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21
“You’re not coming” said Miki reading Aya’s thoughts.
“My leg’s ok already and I’m not going to play the role of the worried girlfriend waiting for you to come back, that’s not my style”
She’s said girlfriend?
Everybody stared at the younger, from Rika, who was looking a bit sad, Yossi smiling, Risa and the youngers surprised, to Nakazawa, who had raised an eyebrow hearing the good news.
“They’re my friends, Miki” continued Aya without paying attention to the others “I’m not going to stay”
“I’m going too”
Yossi walked towards the others, hanging up at her back the sword that Eri gave her. Rika took her arm and tried to stop her with a really worried look in her face.
“You can’t…”
“If I’m good enough to disarm Miki I’m good enough to fight. I’m going”
The small group left the tunnel when the sun had almost disappeared from the sky. Yuko grouped them and then made a signal to Miki, who was already at an advanced position waiting for the others.
“They’re hidden behind the ruins beyond the clear” explained Nakazawa “It’s difficult to get there without being seen and they can’t leave without attracting her attention…”
“Leave that to me”
The leader looked at Miki. She wasn’t sure about letting her go alone but, the truth was that just one person could get nearer that the whole group before being noticed and, if someone had to do it, Fujimoto was the best choice.
Miki didn’t need Yuko’s answer. She knew what to do and was going to leave when someone took her hand. They stared at each other for a moment, Aya unable to say anything but with the words ‘don’t die’ written in her eyes. Fujimoto nodded understanding, then she smiled and gave her a quick on the lips before disappearing in the shadows.
Yuko took a small radio that she was wearing at her belt and switch it on. Luckily, she’d taken precaution before Goto left the complex and gave her something to be able to contact them if something happened.
“Maki?” she whispered to the device.
“Yeah, we’re still here”
“How’s the situation?”
“Pretty bad…”
“Casualties?”
There was a sudden silence at the other end of the line and a few seconds passed before Maki decided to answer.
“Three”
“Who?” Aya had took the radio from Nakazawa’s hands and asked anxiously.
“Aya?”
“Who, Maki?” insisted Matsuura.
“Tanaka, Koharu and Ayaka”
Aya kept silence. She’d never been close to the younger ones, but Ayaka had been one of her sister’s best friends and a great lose…
“Something’s happening...” said Gottsan “I hear movement outside”
Yuko turned to the others. It was the moment.
“That’s Miki’s signal.
***
Now that the things where going so well… You guys always so timing, right?
Fujimoto was advancing through the shrubbery stealthily without taking her eyes out of the clear where the beasts were standing. There’s something else, though. A body, no, two bodies lying on the ground. It was too late for them.
Why are they so quiet?
It wasn’t normal. They weren’t eating? Not even surrounding the bodies? The monsters had their heads raised, like smelling the air, waiting for something…Then Miki looked in the direction where the ruins where and analyzed the situation. She would have to do something big to make them move further away from there.
Ok…kill some monsters before dinner, go back home and spend a lovely night with that hot girl who claimed herself as your girlfriend. God… I can’t believe she said that…
Miki averted her look a moment from the clear and stared at the point where her group should be. Aya’s worried look came to her mind once again.
Then, moving slowly, she kneeled down and seized strongly the hilt of her
I hope you’re ready.
One of the sharp weapons flew directly to the nearest beast’s throat, piercing it as butter. The monster fell and, immediately, the rest of the group turned to the spot where the dead body of one of them was. But there wasn’t just the corpse. Miki was there too, with one foot stepping on the dead beast’s head. She pulled up her sai without any consideration and look at the monsters with a defiant glare.
“Let’s dance”
***
“Ok, Gaki, Aibon and Nacchi head straight for the ruins and get them out of there. Atsuko, Nono and Yossi with me, Miki’s gonna need some help. Aya and Rika…” she said turning to both girls “…you’ll stay here to cover us”
Everybody nodded and they dispersed in their respective directions. Yuko’s group advanced towards the clear quickly, but before they reached it, Nakazawa stopped Yossi a moment, putting a hand over her shoulder.
“You’re sure? You still can go back…” she asked the younger.
“I’m sure”
Yuko saw the resolute look in the younger and smiled. No doubt that girl was special.
They look at the clear through the trees and saw Miki. She was surrounded by six monsters, her
***
Shit!
Fujimoto kicked the monster; throwing it at her side and trying recover as quickly as she could. As soon as she stood up, an intense pain filled her whole body and her vision blurred for a moment. Miki shook her head and was going to continue the fight when she noticed that there was just one sai in her hand. The other was too far to reach it so, she had to reject the next attack just with one weapon and her bare hand.
She had just stopped one of the claws of another beast over her head when Yuko appeared at her side.
“How’s your record?”
“Twelve!” answered the younger punching the monster in its stomach and piercing the sai at the back of its neck.
“I think yo..u’ll break it to…day!”
Nakazawa got rid of the beast in front of her and stared at Miki for a moment. The younger hadn’t answered. She was concentrated in the fight, all sweaty and looking tired. Too tired to be Miki…
“Some help, please!”
The leader turned and saw Nono and Yossi surrounded. Almost every beast in the clear was there, leaving just a pair of them to Atsuko and still another three with Fujimoto.
“Can you handle it?” she asked to Miki a bit worried.
“You’re kidding me?!”
Seeing the younger knocking down one of them, Yuko decided to go to help the other two that were beginning to have some trouble to hold back the monsters.
***
From the line of trees, Rika’s shotgun was clearing Yuko’s way until she reached the youngers. Once she was there, Ishikawa’s attention diverted to where her friend was fighting.
“Something’s wrong with Miki…” she said with a worried whisper to herself.
It wasn’t Rika’s intention that her worries could reach Aya but, after shooting an arrow that knocked down a beast, Matsuura turned to her.
“What are you talking about?”
Ishikawa felt awkward. It was the first time that the younger said something to her without being a verbal attack. This time, in front of her, there’re just two worried eyes trying to figure out what was happening.
Then, without answering, she looked again at Miki and Aya’s eyes followed hers, understanding the moment she saw Fujimoto that Rika was right. Something was wrong.
***
Just a bit more… I just need a bit more time…
She recovered the second sai with a fast movement and stopped an attack at the level of her stomach, kicking the beast to move it further away from her. Each time it was more difficult… They where faster and she felt her legs less and less…
The pain began to be unbearable.
I want to go back home with you…
The wound in her side didn’t stop bleeding. She had been too self-confident with her own skills and that beast got to wound her when both fell to the ground. At that moment, Miki remembered all the times when Rika scolded her for being so imprudent and all the times that she ignored it. Now Fujimoto began to regret it.
Now, for the first time in years, she began to fear death. She never cared about it before, there was nothing in that world to keep her anyway, and so she just fought, waiting for her turn to be the looser of the battle. But now, she had made a promise.
“…will you stay by my side?”
She breathed deeply and kept the air in her lungs, tightened the grip on her
“I’m sorry, Aya…” Miki didn’t feel her legs anymore and kneeled to the ground, dropping the other sai still in her hand “…I can’t…”
Labels: Traveler
