Restarting

Please Tell Me Who I Am

The sun placed itself just a few degrees short of of noon. The two opposing allies held their respective grounds and insisted upon the others failure to comply. Colors of a ceremonial dragon forced themselves into opposite positions of the battlefield despite being close allies moments prior all because of a few gems. It's amazing what Greed and Wrath will do to friends. One stood to defend the dying demon while the other stood to finish the brewing disaster, their opposing views drew the dragons flames towards it's golden scales. Red and gold work quite well when the right conditions are met, the right lighting and the correct mix of the two magnificent shades of glory. The dragon's red flames would have to represent the imminent danger it posed and the gold must then represent the impending glory should it be defeated. Then, we have ourselves the princess, she would be the most dangerous of the two opposing sides. She has the power to bring down limitless might upon the two enemies and yet she could also bring hospitality to both, but instead she lie there in the cold without a flake of snow to chill her.

Akai and Valentina looked at each other, one with tears covering their face and the other with blood covering their hands. They sat there in silence for almost a minute while Kanda and Shiina yelled at each other with Mori trying to calm them both down. Warmth never left Valentina's body because she was cold to begin with, her eyes had lost the light in them all be it terrifying. For the minute that Akai held her, she seemed like a normal girl with normal problems that she never got to resolve. Akai could tell that the way she looked at him was true love, he knew because he's had someone look at him that before right before confession. He knew, she truly loved him for who he was and not the fake cover he puts up, she knew him before he could remember, she knew who he really was better than he did.

"Shut up Shiina! She killed Kalvin and Yoshida! She's a killer and you know it"! His eyes lit up like purple flames the angrier he got but his fury never phased his cousin as she just held her ground the closer he got.

Shiina: Stop it Kanda! I know you and Yoshida were friends but you can't kill our VIP because he wants to protect a spirit. I mean look at her anyway, you want her to suffer then let her die in his arms for christ's sake. I liked Yoshida and Kalvin was like an older brother to me but seriously Kanda, this isn't right.

Kanda stood there tightly gripping his Arming sword and gritting his teeth. He faced his head down and raised his sword over his head as he spoke in a Melancholic tone. "I won't let my brothers turning go unnoticed and forgotten. His killer is going to pay for her crimes". Kanda turned around and threw his sword towards Valentina with bloodshot eyes.

Akai: Kanda NO!

Akai shot up to block the sword from hitting her out of pure instinct, his right iris turned totally black and his ring lit up when he reached out to grab the sword. While the sword was in the air it flashed a red light but this red light was washed out by the bright silver flash that came from behind Akai. It was Valentina, her eyes had turned silver and her fingers had a sliver aura around them.

Valentina lay there as she rose her hand and snapped her fingers right before the sword plunged into Akai's head. Just before the sword hit Akai it was only about a foot from his head when it flew away from him and stuck into the roof a few meters away.

Valentina: Nobody touches Akai. Except me.

After she finished her declaration, she coughed up a thick mouth full of blood and fell back onto her stomach.

Akai: Valentina!

Akai sprinted over to her and turned her over onto her side and helped her get the blood out but, it was too late. Her injury had bled far too much and her blood had grown thicker now, she was running critically low on it and her cold skin had become almost frigid to the touch. She could barely differentiate the real world from the illusion she slowly fell towards.

Akai rested her head on his hand that he had placed on his leg. "Come one Valentina, stay awake just a little bit longer". Akai's words seemed to bounce off of her as she just stared aimlessly off into the sky. She was still just barely alive but couldn't perceive anything around her as real, her eyes looked drowsy and her mouth relaxed along with her upper body with her lower half soon to follow. She murmured for a moment but the words were inaudible, her face looked like she was dreaming a good dream and then for a moment it seemed like she came back to reality. Her eyes weakly shifted around the rooftop until they settled on Akai's teared up face with a bloody handprint covering his left cheek.

Valentina: How long have you been here? It's been so long since the roof?

When she said this, Akai noticed her hand had left his and the ring on her finger seemed to lose it's color, it was now a grey diamond with no reflection. The silver glow in her eyes reverted back to purple and then to blue, after finally reaching their true color, the light within them disappeared and the gate to her soul crumbled. A strange blue light formed a thin layer over her entire body and golden life essence began pouring into the air from her chest as her body begun to disintegrate from her legs up.

Akai: N-no, Valentina! Come back! We can talk like you wanted just come back.

