I kicked a few trash cans along the way - either out of fury or sorrow, I don't know at this point. What I DID know was that my mind was scrambled with a lot of emotions like a jigsaw puzzle and I just had to escape somewhere quiet...
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After a couple minutes, I finally gave in as I collapsed on a nearby bench, panting slowly. My legs felt shaky and my hands were sweaty. I tried to stable my breathing, and gave in to thought.
(How did mom lose her memories just from fainting? It doesn't make sense... again... It seems all too convenient...)
While thinking about the various possibilities, I closed my eyes as the soothing breeze brushed against my hot cheeks. Just then, I felt a presence of someone nearby.
I cautiously stood up on my feet, on guard. As soon as I did, a chilling sensation ran through my back - almost like a shiver, but way more intense. Instinctively, I turned around to locate the source, but found nothing.
I was still on guard, knowing that the presence still existed. I eyed my surroundings carefully, trying my best to hear any noise or clues of the person, but still nothing.
(I know someone's here. I have a feeling, and I just know it!)
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Thinking it was best to inform the others and not do anything reckless, I headed back for the hospital. As soon as I started walking towards the tall white building, something sharp grazed my right arm. It was a knife that struck me and ended up hitting a nearby tree trunk.
I immediately darted sideways, and faced the person who threw it. That person...
...I recognized him without even needing to consider twice as I knitted my eyebrows while gritting my teeth.
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It was none other than the man in the weird mask. The man who took my dad's life without hesitation. The man who appeared right before my very eyes on that dark day.
"Greetings, mi'lady." He spoke in an almost sarcastic tone.
I didn't respond. Rather, I took a step back. I heard him chuckle.
"What's the matter? Little girl afraid of a masked man?"
I slowly gulped before I finally spoke, "What do you want...?! You have picked the wrong girl at the wrong time..."
The man didn't even seem to flinch.
He chuckled even further as he began provoking, "I know I know, but I do have my reasons... Kurashina's lovely girl. Poor you. Lost your beloved father and now your shaken mom? Tsk, tsk, tsk. I really pity your very existence. A girl whose parents will never forgive her, ever."
(....!!!)
"Shut up! What do you know about my parents?! You know nothing about me! Nothing about US!"
(How does he know about mom in the first place...? Could he have--?!)
The man snickered one last time before answering in a serious tone, "Now now, let's not get ahead of ourselves. I have come to simply take you to my master."
(M-Master?! Who can that be...?)
I smirked grimly before answering, "Heh, as if I would listen to you like some loyal dog. You can't make me obey you even if you tried!"
I was really hoping he would decently leave me alone if I put up a brave front, but I still had my suspicions that it wouldn't be that easy, of course.
The man crossed his arms as he whispered, "Strong words coming from someone like you... Well, I can't always expect everything to go my way. If it has really come down to this, then..."
Like a pro, the man took out three more knives from between his fingers in both hands.
I immediately took on an attacking stance.
(Seems I was right. This won't untangle easily...! Here goes nothing!)
"So you really want to fight, don't you? Well, I'm warning you, I won't go easy just because you are older than me!"
"That's too bad... I was really hoping we could get along, but--"
Before the man could finish his sentence, I dashed up to him and kicked his side with all my strength. Since I took him by surprise, the man was steering sideways, and by then, I grabbed hold of his hand and spun him round and round like a rag-doll before throwing him off towards the same previous tree trunk.
"Hey, I wasn't done talking!" The man shouted as he got up.
There wasn't even a scratch on his muscular body and he didn't seem to be hurt. That made me slightly annoyed.
"As I was--"
Again, I struck his stomach with greater force and smashed his chin with my knee.
"Listen to meeeeeeeee!!!" The man screamed in irritation as he grabbed my wrists with his big hands just as I was about to make another move.
The knives he was holding were long down on the ground.
"...Nghh!"
I tried releasing myself, but he had a very firm grip.
"You are one feisty girl aren'cha? No matter, I will still--"
Without hesitation, I turned my entire body, twisting his hands and throwing him towards the tree trunk, this time, with greater force. The trunk actually cracked!
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I have him now, or so I thought, until he quickly got up on his feet!
(I-Impossible...! Even that move didn't hurt him even a bit?!)
"Urrrgghhh!!! I have had it, stupid brat! I tried having a nice conversation with you, but now you have pushed me beyond my limits of tolerance. Now, behold! It's my TURN!!!"
