Sunrise with You (+minor update)
7000 words and counting… this little passion post definitely set me back more than I’d like to admit. But then again, I’ve never really felt this passionate about writing in a while. I have a number of people to thank obviously. Like the devs at LifeWonders for making such a world where these kinds of fanfics are possible. And you, dear readers for giving me a platform to share these cheesy stories and for indulging me so much. Seriously, you guys are the best! And I think it’s about time we let that one guy out of his cell…
~With the endless game finally at an end, and the past behind you everything felt… fresh. Everyone in your life was no longer bound by the rules of any game and could live as they wanted. Even the wall that closed you all in no longer stood in your way. Weirdly enough you couldn’t sleep so you had stayed awake staying off at the night horizon. The Tokyo skyline seemed to go on forever with no boundaries to hold you. Just what did lie out there in the world? It was all so exciting. But then, the door to the roof opened and you turned to find…
~“Oh, Summoner. It’s unusual to see you out this late.” You explained you had trouble sleeping. Tomorrow was a big day after all. “It will be indeed. Even now the heaven’s give me a sense of peace…” He murmured. The two of you remained stargazing for an immeasurable amount of time, but you knew sunrise was only a little while away now. You then started to ramble a bit. You didn’t know why but you wanted to clear the air as much as possible. You also expressed how much of a relief it was knowing you finally have a place to call home… “I understand the sentiment. To be quite honest, the world beyond those walls always felt… alien in a sense. Just how far does it stretch? Where does it end? If anything, these horizons only seem to grow with each passing moment…” You muttered his name, unsure of how to comfort him. “Lately, I’ve been considering something… Lord Arsalan would always desire me to make a decision of my own but for a long time it felt impossible. Could one such as myself really yearn for a life beyond penance? A torture specialist really living a life of his own?”
~You finally told him that regardless of his past he was still Zabaniyya and every decision was for himself. Even divinity allowed those with their own wills determine their own fate, after all. “Yes, you may be right. And I believe I finally did something about it.” You asked what he was going to do. “That’s… well, remember that day we vowed to one another? Even though it was fake the idea never quite left my mind. What if we were to one day pledge ourselves to one another and just… run away? Be reborn in our own way. Would a life like that be truly acceptable?” For what it was worth you told him it was his decision to decide that. “I see… I feel I’m understanding his teachings after all.” But since he brought it up, now might be a good time to finally ask… you asked him to hold out his hand as you placed an important keepsake in his hand.
~“This is…!” He held Sal’s ring, the same ring he entrusted to you when everything was over. Since it was powerless he teased you to give it to someone special. Those words couldn’t ring more true now. “I’m… I’m speechless.” Was all the fallen angel could say. “Or rather… I’m still afraid to accept this.” You finally just came out and said that you wanted to be by his side and to make a future together for a change. But only if Zabaniyya desired it. He was silent in contemplation for a moment. As the sun rose Zabaniyya pulled you closer to his side and held your hand in his. “Perhaps this is too good to be true, and perhaps I am indulging myself like I did all that time ago. But this once, it no longer matters to me. I feel… genuine happiness knowing you are right here with me. And just as you pledge to me, I swear my oath and gratitude to you. This body, this heart and soul of mine- loves you with every ounce of my being.”
~“You’re still up?” You confirmed it for him and he joined you on the roof. “I couldn’t really sleep either. I tried jogging a bit but that barely did anything.” Gunzo sighed. “I thought maybe I might get tired looking up at the sky instead.” You told him you had a similar idea. “Well, I guess two great minds do think alike.” You sat with Gunzo staring up at the stars and the horizon. You were up for quite a bit, unsure of how much time passed but you enjoyed it. You made sure to tell him that. “Oh, same here. I like doing these sorts of things when it’s just us. Um… what do you think it’s like? Out there I mean.” You told him you weren’t quite sure, and that all you could say for certain was that it was big. “That’s a relief… I can’t quite wrap my head beyond the idea that there’s a whole world yet to be seen. It’s… scary… I’ve grown up here after all, it’s where I met all my friends too. I can’t just leave so easily.” You agreed it was scary to step out into somewhere unknown.
