?Graaaaaaaaaarr!?
Jozu brought down another swing, her jagged claws tearing at Sango?s sleeves. The dolphin grabbed her arm and tried to pull her off balance. Jozu just jumped in sync with the pull, staying on her feet and sending in another swing at Sango?s side.
Under the bloodlust, Jozu?s moves were far from fluent. She struck wildly, almost at random. She made up for that clumsiness in speed, strength, and sheer reactions. She was beyond anything Sango had ever fought or even dreamed of fighting.
But I have the upper hand in intellect. I need a plan...
As Sango barely sidestepped another slash, she heard the wall crumble as Jozu punched through it. Even with her newfound strength, the shark shouldn?t have been able to hit that hard. Was this area of the manor in disrepair?
It?s better than nothing!
Sango ran down the corridor, straight towards a wall. Jozu was on her in an instant, building momentum as she pulled back a fist. Sango heard the air whistle as the attack came rushing in, rolling to the side at the last moment.
She came to a stop face first in the wall, but she?d managed to kill off most of her speed before impact. Jozu was less lucky, and Sango looked up to see the shark?s entire arm trapped in the wall. This was her opening.
?Taah!?
Sango brought a palm chop down on Jozu?s neck. Flowing Tide wasn?t a style for brute force, but its practitioners were taught about pressure points so that they could make their hits count. By all accounts, Sango?s attack should have left Jozu?s arms locked up.
Except the shark didn?t so much as flinch.
What is she, some sort of berserker?!
Before Sango could take another free hit, Jozu tore her arm out of the woodwork. It was bloodied and covered in splinters, but she paid it no mind. Her nervous system must have shut down the ?unnecessary? connections - nerves that complained about things like pain.
Sango was beginning to feel very uncomfortable in Jozu?s presence. For a second the shark?s jagged teeth morphed into a smile. Maybe she didn?t have much of her higher functions left, but she could recognise patterns. That trick wasn?t going to work again.
The fight had been hard to start with, but for Sango it was beginning to verge on impossible. She had no way of hurting or even fazing Jozu in this state. She could deflect her attacks, but Jozu recovered too quickly for Sango to punish anything. In the end it would be a battle of endurance, and Sango was pretty sure who?d win at that.
She gulped as the next swing came in, only to see it slip right past her.
?Eh??
Jozu had seemingly slipped mid-swing, falling to the floor with a crash. She grasped at her head, growling and kicking as she rolled around. Sango stood over her at a barely safe distance.
?Gaah! Rraaaahh!?
The shark groaned with an agonising howl. She twisted and flailed in every direction, roaring in pain. Even if Jozu had been trying to kill her moments ago, Sango couldn?t help but feel bad watching this.
?Gaah, hnnn...?
The struggling gradually diminished, and the moaning along with it. Sango saw Jozu?s eyes flash violet for a moment before retracting back to their normal size. When the squirming stopped entirely, Jozu was looking up at the ceiling as she panted for breath.
?I...I hate it when they do that...?
She grabbed at a wall to help herself up. She could barely stand now that the damage Sango had done was kicking in. Whatever that was, it had knocked Jozu out of her bloodlust state. But why?
Before Sango could ask, Jozu cupped a hand over one ear and turned away.
?Jozu here. This had better be good,? she said to whoever was listening. Maybe it was a telepathic link of some sort. ?Uh-huh. Look, I don?t care if the rest of the operation went to hell. I was in the middle of something, and now you?ve totally killed my buzz.?
Sango stood a good distance away from Jozu, refusing to take advantage of the situation. Jozu continued her one-sided chat, her initial anger starting to fade.
?...I know you?re worried, but I?m in good hands, okay? She?s even standing there waiting on me to finish. She?s a good kid.?
Jozu gave Sango a wink. The dolphin blushed a little.
?I guess you haven?t left me with a choice, have you? Alright, I?ll consent to the warp. See you back at base.?
When she brought her hand down, a familiar hole started to open in the floor beneath her. It was the same portal that had spirited away the defeated fishmen. In other words, Jozu was running.
