Notes: Bit of a shorter chapter compared to the Last one, but I kinda wrote this as a continuation of the last chapter and fleshing out some loose ends. Next chapter might take a bit of time cause I have to write "When The Crow Calls" next, and then I'll get back to work on this.
But I hope you all enjoy as always, and thank you so much for reading.
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Aqua merely stared at the test Ruby was holding up, his eyes shining faintly while he read it over again and again, trying to process exactly what the implication was.
It was a pregnancy test, that much was certain, and it read positive.
Ruby also said it was her test.
It was easy enough to put together what she was implying, it's not like it was some huge mystery or anything.
But still, this was…
"T-This is…Yours?" Aqua finally managed to push the words out, still in total disbelief. Ruby nodded slowly, her own eyes shining brightly, a small smile forming on her lips.
"It is sensei…I took multiple to be sure throughout the day and each one said the same thing." Ruby slowly lowered the test, her hand reaching out to cup Aqua's cheek, tears running down her cheeks. "I'm pregnant, Sensei."
"Pregnant…" Aqua looked towards the side in total disbelief, his mind blanking on everything.
Why?
Why was this happening?
He made sure Ruby was on birth control, and also ensured the two of them ate and drank specific combinations that would temporarily reduce fertilization before they had sex.
So why was she…
Even if it had to do with their first time together, he still made sure Ruby took the morning after pill.
So why was she…
"Sensei…" Ruby spoke softly, her hand still cupping his cheek with a smile etched onto her features. "I think it could be…You know…"
"I know…?" Aqua's voice was low and in total disbelief, not entirely sure where Ruby was going with this.
"You seem confused, and I was too…But I think…It could be a sign, a gift from those very gods you cursed. It could be…" Ruby's voice threatened to break yet she held on, her resolve only strengthening.
She knew these next words would not only reaffirm her belief, but it could be the very thing that, after so long and so much darkness…
It would finally bring Aqua, her sensei, to the light.
"It could be Mama."
Those words shattered Aqua's reality.
His eyes widened even more, light continuing to fill them. He took a step back, tears attempting to form in his own eyes. He reached up to wipe them away, yet more came, each wipe just continued a cycle of tears that were rushing down his face.
He opened his mouth to speak, yet heavy breaths were the only thing that came. His thoughts of revenge, his thoughts of darkness, his thoughts of suicide.
Every single time he attempted to think about them, to remind himself that this wasn't a good thing, he had to get his revenge-
Aqua, Ruby…I Love you.
The words of Ai echoed in his ears, before her beautiful smile flashed in his mind.
All those years of hate.
Those years of regret.
Those years of loneliness.
They were finally…Over?
Aqua's hands fell to his sides, the tears in his eyes continuing to just drench his cheeks. He made no attempt to stop them, instead he merely looked at Ruby with light adorned tears, his mouth finally opening.
"Ruby…Sarina…" Aqua locked eyes with her, both of his eyes shining brightly with light…
Before for the first time in a long time, a genuine and loving smile crossed Aqua's lips.
"...I love you."
"Sensei…" Ruby rushed forward and wrapped her arms around Aqua, burying her face in his chest while tears rushed down her own face. She felt his arms wrap around her, holding her tight. "I love you too My Sensei!"
Aqua's grip around Ruby didn't falter, holding her as close as he could, his chin laying atop her head with tears continuing to rush down his face. It wasn't confirmed of course, there was no guarantee that their child would be Ai…
But taking all of the medical footwork he put into everything beforehand to ensure a pregnancy wouldn't happen, then the only thing he could surmise was that this was the same force that led to his own reincarnation at work.
That would be his pillar to stand on.
A fragile pillar of light, rather than a solid pillar of darkness.
Yet even still…
He still had a job to do.
Softly pulling away from Ruby, Aqua looked down into her eyes, both of their tears reflecting the sun above. "Listen to me Sarina, I know you won't like to hear this but…But…"
"Sensei…Just be honest with me, that's all I ask. You've been…Running away from me long enough." Ruby's nails dug into Aqua's arms, his breath catching in his throat for a moment before nodding.
