Miyuki had joined her mother in slumber.
It had been her earnest intent to dutifully wait for her Onii-sama's return, but the weight of the day had finally defeated her will to resist.
Her Onii-sama returned very late to the guardhouse.
When he gently woke her she couldn't help but smile with joy at his handsome face.
"…Onii-sama has returned to me."
She was still half asleep as he carried her to the waiting vehicle wrapped in a blanket.
"…so strong."
He smiled down at her. He smelled good too. He must have taken a shower. She could see he was in the normal clothes he had worn before going after the enemy.
"….for my sake alone."
The next thing Miyuki remembered was sitting in the back of the vehicle wrapped in the same blanket. Beside her, her mother looked down at her with sleepy eyes of her own, and also wrapped in a blanket.
"Are you alright Miyuki?"
She looked around her mother to the deck of the guardhouse. All the equipment Tatsuya had disassembled and then reassembled earlier was gone now. Tatsuya was on the deck with Yanagi, speaking to the Sergeant and Corporal who had watched over them all afternoon and evening.
"I'm fine mother."
She only said this after confirming Tatsuya's location and apparent condition for herself. Miya then looked back at where her son was.
"Oh, I see."
Mother and daughter exchanged a tired but knowing glance.
"Would you like a water ma'am?"
The soldier in the driver's seat asked Miyuki while passing a bottle back to her.
"…..Higaki-san?"
Higaki Joseph was the Lance Corporal who had tried to protect them when the other Left-Bloods had rebelled.
He was also the "boy" who had "tried" to harass Tatsuya and her on the beach a few day before.
All of that was in the distant past now for her. Tatsuya had apparently forgiven him days before and after today Miyuki certainly didn't intend to hold a grudge.
"…you're hurt?"
He wore a bandage across his left shoulder.
"Don't bother yourself about that. The bullet went clean through, and healing magic has already got me halfway home. See, they even trust me to drive now."
He smiled brightly at her. She now had a hard time associating him with the angry boy on the beach that had fought Tatsuya only days before.
As her mother took the offered water bottle for her half asleep daughter she spoke up.
"We must thank the Lance Corporal for his efforts to protect us today Miyuki."
This clearly embarrassed Higaki.
"Please don't ma'am, I….I should have done more. They still got to you. I'm….had it not been for Tatsuya-san….."
Her mother once again surprised her with gentleness toward the floundering soldier she barely knew.
"We were all taken by surprise today Corporal, and we all could have done more under the right circumstances. Today was certainly not your fault in the slightest. You put yourself between my daughter and harm's way, and for that I am truly grateful."
Even in the darkness, Miyuki could see his embarrassment.
"Mother is right Higaki-san, you have our eternal gratitude."
He was even more embarrassed then.
"It is very kind of you both to say that. Thank you."
They sat in silence for a bit as Yanagi and Tatsuya finished their business. Miyuki saw him shake hands with their guards, and then the two soldiers turned towards the vehicle and waved goodbye. Miyuki and Miya returned their gesture.
The two combat magicians that had originally arrived with Yanagi were long gone now. Miyuki hoped they hadn't had to return to combat. She earnestly hoped the combat was finally over.
"Are you alright to travel Miyuki?"
She beamed at her Onii-sama's words.
"I will go anywhere with Onii-sama!"
Yanagi and Higaki tried to hide their amusement at her enthusiasm for her brother, and Tatsuya himself tried to hide his mild embarrassment from the both of them.
Miya turned only the slightest reproachful looks at her daughter, and with no sound moved her lips toward Miyuki.
"Please tone it down a little."
Miyuki reluctantly nodded, but then suddenly her eyes grew wider as realization struck her mind. She then turned back towards her mother in trepidation.
Miya smirked knowingly back at her, and then her lips formed more soundless words.
"Who do you think told Honami to teach you lip reading and about false masks?"
Miyuki turned silently away then, trying to hide her shock from Tatsuya.
"Did she see me watching them today?"
Miyuki wouldn't dare ask that question to her mother on this night.
Tatsuya and Yanagi boarded the vehicle on the back and in the passenger seat respectively, and then they drove off down the road.
She turned back to see Tatsuya dutifully watching around for any threats to them. It was only then she saw he had a container in his hands.
She turned around and didn't bother her Onii-sama for the rest of the ride home.
It was alright for him to hold another woman in his arms tonight, so long as it's their Honami.
The roads, unlike earlier in the day, where all now empty. Only the occasional abandoned or damaged vehicle marred the way. The only other vehicles actually moving on the roads were also military.
They passed through one area that had been the scene of intense fighting. Military guards were protecting civilian firefighters as they fought to stop several stores and businesses from burning completely down. The fact that no magicians with fire suppression skills were present told Miyuki these buildings weren't priorities to save, or the magicians were still busy somewhere else.
Miyuki tried to distract her mind from the fearsome ground level views by looking up at the stars on occasion as they traveled.
"It's so bright tonight! Not a cloud in the sky! I can even see the Milky Way!"
It was a beautiful sky indeed. The view was certainly helped by the huge swaths of area they traveled though without functioning electricity and street lamps.
"The heavens are welcoming Honami-chan."
A few tears escaped her eyes with that thought.
She didn't initially see her Onii-sama behind her smiling at her as she stared upwards. She was surprised to see him doing so when she turned around. She could see the starlight reflecting in his kind eyes. She was happy to know he probably saw the same in her own eyes too.
