~~~April 29 2169~~~
It was a bright sunny day. The tide whispered secrets to the waiting shore. It was a rather peaceful day on the "seele-free" Cape Hedo. As the three boys sat watching the setting sun, tiny fiddler crabs weaved a symphony around the dying crimson ball of light.
Ryujin, Kirashi, and Itoshi were still out in the water, letting the waves wash over them as they bathed by the beach.
"Before we go... Can I check back home?"
Kirashi asked Ryujin.
The leader smiled and gave a slow nod, granting Kirashi permission to return home one final time.
"Don't take too long though. We're setting off tomorrow."
"Sure, sure!"
With a sudden burst of enthusiasm, Itoshi leaned forward and asked if he could join Kirashi on the trip.
"I'll come with you!"
"Let's go back to the cafe then?"
Ryujin suggested.
"Sure!"
The two nods.
As the three boys stepped back into the café, Ayro welcomed them with a knowing smile, the air still humming with the echoes of their laughter.
"You guys seemed to have had your time."
"Yes!"
Itoshi greeted.
"Why didn't you come with us?"
He asked.
"Someone has to stay behind. And here,"
He replied, he paused as he tossed towels onto them.
"Kara got these towels for ya'll."
They all caught it with Itoshi and Kirashi giving Ayro a:
"Thanks!"
The three covered themselves in their respective towels as they came inside the café. A peculiar sweet smell drifted from upstairs.
"Woah, what's that sweet smell?"
Itoshi wondered.
Itoshi went upstairs to check but was stopped by a locked door from which the aroma came.
"Locked?"
A soft voice of a girl echoed from the other side of the door—it was Kara.
"Who is it?"
With a smile in his face, Absolutely stuck with the aroma, he asked.
"Ahh, Kara, it's me... What's that smell?"
In which, with slight panic in her voice, Kara replied.
"It's laundry!"
Itoshi rubbed his chin with his fingers, wondering where it had all come from.
"Where did you get that?"
"I had some clothes in stock, just in case.."
With a smile, absolutely insensitive to what could actually be hanging on the other side, Itoshi asked.
"Can I come in?"
Kara was quickly startled by his request.
"Eh?!"
She started to stutter.
"My un...dies..."
She paused, and continued.
"..are hanging right here, you know! Knucklehead!"
Itoshi rubbed the back of his head, still confused.
"Ok... Ok!! Speaking of which... I don't have any clothes left.."
Itoshi leaned against the wall as he thought to himself.
"Man, we've been living together for ages but you're still sensitive about those things. But okay.."
Itoshi asked for one last time.
"Where did you do the laundry?"
"Downstairs by the bathroom. The team managed to bring generators and a small washing machine."
"Okk, thanks!"
Itoshi went downstairs to meet the others, realizing they had the same problem.
"Crap, out of clothes. Oh well, it's not like I have anything decent."
Hushed Kirashi as he shrugged.
All of a sudden, Ayro patted him on the back.
Kirashi looked at Ayro in a strange way.
"...stOp."
Ayro chuckled.
"You can use my spares."
Ryujin offered.
Kirashi shook his head.
"No, no! Thanks, but.. I think Windgott-sama still got clothes back home that managed to survive the seele.."
Itoshi reached the bottom of the stairs and he leaned into the door frame.
"There's a washing machine in the bathroom."
The boys checked it out.
"Hoh, convenient."
Ryujin muttered, as he pinched his chin.
Kirashi then chuckled, muttering the words he should never, ever say.
"Advantages of having a woman."
Ayro, Ryujin, and Itoshi all flinched, slowly turning their heads toward Kirashi with squinted eyes, their expressions screaming nothing but an absolute "bruh moment."
"W-What?"
Sweat trickled down Kirashi's forehead as he glanced at the other three boys, their stares heavy with violent intent that made his stomach drop.
Itoshi simply shrugged it off, his usual lazy grin returning—unknowingly giving Kirashi a chance he never thought he needed.
"I guess we can let that pass... For now.."
Kirashi: Whatt!!
Itoshi and Ryujin took turns cleaning their clothes. Meanwhile, Kirashi sat in the café lobby napping with Ayro.
Itoshi: Phew! Work done, I'll take a nap too. How about you, Ryujin?
"I'll be on guard. You go rest."
"You sure?"
Itoshi raised a brow.
In which deadpan, Ryujin responded with a simple:
"Yeah."
Itoshi: O-ok.
"Ryujin really works hard, huh. I should do the same. No one else has to see what I saw."
Itoshi thought to himself.
He then took a deep breath, and changed his mind.
"On second thought, I'll guard downstairs too."
Ryujin then pointed upstairs.
"Ok, I'll be on the roof."
It was a peaceful evening. Crickets carved melodies into the silence of night. The silence roared through the café, heavy as unspoken words and thick as the weight of lingering thoughts. Everyone was asleep, but Ryujin stayed awake, staring blankly into the night sky.
