Days had passed. How long, she couldn't tell. Days had passed since Masuka was taken to a locked down hospital for treatment, and even more time passed as she recovered. Perhaps the longest time for her was sitting in the cold, dark cell, waiting for any human contact. After who knows how long, the door opened to a nearly blinding white light. Standing at the door were four armed guards.
"You got a visitor", The guard told her.
This was a surprise. Masuka was pretty sure she was left to rot in this dark hole. Yet, there was someone out there who took the time to come and see her. It was most likely for more information, but contact was still contact.
Masuka remained silent in her handcuffs behind her back as the guards escorted her through the narrow white hallway. There was a door at the end of the hallway, guarded by two armed soldiers. Without needing instructions, the door was opened with Masuka. She didn't break her composure until she was in the next room. Behind the door was an interrogating desk with two chairs. One chair was empty for her to sit down. The other was taken by none other than Keitaro Urashima. The guards sat her down in the chair, and took away her handcuffs before leaving Masuka and Keitaro alone. The door shut rather loudly, and the locking of the door was just as loud. The two locked eyes for some time without a word passing through.
Masuka could only see through one of her eyes, as the other one was covered by bandages until it could heal up. Her forehead, and left hand were also wrapped up. Even with a few extra bruises and scrapes, she didn't look nearly as bad as Keitaro. His arm was in a sling, there was a crutch on the side of the desk, due to a busted knee cap. She could only see some of the wrappings because one piece was visible at his collar's edge, but most of his thorax, back, and ribs were wrapped up from surgery and internal injuries. The young man's knuckles were all chew out from the fight. It was miraculous that he didn't need to remain in a hospital bed for an extended period of time. But that was the durable Keitaro Urashima they all knew.
Finally Keitaro spoke first, "What do you have to say for yourself, Masuka?"
Masuka lifted her hands, "Where do you want me to start Keitaro? What do you want me to say?"
"Why don't you start with why you chose to work for Darius", Keitaro said.
"Ha", Masuka huffed. "That's not too hard to see. I did it the same reason you joined the ERT."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
Masuka licked her dry lips, "I left because I was going down a path I saw no end to."
Keitaro listened to what she had to say. She was making some sense. Afterall, Keitaro left Hinata Sou a long time ago because he saw no end to his torture and abuse from the others. But that was the past, and in the present he sat and listened to Masuka's story.
"I didn't see an end to the path I was taking, and I didn't see an end to the path humanity has taken. Darius saw a different path. He had a vision to change humanity's being to become something greater."
"Becoming something greater", Keitaro asked. "Masuka by trading your body for something like that only makes you less human!"
"That's the whole point?! Humans are weak and primitive creatures, we are the key to evolution and becoming greater!"
"By demonizing yourself", Keitaro asked.
Masuka chuckled twice, "You're giving ME a lecture about demonizing myself?! Keitaro Urashima, the Oni-Zakura's Demon Blood Marking user!"
She caught him there. Keitaro nearly traded his soul for power, to get revenge. It sounded selfish, and not as gracious as demonization for a revolution. Keitaro hung his head low.
"I gave up my humanity. I let my humanity slip away the moment I left everyone at Hinata Sou behind, including Keitaro Urashima. But you know what...", Keitaro looked through her eyes again. "...I did it to myself. I chose to give up my humanity for power, knowing the consequences! I knew there were risk, I knew there was a possibility I might not ever come back, but I considered the consequences! Did you consider your consequences?! Did you think about all the lives you would end?! All the pain and sorrow you would create by following Darius and the rogue ERT?!"
"Collateral damage", Masuka looked to away.
"Collateral damage?!"
Keitaro was getting angry. Not angry enough to release his demon blood marking, but angry enough that the guards could hear his shouts.
"They were my friends", Keitaro shouted. "And your friends too! Tokui, Shirai, Haitani, Han, Nentou...Angel! They would have bled for you Masuka! And now Angel's blood is on your hands now!"
"We're soldiers Keitaro. We already have blood on our hands.
"I never killed anyone", Keitaro corrected.
"But you wanted to", Masuka told him. "I saw how you looked at Draconian at the dojo. You were ready to take his life."
Again, Keitaro was left in silence, "I let my anger and the Demon Blood Marking get the best of my judgement. I almost lost my humanity for a moment, but I wasn't willing to give up on my humanity. Draconian threw his humanity away a long time ago. He would've kept killing. I couldn't see another way to stop him."
"You tell my of how much you cherish your humanity, but look at you", Masuka stared into his soul. "We both sought to find another path that would make us feel complete. You and your gaping hole that needed to be wanted. Me and my gaping hole needing a purpose. You and I aren't so different."
"We are not the same Masuka...Not anymore", Keitaro said. "Now that it's all said and done, I still have a hole in my heart. I lost more than you did through this all."
"You lost more?! I'm gonna be stuck in a cage with other criminals like a caged animal. What did you..."
"I lost Yangyu, Masuka", Keitaro blurted out.
Suddenly, Masuka went quiet and wide-eyed.
"W-What", Masuka shakily asked.