?Sorry about this,? she said, this time to Sango. She rubbed at her back, wincing as she touched what was probably a bruise. ?My partner was worried when she couldn?t contact me, so she had to turn my brain back on. Now I?m really not in the mood for fighting, if y?know what I mean.?
?You have a partner who can screw with your head?? Sango asked.
Jozu shrugged. ?We?re kinda close, I guess. Something about having a strong bond together. Either way, I need to go report about how we just failed spectacularly and stuff.?
The hole grew until Jozu began to fall into it. She sank slowly, offering Sango a salute as she descended.
?Next time I?m gonna make sure she doesn?t interfere, got it??
Sango tried to grab her arm and yank Jozu out of the hole, but by the time she had made it up close the portal was already closing. Sango?s fingers pressed against solid wood, finding no trace of her opponent.
She was relieved to not be dead, but she couldn?t help but feel a little cheated.
?Hey!? A voice echoed out from around the corner. Turning around, Sango saw Mokou jogging down the corridor towards her. She looked utterly unscathed, which fit Jozu?s story that the Claw had lost on all counts.
?Yo, just checking if everything?s fine on your end. What happened to the shark chick??
Sango wasn?t quite sure how to feel as she responded. Eventually she settled for begrudging relief.
?I think I just won on a technicality.?
-----
Koishi cricked her neck. She took a moment to notice how used she was getting to all of this.
?Lay her down for me, Youmu-san.?
Youmu nodded. Koishi had given her a quick explanation of how the mindcoil removal would work. She?d been very quick to accept it - likely because she knew of no other way to help her mother out of her current state.
She carefully placed Yuyuko on the ground. The noble seemed to be asleep, but Koishi had made sure to check her condition was stable before anything else. She knelt down in front of the body, putting a hand on her third eye.
?...Mother??
Before she could start, a voice called out from behind the body. Koishi glanced up to see the familiar, ethereal form of Youki Konpaku. He stood over his mother, eyes locked on Youmu. He instantly raised his wooden blade, looking ready to take her head on.
?You. You?re the impostor. It?s your fault that-?
?No, Youki-san,? Koishi said, cutting him off. ?It?s no-one?s fault. Your mother needed help to cope, and Youmu-san needed someone to care for her. They both needed each other.?
Sakuya and Youmu both gave Koishi awkward stares as she spoke.
?Koishi-san, who are you talking to?? Sakuya asked, eyebrow raised.
Koishi pointed to the ghost hanging over Yuyuko. ?I?m talking to him, obviously.?
Sakuya stared up at where Koishi was pointing, but her expression remained befuddled. Maybe no-one other than Koishi could see him. Not that it mattered right now.
?Youki-san, I?m trying to help your mother. She?s locked you away somewhere inside her head, so I?m gonna poke around a bit and fix it. Alright??
The spirit looked upon Koishi with wonder. ?You can do that??
?It?s a talent,? Koishi replied with a wink. The other Sirens seemed to be accepting her eccentric manner. She did her best not to think about how silly she looked.
Youki?s expression lightened. Koishi saw a spark of hope jump into his eyes.
?If you can...? He started to flicker under the weight of his emotions again. ?If you can save her...I will be in your debt.?
?Don?t worry.? Koishi grabbed at her third eye again, one hand on the eyelid. ?It?s what I do.?
This had all become strangely routine to Koishi. Opening the eyelid, watching the light hit Yuyuko, and feeling herself fall out of her own body. It was getting so routine that it felt as natural as the real world now. She opened her eyes, looking about to see what the inside of Yuyuko?s mind resembled.
She stood in a forest of cherry blossoms, unable to make out the sky for the petals overhead. Black tendrils ran along the trunks of the trees, slowly grinding down the wood. Koishi didn?t want to imagine the consequences that could have on Yuyuko?s psyche.
The wind was cold, blowing towards the east. As Koishi followed its path, she saw the bright colours of the petals begin to fade. The brilliant pink gave way to pale red, and then to dark brown. The Mindcoils lapped further around the trees, eating away more and more at the wooden foundations. The further she walked, the stronger their hold on Yuyuko?s mind.
Finally Koishi found herself in a truly dead forest. She was knee-deep in dead blossom petals, wading rather than walking. As the trees broke apart at last, she found a pathway leading further to the east. The wind was stronger now, almost pushing Koishi along with it as she walked.
