Chapter 39 — Justice / Mercy (Part I)

Yomotsu slouched forward in his chair. He skewered a couple of peas with his fork and then dragged them around the plate by making little swivels with his fork. While his left hand was busy with this, the right hand held his head up. His middle finger touched the corner of his eye, while the pinky touched his upper lip and the thumb tapped idly at his jaw.

He was beginning to run out of food in the house. This was one of his few remaining unappetizing meals: canned peas, a mushroom gravy packet from a visit ages ago to a fast food place, and a microwavable spinach and egg, cheese, and English muffin sandwich. When he opened the package in the freezer, the pieces of the sandwich came in blocks: two solid pieces of frozen muffin, a patty block composed of egg whites and spinach, and a small square of processed cheese.

He finished the peas and wiped up the remaining gravy with the bottom of the sandwich. He took a big bite and chewed on the rubbery muffin and egg for a long time. In the background, he heard JusTV. Yuri had been watching television very closely lately, to compensate for Yomotsu's inactivity as the 12th.

Yomotsu went to work, but his work ethic was steadily declining. Even Craig noted it, and Yomotsu had to make up some excuse. He said something about being very tired and just needing sleep. That must have been a good enough excuse, because then Craig slapped him on the back and started telling "Hiro of Rai Chestnuts" about all the wild parties he used to have when he was younger.

Yum Yums was full of people getting ready to grill during the first full week of July. Yomotsu and Mercy were both trained into their positions by now, but fortunately Yomotsu's hours and hers had not overlapped too much. Mercy was now his boss at work, and while he was able to wave at her when he saw her and give a friendly smile, he was aware of the problems working together could create.

Even though he worked at the grocery store, he was running out of food at home. He did not have the energy to go shopping. He just went home and usually slept. Sometimes he went home to listen to the Justice Diary. The message the Diary relayed used to always be about which villain he would defeat and how, but since everything fell through with Mercy, his Diary had been giving him more modest forecasts.

"Today I will sleep righteously," the Diary recently told him, in his own voice.

Another day it predicted, "I will notice that my room is messy and put forth the effort to clean the place up a bit. Then I will cry into my pillow."

Since Yomotsu lacked the energy to go grocery shopping, Yuri had recently been making meals for either both of them to eat together or, when Yuri was not hungry or was not able to eat at the moment, meals for just Yomotsu. There were frozen meals and canned food to live on when Yuri worked or had to fight criminals.

JusTV was featuring a panel of experts (aka, huge super hero nerds) who were discussing why only Lunatic and Anemone had been showing up to fight crime lately. They worked together as a pair to defeat quite a few threatening criminals lately, some of whom recently escaped from prison. Security could not be tight enough; the Graceville jail was never equipped to keep high-level NEXTs for too long.

Even as the jail evolved to meet the challenges of its diverse inmates, research was being conducted as to how the escapees were getting out. In many cases, the inmates simply disappeared from their cells. There was no evidence as to how. One moment the inmate was there, and the next, the inmate was outside of the prison. Notably, this was the case for Acid.

Lunatic and Anemone were a formidable team—fire and water were enough to save numerous lives and prevent the expanding city's destruction. In a year, Graceville had gone from snubbing the 12th to relying on him for safety. The panel on TV admitted that Lunatic and Anemone were getting the job done. All but one of them agreed that if the 12th did not resurface, they could maintain safety and order in the city. A lone panelist said, however, that the 12th was personally needed.

"Good as Lunatic and Anemone are, no one has the heart that the 12th has. He's put so much fervor into the cause of justice that I just can't see anyone replacing him. He needs to come back, or I think we're gonna be toast."

Yomotsu was so out of it that it took him a while to realize the expert calling for his return was his coworker, Rocco.

He finished the English muffin sandwich and moved his plate to the sink. He rinsed off the gravy still on the plate with tap water.

It was already July 6th. He did not cry as much anymore, but he was unsure how much "better" he really was. He had been in really bad shape. A week ago, he texted Mercy, telling her that although he knew that she did not want to be romantically involved with him, he really could use a visit from her.

She did not respond to the message. A couple of days later, Yomotsu had something of a breakdown. Yuri was at work, and Yomotsu was rummaging through the house and cleaning, when he stumbled upon some of Mercy's belongings that she had forgotten about and left there.