He tried to grab the essence but it disappeared in his hands. "I still need to know who I am. I need to know what I am! I need to know who we were Valentina"!

Akai's words were hopeless as he begun to cry but didn't quite understand why he cried. He was sad but didn't understand it, he didn't feel like he should be sad as she had caused him so much pain. For some reason, Akai couldn't stop himself from feeling a deep and agonizing sense of regret and betrayal. He felt as if he had broken a promise but he couldn't understand why, his hands came to his head and covered his eyes as he began sobbing her name. He frantically tried to hold her as comfortably as possible even after she had died, he made sure every one of her final moments was as enjoyable as possible, even if it carried on forever in her mind.

Slam!

Akai punched the floor between his legs and bit his lip out of anger. He bit it so hard that it began bleeding and leaked down his face and neck.

Kanda: Let's get Yuna to an infirmary. We'll establish a new place of residence for you lot until things clear u-

Akai: We aren't leaving town, I'm not gonna leave Fujikawa Highschool and especially not after I just killed someone. I hate that damn place and I hate this damn town.

Kanda: What are you talking about Akai?

Shiina: You shouldn't remain in this area, the king could send more Spirits after you and they may be even more dangerous.

Akai: I won't. I won't leave this town.

Akai: Even if he sends more Spirits after me whoever this king is. Then we won't have to worry about bystanders because there wasn't a single damn person who interfered with our fights.

He stood up with tears running down his face, the tears leaked into a cut he had on his cheek causing him to wince but he ultimately opted to ignore the pain. He tried to stand up but his leg had grown numb from Valentina's body resting on it so stood with a half slouch leaning to his left side.

Kanda began making his way over to his sword as he spoke in a frustrated voice. "Suck it up kid, you're not fooling us with this hero performance, I'll punish myself s**t. Nobody care kid, she was a murderer and you're sobbing over her death. She got exactly what she had coming to her and that's all there is to it".

During this rant, Akai was holding himself back from strangling Kanda as he clenched his fists so hard that he cut into them with his fingernails.

Akai looked towards Shiina who had holstered her weapons and looked towards her cousin in disbelief from what she was hearing.

Kanda: She got what she deserved Akai. She's killed over 200 people in the last year and who knows how many more she would've slaughtered had she made it out of our attack.

Akai: What the f**k is wrong with you! Couldn't you see her! She was crying Kanda! Does that me-

Kanda: NO! It doesn't mean jack s**t to me Akai! I've seen the worst criminals in modern history cry before their deaths, they had done absolutely foul things to people. Things I'd prefer not to mention to and innocent civilian.

The two of them were in each others faces now, so close that they hear each others breath. None of Akai's words mattered to Kanda and none of Kanda's words had any reason behind them to Akai. They were arguing with nothing.

Shiina: Enough both of you! You're gonna kill each other if you keep going.

The two of them turn to look at Shiina who was standing in front of a horrified Mori. "Look at all the damage in the area, the boss can't keep authorities off of us forever ok. We need to get you out of here Akai and escort Yuna to a medical center immediately! And YOU Kanda, you are getting a psych test, I've never seen you this livid before".

Both of the boys stood there in total silence after she finished talking. Kanda respected his cousins wishes and understood her reasons for being absolutely furious with him. Akai acknowledged that Kanda had just stood down and so he decided to quit while he believed he was ahead.

Shiina: Tch, what the hell are you waiting for! Did you not hear me you two! I said LET'S GO!

This makes Akai and Mori jump and Kanda just walks off with an angsty teenager look on his face. Mori and Akai follow him in this diligently when Shiina glares at Mori with an angered look as well. "You too Amber Skies". She spoke with anger consuming her character.

The group walked in silence to an undisclosed location to Akai and Mori even though Shiina gladly told Nao. This fact had Akai on high alert and also shrouded him with confusion that would only further his agonizing regret. He stared at his hand while he walked and from time to time would glance over at Mori's beautiful hair when he felt a bit of comfort. Even though she gave him a small moment of comfort when doing this, it was quickly wiped out when he felt even more guilty upon doing this. Akai, couldn't shake the feeling of watching somebody die, somebody that truly loved him despite her horrible actions towards him. He couldn't get her crying eyes out of his head and his eyes welled up with tears every few minutes when he murmured her name.

"Valentina. Please. Tell me who we were to each other".