As she stepped out, Koishi found herself nearing the edge of a massive cliff. She looked down, unable to see anything at the bottom of the drop. She picked up a stone at her feet, throwing it into the abyss. She never heard it land. She gulped, wondering if she could die in someone else?s head.
She continued down the path, closer and closer to the cliff?s edge. Koishi had to watch she wasn?t blown off by the force, the winds getting stronger the further she went. She walked past a blank headstone, without so much as a carving on it.
Yuyuko Saigyouji was sitting at the very end of the cliff, staring into the darkness below. She was dressed in a black kimono with a veil over her head. For once she was acting her age, weak and frail as her head craned around towards Koishi.
There was a knife embedded in her chest, a red stain dried into the fabric.
?Saigyouji-san!?
Koishi darted across the cliff, taking Yuyuko by the arm and pulling her away from the ledge. Yuyuko went along with her moves willingly, like a doll with its strings cut. Koishi laid her down against the gravestone as she looked at the wound.
?What?s wrong?? Yuyuko murmured, a smile plastered onto her face. ?You aren?t worried about a little old woman past her prime, are you??
She never looked down at the dagger, though she clearly flinched from the pain it was causing her. The stain on her kimono was slowly growing larger.
?Saigyouji-san, your chest-?
?Shhh.? Yuyuko brought a hand up to Koishi?s lips, silencing her. ?I know, Komeiji-san.?
Koishi stuttered on the words, incredulous. ?B-But it?s hurting you! We need to take it out, or...?
?Or I?ll die?? Yuyuko chuckled to herself, shaking her head. ?Kids these days. I swear, your games and movies have given you some terrible ideas about life.?
She pulled herself up on the tombstone, leaning back on it as she looked off into the distance. The sky was a single-tone grey.
?A wound like this is painful, but it stops the blood flow. If I take it out, there?s going to be a great big hole in my heart. How do you think that will turn out??
Koishi took another look at the wound. The whole blade had dug into Yuyuko, with only the hilt still visible. Yuyuko would lose dangerous amounts of blood. Koishi couldn?t tell how long the blade was, but for it to be causing this much pain it would have to be several inches at least. The prognosis was poor.
But I can?t leave her like this...
The noble barely had the strength to move. If Koishi grabbed at the knife, she probably couldn?t offer much resistance. Maybe Yuyuko couldn?t die of blood loss in her own mind. Was that a risk Koishi was willing to take?
She thought it over for a moment. Yuyuko paid her no mind as she did so, still staring at the clouds above.
...Right. That might just work.
Carefully, Koishi brought out a hand towards the dagger, closing it around the hilt. Yuyuko went rigid as the knife twitched in her chest.
?Komeiji-san...what do you think you?re doing...??
Yuyuko didn?t want to be helped. She wanted to keep this knife in her chest for the rest of her life. Koishi couldn?t let that happen. She had to save Yuyuko, whether or not she wanted to be saved.
?Saigyouji-san, I want you to start thinking about everything you?ve done with Youki for the last ten years.?
?W-Wha? But why would I-?
?Just do it!? Koishi couldn?t hide her desperation. Her hands were trembling as she gripped Yuyuko?s shoulder for support. She had to remove the knife if she wanted to save Yuyuko from the Mindcoil, but if she made a mistake...
No. I promised Youki-san I would help her. She brushed the thoughts aside, her hands going still as she squeezed at the hilt. Yuyuko was trying to squirm about under Koishi?s grip, still too weak to really fight.
?Alright. On three.?
Koishi steeled herself. Yuyuko was muttering, too quiet for Koishi to hear. She saw the same word forming on her lips over and over again.
Youki
?One...?
YoukiYoukiYouki
?Two...?
YoukiYoukiYoukiYoukiYou-
?Three!?
Koishi pulled the dagger out in one smooth movement.
Yuyuko?s bloodcurdling scream almost knocked her off the cliff.