~Gunzo laughed. “The others would probably just laugh at us for being scared, right? It’s over something so simple too…” You did remind him the world could expand an eternity. “Don’t remind me. But, weirdly enough… I wonder what they do in other places? Do others play rugby? Do they take it as seriously as me? Where do I even start?” Gunzo shook his head. “No, I… I have to finish school here at least. Then I can worry about studying abroad like my seniors. Or maybe I’ll get a job… ugh, this is so hard…” You reminded him to take everything at his own pace and that rushing himself would get him nowhere. “You’re right… I’m glad I’ve got you here. I think I’d be pulling my own hair out right now if… n-no forget I said anything.” You took a moment to think and finally decided to give him that.
~“A-A ring!? Hold on, what are you-!?” You told him to hold onto it as a promise ring, and you confessed then and there. You might have broken Gunzo then and there as he simply couldn’t comprehend the magnitude of your statements. “Is… Is this a joke…” He asked before you confirmed it’s the real deal. It was then that all of his emotions came up at once and he pulled you into a tight hug. The embrace was very tight, but loving and genuine. “Please… Please tell me you aren’t joking…!” You reconfirmed it for him and used the L word to seal the deal. As the sun began to rose he started crying a bit in your arms. “Having you… knowing you… heck, LOVING you was the one thing I always felt sure about in a long time! I… I need you to keep me balanced otherwise I’d always forget certain things, be rather clumsy still and get ready to be apologized to a lot! I’m… I’m sorry for needing you!”
~“Hey.” The oni greeted you with a warm smile. You asked what he was doing up so late. “Well, I just finally finished a project I was doing with the rest of my guildmates. I let the others go on ahead to bed, just couldn’t sleep, ya know?” Takemaru walked to your side. “Mind if I stargaze with you a while? I just need some air…” You nodded and proceeded to look up at the sky. Each star seemed to immaculately twinkle tonight but somehow it felt familiar. “Heh, it’s crazy. It’s like no matter where we go, the sky is always the same. It just expands forever. No matter how far from home I am, I always feel like I can get back somehow just by starin’ at the stars.” Takemaru chuckled a bit to himself and crossed his arms. “Still, the past few years have been great. But I’ll be leavin’ again soon, I want to study abroad and learn about all different types a’ architecture. Maybe I’ll get some inspiration for the home I want to make for myself.” You told him that sounded hard but not impossible. “Heh, maybe. But I do know one thing. I want to build my home right here.”
~You were a bit surprised at that. “C’mon it’s not that surprisin’. My friends are all here, along with all the people who were nice enough to a guy like me, even you…” He trailed off. He seemed to be lost in his own thoughts so you asked him what was on his mind. “Hmm… I was just thinkin’ about the future. This place really is like a new home to me. I couldn’t just leave it behind so easily. You especially made sure a’ that. Thanks.” His face reddened a bit but he kept a comforting smile on his face. You thanked him for giving you the chance in the first place. It was a nice change to be on the giving end for once. “…Uh, t-there’s one last thing…” He fumbled with his words a bit. Without saying much else he held out his hand to you and in it was a wooden ring. “I-I want you to have this. J-Just as a keepsake of sorts, i-it’s not anything official but… it would mean a lot if you kept it.” You were shocked to say the least as you took the ring from him. It was even your size. “Just promise me you’ll wear it as often as possible, even if it breaks I’ll come back and fix it right up!” You smiled and told him to take it easy. In fact you were a bit embarrassed since he beat you to it as you handed him a ring of your own.
~All Takemaru could do was stare at it with utter shock. He trembled as he stared at it, the Oni’s face turning a whole new shade of red. “Y-You serious…?” You nodded and told him he was someone who mattered to you a whole lot. You couldn’t just let him leave without telling him how you felt. Takemaru winced with that statement and before you knew it you were pulled into a tight embrace where he stroked the back of your head gently as the sun began to rise. “I love ya too. No, I love ya so much. I promise to come back to ya as often as possible. I can’t wait to start our lives together. Do you like kids? How many kids should we have? Oh, and our home is gonna need lots and lots of pets and- well, let’s take it slow for now, ‘kay?”
