Chapter 51
"My name isn't Osaka!" yelled out the girl. Tomo was surprised. She had never heard Osaka yell out like that before; she couldn't ever remember seeing her friend get angry. She took one stepped back as the ground started to rumble. She felt wind against her face, and now Osaka somehow seemed to be floating above the ground.
"This is interesting" said Munro as chunks of wood, concrete, stone and soil started to swirl around the four people. Beyond it Kimura slowly started to pick himself up as parts of the building were torn away from behind.
"Osaka!" yelled out Tomo and then there was darkness.
In the distance Munro laughed.
Tomo slowly returned from the darkness and started coughing. She leant over and spat out, her mouth tasting of dirt. She looked around surprised- it was dark here. Hadn't she been outside?
"Tomo? Are you ok?" asked Sakaki. She was on her knees, leaning over Tomo. Tomo could see she had some dirt in her long hair. What was going on?
"Yeah…I think I am. Don't think anything is broken, but I could really use a drink of water" said Tomo. She gave a yucky face, still tasting dirt.
"Oh good" said Sakaki. "You didn't move for a bit."
"I must have just been sleeping" joked Tomo. She looked up again to see tears in Sakaki's eyes. Tomo was surprised, Sakaki moving her head away slightly so Tomo couldn't see them anymore.
"I-I was worried" said Sakaki. "I didn't know how to help you."
"That's ok Sakaki, I never really know what to do" she joked. Sakaki smiled faintly. "That's better- so where are we?" she asked.
"We're in some kind of room" said Sakaki.
"Room? Weren't we outside? How long was I unconscious?" asked Tomo.
"A-about five minutes…I think Osaka created this…" said Sakaki in an unsure voice.
"Created this? What do you mean?"
Sakaki stood up and walked to one of the walls. She touched it, the wall made from soil, stone and wood compacted together. A small crack above them allowed a faint slither of light into the room. Sakaki tapped against it- seemed very solid.
"I think it was made from all the debris" said Sakaki. "And there's only one exit" said Sakaki.
"Where's that?" asked Tomo. Sakaki pointed at the wall behind the (still) prone Tomo. A rough hole, not quite rectangular led into another dark section. Tomo coughed and slowly stood up. She was glad- nothing much was hurting. She stumbled slightly, Sakaki supporting her.
"Thanks" said Tomo. Sakaki said nothing as they left the small dirt room. They came to a sudden stop in the next room, looking upwards.
"You have to be kidding" said Tomo.
The broken large splinters of wood had joined together to form a rough staircase that led upwards to the level above. They looked high up into darkness above, neither girl knowing how far it could lead. Tomo was surprised it hadn't collapsed.
"How can that still be standing?" asked Tomo.
"I think it's Osaka" said Sakaki. "I can feel that aura again."
"Aura? Osaka? What do you mean Sakaki?" asked Tomo.
"I think that this whole building thing is being held together by Osaka's chakra" said Sakaki. She was certain of that. But Sakaki didn't know how Osaka had managed to gain that level of power. Kimura had once said something positive about Osaka- perhaps she had somehow suddenly accessed her chakra to a greater level.
"That's just creepy" said Tomo. She thought this whole place was. It had a twisted feel to it. It didn't seem like anything Osaka would ever be able to create. "Really creepy."
"So what now Tomo?" asked Sakaki quietly. She was slightly worried- worried about being found. Just where had Munro vanished to? He had been standing very close to her before this had happened.
"I guess we go up…and up" said Tomo staring at the crude stairway. "I just hope it doesn't collapse when we're high up."
"Please don't talk about that" said Sakaki. She didn't want to think about falling a long way to the ground, smashing into the floor. She shivered slightly.
"Should I go first?" joked Tomo. "I always like to lead from the front."
"If you want to- but remember Munro might be around here somewhere" said Sakaki.
"Yeah" said Tomo. She had spent hardly any time around Munro. He seemed very different from the man she had met at the factory what seemed like years ago. And even with the short amount of time she had been exposed to him, she could tell the man was dangerous. And more then a bit creepy too. She went to step onto the first step.