The man flicked out two daggers from his sleeves and thrust them in my direction. I dodged the first one and held onto the second one as it made its way in my direction. I then threw it back at him with the same force.
(No, not yet...! I can't give up yet!)
While he was dodging it, I stepped closer to the man and opened my hand to his face, and shot a dark turquoise energy blast. The intensity of the power managed to crack his mask; even breaking it. I saw his red eye shining dangerously.
(Red... eye?!)
"Noooo!! How dare you ruin my mask?!?! Nobody ruins MY MASK!!!!"
Raging inside, the man scowled angrily before punching my stomach, and twisting my arm with one hand as he put his foot on my back. Unable to hold the weight, I fell to my knees, coughing saliva.
"Heheheh, what now kiddo? Aren't you going to fight back now?"
I tried kicking his ankles, but he would put more weight on my back everytime I did, making me groan in pain, sweating.
"You are going to have to do better than that girl! If you value your life that is..."
Saying so, he used his free hand to slam my head on the ground, making it bleed severely. The sharp pain was too much to bear any longer. I cried out in agony the moment he squeezed my face even further to the brick ground, slightly rubbing it.
"This is too bad. I got orders that you are needed alive... Which practically means I cannot continue my fun. Well, until next time I guess~"
He gave my head one last rub with the ground, deepening the injury and giving birth to more blood to emerge out. I saw my blood flowing in between the cracks, almost drawing a weird pattern.
The pain let me cry my heart out. The tears mixed with the blood spilling from my head. It felt like that next last blow drained all the energy from within me.
(Raizo... someone... please... help me...)
Regret of running off alone filled my mind, and again, it struck me just how much of a gap is in between a human's ability against a super being's one. It was truly frustrating...
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Just when I thought my consciousness was slipping away, the whole weight that was on me, lifted. I gradually looked to see the turned back of the man as he was talking on the phone to someone; probably his boss or whatever. They sounded cheerful, for some reason.
(They do get along, weirdly...)
One way or another, I managed to stand up on my shaky legs, but was barely able to keep my balance. I felt so light headed that I couldn't even think straight, but I was certain for one thing: he is distracted right now.
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This is my chance!
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I went tottering towards the man with a blurry vision, but he saw it coming. No surprise in that.
As if my whole life was playing in front of me in slow motion with the bright red eyes of the man piercing through me, he quickly hit the nape of my neck with great force. That finally left me unconscious.
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...
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"For a human, this kid's strong... I ain't getting the full end of the bargain, eh? Heh..." The man shrugged in a wistful manner, almost enjoying himself.
Without wasting any more time, he carried Asuna on his shoulder as her arms and legs dangled. And with that, he vanished without a trace. It was as if nothing ever happened.
Time sped forward with the bustling of busy people walking along the same pathway that encountered the fight seconds ago. Everyone went minding their own business. An advantage from the man's spell which he learned from his master and the perfect opportunity to run away from the scene.
At the hospital, Raizo and the others were waiting patiently for Asuna. One thing they learned was to never disturb Asuna in her depressed or angry moments, but to let her be.
She always comes around. Yuichi, on the other hand, was conversing with mom, giving her company with the doctor explaining the situation to her.
Thank goodness mom didn't freak out like any other amnesia person would. She seemed to go with the flow. Yuichi also told her about what Raizo, Mizore, Asuna, and him are to mom. Her sons and daughters.
He didn't even think twice before blurting out about dad's death. She didn't seem to be shaken by the news. Of course, she didn't even remember him first of all. Raizo and Mizore came inside as well to see mom.
She seemed to remember bits and pieces of herself and the others. Even Asuna. But her memory was still a big blur. Though she may try, she couldn't remember beyond what she already knew.
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After the visiting hours were over, there was still no sign of Asuna's return. Raizo, among the three, was the most worried.
"Uhh, isn't Asuna supposed to be back by now?" He asked Mizore in concern.
"Yeah...? Now that you mentioned, she should have." Now Mizore was also getting worried.
"...She might be in danger." Yuichi muttered.
"W-What makes you say that?" Raizo asked.
"...My gut says so. ...I think... it might be true."
It wasn't a believable answer, but Mizore knew his wolf instincts were always on point. And he wouldn't be making this up either.
"If Yuichi says so, then, she may as well definitely be in danger."
With that, they started their search for Asuna, hoping and praying that she was okay. If something happened to her - no, they mustn't even get that thought in mind.
'She should be okay... Please, God...!' Raizo thought as he anxiously fidgeted with a wrapped candy in between his fingers.
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•••
~to be continued