~“Hey there.” Moritaka greeted you. “Another night under the stars together…” He said as he joined you. “Sorry if this sounds sudden, but do you have any plans for the future now that we’re free?” You told him you had a few ideas and said you wouldn’t mind hearing any of his. “Well, first I intend to finish my studies in Tokyo. I see no need to rush out like the others do to be quite honest. But after that’s all done I wish to broaden my skills around the world. I want to see new things and places. Tokyo has given me so much, I can’t wait to see how much stronger I can become beyond the walls.” He explained with genuine excitement. “If I meet more people and test my skills against new foes, then I can definitely grow out of being filial…” You told him that it was an admirable goal. “Thank you.”
~“But first, I have to make sure I have all I can from here first. After all, there’s still so much in Tokyo I have yet to see and experience. But thanks to you and all our friends I’m not worried. At least, not anymore.” You told him that he helped you feel bolder after spending so much time together, and how dependable he is. “S-Stop, you’re making me flustered again… a-actually, I don’t mind this time. In fact, it’s rather nice to get a compliment such as that from you. Thank you.” Moritaka’s face went from embarrassment to a more somber one. “There is one worry I have though… I’m afraid that in my pursuit for a future, I may leave those I care about behind. I don’t want to do that… I wish you- … you all could stay by my side.” You may not be able to speak for the others, but there was one thing you knew for sure as you handed Moritaka a precious keepsake, the ring Salomon entrusted to you to give to someone you cherished.
~Moritaka was stunned. “W-Wait, me!?” He was shocked, furiously flustered and downright confused. “Surely you of all people could give this to someone else!” You told him it was your decision to make and that this was what you wanted. “I don’t understand you sometimes…” He sighed while smiling. “Thank you my fr-” Moritaka shook his head. “Thank you, my beloved. Yes, that’s right. My beloved. I never realized before but, this was probably what I wanted… I was just to afraid to say it…” You gave Moritaka a pat on the head and brushed your hand against his cheek fur. While you rubbed his cheek he brought his hand to yours as the sun began to rise. “This joy I have… did you know it all along? Or perhaps someone is watching over us… let’s see the world together, side by side. My feelings for you ever grow deeper, my beloved.”
~“You should be resting, it’s quite late.” He told you. You tried explaining you couldn’t really sleep and wanted to get some air. “Fair enough. If you’ll excuse me I’ll get back on my patrol.” Patrol, this late? “Yes, even with our victory, peace is still relatively young. Not to mention any remnants out for your head.” While he had a point, you don’t think they’d be a problem anytime soon. “Better safe than sorry.” Well since he was going to be up now might be a good a time as any to stargaze. “What part of patrol do you not understand? Oh, never mind. Fine, I’ll indulge you a little.” He blushed as he conceited to your request. “Perhaps there won’t be any issues if I stay for a few minutes.” And you both did just that, watching the sky and feeling that night breeze brush right by.
~“When was the last time I saw the sky like this? It must’ve been… that night before…” He pondered aloud. You asked him if he’s still thinking of “her”. “Yeah… ah! Forgive me, that was rather insensitive of me… you seem all prepared for tomorrow and I’ve still got my head in the past. I know she would disapprove of such talk as well.” You didn’t mind the talk since it was something important to Shino, it wasn’t something that could be forgotten so easily. “Maybe not, but… there is one way I think it’s been made possible.” Just what would that be? “Being close to you, of course.” It must have been because of him seeing her inside of you somewhere. “No, not that. At least, not anymore. For a while she was the one I’ve been longing to see ever since that day I failed. I desired to apologize and repent for my failure. She was the one I longed to see most. If I had been reborn then surely she must’ve… But I quickly realized how fruitless of an endeavor that was to even begin with, especially now that I know who it was I’ve been searching for all this time.” Oh? “Don’t make me say it…” His ears drooped as he blushed visibly under his fur and turned away. You told him you wanted him to say it, while presenting him with a ring
~Shino stared in shock at Sal’s ring. “T-This isn’t right… I’m just a lowly beast! Why would you want to make their mistake…?” You asked him if he thought this whole thing was a mistake. “N-No I didn’t… ugh…” He smiled and finally turned to face you as the sun rose. “I did say I’d indulge you a bit. B-But please don’t make this a regular occurrence.” He took your hand with the ring in both of his and looked straight at you with a serious expression. “I promise to never fail you, no matter what may come. I wish to keep this dream going just a bit longer, maybe even the rest of our lives. I know with you… the pain in my chest truly leaves. That’s why I am swearing to you, here and now. Not as a beast or as an image of someone else, but as the one you see before you. Please accept me, my beloved.”
