/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>46789833
For a fraction of a second, I hope that it was a misfire, that it missed hitting anyone.

But then I see Keine tumble backwards, falling from the fence, hitting a stall with a wet crack before hitting the ground like a discarded doll.
“KEINE!!” I scream out. My legs start moving as I barrel my way forward, pushing my way towards whereI saw here fall. I hear my husband shout up before my, my children's voices, but I can’t pay attention to them. Shoving past people, ducking by them. I don’t care, I need to see her.

I break through into empty space, the crowd had parted from where she fell, I can see her now.

Maybe it’s not too bad. Half-Youkai like her are supposed to be tough, right? If it were just a flesh wound we could get her treated and then we could-

There’s a huge hole over her heart. She’s losing so much blood, it’s pouring from the wound and her mouth, her life unrelentingly draining from her. Her eyes were distant and hazy, eyelids fluttering as her gaze turns towards me.

I feel my gut fill with ice as I stare down at her. This isn’t something we can fix. I hear someone sob loudly, and I turn my gaze from Keine briefly to the source. Mystia had managed to make her way through. Her face was inconsolable. This was the woman that had every right to hate her, to call her a monster but had instead chosen to forgive her and help carry her burdens, and she was bleeding out in agony in front of her.

I grasp her hand and she manages to squeeze back- her grip is so weak.

Above me, everything erupts into chaos. Shouts break out from all over, some barking orders, others cries of fear and anger. From the corner of my eye I see a massive flash of light, I hear wood shattering, fire crackling. The cries only get louder as the glow of the fire spreads- some of the stalls had caught alight. I can hear them running, some of them just barely missing the three of us as they all run to safety. I feel an urge to follow them, but I just can’t let go of Keine’s hand and the thought dies.

“K-Keine, don't sleep! Stay awake! Stay awake! Please—a-all will be fine and…” I find myself sobbing out. Empty words but I wanted to believe in them so much. With my free hand I press my sleeve onto the wound, hoping to slow down the blood just a bit, only to feel despair as the checkered pattern becomes stained with a dark red, with no end in sight.

Her eyes start to lose focus- that fiery determination that I had looked up to was almost gone, just a faint ember was left, but still carrying some light.

“K-Keine!! Stay with me, please!” I yell out between sobs. Her eyes flicker towards me again, that ember still burning. She grasps my hand, her strength almost gone, staring right at me.

No words were spoken- she couldn’t speak anyways- but I understood.

But it can’t end this way. Keine had so much to do, so much to live for! She had Mokou to share her life with, a wonderful woman that would always love and cherish her. She had the revolution to lead, a better world to create. So many people were depending on her, she was the only one who could lead us and turn it into a reality.

Then of course she had her children. If she died now, she would never be a mother to them. She only experienced just a fraction of what comes with being one. There are bad moments, sure. Tantrums, messes to clean, and so much time and money needed to raise them. But there were also days filled with the pure honest smiles of youth, of passing on important lessons, all the growth you go through from nurturing and taking responsibility for a life. She’d never see them grow up, and guide them through the tribulations of life.

Mokou suddenly lands near me, sliding on the gravel and grabs onto Keine. I bolt back a bit, startled.

“I-I'll take you to Eientei! Hold on, Keine! Don't you fucking dare leave your family alone!” Mokou yells out as she lifts Keine up, but a howl of pain from her makes her drop Keine, once again hitting the blood soaked gravel.

All around us, a battle rages. Screams cry out from all over, fires spread almost unabated, Danamku lights up the sky as the Heida home is assaulted, gunfire echoing all around us. Mokou’s fire melts any shots aimed at us, turning them into molten slag. Some hit her body, but she hardly flinches as she body mends right away.

“YUKARI!” She shouts out