?IYAAAAAAAAAAAAH! PUT IT BACK, PUT IT BACK, PUT IT BAAACK!? She flailed like a dying insect, limbs jerking weakly in all directions. Blood gushed onto her kimono, soaking the fabric completely. Koishi was quick to act, dropping the knife and grabbing the ribbon around her neck. She wrapped it around Yuyuko?s chest as a makeshift bandage, pushing down on it to try and stop the bleeding.
?Please, Saigyouji-san! You have to remember!?
Yuyuko continued to struggle, trapped between Koishi and the gravestone. Her eyes were streaming with tears as her strength began to fade. Koishi could hear her pulse dwindling as she pressed on the wound.
?Youki...Youkiiiii...don?t leave me like this...?
Her eyes began to glaze over. Her heart was giving up. Right now, in Koishi?s arms, Yuyuko was dying. She was remembering the truth, and it was literally killing her.
Koishi gulped. She had one shot at this, and if it didn?t work she?d never forgive herself for it.
?Saigyouji-san, I know it?s hard. But you have to remember these last ten years. You were happy, weren?t you??
Yuyuko?s eyes drifted towards Koishi. Her mouth opened, but no sound came out.
?You were still a mother,? Koishi continued, almost screaming the words to make sure that Yuyuko could hear her. ?Maybe Youki-san was gone, but there was another child. What was her name??
There was no answer for what felt like an eternity. Yuyuko?s pulse was tiny, ready to give out at any moment. A pool of blood was forming around her, growing by the second.
Dammit, I?m losing her!
Koishi shook Yuyuko, yelling into her ear. ?Saigyouji-san, don?t give up! What was her name?!?
There was still no reply, only a slow breath out as Yuyuko went limp entirely. The flow of blood from the wound slowed to a stop. Koishi could no longer hear Yuyuko?s heartbeat.
No! Not like this!
Koishi put both hands over Yuyuko?s chest, pressing down over her heart. She wasn?t sure how much carried over in the subconscious, but she had to try.
?One, two, three, four...?
The body jerked and shook beneath her, but Yuyuko?s eyes were blank. Still, Koishi kept thumping.
?Twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two...?
A minute passed. Two minutes. Maybe five. Koishi wasn?t paying attention. She wasn?t going to stop until Yuyuko came back to her. Her hands were sticky and soaked with blood, but she couldn?t afford to surrender. Not after the promise she?d made to Youki.
The choked gasp of Yuyuko breathing again was one of the most beautiful sounds Koishi had ever heard.
?Puhaahhh!?
Yuyuko was back, but she was still clearly weak. Koishi kept thumping at her chest, likely the only thing keeping her from passing out again. The noble winced and yelped with every compression.
?Nnn, khhh...why?? she whispered, with all the strength she had. ?Why can?t you just let me die??
That wasn?t an option. Koishi shook her head.
?You can?t be that selfish, Saigyouji-san. There?s someone waiting for you. Someone whose heart you?ll break if you let die now.?
Yuyuko?s eyes widened with amazement. ?But Youki is...Youki is-?
?It?s not Youki!? Koishi yelled. ?You have to remember her. You took her in when her family passed away. You were going to raise her like she was your own daughter.? It was getting to her. The blood, the death, the pressure. Koishi felt her eyes filling up with tears. ?Her name! You have to tell me her name!?
The noble?s mouth hung open for a moment, like the fact had struck her for the first time. She looked upwards, trying to draw the answer from the clouds above.
?...Y...?
The word finally started to leak from her lips. Koishi could feel Yuyuko?s heart getting stronger as she came closer and closer to the answer.
?You...mu...?
Koishi nodded feverishly. ?Keep remembering, Saigyouji-san. You can do this!?
Blood was oozing from the wound, but Koishi could feel the flow start to weaken. In contrast, Yuyuko?s heart was growing stronger as she came to terms with the truth at last.
?That?s right. Youmu...? Yuyuko nodded as the memories began to take form again. ?She was a feisty child. The only girl her age who could challenge my Youki in a fight, and the first to ever beat him. She was a brilliant talent, but...after the accident, she was never really the same. There was a little hole in her heart. After we took her in, she cried herself to sleep for the first few weeks. I could hear her from across the hall...?