When they arrived back in the area their villa was in, they did a quick security sweep of the surroundings. Once they verified it was relatively safe they were dropped off at the villa itself. She waited as her mother and Tatsuya spoke with Yanagi. She was too tired to catch everything they said, but her mother seemed interested when Yanagi had informed her that General Saeki had gotten right back on her hypersonic transport to return the Home Islands.
As they spoke another military vehicle arrived and the men inside spoke with Yanagi and Tatsuya. They were apparently the first part of the patrol around their villa that the General had insisted upon. Once Yanagi had given Miya and Tatsuya the info on how to contact them or the local patrol, Yanagi and Higaki said their goodbyes and left.
Tatsuya followed Miya and Miyuki inside. In his arms he cradled the container with Honami's remains.
Seeing this, Miya gave instructions.
"Once we are settled here, you will take that down to the sea and scatter her remains in the water."
"No."
"NO!"
They had surprised each other by both speaking the same word simultaneously. From the look on their mother's face she was equally surprised. Once she recovered, she gingerly lowered herself onto the living room couch and looked back at them with exhausted frustration showing.
"Well since I've been outvoted, what do my children propose instead?"
Miyuki and Tatsuya exchanged glances then, but Miya spoke up first.
"That will not be flying back with us. It is not Honami, not anymore, and besides that it is macabre to place ashes in one's home and pretend like the dead are still with us that way. I won't have it, and Honami wouldn't want that either."
Miyuki knew her mother was right about what Honami would have preferred.
"We can spread her ashes in the sea at the scene of the battle."
Miyuki turned to Tatsuya with his words. His eyes locked with hers.
"...if that pleases Miyuki."
"It does, very much Onii-sama!"
Miya sighed then.
"What's wrong with the beach here? It's a nicer spot and there's no chance you can get injured. That was a battle scene earlier and it was swept by a small Tsunami wave as well. It might not even be the same place as it was earlier today. Plus it's kilometers away and probably under military guard."
Miyuki briefly wondered why the military would be guarding that area.
Miyuki was about to acquiesce to their mother's suggestion, but Tatsuya's words put resolve back into her.
"This place is not where Honami made her sacrifice for us."
Miyuki felt a small tremble inside her as she saw Tatsuya look at their mother with the same domineering and determined eyes he had earlier. It was as if the magic Miya had used on him was gone again.
Miyuki looked back to her mother who stared at her son with those cold and unloving eyes she hated so much to see.
But then Miya lowered her gaze and all the energy left her body.
"Very well son."
Delight entered Miyuki's heart as once again Miya referred to Tatsuya as "son", and this time with no audience save Miyuki.
Weak and tired eyes looked back up at Tatsuya again.
"Do as you think is best."
"Thank you…..mother."
The emphasis he placed on her title seemed to radiate respect from her Onii-sama. Mother and son, Miyuki's heart pounded in her chest with this relatively easy exchange of spoken titles.
"Yes! Thank you very much mother!"
A few moments later and Miyuki's stomach rumbled, much to her embarrassment. Seeing her Onii-sama smile at her then only heightened her mortification.
"As tired as we all are, I supposed we should still try to eat something."
Miya then looked at Tatsuya.
"Something light, Miyuki and I don't need…"
"No mother!"
Miya turned her eyes toward Miyuki with a furrowed brow.
"Excuse me young lady?"
Her reproach was intense.
"Um…my pardons mother….."
Then Miyuki found that tiny voice of determination within her again.
"….but it is not Onii-sama's place to prepare our meals."
Now Miya blinked in surprise.
"….is it not?"
"No mother, it is not. Onii-sama is my Guardian and must concentrate on our security and safety."
Miya blinked in surprise again. She hadn't expected her daughter to have a reasonable response.
"In addition, no one has worked harder today than Onii-sama. Therefore, it is Miyuki who will prepare all of our meals."
Miya looked like she was about to speak, but Miyuki bounded towards the kitchen area.
"Honami-chan has been instructing me in meal preparation."
Miya seemed surprised again.
Miyuki hadn't noticed she still used the present tense when speaking of Honami. It would be a long time before she could switch to past tense for referencing Honami.
"…did she?"
There was irritation and surprise mixed in with Miya's words. Miyuki didn't want Miya to think negatively of Honami in anyway and quickly moved to correct her bad impression.
"Um….I asked her to teach me. I was interested in meal preparation."
Now the curiosity on Miya's face was accompanied by her right eyebrow rising on her forehead.
"…aren't you full of surprises these days?"
Miya's statement was an odd mix of praise and criticism. To Miyuki it also had a bit of hypocrisy mixed in.
"Oh, I'M the one full of surprises, huh mother?"
Miyuki wisely kept that thought to herself as she opened the refrigerator door. They all had become so used to Honami's home-cooked meals that none of them even remembered that the HAR for this villa included meal preparation functions.
Then Miyuki's eyes were caught by something on the shelf in front of her.
Tatsuya rushed over at the sound of sudden sobbing from his little sister.
"Miyuki, what in the world happened?"
Miya's concerned words reached Miyuki's ears as Tatsuya reached her body, and softly put himself between her and the open refrigerator door. His concerned eyes scanned the opening for potential threats.
When he saw nothing unusual he spoke to Miyuki.
"What's wrong Miyuki?"