"Right…" Attempting to find the right words to say, Aqua looked towards the side and gulped. "I never wanted to be an actor, you probably know that but…The only reason I did wasn't because of Ai's wishes…It was to find the man who killed her."
"So is that why you kept going to the Directors for work? It wasn't to further your own career or anything, it was only for revenge?" Ruby's voice was filled with sadness, yet that didn't deter Aqua from nodding.
"The behind the scenes work with the Director, Sweet Today, even this stupid Tokyo Blade play…All of it was purely to find the man who killed myself, but namely Ai. Ryosuke may have plunged the knife, but the one who took advantage of a sick and twisted individual…Was the only man who would have known Ai was having children in the first place, and the only man who would have known where she was staying at…" Aqua's eyes squinted, revenge still seeped into his core…Yet his eyes continued to burn bright. "Our father."
"Father…So, Mama wasn't a virgin conception?" Ruby attempted to laugh, joking about what she had said when she was a child. "...Do you know who our father is?"
"...For the past ten years, I've hunted high and low for that bastard…About two weeks ago, Kana told me something…When her and Akane were fighting, someone had told them something that made my skin crawl and made me shut myself completely down. They had told them…Ai shined the brightest, and how Kana reminded him alot about Ai…To prove he knew Ai, he told them…He knew she had kids." Ruby's eyes widened at Aqua's words, her legs threatening to give out from under her from hearing that. "The only one who would know that would be the man who fathered those kids, I'm sure of it."
"Sensei…"
"Before coming here, I received a call. Egging me on, telling me to head to the Tokyo Blade practice, all of that. During that call, I opened up the Theaters website and searched for a specific actor, I was…Curious." Aqua's hands gripped Ruby's shoulders roughly, his eyes flickering between a mixture of light and darkness. "I found them, along with the years they were active at the theater."
"Active?" Aqua nodded once more, his head slowly looking up towards the sky, a faraway look in his eye.
"The started six years before Ai worked there…They left, the day we were born." A small gasp escaped Ruby's mouth, the timing of that was…"His name…Hikaru Kamiki."
"Hikaru…W-Wait, that's the man-"
"Who Miyako has been seeing." Aqua's teeth bit down onto his lip hard, drawing blood, the crimson running down his chin and dripping to the sidewalk below. "First our mother, now our adopted mother…Considering how he called me, no doubt he wants me to find him, to kill him…"
"Or…He's trying to take advantage of you Sensei, to use your anger against you. If you go after him with a clouded mind, then…Then he'll just kill you too!"
"Clouded mind huh?" Aqua chuckled lightly to himself, his head shaking back and forth. "I was so determined for so long, yet the moment I find out the truth…I went in blind."
"That's not your fault sensei, I would…I would have done the same." Ruby reassured him the best she could, leaning forward and kissing his chest softly. "If I found the man who murdered Mama, I…I wouldn't be able to control myself."
"Yeah, but that ends today. I'm not going to play his game anymore, he's going to play mine." Aqua's voice was low, eyes continuing to flicker.
"Sensei…You can't kill him though." Ruby said suddenly, reaching up and cupping both of his cheeks with her hands. "If you do, then you'll be no better than him, you understand? I-I don't know what you can do but…You can't kill him!"
"Sarina…" Aqua eyes looked down towards the ground for a moment, before looking up with light shining in them. "Alright, but I'll get as close as I can."
"Right, and I'll help you." Ruby continued to hold Aqua close, both of their eyes locking in with one another before…"Wait, why would he call you out to the theater?"
"Hm? What do you mean?"
"That place is crowded, both inside and out. If you're playing his game, then wouldn't he have you go somewhere away from people so he could kill you then?"
"...That's…" She had a good point, now that Aqua was thinking straight, it certainly didn't make much sense for Hikaru to call him out here of all places, so why- "Wait, Ruby, how did you find out I was coming here?"
"Hm? The director called me, why?"
"...When I went to the Directors earlier…I only told Miyako-" Aqua's voice caught in his throat, his eyes widening before a sense of fear washed over him. "Fuck…"
"Sensei?" Aqua suddenly pushed himself off of Ruby, his breathing quickening before a hand wrapped around his mouth. "What's wrong?"
