The moment Nikki fainted, Mizore started panicking, "W-Whaa-- Nikki! Ahh, what should we do Yuichi?!" and shifted the responsibility on Yuichi...
He replied slowly, trying to keep himself composed, "...First, use your healing ice on them both, and then take them back to the hospital."
"Yeah! You're right... Sorry about that."
After a few deep breaths, she hovered her hand on top of Natsuno. He seemed worried about Nikki, but complied with the situation. The light injuries healed within seconds from Mizore's ice.
"Like I said earlier, your injuries still need medical help. We'll leave in a few minutes after gathering everyone," Mizore continued explaining while tending to Nikki next.
Yuichi reluctantly volunteered to call an ambulance after transforming back from his wolf form. In the end, he was the only one unoccupied by any work. It's worse to feel worthless during times of need is what he normally carried himself by.
But first, Yuichi had to bring Raizo and Asuna back to their area. The moment he turned to them, something unbelievable happened. Within seconds, Asuna started to float in midair, tiny stones and pebbles hovering all around her like tiny specks.
"...Wh-- Mizore!"
Mizore looked in Yuichi's direction and, too, felt the shock from this scene.
"Yuichi, hurry! Get Raizo away from her!"
No sooner did she give that order than his feet sprinted forward, almost in perfect sync. The air around Asuna grew thick and the ground started to turn ash gray, forming deep cracks all over. As soon as Yuichi grabbed Raizo, the whole area became enshrouded in a ball of bluish hue adjoined with a shrill bang.
Somehow managing to evade the blast in the nick of time, Yuichi protectively laid Raizo down and gazed back once more.
"...No... way..." His eyes widened with disbelief.
All around Asuna was ash and dust and she was lying inside a big crater. Yuichi could see Mizore and Natsuno also gaping from the corner of his eye. The lower back hem of his shirt was slightly scorched. Were they too late...? Is it actually impossible to keep this power controlled...?
"Just as I thought, her power is too strong to exist inside a physical body. If we don't hurry and contain it, Asuna won't only be putting her life in danger, but this whole planet's..." Mizore whispered in a disturbed tone.
"I feel bad for Asu-nee..." Natsuno added while rubbing his left arm.
Yuichi nodded, as he fell deep in thought. Mizore caught on his silence and asked, "Hmm? What's wrong?"
Yuichi walked up to where Asuna caused the destruction and crouched down to have a closer look. He then nodded again, as a final affirmation.
"...I was thinking.... and it turns out to be true. ...Look at her fingertips you two."
Natsuno and Mizore sat down beside Yuichi - Mizore's face became equally clouded over as his while Natsuno let out a big gasp. Asuna's fingertips were grey-ish in color, almost like a white statue moldering from decay. But it soon washed away, as if interlacing inside for another opening to surface.
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*YUICHI'S POV*
...After gathering Asuna and Raizo and making sure nothing else was wrong, I managed to finally contact the hospital where mom stayed - the freshly saved number at the top of my contacts, setting aside the horrible reception.
It. Was. Annoying. ...This is why I HATE gadgets...
(...Tch, always malfunction at crucial times...)
...Soon after roughly half an hour or so, the sirens of the ambulance rang throughout the entire forest, followed by the slight flickering of the front lights in between the trees, overcasting long shadows...
...I heard the high sound way before Mizore. ...Well, I do have sharp hearing... like a wolf.
"Finally, they made it..." ...Mizore whispered with a sigh of relief.
...I can't believe Natsuno also slept despite his bad wounds as well as that... event... ...Mizore tried nursing the fallen kids from her ice while waiting for the ambulance with me keeping a watchful eye out for the vehicle.
...A boring job indeed... but it can't be helped.
"...It's going to be okay Mizore. Don't worry too much; they are all strong and trained kids." ...I spoke in a solid voice as I turned my head sideways to look at Mizore eye to eye. ...I had been sensing her over-worrying since quite a long while.
...Mizore, after being somewhat unsure, managed to give a gentle smile as if being reassured.
"Yeah... You're right Yuichi."
...Her answer made me smile slightly as well. ...Why? ...Perhaps because I was able to put someone's mind at ease. ...No other reason. ...After settling that, I went back to look for the ambulance and once in sight, beckoned to come to our spot.
"...We can't spill about what happened nor about our identities. ...Leave the talking to me." ...I whispered so low, it was barely audible from the noise of the ambulance engine and siren.
"Are you sure you can handle it...?" ...Mizore asked in a concerned manner as she walked over beside me.
...That made me doubt myself. ...I looked at her with wavering eyes as I tried to continue, "...Maybe, maybe not... ...Either way, I think it's my job. ...Doesn't the oldest sibling mostly take care of this...? If so--"
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...Before I could finish, a man clad in white ran our way from the ambulance as he signaled, "Hey kids! What happened here?! Why are you all alone with no one in such a place?"
...He already asks too much. ...It's annoying.
...I took a moment to think before my mouth opened in response, "...Before any questions, I believe you must take care of them first."
...I pointed towards the fallen kids.
"O-Oh, yeah... Right!" ...The man called out for more hands as he turned back to the vehicle.
...One by one, the men took the kids to the ambulance and immediately started tending to their wounds. ...Mizore and I followed closely behind.
...With that, the ambulance took off towards the hospital.
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"What could have caused such a deep wound?" ...The doctor on board asked as he stared at Raizo's arm after checking all the vitals.
"U-Um... W-Well, we kind of got into a fight with uhhh... some goons living in that building." ...Mizore stammered a reply, sounding completely unsure.
...My eyebrows jerked up before I sighed deeply and confirm-nodded. ...It would be surprising if he actually bought it...