She had already embedded her tearful face under his right arm and into his side. She turned enough to look with just one eye, then pointed down with her right index finger to four medium sized boxes on the lower shelf.
She heard Tatsuya inhale and exhale slowly as he recognized those four boxes. He then turned slightly to report to their mother.
"Honami apparently had prepared our meal for this evening ahead of time."
The four boxes were the bento boxes that they always used for their travel meals. In this case Honami had used them as containers for pre-prepared regular meals instead.
"…I see."
Miyuki could hear her mother's sadness, even if the lady herself refused to acknowledge that emotion even existed in her.
"You can show us your new culinary skills tomorrow night Miyuki. For tonight lay out Honami's prepared meal."
At her mother's words Miyuki, as if instinctively, looked up at her brother for his confirmation.
He lightly nodded to her.
"I'll help, Miyuki."
She nodded, then Tatsuya used his handkerchief to wipe away her tears. Miyuki didn't even have it in her to question her recent conversion to a full-fledged Tatsuya supporter. It felt so natural to her that she couldn't fathom how she acted towards him only hours before.
Together they set out three of the meals in three places around the head of the table. Then Tatsuya went to help their mother up. When Miyuki pulled out the chair to the right hand side of the head of the table for their mother, Tatsuya had shown brief concern, but Miya took the seat and Tatsuya slid the chair under her.
Once their mother was seated, Tatsuya was surprised to see Miyuki across from them and waiting for him to seat her with a smile. Her intention was clearly for Tatsuya to sit at the head of the table. Until recently he had taken most of his meals alone in his room. Now he had suddenly been promoted to the head position.
Miya either was too tired to scold them or simply no longer cared. Either way Tatsuya quickly moved to seat his very pleased looking sister, then took his new place at the head of the table.
The combined traditional statement of "thank you for the food" seemed to Miyuki's ears to have much more meaning for them all this time.
It was the last meal they would eat as a family, prepared by Honami's loving hands.
After a few bites, Miyuki was having a hard time not tearing up.
They ate in silence with Miya and Tatsuya taking turns making sure Miyuki didn't lose her composure with every bite.
Tatsuya, always efficient, was the first to finish. It was clear that Miya wasn't going to finish her meal. She rarely did.
"Is Onii-sama still hungry? You worked so hard today."
Before waiting for his response she already had a morsel between her chopsticks and holding it to his face with her other hand hovering underneath in case a piece dropped.
The look Miya sent them would have cowered a regiment of soldiers, but Miyuki no longer cared.
The smile on her face as she offered her awkward looking brother food was enough to get him to comply.
"Thank you Miyuki."
And he gratefully took the morsel off her chopsticks with his mouth.
The joy Miyuki felt at that moment felt like it was oozing out of her pours.
She very quickly picked up another piece for herself and shoved it in her mouth. She deliberately left the chopsticks in her mouth for much longer than needed, enraptured in the thought that they had just been in her Onii-sama's mouth as well.
When she finally withdrew them and began to chew, she opened her eyes as well. Looking back at her was a knowing smirk and a slight eyebrow raise. The look on Miya's face made Miyuki feel naked before her.
"Why must she always seem to know my thoughts?"
Miyuki looked away from her mother with only the slightest irritation, and then immediately forced Tatsuya to take another piece of food off her chopsticks.
Sadness began to radiate off her as she realized they were down to the last few pieces of Honami's meal.
"I will never again taste her food."
She could feel the flood of tears once again trying to break free inside her.
Seeing her despondent state, Tatsuya reminded her that they still had the final bento box originally intended for Honami to eat. He suggested they take it with them for lunch and eat it after they scatter her ashes in the sea. When their mother said she would be fine eating her own leftovers the matter was settled and Miyuki had something nice to look forward to the next day.
It was so late that Miya suggested they only take showers. They were too tired to enjoy a bath anyway, plus they might fall asleep in the water.
Tatsuya of course decided to sweep the now empty surrounding villas and beaches for any signs of trouble. Miya reminded him that he might be misidentified by the military patrols going around, but Tatsuya ensured her he would be discreet and hide his presence from them. That seemed to be enough to satisfy their mother.
Miyuki was not pleased by this turn of events and stewed alone in the shower over it.
"Hasn't Onii-sama done enough for one day? Why must she push him to do even more? Can't the military patrols do their jobs themselves?"
While blaming their mother for Tatsuya's additional duties Miyuki conveniently forgot he was the one to suggest it. She ignored the fact that he would have insisted on doing a sweep simply because that is who he is, her defender and protector.
Once washed up, she reported to her mother's bedroom. Miya was still up and sitting in the bed, a data terminal in her hand. Miyuki could only guess what she had been reading, but it was probably the latest news reports of the battle today.
Miya turned relatively soft and caring eyes to her when she entered.
"All fresh and clean and ready for bed?"
Miyuki frowned slightly.
"I will be once Onii-sama has returned."
Miya's face changed to mild irritation.
"Repeat the words please."
Her mother's request sounded gentle, but there was iron in her words.
It took Miyuki a moment to register her mother's request.
"Um…."
It took her another second or two to recall what her mother was wanting her to say.
"The…..worst thing…you can tell a God, is…that he is a God."
A weak start with a stronger finish.
Miya nodded thoughtful affirmation to her daughter.
"I told you earlier I would let you love your Onii-sama if you would abandon any attempt to change my relationship with him."