Koishi took her hands away from Yuyuko?s chest. Yuyuko?s heart continued to pump on its own, as the bloodflow grew weaker and weaker.
?But she got better.? Yuyuko smiled to herself. ?We did what we could for her, Youki and I. I gave her a room to herself, and trained her in the same way I?d train my own son. Youki could barely walk, but he still made the effort to see her every day. I think it was the first time Youki ever acted his age. Around each other, they could be children rather than warriors.?
The last few droplets of blood tainted the kimono. By now the fabric was ruined, with more red than black.
?Then I...I...? The final piece of the puzzle clicked into place. Yuyuko went silent as dread washed over her. ?Oh, God, what have I done?!?
She fell forwards, burying her face in Koishi?s chest. She sobbed wildly as Koishi gave her a comforting pat on the back. The wound had closed, but it would leave an ugly scar for a long time to come.
?It?s okay, Saigyouji-san. You?re not alone.?
Koishi kept patting at Yuyuko?s back. She wasn?t sure how long she sat there, but at last Yuyuko pulled herself up and rubbed at her eyes.
?Right...you?re right, Komeiji-san. I have Youmu, don?t I??
Koishi nodded. She picked up the dagger that had been embedded in Yuyuko?s chest for so long. With a still-clean part of her ribbon, she wiped the blood from it and handed it over to the noble.
?I think you know what you need to do now.? Koishi looked towards the gravestone. Yuyuko nodded in solemn understanding, shifting herself around to face it. She brought the dagger down, grinding the tip against the rock.
As soon as she began to carve, there was a unholy screech in the direction of the forest. From here Koishi could see the Mindcoil starting to retract. Yuyuko looked up for a moment at the sound.
?It?s nothing. Keep writing.?
The noble complied. She seemed willing to go along with Koishi now. She spent a while thinking over what to write, but with each line she drew in the stone the screeching grew louder. The Mindcoil was letting out its final death howls.
At last, Yuyuko moved away from the stone, throwing the dagger off the cliff into the abyss beneath. She looked upon the inscription with a sad grin.
Here lies Youki Saigyouji,
taken long before his time.
He was a great warrior,
but a better son.
The howling from the forest dwindled into nothing. Koishi saw the last of the black markings descend from the trees, but the damage they had done remained. She was still looking into a field of death as she felt herself weakening.
But she couldn?t help but smile to herself. She knew that if Yuyuko could make it through that part of the forest, there?d be a brilliant field of cherry blossoms waiting for her on the other side.
And I know a girl who?ll help her along the way...
-----
?Hnnnh...?
Koishi was slower than usual in getting to her feet. She breathed through her nose, the cool evening air clearing away the lingering smell of blood. Yuyuko was still lying in front of her, unconscious. There was no gaping hole in her chest, thankfully. That would have been difficult to explain.
??Is it done???
Youmu and Youki spoke at once. The spirit still hung over his mother, fidgeting with nerves as he looked Koishi in the eye. Youmu was much more controlled, but she?d taken Sakuya?s hand and was squeezing it for support.
?I did what I could,? Koishi said. ?I opened her eyes, but I don?t think she?s through the mourning stage yet. I?ll need you to help her with that, Youmu-san.?
Youmu nodded. Besides a heaving sigh and another squeeze at Sakuya?s hand, she didn?t let her emotions betray her. Youki, in comparison, was trembling on the spot.
?I...thank you, stranger,? he said. He reached down and stroked at Yuyuko?s forehead. He looked more mature than his mother as he tended to her with a bright smile. ?Mother, I was so worried you had forgotten me forever. I?m so sorry for leaving you like this, but I have to go.?
He began to come apart, his feet crumbling to dust in the wind. Next came his legs, his torso, and his arms. Koishi gasped at the sight, but Youki simply shrugged at it.
?Don?t worry. I?ve outstayed my welcome in this world for long enough. It?s time for me to see what?s on the other side.?
The last part of Youki to fade away was his face. He was smiling until the end, his last words merely a whisper on the wind.
?Farewell, mother. I will always love you.?
Then he was gone, and the winds died along with him. Koishi stared up into the spot where Youki had once stood, bowing forwards.
?Goodbye, Youki-san. May your soul find peace at last.?