"You've been out all day, right? With the girls?"
"Y-Yeah, Loli-senpai and Mem-chan…I told Miyako earlier we were leaving."
"Sarina…" Aqua's hand gripped even tighter, fear completely etched onto his face. "Call an ambulance, now!"
That was all Aqua said before he rushed past her, running down the street as fast as he could, catching her off guard. "W-What? Sensei, wait for me-"
"Don't! Call an ambulance! You're…You're pregnant, running isn't good!" Partially true, but also…
If his worst fears were correct, he didn't want Ruby seeing that.
She didn't see it the first time, he wasn't going to let her see it this time.
"Sensei…" Ruby knew something was wrong, and the same pit of fear was forming in her own stomach. Still, she trusted him…
She trusted her sensei.
Quickly taking her phone out, she dialed for emergency services and pressed the phone against her ear, eyes closing before a silent prayer was said.
Aqua meanwhile just ran and ran, his legs carrying him as fast as he could run. Flashes of darkness echoed through his mind, along with the dead cold eyes of Ai…
All of it flashed through his mind.
But…Everytime it threatened to consume him, to destroy him.
The bright eyes of Ruby…The bright smile of Ai…
Both of them were his light!
After running for God knows how long, Aqua ran up the steps of his residence and grabbed the door handle to push it open. "It's not locked…"
More fear gripped his body, pushing the door completely open and running inside.
It was quiet, too quiet.
The sound of the TV could be heard coming from the living room, but nothing else. Usually Miyako would be cleaning, cooking, reading, something that would have some sort of sound associated with it.
But there was nothing.
Slowly walking through the house, Aqua stopped in his tracks.
Laying on the floor…
Were a bright bundle of white flowers.
"..." Walking past the flowers, he continued to look, his search speeding up-
Before he once again stopped Dead in his tracks.
His eyes could only stare, darkness flickering through. Following a blood trail that continued into the kitchen…
Before connecting to a pool of blood.
The source of the crimson river…
Being Miyako Saitou, a knife buried deep into her abdomen.
…
…
…
"Miyako!" Aqua shouted out before he ran forward, sliding down into the pool of blood without a care in the world. The crimson stained him red, his arms lifting Miyako up in his arms, holding her close. "This is…"
It was the exact same.
The knife was jammed into her exactly like it was jammed into AI.
It was all the same.
Aqua bit down on his lip and held Miyako close, sweat pouring down his head, his heartbeat pounding against his chest.
Why…Why….
Why!?
That was all Aqua could think about, why did it happen again?
Once again, he was too blinded, to naive…
Hikaru lured him to the theater so he didn't come home early, lured him to fuck with his mind.
Just to show him how far he still had left to go.
Just like Hikaru had killed his birth mother…
He was going to do the same to his adopted mother.
….
No…
No…
"No!" Aqua yelled out in pure anger, tears staining his eyes. Looking over Miyako's body, he gulped and gently lowered his head towards her.
Only for a faint, very faint, breath to tickle against his ear.
She was alive, but just barely.
"Miyako…" Biting down onto his lip, Aqua knew what he had to do. All those years ago, he was too scared, too confused, and too weak to do anything. Even if he had attempted to save Ai, he didn't have the tools or strength.
But now was different.
Now he was going to make things right.
Pulling Miyako over to the side, out of her own blood, Aqua laid her against the floor, quickly getting to work. He grabbed her shirt and tore it off from the knife before raising it up, exposing her bloody stomach and chest. Removing the blade would create disaster, so he had to work around it.
Quickly grabbing tape and cloths, Aqua began to wipe the wound clean the best he could, wetting the rags and letting the water help wipe the blood up. He then began to apply the bandage tape around the wound, applying pressure to help mitigate the bleeding.
The wound was deep enough that internal bleeding was no doubt happening, but keeping it from leaking was the best he could do on a moment's notice. As long as he kept her heart beating, kept as much blood in as he could…
He could do it.
Once the bandage was tapped around the wound, Aqua moved his hands up towards her chest and began to give chest compressions, moving his lips down and connecting with hers to give CPR.