Miyuki reluctantly nodded.
"There's an additional condition to this agreement."
Tension washed away in the shower shot right back up her spine.
"You will never tell anyone else what we discussed alone today Miyuki, especially Tatsuya."
Miyuki was somewhat relieved at this request since her imagination allowed her to think of many things worse than that. Still, she didn't like the thought of keeping secrets from him, especially the knowledge that his mother really did love him.
"Telling him I love him would expose him to the same dangers that made me withdraw my affections from him in the first place. Not to mention wasting thirteen years of very hard work."
Miyuki could feel happiness being pushed out of her by a wave of sadness, but she reluctantly nodded again.
"And you will not remind him later whenever he does seem to display emotions in the future, and for the exact same reasons."
Another sad nod followed.
"Yes mother."
Miya smiled sadly back to her.
"You will have to love him for the both of us."
Miyuki looked up with happily stunned eyes. Enthusiasm effused her response.
"I will momma! I promise!"
Miya nodded and dismissed her to bed.
"Now off to bed…..once you have verified Tatsuya is safe, of course."
Miyuki nodded and went to leave the room.
"Wait…"
She turned around at her mother's words. The look on Miya's face was hard to read.
"…what you witnessed today, through that slightly opened blind in the guardhouse office…."
Terror shown on her face and a chill ran down her spine.
"SHE SAW ME! BUT HOW?"
Reading her daughter's face, Miya smiled a vicious looking grin at her.
"….yes my dear, I saw you. You also seem to think I don't know my own children, my own daughter."
Miyuki couldn't answer her as it was taking all her strength not to cower at this unexpected turn of events.
"You will never speak of that to anyone, ever. I can't express how bad it would be if anyone ever learned of that. Do you understand?"
Miyuki nodded stiffly in agreement.
"Good."
Miya's eyes softened then.
But that tiny voice inside her didn't allow Miyuki to simply walk away.
"What….."
Miya's eyes lifted again to her daughter.
"….that magic….it…what is it? What did it do…..to Onii-sama?"
Miya sighed heavily as she pondered her response.
"It took away….his pain."
"His pain?"
Miyuki didn't understand, and Miya didn't plan on elaborating further.
"Not tonight Miyuki, that's all I have for you now. Never speak of it to anyone especially Tatsuya, promise me, promise your Onii-sama too."
"Promise…Onii-sama?"
"I promise mother."
Without fully understanding, she complied; but with the promise to understand more from her mother when she felt better.
They left things at that and after she saw Tatsuya was safely back inside, she went to her room.
By all rights, considering the momentous events of this tremendous day, she should have passed out once her head hit the pillow.
But for some reason, despite her extreme exhaustion, she couldn't find sleep. Her eyes kept drifting to the red colored lighted numbers on her bedside chronometer. She had watched it diligently for the last hour and eight minutes.
"23:58" was displayed on the chronometer now.
"The invasion."
The day's events spun through her mind.
"Going to the military base."
She couldn't allow a detail of this day to escape her mind.
"The Left-Bloods rebellion."
Her heart ached.
"Being shot."
Her emotions pounded at her.
"Regrowth!"
Then joy swept in.
"Being one with Onii-sama!"
A smile broke across her face.
"Seeing him go off to battle."
Then a frown replaced it.
"Going into the bunker."
The red lights on the chronometer face changed to "23:59".
"Watching Onii-sama stalk the battlefield."
She could feel her heart pounding in her chest.
"Watching Honami-chan go to his side."
Pride seeped into her heart.
"Seeing Onii-sama face the enemy ships alone."
A smile stretched the corners of her mouth again.
"…..Honami-chan saving you!"
And then her eyes widened.
"Material Burst!"
And then another frown.
"…Honami-chan."
A few tears escaped her eyes now.
"Onii-sama returned to me!"
A smile broke through the tears.
"But he was...emotional?"
She closed her eyes against the memory.
"….momma."
The interactions between Miya and Tatsuya dominated her few final thoughts after that.
The chronometer finally read "0:00".
And a sigh of relief escaped Miyuki's mouth.
"…Honami-chan."
She couldn't hold her eyes open any longer.
"….momma."
Her breathing slowed.
"…..Onii-sama."
She drifted off into slumber at last.
The longest twenty-four hours of her life were finally at an end.
Miyuki woke the next morning somewhat later than usual, even on vacation.
She didn't sleep well at all the previous night. Her dreams were dominated by memories of Honami, and of course by thoughts of Onii-sama.
Yet when she finally woke it was a nightmare that had caused it.
Along with her sudden waking the nightmare was now drifting away from her mind, but Miyuki started fighting to remember it before it was gone.
She had seen herself on a beach. Attacking ships on the horizon firing their rail-guns.
She lofted up a long tube and felt a magic sequence deploy. Then she felt a kick from the tube as a projectile left its far end.
"…..a rifle?"
She rubbed her eyes to get the sleep out, and mildly shook her head side to side as she lay on the pillow. The sunlight was streaming in through her room's curtains. The brightness reminded her of something else from the nightmare.
"Light…surrounding me?"
It had been a multi-colored array of light. Then she remembered a great roaring sound at the light turned into flame.
She knew what she had dreamed of now.
"I….was in Onii-sama's place…..from yesterday?"
She of course has had many nightmares before, but nothing this vivid and realistic. She was equally surprised to see things in this one from Tatsuya's perspective, and so realistically too. This certainly wasn't one of her normal dreams or nightmares.