Sakuya and Youmu nodded along with her. They couldn?t see Youki, but they seemed to understand what was going on. Youmu let go of Sakuya?s hand at last, putting an arm behind her mother and lifting her to her feet.
?So what now?? she asked. ?When will she wake up??
?It?ll be an hour or so, I think,? Koishi answered. ?She won?t remember the Sirens or the Mindcoil, but she should at least remember what happened to Youki-san.? She looked up at Youmu, frowning. ?You?ll want to be with her when she wakes up. She?s going to have a lot to come to terms with.?
?Right.? Youmu started to carry her towards the staircase, only to bump into someone else going the other way.
?Whoa, sorry.? Mokou carefully moved to the side to let Youmu past before catching up with the other Sirens. She seemed just about unharmed, though she had a nervous grin on her face. ?Looks like I showed up late. Everything alright on this end??
Koishi nodded. Before she could say anything else, Sakuya interjected.
?So what have you come here to admit to us??
The phoenix-girl flinched. ?Damn, am I that obvious??
Sakuya simply shrugged.
?Guess I may as well come clean now,? Mokou said, rubbing at the back of her head with a sigh. ?See, I did a liiiiiittle bit of damage to the front entrance...?
-----
As Yuyuko opened her eyes, she felt as if she had stepped out of a long dream.
?Hauu-!?
For an instant there was a pain in her chest, and she jolted awake as she grabbed at her heart. As she sat up, she found herself lying in her own bed, scratches and scrapes all over her body. This wasn?t a new experience for her - as a fighter, she was used to the occasional injury. What was more concerning was that she couldn?t remember how she?d been hurt in the first place.
?Mother, are you alright??
Footsteps started down the hallway, moving towards her room. Youki?s voice, she thought to herself. It was comforting to know she was being cared for-
No, that?s not it.
Yuyuko furrowed her brow. That was Youki. It had to be. She?d heard that voice for the last ten years. How could it not be Youki? She tried to hide her concern as the door opened.
A young swordsman stepped into the room, carrying two cups of green tea. He handed one of them to Yuyuko, and she accepted it gratefully. She felt her body warm up as the warm liquid slipped down her throat.
?I have been better,? she said after downing half the cup in one shot. ?I think I may finally have to accept I?m not a young woman anymore.?
The swordsman smiled. His face was unusually bright, Yuyuko thought to herself. Normally he was more refined and mature than this. It was a refreshing change. She had always wanted Youki to be a little more childish.
No, that?s wrong.
Again, the voice in the back of her head was nagging at her. Something was wrong with this whole scenario, but she couldn?t put a word to it. Her hands began to shiver.
?Mother?? The swordsman looked her over again, drawing closer. Concern was etched on his face. ?Is there a problem??
Yuyuko couldn?t help but look into his eyes. There was something that didn?t fit with Youki?s expression. Something strange, something unnatural. It was almost as if-
as if she wasn?t looking at Youki at all.
?Oh.?
She remembered. It felt as if her brain had been rammed by a truck. She placed the tea on the cabinet at her side, shrinking into her bed covers.
That?s not my son.
?Mother!? Her guest pulled at the covers to look at her. Yuyuko couldn?t bear to look the swordsman in the eye.
That?s not even a man.
Yuyuko thought back to the past, searching for a distant memory. A name fell off of her lips, one that she hadn?t spoken for ten years.
?Youmu.?
At the same time, saying that name was relieving and heartbreaking. Yuyuko felt as if she had finally stepped out of her dream and into the real world, but that meant...
Youki is dead.
The weight of the realisation pressed her against the bed. She fell silent, like the revelation had knocked the life out of her. It was only when Youmu wrapped her arms around her that she felt warmth return to her body.
?It?s alright, mother.? Youmu patted her on the back. The feeling felt familiar to her, but in a way she couldn?t put into words. ?I?m here now.?
Yuyuko felt ill. She couldn?t stand it. She almost spat the words out, but any anger in them was directed at herself.
?Don?t call me that. I?m not your mother.?
To her surprise, Youmu simply smiled. She hugged Yuyuko harder, giving her a faint kiss on the cheek.