~~~April 30 2169~~~
The morning awoke beneath a quilt of drifting gray, as the sky whispered secrets behind a veil of mist. Ayro woke up, He looked for Ryujin and he found him sleeping on the roof. He took some old blankets to warm him off.
"Another step closer huh.. Ryujin."
The cafe stirred as dawn's first golden breath spilled through its windows, painting the walls in soft amber hues. Everyone was ready to go back in action.
Itoshi shouted.
"Yo! Kira let's go!"
"Coming!!"
Kirashi and Itoshi sets off back into Kirashi's hut.
Ryujin, Ayro, and Kara remained behind, quietly watching as the two walked off together.
"Take care!!"
Kara waved.
Ayro turned to Ryujin as he asked.
"Worried?"
"Nah."
The two wandered through the forest, their footsteps swallowed by the whispering earth, as the trees leaned in like silent guardians. There was silence between the two. Until Kirashi asked.
"Were you scared?"
"Hmm?"
"I mean, leaving everything behind."
"What a silly question!"
Itoshi grunted as he paused.
"Of course I was. I was not sure about them after all."
"Why did you come with them?"
Kirashi asked.
"Well, because of those damned beings. I lost my home, my parents, and my only friend because of them."
Itoshi answered as he clenched his fist.
"Oh... Sorry."
Itoshi continued,
"I'll take them all out for them. Those creatures don't deserve this land."
Itoshi paused once more.
"What about you? How did he convince you?"
"I won't really say Ryujin convinced me. It was like... I was meant to come with you guys... And you?"
Itoshi shared.
"Oh! I see, I see. To me, it did not feel that way. It was more like a selfish decision."
"Hmm? Why is that?"
Itoshi looked down to his feet as they walked together.
"Well, Kara did not want any of this, but wherever I go, she ends up getting dragged along my problems."
"Nobody wanted to suffer."
Itoshi smiled as he turned towards Kirashi.
"I guess you're right. Just gotta face your problems head-on, right?"
"Indeed... We're here."
They paused, scanning the area, taken aback by the chaos that ensued on that night.
"I did not imagine it was this bad."
Itoshi muttered.
Kirashi checked the house.
"Hoh! The clothes are safe!"
"Nice!"
Kirashi packed the clothes that Windgott had left him.
Itoshi noticed a path up the mountain.
"Hm... Where does that go?"
Itoshi thought to himself.
He then called out for Kirashi.
"Yo, Kirashi?"
Kirashi zipped his bag shut as he turned to Itoshi,
"Yeah?"
Itoshi pointed to the path up as he looked at Kirashi.
"Where does that path lead to?"
"Not sure. Probably higher up the mountain.. I've been meaning to see this as well."
Curious, Itoshi shouted.
"Let's go!"
The two took the path that led up the mountain. Itoshi felt a weird sensation — to him, it was familiar.
"I've... been here before."
Moments.. Or memories flashed onto Itoshi's eyes.
"Hmm?"
Kirashi hummed.
Itoshi rushed up faster.
"Hey! Itoshi! Wait!"
Kirashi followed him, panting.
After some time, Itoshi paused to catch his breath.
"You trust us way too fast, man."
Kirashi shrugged as they started to walk slower.
"If I didn't learn who to trust fast, I'd be dead by now."
"Your master taught you that?"
"Yeah. Every lesson was a survival tactic."
Kirashi muttered under his breath.
Itoshi gave a small nod, understanding the weight behind those words. The silence stretched between them again as they neared the top.
It was a temple.
Itoshi stepped inside, once again. A cry of a hawk screamed through the halls of the temple. Kirashi followed behind him curiously.
"Do you hear that?"
"The what?"
Kirashi asked.
"Nevermind!"
Suddenly, a soft voice of a woman echoed through the walls.
"Go back..."
The two looked back. They looked at each other, indicating they both heard something.
Itoshi: Let's continue to the end.
Kirashi lit up his lighter he had packed in his bag. Eventually, they reached the end. It was a statue of a griffin.
"A phoenix?"
Kirashi wondered.
"Nah, it's an eagle."
Itoshi argued.
"Definitely a phoenix."
"Oh well... I wonder why this showed up in my dream."
Itoshi thought muttered under his breath.
Itoshi reached out his hand toward the little statue. The moment he held it, a series of events flashed before his eyes. A loud cry of an eagle echoed through the halls. Kirashi covered his ears as Itoshi faded.
"Itoshi!!!"
Itoshi fell, knocked to the ground.
Kirashi repeatedly tried to wake him up. Suddenly, beeping was heard coming from Itoshi's bag. Kirashi checked it out. It was Ayro, trying to reach them via walkie-talkie.
"Itoshi! Itoshi!"
Kirashi rushed for the bag, opening the zipper as he called out.
"Ayro-san!"
"Kirashi! Come back! Ryujin passed out!"
Kirashi was stunned in horror.
"Ayro-san... Itoshi... is out cold too...."
~~~To be Continued~~~