"Can we share….dreams now?"
That thought delighted her intensely, but her mind dismissed it as wishful thinking.
She remembered that the flames had disappeared as the shield also fell. Then a burning bright light filled the far horizon. A sonic boom reached her ears first, then a pressure wave buffeted her with wind.
She had heard a voice calling to her, but she couldn't remember the words. She turned around and there….
Remembering this part she involuntarily inhaled hard and covered her mouth with her hands. Then tears poured from her eyes and she fought to stop her sobbing from making noise.
In the nightmare when she turned around two men in combat suits were rushing toward her.
And on the ground below her laid…
"…Honami-chan!"
Remembering this nightmare felt just like reality, as if she experienced this moment in real life for herself. She felt terror and anxiety wash through her.
"Why is it so vivid? Why do I feel this pain?"
Now sitting upright in bed, she clutched at her chest as she fought to breathe.
"…..the pain!"
It felt like something was stabbing her in the chest and lungs. Even the air seemed to burn her throat and lungs going in.
"If this is just the product of my own mind, when did I get this level of terrifying imagination?"
And then a knock at the door shattered her thoughts of the terrible nightmare.
"Miyuki….are you alright?"
Her Onii-sama's voice rescued her from the pit of despair she had been rapidly sinking into.
"OH…..um, yes Onii-sama! I'll be out shortly."
"I mustn't burden Onii-sama."
"…..OK, breakfast is ready."
She scowled at these words. It had been her intention to wake before him and make breakfast for him instead.
"…alright, thank you Onii-sama!"
"OK…..see you downstairs."
When he seemed to have moved off from the other side of the door Miyuki breathed a sigh of relief.
Then a pang of sadness washed over her.
"Is that how Onii-sama saw it all? Did he have to go through that? My poor Onii-sama."
Miyuki tried to put the memory of that awful nightmare behind her as she rose from the bed and wiped the tears from her checks.
"I will do all I can to make today better for Onii-sama."
She said this to the reflection in the mirror as she combed her hair and tried to apply a false mask smile to her face.
"For his sake….and Honami-chan's"
Tatsuya and Miyuki headed for the battle site a few kilometers away on their rental bikes; but when they got to the entrance to the villa property compound the guards posted by Major Kazama insisted that they leave the bikes with them and be driven by a patrol to the site instead.
The patrol unit wanted to wait for the siblings to return, but Tatsuya insisted it was more important they continue to patrol the villa area so that they could be ensured their mother was well guarded. Once he told them that he would call them for pickup, they seemed satisfied and returned to their patrol duties.
Miyuki solemnly carried the bio-degradable container that held Homani's remains with both hands to her chest as she followed Tatsuya down towards the sand dunes that led to the battle site.
They were so quiet walking the sandy path that Miyuki could hear her sandals when they made contact with the sand. Despite trying, she couldn't hear Tatsuya's footsteps at all.
Above them the bright blue sky had only a few stratus clouds high above and over the horizon. The mid-morning sun warmed the back of Miyuki's neck and coated everything she saw about her in the lightest shades of golden light.
The wind blew her hair and sundress lightly as they walked in silence. Overhead a few seabirds made their calls, but not enough to drown out the sounds of wind and surf.
Dune grasses bent to the wind's command as the sea appeared past the top of the last dune. The waves were normal looking but they weren't breaking hard and the whitecaps only formed within a few meters of the shore.
There was no apparent evidence that just the day before this had been the site Miyuki watched on the screens in fear. Where her Onii-sama, defended by Honami's last and greatest effort, defeated the enemy with his awesome powers.
The ride to this place had shown her all the damage and battle scars of the previous day; yet here, where the greatest moment of the day had occurred, it was as if peace was all this place had ever known.
Miyuki had failed to realize that the Tsunami her Onii-sama's magic created had washed away the evidence of battle from this site, and that the spot where he fought the enemy from was now fifty meters off shore and covered by the East China Sea.
Somewhere inside her she questioned if this was the right place. It seemed familiar, but different to her, She was confused by this since she never had seen this place herself in person, but only via remote cameras.
"It's a truly perfect day, is it not Miyuki?"
Tatsuya turned then and smiled down at her. Of all the beautiful things surrounding them, nothing was as beautiful as her precious Onii-sama's smile, his kind eyes, and the wind pushing his hair about.
She smiled up reflexively to him.
"It is a beautiful day Onii-sama. A day for Honami-chan."
She hugged the container even harder to her chest, as her Onii-sama ran his fingers over her wind-swept hair.
"Whenever you are ready Miyuki."
She took in a deep breath of sea air and released it as she opened her eyes. There before her, surround by the beach and the water and the sky, was Onii-sama and his unwavering smile.
"So strong and brave."
She nodded and they moved forward.
Tatsuya took off his backpack and shoes just out for range of the waves and Miyuki sat her sandals beside them. Then they walked into the waves together till it reached their knees.
He turned to look at her and then nodded that it was time.
Miyuki swallowed hard and felt tears moisten her eyes.
"Honami-chan…..who loved us so. I…I….."
Tears flowed freely now as she choked on her words. Then Tatsuya's strong right arm surrounded her shoulders and pulled her into him.
"…we commend the remains of Sakurai Honami-san, faithful servant and friend, to the oceans from which all life sprang forth. In the hopes that her loyal and loving spirit may find eternal peace and rest, and in the hope that one day we will be reunited with her spirit again."