"My, what barbaric animals! People these days act so uncivilized, honestly!" ...The doctor spat under his breath while getting back to his work.
(...Mizore... That was one stupid excuse. ...You sure made it hard to talk to the doc now...)
...The entire time passed away in silence. ...I liked it I guess. ...It ended up with me falling asleep. ...I don't know how though. ...It wasn't long before someone moved me slightly. ...With such a delicate touch...
"...Mmm... ...Zzzzz..."
...It was so comfy. ...I didn't want to move or open my eyes. ...The touch just got rougher and rougher. ...I couldn't take it anymore. ...I drowsily opened my eyelids, and got greeted by a white ceiling...
"Wake up Yuichi! Gosh, you sleep like a log..." ...Mizore huffed with a hint of irritation.
"...What? ...Where..." ...I asked while zoning out for a few good seconds.
"Ah-- I can't believe you! You are THAT clueless?! We have reached the hospital so get up already! Sheesh..." ...Mizore sighed as she stood up, leaving me behind.
"...Oh." ...I replied short as I, too, got up sluggishly.
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...I can't believe it. ...I had to carry Raizo and Natsuno as Asuna and Nikki were already occupying the only two stretcher chairs available. ...I don't know how I managed it myself all the way right after that nap. ...I gently put them on the patient beds.
...The room was right next to mom's. ...Judging by the clock, she must probably be done with her daily lunch. ...Mizore stayed with the kids for some time. ...A LONG time actually.
...I, on the other hand, stayed with mom, making small talk with her. ...She actually seemed to be doing better. ...I am glad. ...I couldn't stay for long though, but I held onto her for a while more.
...Soon later, the doctor kicked me out as he instructed, "Please, the patient needs some rest now. She hasn't slept for a long time. Try to understand, sir."
...I sighed as I left slowly.
...When I returned back to the lobby, I realized Mizore was still in the room with the kids. ...I only hope they are doing okay. ...Since she seemed to be busy, I didn't bother disturbing her. ...It is pretty annoying to be disturbed, at least for me...
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...It was already night.
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...I was lazing around in the hospital garden all alone in this faint chilly night. ...I don't know how much time passed with me staring keenly at the full moon. ...It's not a bad feeling to stare at the moon. ...It makes me feel strangely at peace when there is a full moon, but today... not so much.
...A terrible feeling arose in my stomach as if something was lingering inside it... like, a monster. ...It then hit me: a terrible headache. ...Somehow clutching my head, I tried sitting on the bench to catch my breath with the moonlight shining brilliantly. ...When I gazed at my hand... I couldn't believe it.
(...N-Not again....!)
...There was a mark I know very well. ...Impulsively, I looked up at the full moon with bright eyes. ...I could already feel myself losing my humanity - the palpitating headache mixed with the revolting feeling in my stomach only grew further.
"...Aargghhh... GRRRRAAAHHH....!!!"
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A curse.
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...I was changing. ...A loathsome curse set upon me and my species ever since I can remember. ...At the same time, I couldn't do anything about it.
...I got up on my shaky feet only to let out an extended howl. ...Mizore, upon all the noise, soon came running outside to where I was. ...I jumped up at her the moment our eyes locked.
...I had completely lost it. ...I could see fear yet mingled with a strong resolve in her eyes - my bright eyes reflecting back.
"Yuichi..." ...Mizore still whispered softly.
...I growled in retaliation.
"It's already time, huh? You... You are getting out of control, you know that? I don't think the antidote would work anymore."
...She still continued with a low voice, "Even so, you still have to try. I will make you the antidote, but then it's all up to you Yuichi."
...I gripped in response. ...Maybe, a quarter of me was still alive somewhere. ...Mizore shot me from her icy hand, but the wound wasn't deep. ...Only a big scratch on my stomach.
...Without passing the chance, Mizore trapped me in a ball of ice, hoisting me in place. ...She then plucked a leaf and used her powers to make a cold potion and integrated a drop of her healing ice. ...After mixing it all in, she cautiously approached me and made me drink the antidote against my will.
...I could slowly feel the curse subsiding.
...Within seconds, I changed back to my normal self... I sheepishly peered at Mizore as she smiled, "Thank goodness. You did it Yuichi. You fought that curse."
...I slowly nodded as I traced the scratch from earlier with my finger.
"...Thanks Mizore..."
...With a grave expression, my eyes fell up the starless night sky with my back pressed on the brick ground.
"...But, I don't think I can change back next time. Next full moon... The curse... it's too strong."
...I would be lying if I said I was okay with all this. ...I hate this curse. ...I detest it so much. ...Why me? ...Why...? ...I still don't know. ...I had been searching for a cure ever since I became human. ...But still, to no avail.
...Mizore put her hand on my trembling hand as she assured, "Don't say that. You will still be yourself. I know it. We will, together with the rest, find a way to break this cursed burden of yours. We will also free Raizo's curse. All of us, so trust yourself, and me. You don't need to worry too much over this thing Yuichi."
...I can't believe she said something so... promising. ...I actually felt... a lot better.
"We all have our little problems, don't we...?" ...I heard Mizore murmur something, but I wasn't in a state of asking...
...I sat up straight, cross-legged. ...I glanced at my hand. ...The mark... it had vanished. ...I exhaled as I stood up.
...I can't let that monster devour me like that. ...I shouldn't burden the others for my sake. ...I... will find a remedy for this horrid curse which has mistakenly fallen upon my species since birth.
(...I will have the last laugh. ...You can actually count on it...!)
...I nodded my head with determination as if to seal my vow.
"...That's right, I will be the one to devour that foul beast." I spoke with Mizore smiling proudly next to me.
"Right."
...With that, we went back towards the hospital building, leaving behind the last fragmented outbreak of the curse.
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~ to be continued...