He did this over and over again, moving between CPR and checking on the wound, continuing to work to keep the wound both cleaned and bandaged, all without removing the blade stuck in her. "Come on Miyako…Come on!"
Aqua whispered to her, continuing to apply CPR to keep her heart beating, to keep her airwaves flowing.
Everytime her breath began to thin or stop, he went right back to applying CPR, making sure her heart stayed beating.
He was nervous, he was scared, he felt all the pressure in the world.
But he wasn't going to lose.
Not this time.
While he continued working, continuing to ensure that Miyako would live, that she wouldn't die…
Slowly, her eyes began to open, her head etching over to him. "...A…Aqua…"
"Shh, don't speak Miyako, conserve your energy." Aqua spoke with a soft yet firm tone, his hands reaching into his back pocket and pulling out wound ointment he always carried on him. It was meant for stuff such as minor injuries, but for now it would have to do.
Miyako simply watched Aqua work on her, doing everything he could to ensure she lived.
"...I-I'm sorry…" Miyako whispered out, tears forming in her eyes and rolling down her cheek. She couldn't feel anything, her own vision and hearing going in and out with each second that passed. "...A-After Ai…I…I should…H-Have been….M-More prepared…"
"I said to conserve your energy." Aqua kept his soft and firm tone, his eyes locking with her and a smile forced on his face. "Everything is going to be okay."
"...T-To think…T-This is how I see you smile…" Miyako lightly chuckled, closing her own eyes, memories starting to flash through her mind. "...I-I guess…It's not…The worst thing…To see at the end…"
"Don't talk like that, you're going to live." Aqua continued to reassure her, continuing to apply the ointment to her wound.
"...I just….W-Wish…I-I could have been a better…M-Mother to you….I-I'm sorry…A…Aqua…" Her voice caught in her throat, all of the energy in her leaving her body, more memories flashing through her mind. "I…R-Really did…Lo-"
"Mom…" Aqua suddenly said, catching Miyako off guard, her eyes slowly opening to look at him.
Locking eyes with him, a soft smile on his face.
"...I couldn't ask…For a better mom than you." Miyako's eyes suddenly widened, watching as Aqua reached over and grabbed her hand, squeezing it between his. "So please…Fight for me…Hold on until the ambulance gets here…Please."
"A-Aqua…" Tears began to form in Miyakos eyes, rushing down her cheeks. Using what energy she had left, she squeezed Aqua's hand, nodding up and down. "I-I promise…"
"Thank you." Aqua said with a low smile, the sound of sirens in the distance quickly approaching. "They're almost here, just a little bit more."
"...A-Aqua…T-Thank you…"
"Of course, I'm not going to let you die-"
"T-Thank you…For believing in me…As a mother…" Aqua looked over at her, her teary eyes full of nothing but pure and loving light.
"Well, I never doubted you for a second." Aqua replied with his own eyes full of light, wrapping both of his hands around her, the sound of the door being busted open by paramedics ringing out. "She's in here!"
It only took a second for the paramedics to rush in, Aqua quickly moving out of the way as they knelt down next to Miyako, immediately getting to work stabilizing her and calling for a stretcher. He watched from a distance, making sure everything they were doing was correct and no screwups were presents.
Thankfully, they were paramedics for a reason.
Strapping Miyako to a stretcher, they quickly began to roll her out of the room and to the ambulance outside, several patrol officers also rushing to the scene. Immediately they began questioning Aqua, telling him they had received a call from a girl named Ruby Hoshino, how an ambulance was needed at her house.
Through it all, Aqua was able to tell them everything he knew, about how he had found Miyako attacked, how he had worked on her until the paramedics had gotten there, how he had a feeling something was wrong because of a phone call.
Everything, and when they finally asked him about the phone call…
"Hikaru Kamiki, he's the one who did this."
The sound of the hospital was the only thing that filled Aqua's ears while he sat near Miyakos room, arms folded and legs crossed over one another. He was able to ride on the ambulance over with Miyako, though they wouldn't let him inside while the surgery was ongoing.