Finding those items immediately brought back the memories attached to the items and their owner. He felt a great loneliness and nervousness crawl up on him, and he sent Mercy a series of long texts:

"I'm sorry to bother you again, but when you have the time, I really need to talk. I really need a friend right now. It feels like everything is suddenly closing in on me, and all of my insecurities are rising from the darkness. Maybe it's worse when you're blind—in the dark, you can see anything. I found some of your old stuff: your The Black Parade CD, one of your sketchbooks, a couple of manga volumes, and some other odd items. Just text me or call when you can come pick them up."

"I don't know if you got my message from two days ago, but I just want to be clear that I am not asking for anything romantic with you. While I still care about you, I know that is not something you're sure you want right now, and I respect that. I just want to talk again. Yuri can be around, if you wouldn't feel comfortable alone with me."

"I'm scared right now. I was scared of a lot of things, but you helped ease me through the fears. While we were together, I was mostly just scared of losing you. Now, that fear has been fulfilled, and the other things are creeping back up on me. I keep thinking about what happened with my mother, and I wonder what she'd think if she could see the person I've become."

"Sorry if texting you like this bothers you, but please, I'm lost and scared right now. I'm really hurting, and I feel like something really bad is going to happen soon. My Diary is not predicting it, but something within me even more reliable than the Diary is trying to warn me…"

"I hope you're okay and doing well. Be safe?"

Mercy did not respond.

That was five days ago. She used to respond immediately to his texts. If she was at work when he texted, she'd respond as soon as she got off work. Yomotsu was worried that something had happened to her, but when he asked Yuri about this yesterday, Yuri stated that Mercy was fine.

In fact, Mercy had been texting Yuri frequently during this time. Yuri was transparent about the matter. He explained that Mercy was texting him about little things and about a CD she was excited to get in the mail soon. Then, after not saying much back to her, Yuri texted her asking for advice on Yomotsu's condition. Yuri explained to Yomotsu that he asked her, because he could think of no one who knew his friend better than her.

Yuri described to Mercy how Yomotsu spent almost all of his time in his room and how he even was reluctant to put on his Transformation getup. Mercy responded by saying, "I'm sorry, Yuri, but I don't know what to say. I'm not good with these kinds of things. I don't feel comfortable talking about him… But we can talk about other things, if you want."

Yuri pressed a little harder and texted back that this was what was on his mind, so if he was going to talk with her, it was going to be about Yomotsu. It was going to be about his best friend and the person she formerly said mattered most to her.

Yuri read her response aloud, to Yomotsu. She said, "Are you trying to make me feel guilty? I don't think there's anything I can do for him right now. I don't know what either of you expect me to do. Just text me if you want to talk about something other than Yomotsu, okay?"

Yuri texted back, "Okay." That was the most recent text message sent between them.

Yomotsu did not expect her to respond to him. Yuri offered his condolences, and he offered to help in any way he could. Yomotsu appreciated the friendliness showed to him, as well as the meals. Right now, however, Yomotsu knew that Yuri could not cure him. It was not as simple as that; this wounded heart of his would take possibly a long time to heal.

Yomotsu set the plate and fork in the sink. He then went over to the living room and placed his hands on top of the couch. He listened to Rocco speak in defense of the 12th:

"These allegations that the 12th is giving up or is in hiding are absurd. I am going to tell anyone who thinks that to just look at this guy's track record. He's risked his neck for us way too many times to just chicken out now. It hasn't been that long. I for one trust the 12th, and I think after all he's done for this city, we should all give him the benefit of the doubt."

Yomotsu sighed. He found the remote on the armrest of the couch and decided to change the channel. When Yuri got home from work, he would just change it back. Before he could press the button on the remote, however, he heard a strange sound. It was so familiar. He turned around at once.

"Hello, Yomotsu Hirasaka—the 12th."

Yomotsu backed up into the couch with a startle. That voice—it was Light Yagami. Light was in the house, but there was no way he could have been there this whole time. Yomotsu's ears were too sensitive not to notice, even in his current mental state. He definitely did not enter through the door, either, because that was locked. No, Light's entrance had to do with that strange noise he heard—the sound of a portal opening. He realized why the sound was familiar; it was similar to the sounds he heard when they were taken to the Cathedral of Causality while in Olivia's house.

"What do you think, Muru Muru? What do you make of this washed-up hero of justice?" Light asked.

"He looks weak," the high-pitched little devil answered. "He doesn't stand a chance against you, Light! I don't know how someone like this could've beaten you before!"