This really caught Masuka's attention. Keitaro leaned on the table with his elbows as he rubbed his temples with one hand.
"I wasn't sure if you knew this or not. Yangyu is gone. He's been gone a long time."
Masuka set her hands on her lap, "What happened Keitaro?"
"It was Draconian. He would have taken my life, but Yangyu took the hit for me. He was dead before he even hit the ground."
Masuka gripped the cloth of her pants. The news of Yangyu's death stabbed her heart like a razor sword. After all the death, the betrayal, and all the bloodshed, it was the news of Yangyu's death that brought her to her senses.
"How does it feel? Does it hurt? Does it hurt to know you lost someone you loved so dearly?"
"Shut up", Masuka whispered.
Keitaro couldn't see it but Masuka was welling up with tears.
"Does it hurt to know that someone you vowed to protect is gone because you chose the wrong path?"
Again, Masuka said, "Shut up", a little bit louder than before. Whether he heard her or not, Keitaro continued to speak about Yangyu.
"Does it hurt to know that you could have done something to save him if you made a better choice?"
"Shut Up", Masuka said even louder.
There was no denying it, Keitaro heard her that time. However, he insisted on talking about the child's death.
"Tell me Masuka, how do you feel to know that Yangyu's dead because of you?!"
"I SAID SHUT UP", Masuka yelled as she struck Keitaro.
Masuka lit up her hands with her purple energy and slammed it into Keitaro's jaw across the table. The Urashima rolled backwards and hit the wall behind him. AS he looked up, he could see the angry Masuka gritting her teeth with her energy in one balled fist. As he watched her pant from the adrenaline rush, Keitaro saw something else. Masuka was crying. Tears streamed down her angry but sad face. In a split second, eight soldiers rushed in. The whine of their electronic assault weapons buzzed as they took their positions.
Keitaro held up a hand as he shakily stood back up, "Wait a minute, don't shoot. She's not gonna do anything.
"She just spiked up her energy. We're ordered to shoot on sight if she does", The captain of the soldiers said.
"You're ordered to shoot if things get out of hand. Nothing's out of hand yet", Keitaro leaned against the wall. "Everything's under control for now. Leave us be for now. I'll take the fall if Avianna questions this."
The soldiers looked between their captain, their scoped weapon, and Keitaro. After a few seconds, the captain made a notion with his hand. Immediately, all of them lowered their weapons and left the room. The door clanked shut with the same loud bang. Now things were awkwardly silent.
The silence remained until Keitaro broke the quietness once again, "I'm sorry Masuka."
"What are you apologizing for", Masuka said bitterly.
"I'm sorry I put the blame of Yangyu on you. That wasn't fair of me."
Masuka focused her attention on everything else but Keitaro, despite the room being so plain.
"It's not like you were the one who put him to his death."
"But I was the one who should have been protecting him", Keitaro told Masuka, then remained quiet for a moment. "I wasn't responsible for putting Yangyu to death, but I'm going to be responsible for putting someone in their grave a little too early."
"What do you mean", Masuka returned her attention back to Keitaro.
Keitaro removed his glasses and rubbed his temples with his right hand.
"Masuka...That blow Skinny took for me and Shinobu...Should have killed him. It was a miracle that he survived for this long, but he's suffering. He's suffering Masuka. He doesn't have much time left, and...The more humane thing to do would be to put him out of his misery..."
Hearing this would break anyone's heart. Masuka couldn't imagine what Keitaro was feeling. Despite being a small furry weasel like mammal, Skinny was infact, one of Keitaro's best friends. He had been that little piece of sanity that kept Keitaro going. Whether it was listening to what he had to say, or simply being in the room so he wasn't alone, Skinny was always there to make sure he stayed sane. Now, looking a Keitaro, it felt like his heart was just breaking right in front of her. He didn't want to cry, not in front of Masuka. Keitao took a few sniffles before rubbing any draining moisture from his tired eyes.
After placing his glasses back on, Keitaro steered conversation back on track, "You know Masuka, when the ERT was put back together, you know, the last six of us, I didn't think we were gonna survive...At least not me. I thought I would be one of the first few to go. I was beaten, lost, wounded, and just plain tired. I was ready to die. Maybe that's why I gave up my humanity. Maybe I was trying to hurry my inevitable death. I don't know."
Masuka had a sad look written on her features. Listening to Keitaro was like listening to a sad veteran's sad stories of war, which in a sense was very similar to Keitaro. Each tale about their hardships coming from the path they had taken all boiled down to why they did it all.
Keitaro continued to give the reasons for his actions, "What I do know is that I was stupid for thinking that...As I got older, as I went on more battles, as I took more different paths, I realized there were other reasons I was here. I had to fight for people I tried to forget. Hinata Sou still waited for me. My friends still waited for me. Even my promise girl still waited for me. The only problem was I had to put my demons to rest, and I needed time to figure things out. I want you to do the same Masuka. I want you to put your demons to rest too."
Keitaro pulled out a small book from his jacket pocket and placed it on the table before getting up from his seat using his crutches.