Even though he had the skills to help, a lack of a doctorate degree in this body stopped that from happening.
Minutes turned into an hour, each second that passed causing his heart to hurt, to pound against his chest. His head felt cloudy, he didn't know what to do. Had he saved Miyako? Was it too late? Did he fail again?
Questions he would only have to wait and find the answer on.
Raising a hand to his head, he wiped the hair out of his eyes and-
"Aqua!" Suddenly a chorus of voices called out towards him, his head turning over to see Ruby, Mem and Kana all rushing over towards him, worried expressions on all of their faces.
"A-Aqua, what happened…?" Ruby was the one to speak, her eyes wet from crying, hands shaking. Aqua locked eyes with her, before looking towards the side and sighing through his nose.
"...A knife to the abdomen…" Ruby's voice caught in her throat, dark memories returning to her, hands clutching against one another.
"I-Is she…?" Ruby was too afraid to finish her setence, her words falling silent when she attempted to push them out.
Aqua shrugged, leaning back and looking at the ceiling above. "I did what I could, at the very least, she was alive when the paramedics took her."
"R-Really?" Ruby said with a choke, more tears running down her face while she attempted to wipe them away. "I-I'm glad…"
Ruby couldn't push the words out, turning and wrapping her arms around Mem-Cho, who pulled her in and softly patted her back while she cried. Kana meanwhile slowly made her way over and sat next to Aqua, looking towards the side before speaking. "Aqua..Didn't Ai…"
"...Yeah, same exact injury." Aqua spoke with a low voice, his eyes almost vacant. Kana moved a hand over her mouth, slouching over before she slowly nodded.
"I see, I'm…I'm sorry…"
"It's fine…Hey, Arima." Kana turned her head towards Aqua, who leaned back in the hospital chair even more in an attempt to get somewhat comfortable. "That guy, the one who told you that Ai had kids…Did he ever tell you a name?"
"Huh? Oh um, Didn't I already tell you, he said his name was Miki."
"Miki huh?" It only took Aqua a moment to realize the connection, his mind flashing back to his talk with Kana atop the school before he slowly nodded. "Kamiki…"
"Hm? You say something." Brazen, Aqua thought, but then again was he really surprised. Even though he told the police, he knew Hikaru likely had plenty of friends in high places.
He wouldn't have attempted this if he didn't.
Now more than ever, Aqua knew he had to stop Hikaru himself. He didn't know how, especially if he was going to honor Ruby's promise not to kill.
But if he could find a way when it came to those pornographic creeps, he would find a way when it came to this. Afterall…
There are certainly fates worse than death.
Looking up over towards the crying Ruby and Mem-Cho, Aqua breathed heavily through his nose before he motioned towards them. "Ruby…I think we should tell Mem."
"H-Huh?" Ruby unhooked her hug from around the girl in question, tilting her head towards Aqua.
"About who our real mother is." Kana was taken aback by his words, while Mem was just confused by what Aqua meant. Ruby however slowly nodded, before she looked over at Kana.
"Loli-senpai…Apparently already knows so…"
"Y-Yeah, Akane and I…Kind of figured it out." Ruby nodded softly, no hint of anger in her eyes before she looked back at Mem.
"Mem-Chan…Miyako…Isn't our birth mother."
"E-Eh? She's not?" Mem cocked her head towards the side, before raising a finger and pressing it against her lips. "T-Though I guess physically, you don't share much in common."
"Yeah…Our real Mama…Died, a few years back."
"O-Oh…" Mem was taken aback by what Ruby said, only watching as Ruby reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone before loading up her pictures.
"She was an absolute star, and she's been my inspiration for almost everything that I do." Ruby swiped through her pictures, before turning her phone towards Mem and showing her. "She was a real star."
"T-Thats…" Mem could only stare at the picture in front of her, all sorts of questions running through her mind. Baby Aqua and Baby Ruby were in the picture, that much was obvious and not all that surprising…
Yet the woman holding them in her lap, smiling brightly with even brighter eyes.
Was the legendary deceased Idol, Ai Hoshino.