She smiled up at his words, then found her own tongue again.
"We can never repay you for the love, devotion, and affection you have shown us. For the lessons you taught us, or the care you provided us. You were more to us than a servant ever could be, or a friend could ever hope to be. To us, you were…..a true Onee-chan….you were…"
Miyuki choked up on her words again. Tatsuya faithfully stepped in again for her.
"…..family."
Miyuki smiled again up to him through tears.
"….yes, family."
Tatsuya gently turned Miyuki so that the wind was behind them, and would blow the ashes away from them. He then lifted the lid off the container Miyuki held and let the bio-degradable lid fall onto the waves at their feet.
He then held one side of the container with his left hand as Miyuki supported the bottom with both her hands, and together they stretched it out before them.
As they titled it the wind caught the first ashes and carried them aloft and away.
Seeing this Miyuki began to sob and dip as if she would fall, but Tatsuya held her upright and supported her.
Slowly they tilted the container and more of Honami's remains took to the sky. Miyuki fought to contain her tears in Tatsuya's embrace.
Within seconds the last of Honami's remains slid out of the container and into the early morning August wind.
Tatsuya took the now empty bio-degradable container from Miyuki and lightly set it into the sea to be dissolved.
He then surrounded Miyuki with both his arms and she buried her head into his chest.
Miyuki didn't know afterwards how long he had let her cry into him as the cool waves lapped around their legs.
All she would remember later was the waves, the sky, the wind, Onii-sama's loving arms,...and Honami.
Once they were ready they stepped out of the waves and towards the spot where their shoes and the backpack rested. Tatsuya took out a beach blanket and spread it out. Once they were both situated on it Miyuki took out a thermos of tea and two cups. Filling both, she offered Tatsuya one and waited patiently for him to sip it before trying her own.
"Delicious Miyuki."
His genuine smile accompanied his words, and Miyuki allowed herself to sip her own tea in satisfaction then.
Next she removed the bento box that Honami had prepared early the day before.
Once she sat it on the blanket she looked down on it with sadness and sighed heavily.
Tatsuya's right hand stroked her head lightly then.
"We can't let her efforts for us go to waste."
Miyuki smiled back at him and took the lid off the box.
She had "conveniently" forgotten to pack two sets of chopsticks, so Onii-sama had to rely on her to feed him. This of course made her very happy.
They took their time, allowing the wind, the sea birds, and the waves to fill their ears with the sounds of nature.
They both were particularly reverent with their final pieces. After she swallowed her piece Miyuki had to wipe a few tears from her eyes.
They sat there together in comfortable silence watching the waves slowly go out with the tide.
It indeed was a beautiful day. Miyuki knew Honami would have loved it too.
After at least thirty minutes of contemplative silence, Tatsuya was the first to speak again.
"I have not forgotten the request you made yesterday."
Miyuki turned perplexed eyes toward him. She had apparently forgotten making any request of him. She watched him intently as he opened a side pocket of the backpack.
He pulled out one of his handkerchiefs, which looked to be wrapped around something.
Sudden realization flooded Miyuki's mind…..and she began to cry.
Tatsuya offered her the rolled handkerchief with both hands, and she took it from him reverently with both hands.
"I waited to give it to you today because I wanted to tie the cut end into a decent looking knot."
Miyuki listened to her Onii-sama as she sat the handkerchief in her lap and tenderly unrolled it.
She then began to cry even more.
"It's…..it's beautiful."
In her lap, on the handkerchief, sat Honami's distinctive hair braid. Tatsuya had collected it, by Miyuki's request, before he had supervised Honami's cremation.
The braid was just as Honami had made it, with her hair-bow holding the end where she herself had placed it with her own fingers. The only difference was the cut end had been made into a decorative knot in the shape of a heart.
Miyuki, seeing the knot, looked up through her tears in amazement at her Onii-sama.
"…when….how?"
He held her with his right arm as he replied.
"I did it last night after you had gone to bed."
"But….after all your hard work….you still….OH ONII-SAMA!"
Clutching Honami's braid between them, Miyuki sobbed uncontrollably into her Onii-sama's chest as her wrapped his arms around her. The sounds of the sea never allowed her cries to go further than her own ears, or her Onii-sama's.
Once Miyuki had let her emotions pour forth to her satisfaction she helped Tatsuya pack their belongings up. She very carefully placed Honami's wrapped hair braid into Tatsuya's backpack for transport.
"Can we walk down the beach a little?"
Tatsuya nodded with a sympathetic smile towards her.
"If it pleases you, of course."
They walked for several hundred meters along the beach with their shoes in their hands and the waves lapping at their feet.
Then Miyuki suddenly looked back towards the dunes, at a break in them that indicated a path back to the road network that had brought them here.
Tatsuya's eyes followed her gaze with an interested look, and then something on his face changed slightly. Miyuki thought he seemed to recognize the area from that look.
And for some reason she couldn't explain, she too felt that this path through the dune was familiar too. She felt drawn to it for what seemed no particular reason at all.
"Onii-sama, lets head back that way."
He turned a somewhat concerned look to her.
"If…..that is what you wish."
Seeing his discomfort, she responded.
"If you don't think it best, we can….."
"No!"
His voice was surprisingly raised then. It was more like how he had acted yesterday than her normal Onii-sama.