~“W-What are you doing out so late? Shouldn’t you be getting your rest?” What about him, shouldn’t he be resting too? “A-About that… It seems Leib somehow talked me into finishing all of the previous work again…” You made a snide comment about Leib’s work ethic and bad practices as Jambavan’s expense. “I-It’s really not like that. Leib has definitely been putting a lot more effort into work as of late, but I think it’s so he can spend his days of freedom slacking. Then again he constantly worries about me nowadays. I’m not quite sure how to handle that on top of the work I was already doing.” Comments aside, you asked Jambavan to rest with you a while. “Sure, I was taking a break anyway I would appreciate the company.”
~You and Jambavan admired the vast sky together and just let the moment take you away. “Even after everything, it’s hard to imagine it’s all coming to an end… It feels like only yesterday I was running around tirelessly helping my guildmates and Alice, that now that I have the freedom to truly choose what I want to do for a change that… I’m downright scared.” You asked him if he truly had no plans for the future. “N-No it’s not that… the truth is, I wish to help as many as I can. And the only way I feel I can do that is if I become a well-versed doctor. To do that, I’d need to seek study outside of Tokyo. Which means I’d have to leave everyone who’d be staying here for a while. Alice, my guildmates, you…” You told him you understood, but it was clear the decision broke your heart a little. It was all for the sake of pursuing his dreams. “There’s… something else too… since I’m leaving I’ve got no use in hiding it anymore. I… I’ve absolutely fallen for you.” Jambavan told you boldly. “Sometimes I lie awake wondering if I’m going mad thinking about you. You’ve become someone… irreplaceable to me. One that can’t just fit as a friend in my eyes, but something more. I just felt you needed to know that before I left. That’s all…” Jambavan’s words surprised you, but made you incredibly happy all the same as you now had no reservations about giving it to him.
~“A-A ring!?” Jambavan gasped with shock. “I-I hope you’re not just throwing that thing around… wait, it’s… for me?” You nodded. “You’re serious…” His eyes began to water as the sun began to rise. He couldn’t contain his emotions anymore and Jambavan reached for you and pulled you into a tight embrace. “It’s… it’s such a wonderful gift! I love you so much! I just… I hope you’ll be alright if I leave…” You told him you’ll be supporting him every step of the way. “I-In that case I… I hope you don’t mind me being a bit more bull headed from now on! Of course I’ll be supporting you too in whatever you want to do. Thank you for showing me I can stand on my own two feet for a change…”
~Hati walked onto the roof and practically ignored you as he came to stargaze. You commented on the gentle breeze and clear sky. He didn’t seem particularly interested in speaking. So you tried shifting the topic to how late he was. Even then he still remained silent, staring up at the sky. You were starting to get a little frustrated with his silence. Still nothing. Fine then, if he was going to act that way you may as well up and leave. “Wait.” He said, while now looking down at his feet. “I don’t want you to go.” Then why won’t he speak to you. He hesitated. “Because I can’t…” What did he mean by that?
~“Every night the thought of the moon drives me mad until I see it and puts me at ease. For a while, it’s all I could think to do. I thought it would work this time but… it seems as though I can’t…” Was something driving him mad. “Yes. At first I thought it was my beloved Gabriel. While he still has my heart hostage with her music and compassion, I don’t think that’s what’s driving me mad anymore.” He seemed sad. “I… I think you’re the one driving me insane…” W-What? “The way you smile, the way you’re always putting others first, the way your skin is so soft, the way you smell- the way you… well, just the way you are hasn’t been able to escape my mind! Is this a new kind of love!? I thought the moon would calm me down but you… you just have to keep being you and never letting me have a moment of sanity! Just what’s wrong with you!?” He snapped. “Why did you have to go and make me love you!?” He now turned to you. “I don’t want to hurt you… I… I’m scared…” His feelings weren’t something you could control, but maybe there was a way you could put his fears at ease… with this…
~“What are you saying!?” Hati asked with confusion. “Weren’t you listening, why do you-” You told him you had fallen for him too. In fact hearing that those thoughts drove you mad filled you with joy rather than messed you up. It was weird but… you wanted him to have you for a while but were always afraid you’d play second fiddle to his moon. “Ah… I’m… I’m sorry…” He said with a deep breath. “I love you too much to ever want anything bad to happen to you. Which is why we can’t… if Gabriel is my moon, then you are undoubtedly the sun that gives me light to my life… will you…” The sun began to rise. “Will you still have me even if I were to hurt you?” You told him that would never happen, but your feelings are the same. Instead of words, Hati pulled you into a gentle embrace and closed his eyes, finally seeming to calm down. “Thank you, I… I don’t know what I’d do if you weren’t… you.”