"Tomo" said Sakaki quietly. Tomo turned and asked her what she wanted.
"What happened to Kimura? I don't think he is in here" she said.
"Osaka…Osaka sent him flying backwards somehow" said Tomo. "I think he's outside."
"Say Tomo…do you think Munro would know jutsu?" asked Sakaki.
"Why?" asked Tomo.
"How do I know you aren't Osaka or Munro using a transformation jutsu? And how do you know I am me?" asked Sakaki.
"I never really thought of that" said Tomo. "Besides I know you are you, it's just something I know!"
"I guess it really is you" joked Sakaki. She blushed after smiling.
"And what is that meant to mean?" asked Tomo in a jokey tone. She knew Sakaki was nervous- even she felt nervous. Somewhere inside this strange building was Munro. She was certain of that. And Munro was just one problem…
Osaka. Just what had happened to her? She hadn't looked happy at all to see Tomo or Sakaki. She had attacked her teacher without being provoked and now Tomo was certain she had been siding with Munro. Tomo had been trying to deny it, refuse to believe it, but she guessed it was true. But yet…
Yet Tomo had seen how Osaka had reacted when her partner had killed the injured person in front of her. Osaka had been acting indifferent, unmoved by the events- but she had given a momentary horrified reaction when Munro killed. Tomo believed her friend was still there- no she knew it. But she didn't know what she might have to do to get her friend back. She might have to fight Osaka.
"Come on lets go" said Tomo, who realized she had been standing still for a while. Sakaki nodded and Tomo walked up the first step. The wood creaked slightly but didn't break. She walked up a few more steps, Sakaki following behind her.
She wasn't as good as Kimura and Sakaki at detecting chakra levels or auras or whatever they liked to call them. But she knew Osaka was stronger then ever before- seemingly with power never shown even once before to Tomo. This whole strange creepy building had been made purely by the power Osaka possessed. It was solid, strong and Tomo guessed only part of Osaka's new found power.
However Tomo also had power. And that was partly what scared her. There was little memory of the events that had occurred after she reached the roof of the academy. She remembered a strong fighter, the leader of the invaders. She remembered a deep rage, an urge to kill. And occasionally in her sleep she saw herself slicing through his neck, decapitating the man with ease. She had felt it before. Fighting Haku, which seemed so long ago. If Osaka pushed her too far just what would happen?
"Tomo?" came Sakaki's voice from behind. Tomo glanced back quickly, almost losing her footing.
"Yeah Sakaki?" was the reply, Sakaki more shook up about Tomo's slip then the girl herself.
"What happens if we have to fight her? What if we…we…"
Tomo was silent for a few more steps. She came to a stop, the floor quite a distance below them. She didn't feel she had been climbing the stairs for that long, how had they got this high? She craned her head back, to make sure Sakaki could see her face.
"If we have to, we'll fight her. We'll win" said Tomo. "I can't say Osaka won't get hurt- but all three of us will be leaving here." She hoped.
Sakaki smiled and nodded. Tomo was certain the taller girl believed her. But she didn't know if that was true. She didn't want to hurt her friend- but she hadn't planned on decapitating Kuraigu either. With that thought the silence returned and the two girls continued to climb. Neither knew how much further they had to go, or if this would even lead somewhere. Not knowing- Tomo was sick of this feeling.
Tomo got sick of only hearing the echo of their footsteps. But for possibly the first time in her life she couldn't think of anything to say. She smiled to herself. Tomo Takino not having anything to say- Yukari would never believe that. For a brief moment she wondered if she'd ever see her old teacher again. She allowed the thought to quickly pass.
Tomo couldn't see well in the dark, only a tiny crack in the earth ceiling high above let in light on the stairway. They passed by no other rooms, merely going up. No other distractions. One direction, one place to go. Tomo shivered slightly. It seemed to be getting colder. Or was she just telling herself that to try and make it seem she wasn't scared?
"What is it?" she asked as Sakaki gently tapped her again. Sakaki pointed upwards.
"Hello girls" said Munro from above them, waving as though he was greeting close friends. "I've been waiting for you."