"I mean, that's fine, if you want."
She was concerned for him then, but the curious pull she felt to head that way made her think she had to see what it was that bothered them both so much.
She nodded and they headed that way, stopping to put their shoes back on once they reached the dune.
There was a slight uphill slope to the path, and the dunes behind that first dune were surprisingly deep.
They walked through dunes for at least several minutes. Tatsuya once again leading the way. To Miyuki he seemed to be in full Guardian mode now, searching about for threats as if they had entered hostile territory.
"Onii-sama, is there something….."
He turned those watchful eyes towards her, but seeing her own concern he mollified his expression with a kind smile.
"…..oh, no Miyuki, I'm sure we're perfectly safe here."
She forced a smile onto her face in reply and they continued onward and upward. She willfully suppressed her desire to probe him further with questions.
"If we're safe, why is Onii-sama so tense?"
Then she realized he wasn't the only one.
"Why am I so tense?"
She knew it wasn't all a sympathetic response to his apparent nervousness. She too felt that this place was too familiar to her, and it had set her on edge.
"But why do I feel I have to get to the end of this path so much?"
They walked on tepidly, both very alert, as if they were entering some dark forest full of frightful creatures and spirits.
"Mother would surely chide me for having such juvenile thoughts at my age."
Still, there was some fear in Miyuki's heart that she couldn't explain, but not enough fear to stop their forward progress.
And there certainly wasn't anything in Onii-sama's heart that would stop him. He was seemingly as determined to reach their unknown goal as she.
Suddenly he stopped in front of her and looked upwards. Her own eyes followed his line-of-sight. Before them was a small hill. Nothing too impressive, only several meters high; yet tall enough to let some trees grow on its small slopes where nothing else so large could grow in the area.
"Can we go there Onii-sama?"
He turned with a surprised look at Miyuki's request, then he turned back as if to scan the hill again with his eyes. Miyuki wondered if he used Elemental Sight to examine the hill and its surroundings.
After a few more moments, he replied.
"It seems safe enough."
She still felt he was reluctant to go for some reason. She slipped her left hand into his right one. He smiled back at her and they approached the hill together.
The walk up the hill wasn't difficult, but Tatsuya stopped once when he noticed something in the ground of the path before them.
Looking down herself Miyuki could see where a tire track had pushed the light coating of sand aside and dug a little into the harder dirt below it. Her guess was that it was some type of motorcycle or dirt bike.
Nearer the top of the hill, her speculation was confirmed.
"They forgot it….."
Her Onii-sama was looking at a dirt bike in the tall grasses beside the path up the hill. He let go of her hand then and they both approached it. He didn't seem surprised in the least to find it here. Miyuki assumed he had seen it with his special vision.
"We can take it back to them, if you don't mind?"
He was holding two helmets that had been lying beside the bike. From the colors of the bike and the helmets, Miyuki assumed it was Self Defense Forces property.
Normally, Miyuki would have been slightly afraid to ride a motor bike. She had never ridden one before. Yet she was confident in her Onii-sama to know he would never take risks with her safety, so in truth she was looking forward to it.
"I can hold him as we ride."
That thought filled her with delight.
"That will be great Onii-sama!"
Instead of the smile from him she was expecting, her Onii-sama was looking past her now. She turned to see what he was looking at.
The hill wasn't very high, but since it was near a beach it didn't need to be high to have a commanding view. Miyuki could see the dunes they walked past on their way here and the beach they had come up before that. She could see the spot where they had lunched earlier further down the beach, and the place where they said their final goodbye to Honami.
And she could see further inland towards the areas where Tatsuya and the Self Defense Forces had pushed the invaders back to the seas from which they had came. The relatively pristine beaches and dunes made a sharp contrast with the signs of combat only slightly more inland.
Then her eyes were drawn back to the hill itself. They were near the top but not the very top. A few tress grew on the sparse slopes, but surprising none were visible at the very top.
Then Tatsuya began to move the few meters left to reach the flat top of the hill.
"…..Onii-sama?"
He kept walking slowly towards the top, her voice didn't seem to reach him. She followed him up there. He stopped and was looking down at something with surprise on his face.
Right before she reached the top she felt like she passed through a wall of energy.
"No, that's not right."
Instead it was a mild wall of psions.
"Someone cast magic on this spot?"
She knew magic barriers when she felt them.
"Onii-sama, what was…"
And then she stopped her words.
"A magic barrier. If I had to guess it was placed here on Major Kazama's orders. It seems to be some type of illusion magic to hide…this."
Miyuki looked down at where Tatsuya was looking as he spoke.
There before them, occupying the entire top of the small hill, was a great circular ditch.
"Onii-sama, what…what caused this?"
She saw at a few places along the outside boarder of the ditch where it came back up to normal ground level, the remains of the trees that must have occupied the top of the hill. Where the remaining stumps met the outside edge of the ditch the trees were shaved in two, perfectly aligned with the side of the ditch. It was as if the same great force that created the ditch had cut the trees at the same time. No evidence of the missing parts of the trees could be seen.
And there was the faint hint of psions around the edges of the ditch.
"…..was it magic?"
Tatsuya, in a stupor, hesitated before answering. Confusion shown on his face.
"It had to be…but, I can't see it."
He was perplexed and disturbed. Miyuki rushed to his side then.
"What do you mean Onii-sama?"