~“Oh Junior, you’re still up?” Kurogane addressed you as he joined you on the roof. “I’m guessing you couldn’t get to sleep either. It’s alright, I won’t tell anyone you’re up here.” You asked what brought him up here. “Me? Well…” He turned to the sky. “I do this sometimes. Reach for the stars and space is the final frontier after all, right? To me, it feels like the end goal that gets closer each day. Plus I just like the way the stars twinkle on nights like this. With a view like this, do you blame me?” You guessed not and you both began to ponder what space was like, from zero gravity to the constantly shifting temperature. You were a little scared of it but that only seemed to spur Kurogane further into going to space and conquer your fears.
~It made you wonder what he intended to do after everything the Crafters were repairing was all done. “What I’d do? Huh… I never slowed down to think about that. I guess I’d need to enroll into a college somewhere. I could just apply somewhere here in Tokyo and leave later. Actually, as much as I want to I don’t think I can ever reach space…” But why not? “You remember how I lost my arm in an incident a long time ago? Well, what if they don’t want me heading up there because I’m technically missing an arm. It probably wouldn’t be the safest plan.” You told him that defeatist nature wasn’t his style, and his prosthetic looked just like the real deal. “Oh, I’m not giving up. Even if I can’t make it to space, I want to be a part of a team that can get people there. With that at least I think I can say my dreams have been accomplished.” Well you told him you had faith he’d make it to space no matter what. No one could stand in his way, especially if he keeps training his mind and body. “Right! Thank you, I feel even more fired up now! Is your optimism something that comes this easy? I wonder if we could find a way to channel that…” You were a bit nervous at that suggestion. “D-Don’t take it literally!” Kurogane laughed nervously. “I’m just… glad I have you is all.” You were glad too, and you wanted your senior to know that, especially with how reliable he was.
~You handed Sal’s ring to Kurogane. “This… Why?” Well, you rely on your senior. Especially now more than ever now that you both have a future to craft. “I see…” He smiled. Kurogane wrapped an arm around you as the sun began to rise. “In the end that’s what I want. I don’t ever want you to feel like there’s nothing we can’t overcome, Junior! With my ingenuity and your drive there’s nothing beyond our reach! Not even the stars!”
~“Oh, Bro- erm…” Daisuke stopped what he was saying as he came up to you. “I…” he cleared his throat. “I couldn’t help but notice your restless nature earlier, so I decided it might be a good idea to check on you. Then you went and disappeared…” You apologized for disappearing suddenly but you really wanted to see the stars in the sky. “Ah, yeah…” He said, realizing that the stars were out in full view tonight. “Tonight really is pretty…” You two didn’t speak for some time as you grew lost in the sight. “Staring up at these make me really worried sometimes…” Worried, how? “That one day the real stars are gonna get forgotten and left behind. Not just the ones up there, but the whole reason I became a wrestler in the first place. Will his actions be forgotten? And would I ever be able to inspire others the way he inspired me?” It sounds like he’s been wrestling with these thoughts for a while. “Yeah, I- hey wait a minute! Are you making fun of me!?” Not particularly but you couldn’t resist the joke. He just made it too easy sometimes.
~“Ugh, you’re the worst sometimes…” He laughed. “Then again, I guess that’s why we make such a great team. You help me when I’m being too dramatic and I thank you for it. Really, Brother- uh…” You asked him what was wrong since he seemed to be holding back. “Lately, I’ve been wondering if calling you my soul brother is the right thing or not. It’s not because I think you and I aren’t still like that… we are, it’s just… we’ve seen so much together and “Brother” feels out of place now… but, what is this feeling…?” You pondered it yourself and asked him to explain a bit more. “W-Well, whenever we’re close m-my chest pounds like it’s about to burst. Standing next to you gives me more confidence as myself rather than as Taurus Mask… and… I just don’t want to lose you… I can’t… I don’t understand… No, I do understand. It… It scares me…” You smiled and told him that was entirely natural as you handed him your keepsake.