"Y-You're mother was…"
"Yeah…Ai was our Mama." Ruby said with a wide proud smile, before turning her phone back towards her and looking over the picture. "Everyday…I miss her more and more."
"Yet, despite that…" It was Aqua's turn to speak, pushing himself up from his seat and walking over towards Ruby and Mem. "Ai was a great mother, nothing can take that away from her. But Miyako…Is also a great mother, and nothing can take that away from her either."
"Onii-chan…" Ruby whispered, her eyes locking with his before she nodded. "Yeah…We have Mama…But we also have Mom too!"
"W-Wait, wait, wait…" Mem-Cho raised her hand to speak, nervousness in her voice. "If you two are the children of Ai, that means I'm best friends with Ai's daughter!?"
Mem-Cho fangirled for a moment, placing her hands over her mouth to conceal any excitement. "H-Haha well, you can still view me as Ruby, you don't have to view me as Ai's daughter."
"S-Still, I never thought I would become best friends with my favorite idol of all time! Oh goodness, this is embarrassing!"
A soft laugh overcame Ruby for a moment before she pulled Mem-Cho into another hug, Aqua and Kana watching over them as for a moment, everything seemed like it was going to be alright.
Suddenly however, the door to Miyako's room opened, causing all four to stiffen and look, watching as a doctor came out. He was an older gentleman, glasses adorning his eyes, report in hand that he read over. "The knife was successfully removed, with the internal bleeding stopped with stitches. Her outer wound was more difficult due to the angle, but we were able to close it off also."
"Y-You mean she's…" Ruby's voice cracked, the doctor looking up and giving a grizzled old smile.
"She's alive, and awake." Soon as the words left his mouth, a sense of tension was immediately lifted, with all three of the girls immediately tearing up, the three of them coming together for a group hug.
Yes, even Kana.
Aqua meanwhile just stood there in somewhat shock, his eyes still vacant while he looked at the doctor, who walked over and patted him on the shoulder. "You should be proud son, she wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for you…You have a future as a doctor, that's for sure."
"W-Wait…You mean I…"
"Yeah, you saved her." The doctor said with a smile, patting Aqua's back before heading on.
Aqua meanwhile could only stand there, his shining full of light, the words repeating over and over again in his mind.
You saved her.
He did it…He finally did it…
The sins of over a decade ago…
He finally…
Tears rushed down his face, his hand reaching up to quickly wipe them away as quickly as he could.
But it was no use, the tears kept coming, so he just kept his hand placed over his eyes in some vain attempt to stop them.
Before long however, his sleeve was grabbed and he was pulled into the group hug by the others. "Group hug goes for everyone, that includes you, Onii-chan."
Ruby said with a wide grin, pulling Aqua in and wrapping one arm around him. Aqua could only softly chuckle, nodding his head before he smiled weakly. "Y-Yeah, of course…"
The four of them all shared a hug at that moment, tears being shed between all of them. A sense of both relief and gratitude, demons of the past finally, after so long…
Being exercised.
A minute of a teary group hug, Ruby pulled back and smiled at everyone. "Well, let's go see her! Let's all see…Mom, together."
Kana and Mem nodded, while Aqua smiled and unhooked himself, letting Ruby, Mem and Kana walk in first while he followed from behind.
…
…
…
The moment Aqua walked into the room, his breath caught in his throat, before a small smile slowly formed on his face. Sitting in her hospital bed, arm placed over her injury with a tired look in her eyes…
Was Miyako Saitou, alive and breathing.
"Miyako!" The three girls screamed out in unison, running forward and quickly bringing her into their group hug, surprising the older woman, before a warm smile came over her face, attempting to bring them all in as close as she could.
"H-Hey girls, easy now, I'm not very mobile right now." Miyako chuckled softly, holding all three of the girls as close as she could, rubbing their backs and Speaking with each of them.
"I-I'm so glad you're okay Miyako…" Ruby said with tears running down her face, wrapping her arms around Miyakos neck and holding her close.
"Y-Yeah, I'm so sorry you went through that." Kana was next, placing a hand on Miyakos shoulder and giving it a light squeeze.