"That was a minor setback, but now everything is about to run its proper course…"

Yomotsu knew it was foolish to try to run. Light was speaking confidently. There was no easy way out of this situation.

"Why are you here?" Yomotsu asked.

Light chuckled. "Muru Muru, should I tell him—or would you like to explain?"

Muru Muru, the former servant of Deus ex Machina decided to speak. She said, "That's simple! We're here to invite you to join us for a little ride—only, you can't decline the invitation. That's the rub, as you humans say!"

"There is no way that I will go anywhere with you!" Yomotsu assured the two.

"That's no way to speak to the god of this world," Light said. He swung something—a blade of some sort that whistled in the air.

"Olivia is the god of this world," Yomotsu corrected.

"That game was rigged!" Muru Muru chimed in. "For starters, the challenges were not right for determining a god. Second, Deus never should have let you give your job to someone else. Olivia is just a stand-in, someone to fill Deus's spot until the real god can assume his role! That's why we're here!"

Yomotsu knew it would not help to run. Muru Muru had to have brought them here through a supernatural portal. They could just as easily follow him, so all running away would do is buy Yomotsu a little time and exhaust him. Whatever Light had planned, he would rather go with it for now and conserve his energy.

"What do you want with me, then?" Yomotsu asked. "You have come to settle the score, have you? Where are you taking me on this 'ride' of yours?"

"We're taking you to experience the end of the world," Light answered. "That is, the end of this corrupt, filthy world. Muru Muru has been kind enough to lend me her power, and while Olivia sits and watches in her lofty throne, I will begin to cleanse this world, starting with Graceville. As for the ride, it's waiting outside the town. I'm going to take us there right now. And although Muru Muru already said it quite clearly, in case you did not understand her—you have no choice in the matter. You are going with me."

Yomotsu wished he could see. He wished he could see Light and the little devil standing in front of him. Even without vision, however, he had an idea of the power emanating from Light. Kira was back, and because of Muru Muru's defiance of Olivia's authority, all of Graceville was in greater danger than ever before.

Yomotsu heard the crackle of fire and then felt himself being whisked away—he was being kidnapped, and that meant he was at Light's total mercy. A sense of dread crept in, and nothing could draw it out.

Yuri slid his time card. His shift at Yum Yums was over, and he would not have to come back to the store until tomorrow. While Yomotsu, Mercy, and Rocco had been learning to oversee the front end in their new positions, Yuri was still just a normal cashier. The job was not bad enough to warrant complaining, much less quitting. Standing around for eight hours, however, took a toll on his feet. Knowing that he likely would have to fight crime as Lunatic that very same night did not help the matter, and he could not simply nap until a criminal appeared to be challenged—he had to make dinner for himself and Yomotsu.

He had to be around, in case Yomotsu needed him. This was nothing Yomotsu had asked of him, of course, but Yuri decided this for himself without much thought. His friend was taking this breakup hard, but none of this was surprising to him. When Mercy told him that she would be breaking up with Yomotsu, he was worried about how this would affect him.

Yomotsu hardly left his room. Sometimes, Yuri would wait outside Yomotsu's door and listen in. Once he caught Yomotsu talking to himself in stupid star metaphors and celestial analogies. He could not write his friend off as crazy (at least, not any crazier than how Yomotsu usually was), because he put himself in Yomotsu's shoes.

When he thought of his reaction to Vidalia's suicide, he was able to empathize with Yomotsu completely. Jumping from a waterfall is much more drastic than breaking up with someone, this he realized, but in either case, he knew what losing the woman you loved felt like. Years of changing times had not erased those memories, even if the feelings retreated into another part of his brain and went dormant.

Still, he could not fully understand Mercy's perspective. Yomotsu, even though he shut himself in his room, was quite clear with his emotions. Mercy, even though she was willing to speak about most things, would not talk about Yomotsu. Yuri tried to explain that the only thing he was interested in speaking with her about right now was his friend who was hurting, but she was strong in saying she did not want to talk about Yomotsu.

Yuri sighed. He walked out of the room and headed toward the store's exit doors. As the automatic doors opened for him, he noticed the brightness outside. Having been stuck on a register far from the doors, it was remarkable—the sun was brilliant outside. One of the benefits of having an earlier was that he got off work earlier.

He stepped onto the sidewalk that wrapped around the store. His Rolls-Royce Phantom was parked conspicuously next to the other employees' used, ten years or older cars. He smiled at his own sense of class and then began walking toward the vehicle.

"Yuri-chan!"