~“Wait, what is this?” He asked with genuine surprise. You told him you wanted nothing more than to be his partner both on and off the ring. That standing by his side has given you new feelings too, and most of all… he was your star that gave you hope again. He was absolutely speechless. You were worried you broke him in some way until he shook it off. “No, I won’t…” He grunted. “I won’t freak out again! I need to keep on being your star after all! You need to keep looking up to me and I don’t want to lose that trust you’ve put in me. Daisuke got as close as he could to you and held your hand all the while the sun began to rise. “From now on, we’re a tag team duo! I’ll keep the solo flying to a minimum, just for you. Not just because I’m your star, but well… you’re MY star too.”
~Having his minions open the door for him, Tsathoggua stepped out. He stretched and yawned as though he had just woken up from a trademark nap. “Eh? What are you doing up so early?” You quickly spun this around and told him he was just up too late. “Not really. When you play MMO’s sometimes you just have to be ready for the long haul, so I’ve trained myself to be up as late or early as possible. But, I guess I can’t do that anymore…” He seemed downtrodden by this fact and you asked him why he looked so upset. “Hakumen says that with the walls around town gone, we’re gonna start getting more and more guests at the Casino. And with such a large number of guests coming she said she might make me start working. Can you believe it!?” Well, it wasn’t that far fetched necessarily… “Seriously, me!? Do I look like the host type to you!?” You did tell him he was still courteous to whoever visited him and that no matter what he always went out of his way for you. “W-Well… I tend to make exceptions… Guess I got no choice now, sadly. I might as well try getting in a slightly better shape… you think they make any good fitness games?” The two of you pondered video game ideas while under the gentle gaze of the stars.
~Which reminded you to ask how Tsath felt about the walls. “There’s tons of games I can get express delivered now.” He put plainly. “I’ve always wanted to try the games they have overseas, cuz while we have plenty of good ones over here there have been rumors saying the games in the west are so different. I want to play em all.” An… admirable goal if nothing else. “…Thanks…” He murmured while looking away bashfully. You noticed his distress and asked him what was wrong. He remained silent about it for a moment before finally answering with another question. “…How many co-op games do you think have been made?” The question confused you, but with so many people in Tokyo alone there had to have been a good number. “That’s… good. Maybe… we could play some of them together sometime? If you have the time for it that is…” You said his name, completely taken off guard with the question. “Aaaaaaah…” He groaned out. “No amount of Visual Novels have prepared me for this…! Not even the hardest difficulty quests made me this nervous! Are there seriously no guides for this kind of stuff!?” He cursed to himself. You were starting to get an idea and realized what he was trying to say. So as a response you handed him a precious treasure.
~“A-A ring already!?” He gasped in shock. “H-Hold on, I don’t think I’m quite the guy for that stuff so fast! And- oh? A… A promise ring?” Tsathoggua seemed to relax at your explanation. “That makes more sense, ehe… um. C-Can I… hold your hand? I… I don’t think I know how to right now…” You took Tsath’s hand in yours as the sun came up and you both finally looked up at it together. “Is this… what you call a good ending? Or maybe it’s the start of the sequel? Either way, I’m glad it’s with you.”
Someone who deserves more credit
~“W-Why are you so surprised!? Don’t give me that look!” Li Cho barked at you. “Gimme a bit a credit, will ya!?” You apologized and asked why he came up to the roof. “I-It helps me think. I didn’t think you’d be the type to be so suspicious.” He huffed and you sighed. You told him to give you some credit and offered a spot with you to stargaze. “Sure. I’ll scare that loneliness away for ya!” You played along and pretended to be afraid of the man-eating tiger scaring away people. “H-Hey!” He snapped, face blushing furiously. “I can be super scary for real! Don’t joke about those things…” He seemed more embarrassed than angry so you agreed to keep the teasing to a minimum. “Thanks. Actually, now that I have an audience what say I serenade you with some of my lovely words, hmm~?” You responded dryly by saying just reading them would be enough. “Heh, is my musical talent too much for you to handle then?” What musical talent? “That’s just cold!” After getting all the snarky remarks out of each others system, he did read you poetry that he wrote himself and with the atmosphere you couldn’t help but be swept away by the imagery.