"Take as much time as you need Masuka", Keitaro told her as he shakily walked to the door. "It took me a while, but you can put your demons to rest Masuka."
No more than a few steps from the door, Keitaro made the epic fail of falling backwards. Before the Urashima could hit he floor, Masuka saved his fall by catching him from behind. Keitaro was surprised to say in the least, not by the fact that she caught him in lightning speed, but that she helped him at all. Masuka lifted him back to his feet, but didn't let go of him just yet. In fact, she tightened her grip around him just a little bit.
"You said you made it through because you had people waiting for you...Will you wait for me", Masuka asked hesitantly.
Keitaro lifted his hand to gently rub Masuka's hand currently around his chest, "I will wait for the day when you return to us again Masuka, because I believe the same girl I fell in love with all those years ago still exist somewhere...But she has to understand, that I've moved on. There is someone else who's waiting for me back at Hinata Sou."
That was heart squeezing. Who it hurt more, Masuka or Keitaro, anyone could argue their guess. Despite how much it hurt her, Masuka released Keitaro from her grip.
"Okay Keitaro. I understand", Masuka told him.
He didn't look back, and she didn't look up. The soldiers let Keitaro out of the room when he gave them the knocking signal. As loud as the door was when opening and closing, as thick and heavy as the door was, Masuka could hear Keitaro's crutches going through the halls, the tapping noise getting lower and lower, until it was gone.
After leaving the holding cells, doing the proper paper work, and a quick medical inspection, Keitaro met in the hanger bay with Avianna and Tokui.
"Captain, General", Keitaro saluted them, despite having a crutch under one arm.
"How are you holding up? You okay", Tokui pat his friend's back.
"No", Keitaro sighed, "But I will be."
"And Masuka", Avianna asked her soldier.
Still in the interrogation room, Masuka flipped through the book Keitaro left behind. It wasn't a book to read words from, it was a photo album. There were pictures from their ERT days. They had a picture of everyone. They weren't profile pictures, or serious ones. In fact, some of the photos were of their most awkward or silly moments. However, the most noticeable thing about every photo, was that it was a happy one. Some were of training, some were of playing around, and many more with happy memories. The last photo in the album made Masuka cry in the blink of an eye.
The last photo was of Masuka and Keitaro frozen in time. She was directly behind him with her arms wrapped around his neck. Her hair looked like it was fluttering from the wind. In the corner was a signature she wrote a long time ago that said, "To my one true love, I hope we have many more years together. Love, Masuka. XOXOXOXO" On the page right next to it was some writing on a notecard that read, "Take care of yourself Masuka. I still believe in you. Always remember, Keitaro" This must have been made recently. The notecard was brand new, and the booklet containing all the photos smelled like fresh leather. To his mistake, Keitaro forgot to remove the bar code sticker to scan for the price of the photo album. Masuka couldn't help but let more tears fall from her eyes seeing the pictures of their past selves.
"I hope she'll be ok...Someday", Keitaro answered Avianna.
Good Moooooorniiiiing, VIETNAM! LoL! I wanted to post this chapter on Thanksgiving, but I didn't have it ready at the time. More so, I was very saddened and disappointed by the ending of Naruto. Not only did my OTP not happen, it seemed like a lot of the build up over the last 15 years went down the drain. The characters didn't seem like themselves, and I get the feeling the author just sold old to his characters for profit. I dunno. In any case, I'm not gonna let the ending destroy what 15 years of Naruto have meant to me. I'm thinking about writing a Naruto fic, but that's another project for later on. Besides my writers blog from Naruto's ending, I've been working on other chapters for my Senran Kagura fic. But that doesn't mean I've given up on this story. I'll finish it, and I'll try not to disappoint.
This was another tear jerker for me to write. The chapter didn't have much action or character, mainly dialogue between Keitaro and Masuka, but I felt it was needed. Hopefully this'll put the whole Masuka thing to rest, and maybe give Keitaro some piece of mind. The song "Demons" sung by "Nightcore", originally by "Imagine Dragons", was going through my head, but that wasn't the only song. The "Nightcore" version of "Iris", originally by "The Goo Goo Dolls", and "How To Save A Life", originally by "The Fray", were great for the parts of this chapter. I put links to the Nightcore versions of these songs down at the bottom.
As I said earlier, and you'll probably hate me for it, but Skinny is going to die. The little guy had a good run, but it's time to say goodbye. I don't want you to think I'm doing this just for the feels, reviews, or the kicks. Skinny played an important role in Keitaro's story, and he has to play one more role by his passing. It hurts me to have to kill off one of my own characters, but death is a natural part of life, in reality, and fiction. The next chapter is gonna be so hard to write. It's hard to believe that this is already chapter sixty. It wouldn't have been possible without all of you. I'll try to have a new chapter done by the new year. It sounds like a long ways away, but I'll have it by then. Till then, keep following, read some more of my stuff, stay safe, and never forget Naruto. Take care everyone, thank you again.
(Demons)
/bOpLs6qfYoI
(How To Save A Life)
/Q69_lnD6GhE
(Iris)
/84y2RM40Y4U