I told her I'd help her, and I will! I keep my promises! I don't leave anyone behind! You know that."
Mature argued passionately, "This is not the time for that! You're not staying with her! We won't let you!" In her vehemence, Mature let herself slip, admitting, "We won't let her hurt you!"
Resolute and motivated, Hiroshi figured out a plan, and said, "If you want to help me, get Adel, and get him here as fast as that ship can fly! I have a plan, and if I do it right, nobody has to get hurt."
Mature and Vice's reaction was cut short … by Leona finally losing her battle. Her eyes going blank, she released an unearthly roar, a disturbing mixture of a pained shriek, frightful scream, and enraged roar. Swiftly, Ralf and Clark ran to her, and tried to physically restrain her.
Again, Vice grabbed Hiroshi, and pleaded with slight anger, "Don't you die on us! Don't you dare die on us!"
As Vice and Mature took off into the tunnel, Ralf shouted as he struggled, "Hey, kid! Now would be a good time for that plan of yours."
Clark added as he struggled, "We're not leaving either, but you got to get a move in; we'll back you up."
Unfortunately, Leona quickly turned both of her comrades into liars. She viciously tossed Clark through the ticket stands, then spun around and hurled Ralf through the staircase on the far end. Hunched over and breathing in an animalistic pant, she slowly glanced over her shoulder at Hiroshi … her next target.
Her blood in full Riot mode, Leona slowly turned, and Hiroshi now saw the extent of her affliction. Her blue eyes were now blood red, and her hair was wild and violent pink. Her now talon-like fingernails had ripped through the tips of her gloves. Her teeth had sharpened to razor as blood dripped through her lips. In the midst of an emotional maelstrom, Hiroshi was drowning in horror and shock at Leona's nightmarish new form, fear for himself and her, anger that he had not recognized the signs earlier, and grief over Leona's plight … but left with no other option, he forcibly compressed it all into purpose.
"Time to see if the legends are true…" Hiroshi thought as he called out, "Leona, sweetheart, I'm here!"
Riot Leona let out a roaring scream, and charging on all fours, greatly resembling a wolf, with haunting speed. Hiroshi quickly shot two fireballs to his sides, igniting the benches toppled there. The Amaterasu Son dodged her initial lunge, but Leona quickly slashed as he turned to face her, missing his eyes as he leaned back but cutting through the corners of his lips! Hiroshi stumbled as blood rapidly filled his mouth but could not address his now viciously-widened smile; she was coming again…
The entire encounter was much more of a mauling than a fight. Riot Leona dodged any attack thrown at her almost instantly, and any attack that did connect barely registered a physical reaction. She was too fast to evade and too power through. Blood pouring out of his mouth, Hiroshi endured a truly hellacious thrashing from his possessed paramour: each blow was like being hit like a bat, being pummeled into crippling pain; he avoided being sliced to ribbons but was quickly riddled with stinging cuts and scratches. He only managed a few 'Angel Spark' fireballs that were either way off-target or were easily sidestepped.
Riot Leona eventually throttled Hiroshi with both hands, but he at least managed to shoot out several embers to ignite the seat behind him. She looked up … and saw Hiroshi's plan fully in motion. The enflamed benches formed a ring of fire around the two of them; Hiroshi was not aiming at her, but he hit what he was aiming at! Riot Leona dropped him and started trying to escape, but Hiroshi quickly regain himself and raised the flames. As he hoped, the assuaging ability of the Amaterasu's white flame began to affect her, calming the Riot in her blood, almost mesmerizing her until she could fight to regain herself again. Leona again took hold of her head as Hiroshi pushed aside his encompassing agony…
Hiroshi praised and reassured her, "You can do it, Leona. You can beat it. I know you can; I've seen you fight. You've been defeating your whole life…"
Hiroshi's encouragement and the fire's calming properties all aided Leona in her struggle. The Amaterasu son got caught up in his support, and started to approach in spite of his injury … but he failed to notice her coating her arm in red energy taking the shape of a large sword… Suddenly, her Riot of the Blood made a last desperate strike, and violently thrust her 'bladed' arm into his chest, burying the energy sword in his heart! The sudden shock to Hiroshi caused the flames to just as suddenly flash out. Finishing the 'Riot Leona Blade', she detonated the energy, the explosion flying out of his back in wide spatter of blood-red sparks!
Hiroshi suffered every cruelty the attack heaped upon him. The outburst impacted akin to being hit by several lightning bolts. It shocked, burned, and froze him in near instant succession. He could practically feel it travel through every nerve and blood vessel from the point of attack to his fingertips and toes. The damage was devastating, the pain calamitous. He was so stricken that he could not muster a sound as he fell to his knees…
Riot Leona one-handedly hauled him to his feet, prepared another 'Riot Blade' , reared back and struck … only for Hiroshi to hold her arm back with the energy blade tip aimed at his neck and inching closer. He had one last forlorn hope of a remedy, and used his remaining power to erupt … and coat them both in white flames! He kept them blanketed for as long as he could before the fire subsided as Hiroshi finally collapsed.
Incredibly, it worked. The raw application of the flames pushed her Riot of the Blood back enough for her to regain herself, her body quickly regressing to normal, her mind flooding back. Disoriented, the smell of fire filled her nose, and her vision was obscured by the smoke-filled air. A grim familiar sensation coated her hands and chest. Hesitantly, she looked down to confirm what she already knew: bloodstains on her hands and smatters on her clothes and even in her hair. She looked further down … and time stood still.
She completely lost herself in what was in front of her. It was as if she had fallen into a nightmare, with her worst fear made real right before her eyes: Hiroshi laid in a heap, completely devastated, covered in bruises, cuts, and scratches. There was a prominent gash at the corners of his mouth with blood completely masking the lower half of his face. A gruesome bloodied and charred wound covered his chest, the fronts of both his shirt and vest completely blasted away. Hiroshi, the object of her affection, was clearly in misery and struggling to even draw a breath.
Leona dropped to her knees, and pleaded in frantic horrified whisper, "No … no no no no no no … No, please no…"
Ralf and Clark finally dug themselves, while Leona tried to respond to the situation. She was hesitant to administer CPR to Hiroshi's severely injured chest. She brought her face close and felt his stunted breathing. When he failed to respond to anything, she cleared his mouth and tried to breath for him, but the air simply escaped through new slots in his mouth. Suddenly, Hiroshi fell limp, and his eyes went blank… Leona worriedly felt for a pulse, and when she could not find one, she cautiously put her ear to his chest… Thump-thump … Thump-thump… Th-th…
…
…
End Chapter
A/N: The aftermath is next. Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed, and I hope you come back to read more. Please R&R, and as always, Rant, Rave, and Review.