He looked at her with confusion showing on his face. It wasn't a normal look for him to say the least.
"I was here….."
He looked around the ditch again.
"….this is where…."
He looked up at the sky as if searching for a memory.
"….I let her go."
Miyuki was confused now too.
"….Honami-chan?"
He turned at the mention of Honami, and then sadly nodded to Miyuki. Then he pointed to the center of the circular shaped ditch, to the only part that was still at the same height as the surrounding hill top.
The real shape of the ditch was like half of a torus shape had been dug out around a central piece. A doughnut shape around the hole of the doughnut.
"I tried to use Regrowth on her, several times."
He said this with a despondent look on his face as he pointed to the raised high ground. Then he shook his head as if to clear his mind.
"…..it didn't work, but I didn't want to stop. I couldn't….I couldn't….."
"…let her go."
Miyuki said these words as if she had been there witnessing the struggle he went through here just the day before. He looked back at her with surprise.
"…..Please, Tatsuya, won't you let me go?"
Miyuki felt like she was in a trance as she said these words. Tatsuya on the other hand seemed stunned by them.
"…Miyuki…..how?"
She shook her own head suddenly as the trance seemed to end.
"….I…I don't…"
He pulled her into him tighter.
"It's not important Miyuki."
His words were meant to comfort her; but she knew these words had meaning, and she knew she shouldn't know them.
"I can feel psions Onii-sama, this was created by magic, powerful and lingering magic."
He nodded pensively to her words as they stared at the ditch.
"Yes….these are my psions….I made this…..thing."
Miyuki knew he was right. After experiencing Regrowth with him yesterday she could feel the same unique markers of his magic as its remnants radiated around them.
"…but…."
Miyuki looked up at him then to see the confusion still on his face.
"…I….I don't…..remember this."
He was bewildered over it.
"And…I can't look back at it with my vision."
He shook his head again.
"When I look back….I see me, and her, and there is no ditch…but…"
This genuinely was disturbing him.
"but then…then this is here…no sign of me making it, no sign I used any other magic but Regrowth….no nothing. I….I don't…"
He had raised his hands up to hold the sides of his head. He seemed to be experiencing pain. She reached up to put her hands on the outside of his. He looked at her in confusion.
"…where did it go? I don't…I….."
"Onii-sama, please. Let's leave this place now, please."
She knew he couldn't stay here any longer….and she was pretty sure she knew what was causing his confusion.
"So this is what you did to your son, mother?"
Miyuki could feel that the magic Tatsuya had used to make this great torus shaped ditch had been Decomposition; and by the sheer volume of the random and lingering amounts of his own psions still drifting about it, Miyuki knew it hadn't been a controlled release of magic.
"Onii-sama made this thing in...anger?"
Where he had been, over Honami's body, was the epicenter of what appears to have been a torrent of Decomposition phenomenon created by an uncontrolled magic release. Everything around him, dirt, rock, sand, and trees had apparently been consumed in the rolling and rotation torrent.
She held him to her as they passed through the illusion barrier.
"Sanada and Kazama where here too, they had to have witnessed it. This must be here because they don't want anyone else to see or feel this. They might have even almost been consumed by it as well."
Miyuki sat Tatsuya down beside the dirt bike and pulled out a water bottle for him from the pack still on his back. As he gathered his wits again, she looked back up the hill with concern in her eyes.
Once he was recovered, Tatsuya seemed to forget entirely about what was just a few steps up the hill from them.
"It's late Miyuki. Mother will be worried about you. We should head back."
He said this as he held one of the helmets in front of him. Miyuki allowed him to put it on her head and strap the chin down. Then he fixed his own helmet as she took the backpack from him, mounted the bike and started it. Miyuki got on behind him and per his instructions wrapped her arms tight around him.
Then they took off down the hill and through the remaining dunes until they found the main beach road.
Miyuki looked behind them as they sped down the road. She could see the small hill retreating in the distance. It was clear why they had retreated there with the threat of an approaching Tsumani wave. It was the only high ground around.
"He remembers parts of yesterday here, but not others?"
She tightened her grip around his torso as the wind caught more of her hair from under the helmet.
"That has to be mother's doing, but why would she take his memories?"
She looked away toward the beach beside their road.
"It had to be because those memories were attached to strong emotions."
She looked over his shoulder to the road ahead.
"Emotions so strong, even remembering them could turn him into…."
She looked at the back of his helmet with sad eyes.
"I won't let that happen to you Onii-sama."
She pushed these thoughts out of her mind willfully, determined to enjoy her very first bike ride.
"…with Onii-sama."
Author's Notes:
I decided this would be a good point to add some of my own comments. I hope you are enjoying the story so far. Thanks for reading and posting your comments. I appreciate constructive criticism as well as praise, so keep the comments coming.
I chose this story because I feel it had great potential for revealing info and insights into the siblings and their history.
Some of you have asked why Tatsuya seems so emotional in my story. Please bear with me, I will have insights on this coming up in the story.
I hope I'm not ruining the story for you guys by telling you this already; but much like George Lucas has said that Star Wars was really the story of Darth Vader, Aftermath is the story of Miya. I feel there is so much about Miya that has yet to be revealed and that her motivations were so deeply rooted it has to be fleshed out. I think Satou will reveal more to us in the official story eventually, but I had to go there myself.
Well that's all I have to say for now. Thanks again for reading my stories.
The Baryon Lancer.