?Of course you are. For the last ten years, you raised me with love and care as if I was your own son. You did everything you could to make me happy.?
Yuyuko shook her head. She couldn?t accept this. She didn?t deserve to be forgiven just like that.
?But Youmu, I...I did something terrible to you. I took away ten years of your life out of selfishness. I only cared for you because you reminded me of my son. In spite of that, how can you still call me your mother??
She pushed Youmu away. Rather than fighting back, Youmu let herself be knocked away. She wasn?t offended, but she didn?t try to push her way back into Yuyuko?s face again.
?You?re right. What you did was horrible, but you weren?t alone in it.? She pulled away her gi, revealing her chest. Rather than a bra, she was wearing a tightly-wrapped sarashi to hide her breasts. ?I could have left at any time and shown this to somebody, and your whole world would have come apart. I could have pushed you out of this fantasy any time I wanted, but I didn?t.?
She smiled, but her expression conveyed more sorrow than happiness. ?I?m as guilty as you are, mother. I wanted to be Youki. I wanted to have a family again, and making you admit the truth might have lost me that chance forever.?
She forced a laugh. ?And remember, you took me in when I thought I had lost everything. You were willing to give me another opportunity to live my life. I can?t thank you enough for that.?
Yuyuko wasn?t sure whether to laugh or cry. She?d been so stupid. After Youki had died, she was terrified of being left alone. Yet here was a girl who had cared for her for ten years, shielding her from the painful truth.
?We?re both such fools, aren?t we?? Yuyuko said as she sat up again. Youmu nodded along with her, the pair of them wearing bittersweet grins.
?Ah, I just remembered something.? Yuyuko turned around to the cabinet she?d laid her cup on. She grabbed at the middle cabinet, pulling it open and reaching inside. After some fumbling, she pulled out a black ribbon from within.
?I took this from you, didn?t I? Youki never wore a ribbon, after all.?
Youmu stared at the ribbon in awe, like it was made of solid gold. Yuyuko offered it to her, and Youmu snatched it out of her hands. Her fingers moved clumsily as she tied it into her hair. She hadn?t worn it for ten years, so she was out of practice.
When at last she?d managed to put on the ribbon, Yuyuko looked at her with an overwhelming sense of nostalgia.
?My, it?s like you?re eight years old again.?
Youmu flinched. For an instant, Yuyuko could see the girl blushing. She couldn?t help but giggle at the sight. It felt like Youmu was the one light brightening up her day.
She wasn?t over Youki yet. She wasn?t sure if she?d ever be able to think about him without her heart breaking a little. But with Youmu by her side, she felt she?d find the strength to smile again.
Youmu...I can?t thank you enough.
-----
Sango pouted as she dumped another pile of gravel into the crater.
?How am I going to explain this to the boss? I am so getting demoted...?
Mokou had left a good bit of damage in her wake, most of which was too drastic to fix in a few hours. The gate was a lost cause, but the front door clipped back into place with a little bit of coercion. The Sirens had hastily replaced the gate with a set of wooden boards, with a door-shaped gateway built into it. It wasn?t the prettiest piece of handiwork, but it was more or less functional.
?See? Like nothing ever happened.? Mokou rubbed her hands in satisfaction. She?d been leading the charge for three reasons - she had more stamina left than any of her teammates, she knew her way around a hammer and nails better than anyone else, and it was only fair that she was made to clean up her own mess. The rest of the team either dealt with side jobs or handled the comparatively simple job of filling the hole that Mokou had left in the ground. Luckily there were plenty of materials to be found in the shed, though that had necessitated a few long journeys through the manor to the back garden.
?Oh, certainly. The gravel looks exactly like the grass that used to be there,? Sakuya said with a wry grin. ?Though I?m relatively sure those flowers were alive when we got here.?
?Hey, I?m not a miracle worker. I figure Youmu-san?s a decent gardener. Give her a few months and this place?ll be good as new.?
The cars at the entrance were gone after a quick call to the Kawashiro Towing Service. Nitori had only hung around long enough to get a short explanation of the scenario before hauling away the limousine the Claw had been using, muttering something about analysis. Komachi had called a tow truck from her insurer half an hour later, heading off along with them to work through all the necessary red tape.