He was about halfway down the parking lot when he heard Mercy calling for him. He heard the sound of a loud bell in the distance—likely from the church around this area.

"Yuri-chan, wait! Wait!"

She was wearing her work clothes, just like Yuri was, only her nametag was gold and listed her FEMALE status under her name. As Mercy ran toward him, Yuri followed the solid blue streaks on the left and right side of her head down to her earrings. The little gems matched her hair color perfectly.

When Mercy reached Yuri, she had to catch her breath for a little bit. Then she looked at him and said, "I was wondering… If you could give me a ride back to your place?"

Yuri eyed her. "Why do you need a ride? And why our place?"

"My car was having trouble this morning, so I walked here," Mercy explained. "And while I don't mind calling a cab from your place in order to get to my place, I really don't want to pay a cab to go to both. I have to go to your place first, because I left some of my things there. And since you're already going there anyway~~~"

He unlocked the door and looked at her reflection in the driver's seat window. "I likely can give you a ride to your place after you pick up your things," he said. "If you are just there to grab a few items and go, it should not take that long. Yomotsu and I have plans tonight, however, so you probably should not stay too long."

"No, I'm just going to go in and get my things," Mercy assured.

Yuri nodded. "Then, get in."

He stepped into the driver's seat, and she plopped down to his right. He put the key in the ignition and turned it to start the vehicle. Before music could start playing, he paused the CD. His eyes quickly darted to Mercy, who was fastening her seatbelt. He did not want to listen to any music with her in the car, especially not the CD that was in there. It was his copy of The Black Parade.

He buckled himself in, and then they drove silently out of the parking lot. He kept his attention on the sunshine while he drove. It was an exceptionally gorgeous day. He almost forgot to stop at a stop sign, because he was so distracted by the beams of light sheering through the clouds.

Mercy was sitting where Yomotsu had been sitting, back when they first met Olivia and when they first went to Yum Yums. This was not the first time she had sat there before, but usually Yomotsu was in the backseat. Since the two started dating, she would sit in the back with him, but now the backseat was empty.

"Hey… Do you mind if I ask you something? It's kind of important."

Yuri glanced at Mercy out of the corner of his eye. "Speak as you wish."

She paused for a few seconds and then asked, "Why haven't you been talking to me lately?"

Yuri stared at the road ahead. They were at a red light. He wanted to get to the house as quickly as he could, but they had been hitting nothing but red lights. She was asking such an inane question, too.

"I understand that I broke up with Yomotsu, but that doesn't mean I don't want to be your friend," she said, slowly. "I don't want this to change anything between us. Yomotsu and I are something separate from you and I… So I don't see why we haven't been talking more."

The light turned green, but he still had to answer. They were not even halfway there yet. "As I already told you, I am worried about Yomotsu," he said. "And if you have no intention of helping him, then I really have nothing to speak with you about. He is what has been on my mind lately, and I have always spoke my mind with you."

He noticed her frown. "'If I have no intention of helping him'? What's that supposed to mean? I'm still his friend, too. It's not like I've been mean to him or anything. We're still friends."

Yuri wanted to drive around the person making a left turn in front of him, but there was not enough room.

"Are you mad at me, Yuri?" Mercy asked. "I believe that friends should always be open and honest with each other, and I want to know if there's something I've said or done that's hurt you. But you can't just say that you're mad at me because I'm not dating Yomotsu anymore. That's not fair to me."

"That isn't at all what I'm trying to say," Yuri insisted. "But you said that you would still be Yomotsu's friend, yet you aren't there for him right now, when he needs you. You wouldn't even speak about him with me, even when I told you how much his condition means to me."

Just a little longer, and they would be at their place. Just a few streets down, then another turn along their usual route, and the house would be within view.

"There's really nothing I can do to help him," she explained. "I'm just not good at those things… And again, our friendship is separate. I really don't like you basing our friendship of anything that has to do with me and Yomotsu. Relationships end—that's just how things are. We have to go through relationships to learn about what we like and dislike, and then we move on. It's for the best. Everyone knows that—and maybe you don't think it's like that, because you've only loved one person. But just like how Yomotsu is going to have to learn how to get over me, you really should get over Vidalia, too. Maybe if you looked at it more from my perspective, you'd—"

Yuri quickly drew the car toward the curb and brought it to a screeching halt. He looked at Mercy. She had an alarmed expression.

Yuri turned the key and shut off the car. "You have no right to speak about Vidalia like that."