~Once he had finished indulging himself by showing off his poetry, he took a deep breath. “S-So, it was awesome… right?” You told him it was very good. “Just good, eh?” He chuckled. “Y’know, I did write all these before the walls around us came crumblin’ down. So maybe that’s why they don’t sound as good? But, that’s just me making up excuses and not fixing the damn things…” You told him there was no rush now that you all weren’t operating on a time crunch anymore. “S-Sure, but I still gotta take care of student council work alongside my studies. So it’s definitely gonna be hard to find the time right now.” You reassured him that you’d both be able to make it work. “Heh, I guess.” It then hit him. “Wait, us?” That’s when you dropped the facade and handed him the ring.
~“Y-You’re just messin’ with me right? P-Please say you’re just playin’ around!” He seemed panicked. “There’s no way I can do this!” You asked if this wasn’t what he wanted. “O-Of course I want it!” Li Cho replied. “There’s just… no way you’d ever want a beast like me…” His tough guy act seemed to crack just a bit. “There’s no telling when I’m prone to snap or lose myself completely. I… I don’t want to hurt you if that happens…” Then what was stopping him from not doing it? “Eh?” He was still him under all that fur. No amount of appearances could change what was inside. “Inside, huh?” He pondered this for a moment. “I get it… Fine then.” Li Cho pulled you close to him and nuzzled your neck as the morning light came to view. You told him that Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, but bears it out even to the edge of doom. “Heh… since when did ya become such a poetry buff…? Did you really memorize that just for me? Maybe… Maybe I won’t lose myself if I have you there… I want to rewrite our lives.”
~“My Hero, you’ve done it.” Kamui praised you as he quickly joined you on the roof. “Not only have you completed your own goals of saving all your friends, you’ve also torn down all the walls between the people and have found a way for so many to connect.” You said while that was true there was still a lot you wouldn’t know. Would the rest of the world be so accepting of everyone from Tokyo? Besides, it was only thanks to everyone working together that you accomplished these things. “Very true, indeed. However, you are the individual responsible for bringing such individuals together. That alone is worthy of some praise. I’m proud to have you as my Hero.” You asked him to dial back the praise since you were starting to get flustered. “My apologies. It’s just… you’ve done what many others considered to be impossible. That alone has my admiration and joy.” You thanked him again but still couldn’t shake your flustered emotions. As a way to relax Kamui agreed to watch the stars with you, which was certainly relaxing.
~After a while, Kamui seemed lost in thoughts. His look went from glad to pensive. You took notice and asked him what was wrong. “While I am glad that we have reached such a point in time, I can’t help but feel a little… lost.” He admitted. “With so many content, is there even a reason to call you my Hero now? Is there a purpose for a Hero’s sheath if there is no longer any Hero? If not, then where does one such as myself go? I’ve dedicated my whole existence to raising a Hero properly that I have not realized if I had succeeded… what’s left? Can I even continue, knowing that my own selfish pursuit ended so many lives?” You were afraid that you didn’t have all those answers for him. Those were things he’d need to solve on his own. “I’m well aware. But still, I feel fulfilled all the same. I have you to thank for finally satiating my insatiable drive…” While you didn’t have many answers for Kamui, you did have one important question to ask. You handed him something that helped you through the darker times and asked if he’d be willing to stay by your side. As more than a sheath… as HorkeuKamui, the wolf that snatched your heart.
~“Your heart…” Kamui paused for a moment. He smiled realizing what the situation meant. “I see… yes, your heart. With you… I am willing to make such an important oath. Not only will I treasure your heart…” The wolf pulled you into a gentle embrace and gently stroked your hair as the sun began to rise, signifying the start of something wonderful. “I will safeguard it with my life. Not only that, but I also wish to entrust you with my own. After all, I have nothing but boundless love for you… My Dear.”