By the time they?d managed to make the front garden look like a shadow of its former self, Youmu emerged from the front door. Mokou pumped her fist when she saw it stay upright this time.
?How did it go?? Koishi asked.
?She?s awake, and responsive,? Youmu answered. She seemed younger than she was an hour ago. The ribbon in her hair probably contributed to that. ?She?ll need time to heal, though. I think she needs me to be with her.?
Koishi nodded. She had expected as much. ?We understand. We?ll try to keep you out of our affairs for as long as possible, but if there?s an emergency we may need to ask for your help.?
?Of course. After all you?ve done for me, it?s the least I can do.? She bowed with the utmost severity, but the hair-ribbon softened her expression a little.
Sakuya was next to come forward, giving her sister a hug. ?I?ll visit whenever I can, alright??
Youmu returned the hug, almost melting in her sister?s grasp. Now she really did look like a girl her age. ?I?ll hold you to that, Miyo. We have a lot of catching up to do.?
?I?ll teach you to play poker, and you teach me how to swing a sword. Everybody wins.?
?Poker? Can?t we play something civilised like shogi instead??
Sakuya didn?t answer, but Koishi saw her rolling her eyes.
It was getting dark when the Sirens finally started to leave. Youmu led them to the gate and waved them off. She watched them all the way down the road, until she was just a speck in the distance. Koishi felt a warmth deep in her heart as she waved back, leaving with the feeling that she?d made a real change in someone else?s life.
?So, Sakuya-san,? Mokou said, nudging at Sakuya?s shoulder. ?When am I gonna get those cookies??
-----
?Komeiji was talking to ghosts??
Nitori was attentive in spite of her lack of sleep. She had called Sango in the following morning for an emergency debriefing. Too much had gone on last night for her to be content with the explanation she?d been given.
?Yes, boss. She was talking to Youki Saigyouji?s ghost, in particular.?
That was particularly unusual, and well out of the range of Koishi?s normal abilities. She pulled up the table of rankings on her computer and added a few extra pluses to Koishi?s grade.
?How?s Konpaku??
?She?s gonna be busy. Saigyouji-san needs a lot of help right now. I think we need to give her some space.?
Nitori nodded, one hand tapping at her desk. The family situation there was a sensitive issue, and she didn?t want to interfere with it if possible. She?d been worried about the Mindcoils for a while, honestly - the extractions had seemed too clean, too perfect. Maybe it was because every victim had some sort of support to fall back on after they were saved. Either way, she didn?t want to test that hypothesis too thoroughly.
?Anything else to report, Tororetsu?? she asked. She wanted to get this debriefing over with so she could help herself to a good night?s sleep.
?No, ma?am.? Sango tilted her head a little. ?Though I thought you were doing an analysis on the car the Black Claw had been using last night. Did you find anything??
This was the question Nitori hadn?t wanted to hear. She concealed her discomfort as she started on her answer.
?I traced the car to a local dealer. Bought online with an untraceable email address and credit card. From what I can tell, Saigyouji picked it up on the way back to the manor and brought the other girl along with her.?
The dolphin frowned, crossing her arms. ?Wow, these guys are really good at covering their tracks. You?d think they would have left something behind.?
If only you knew, Nitori thought to herself.
?Anyway, thanks for the report. You?re dismissed.?
Sango saluted. ?Aye aye, ma?am.? She turned on her heels, walking out of Room 495. The passageway slid shut behind her.
As soon as she was out of the room, Nitori felt her heart rate return to normal. She wasn?t used to lying to her agents. She?d been grappling with herself over whether to tell the truth all night, as she ran the hundredth test to make sure she wasn?t following a false lead.
The numbers didn?t lie. They couldn?t. Right now, Nitori was sitting on a revelation that could blow the war right open. In her day, keeping info like this to herself would have qualified as treason. Her conscience was telling her to come out with the truth, but she didn?t know if she had the nerve to follow through with it.
Well, you know what they say, she thought to herself as she dumped the papers in a nearby trashcan. She threw in a lighter a few seconds later, watching as they caught alight. What you don?t know can?t hurt you.
Right?