"T-That must have been horrifying Prez! I'm glad you're alive!" Mem-Cho spoke last, grabbing Miyakos hand and holding it in hers.
The four of them hugged and spoke to one another softly, happy that in the end, through all of that.
Miyako was still alive, and still with them.
All the while Aqua stood in the doorframe, a smile on his face while he leaned against the wall, arms crossed.
Looking past all the girls and over towards him, Miyako smiled even wider. Noticing this, the girls all stepped back, looking over towards Aqua once more. "Aqua…Thank you…For saving me."
Miyako smiled as bright as the sun outside, opening her arms up for him to hug her back. Chuckling, Aqua walked over towards her, grabbing the foot of the bed. "Of course, any day of the week…Mom."
Miyakos breath caught in her throat when she heard that word, tears running down her face before she shook her head. "Aqua…"
Walking forward, Aqua reached down and pulled Miyako in for a tight hug, holding her close and rubbing her back.
"T-Thank you Aqua, for letting me be your mother."
"...And thank you for letting me be your son." Miyako's tears only increased more when she heard those words, her grip tightening around Aqua while the two hugged one another. Though Mem-Cho and even Kana got a bit choked up from what they were seeing, it was Ruby who completely lost it, sobbing lightly before she bent down and took both of them in for a hug.
"M-Miyako…T-Thank you for being my mom too!" Ruby hugged Miyako tightly, causing her to softly groan from the pain, though she tried her best not to show it.
"Of course Ruby, and thank you for being my daughter." The family all hugged each other close, tears being shed, and a bond that could never be broken being formed.
For the first time ever, Miyako knew…
She knew she had a right to call Aqua and Ruby her kids, to call herself their mother.
And she couldn't have been happier.
For Aqua, he could finally let any and all doubts from the past go…
He had saved Sarina from those porn creeps, erasing the sin of not saving her when she was a sickly child.
And now he had saved Miyako from the very thing that killed his birth mother, he had erased that sin of failure from all those years ago.
The guilt from the past was finally paid.
Now only one thing remained…
The full moon hung above, illuminating the hospital rooftop below. Standing on it was Aqua and Ruby, the two of them alone with the wind pushing against them. Neither of them said anything for a moment, simply enjoying each other's company, their hands clasped together.
Finally turning to look down at her, Aqua took in a deep breath. "Sarina…"
"Yeah?" Ruby looked up at Aqua, her eyes shining brightly under the stars.
"...I did it…I…Saved our mother…" Aqua said with a low chuckle, as if he still couldn't believe it himself. Ruby nodded, bringing their clasped hands up and kissing the top of his with her lips.
"I always knew you would be Sensei, it's like I told you before…You were just a baby when Mama died, you didn't have tools or anything. But look at you now, even all these years later, you're still the same doctor I fell in love with." Ruby's eyes shined even brighter somehow, her head leaning forward against Aqua's arm. "And now, you don't have anything to feel guilty over…Because you proved you could save her and…"
Ruby placed her other hand over her stomach, her eyes shining the brightest they had ever shined before.
"And Mama is coming back, Sensei." Aqua nodded lightly, leaning his head against hers before speaking in almost a dark tone.
"Even still, there's still one thing we have to do before she comes back…You know that right?"
"...Yeah, I do." Ruby looked into Aqua's eyes, both of their eyes flickering between light and dark. "We have to stop him."
"Yeah, even though I saved Miyako and told the police, that isn't going to do anything. He has friends in high places, and if anything he's going to come after us even harder next time. We can't…Let her be born into a world where he's still a threat,"
"Yeah, I agree." Ruby reached up and locked her lips with Aquas, the two of them sharing a long kiss with one another before she broke off and smirked. "But you're not alone anymore sensei, you have me now…Together, we're unstoppable."
"Yeah, we are." Aqua and Ruby grabbed each other's hands , before wrapping their arms around each other and looking out over the town. Silence once again followed them for a moment…
Before a flicker of darkness and light, one in each eye, came over the twins.
"And together…"
"We're going to stop…"
"Hikaru Kamiki!" Aqua and Ruby said together at the exact same time, before looking at one another once again.
And sealing their promise, with one more kiss.