~“There you are, my friend.” Wakan Tanka greeted you with relief. You returned his greeting and asked if he had been searching for you. “Yes, actually. I couldn’t help but notice how restless you’ve been as of late so I wanted to make sure you were alright. I’m glad that you’re okay, guess my worry was just overreacting.” You thanked him for his concern. “Yes, but… it’s weird. Why was I so upset in the first place? Maybe I just wanted to look at the sky again…” You asked him if the stars at night helped him relax. “At first, they made me sad… but now, I don’t have a reason to be sad anymore. Would you mind if I saw them with you again?” You told him you’d love that and both watched the stars, reminiscent of that time on the beach…
~“So… this is the end of the road for the game in Tokyo… or rather, it’s the start of a new path for everyone to take…” He pondered aloud. “Seeing everyone talking about the future with such hope makes me happy. Really happy, even. Is it even allowed to be this happy for your friends?” You told him you saw nothing wrong with such joy. “I would agree, but… I can’t help but feel sad… knowing that everyone’s ready to move on and leave behind the place that brought us together in the first place. Would they remember all of the good times we had, or just the bad ones?” There wasn’t a guarantee that all the memories would be happy, but you can give him comfort by offering the idea that the happy ones would win out. “I think you’re right.” He seemed a bit sullen still. “For a long while, I would remember the sky in my world. I always thought it was beautiful and made everyone glad they saw it. All but them. They would stare at the sky with such sadness in their eyes, and I couldn’t help but feel sad too… but, looking at the sky now. Maybe it wasn’t sadness… maybe it was their own happiness that made them cry?” There was no way to know for sure now. “Yeah. That person is no longer with us. Instead I have someone who brings me both immense joy and sorrow.” Really, who? “You, of course.” He put bluntly. You were shocked by Wakan’s bold claim. “You make me feel more things I would never have hoped to dream. I don’t understand all these feelings you give me… One moment I’m sad about you, but then you go and make me extremely happy. Then all I can think about is being next to you and… I just turn into a mess of feelings!” You just told him that’s how love works as you handed him a sign of your love.
~“Love…” Wakan asked. “Is that really all there is? A word so simple could have such a chaotic feeling?” You nodded. “…Hey, can I see your hand for a moment?” You gave him your hand as he clasped it with both of his, with him now wearing the ring you gave him and his warm smile making the rising sun shine that much brighter. “I promise from now on that neither road we walk will be lonely. I promise to share this burden and blessing of life that we live. And I also promise… to show you just what my love is capable of doing. I promise to you that it can open a path where we can both be equals, side by side in the same direction. Only… if you’ll let me walk beside you til we pass on to the next…”
~Weirdly, no one came through the door. You could have sworn you heard something. “Geez Master, do none of your friends really care about us!?” You jumped in surprise as Salomon now stood beside you. You quickly asked what he was doing here. “Master, how come you’re always so mean to me!?” You didn’t mean it like that! You thought that he might’ve… “I told you I’d always be with you! I don’t wanna leave you, Master!” Salomon cried. “I was scared… but, it was almost like taking a nap… I think? I dunno any more than you do! I just… I’m happy to be able to see you again.” You shared in that sentiment and wondered when the last time you two had spent a night together like this. “Too long!”
~“But seriously, does no one care about you this late?” You told him that wasn’t it. “Oh? Ooh, Master. You sly fox. Perhaps you’ve strung together one too many hearts instead of no one at all?” You couldn’t deny the number of people captivated by you, but you were positive there was more to it. “Sure, sure. Though you try to keep cool, deep down I know how passionate you truly are. I always knew one wouldn’t be enough. You’re just too wild.” You asked him to stop or someone might hear. “Heh, I know…” He gave you a cheeky grin. “You just make the cutest expressions sometimes, Master. I couldn’t help but tease you a little~.” Despite all the teasing, you did miss him. You felt it was an appropriate time to give that back…
~“Oh, this?” He pondered. “It… It’s worthless to either of us honestly. I let you keep it as a way to remember me. But now that I’m here it almost seems wasted…” Not entirely. You could use it to make an everlasting vow to trust in Sal more from now on. And… and to promise to keep him close. You don’t want him going anywhere without you from now on. “Oh Master…” The sun began to rise as Sal brought his head to rest on his arm and smiled at you mid air. “Sometimes you take even me by surprise. Still, that’s what I like so much about you. All that there is to do is ask: Where to next?”
