My apartment was now on fire due to a gas leak of the LPGs from the karenderya below us.
Damn that Finn! Some of my money was still in the cabinet. I can't believe such a valuable thing would just be burned in an instant.
Even though I train my body, with Luna in my arms running away in this dark alley was hard for me.
To be honest, she's heavy for that slim body of her. It's probably because she ate too much earlier.
We still have a long way before we could reach the school, which means Ms. Hera's house as well.
"Huh. Anzai?" Luna who recover her consciousness said. "What are you doing?!" She flails and punches me in the chin.
"Aww!" Both of us shouted.
She also dropped to the ground when I lose grip on her.
"Why did you drop me?!"
I'm the one who should complain here!
She used her feet to push away from me as if she were trying to defend herself.
"Finally showing your true color huh?"
Still, on the ground, she raise her arms with her clenched fist and put them in front of her.
Why are you assuming that I will do something terrible to you?
"Calm down. We were running away from my apartment. You passed out earlier when we've been attacked by some mysterious creatures."
She dropped her arms and looks like she was gathering her thoughts.
"Finn! What about Finn?!"
She closed her body towards me.
Are you trying to give me a heart attack?
Her eyes circled and her brows were closing together.
Looks like she really is worried about her brother.
"Finn was the one who ordered me to run away and leave him behind."
Her eyes widened.
She tried to stand up but she ended up falling into my body.
She tries again but she still fails.
Her strength hasn't recovered yet.
"Calm down. I set the apartment on fire by his order. I think he has some plan so don't worry."
After hearing this, she's relieved it's clear on her face.
But she still dropped her head, push herself up and sit beside me.
She just keeps her head down on top of her legs. Not showing her face.
She must be blaming herself, thinking that she's useless.
"Sorry," I said.
She lifts her head up and looks at me.
"You know for toying with you earlier. Saying that your weak and all of the things I said. Honestly I kinda see you as an idiot type of person. After seeing you fight earlier it actually surprises me how good you are."
She places her head back on her knees.
"Yeah, I'm strong! I did well in the fight this morning too you know!"
She said that but she curled up her body and tightened her grip on her legs.
"I know, the fact that you overworked yourself means you really did your best."
"It just means that I don't really know how to handle my power."
"Well part of, But that doesn't mean that's not the mistake you made. I could protect myself from them you know. If you and Finn haven't underestimated me and just focus on fighting, you could probably defeat all of them." I said.
In my company, I never once said something to pamper my employees. All I ever did was to keep my cold leader image.
She lifts her head again. For a minute our eyes crossed each other. But I quickly averted mine.
She smiled.
"Right! It's your fault for looking so weak! Honestly, you should do some training so we don't need to protect you anytime!"
Her face once again brightened which is good. But I will be happier if you didn't said those harsh words.
What a pain.
After I have said those things to her. Just how much pride you have.
Well, I admit, it's much more comfortable when she's like this than what she looked like earlier.
"Ms. Hera's house was just nearby. Come on, let's get going. I'll carry you on my back."
My back was turned to her to let her ride on it.
She nodded her head.
"Don't shove my chest on your back okay."
"Shut up!"
This girl! You should be thankful that I feel sorry for you right now.
She climb into my back, and we begin walking after she was ready.
She said that I shouldn't feel her chest on my back but her body was the one lying down to me. She's too close to my ear that I can hear her breathing.
"The moon shines once again."
She pointed out the moon in front of us that was covered by the clouds earlier.
Her chin suddenly dropped into my shoulders after saying that.
This makes me feel a little worried.
Did she lost consciousness again?
"Thank you." She whispered.
Along with her breath, those words tingle my ears.
Oh well, I deserve a little thanks after everything I've done.
Its not even a week since the school started, and I've already experienced various of things, Well most of it are problems. It's not like this kind of life is new to me.
After everything they told me I thought my knowledge about them was already big. But after this incident its clear that it isn't enough.
There still so many things unknown to me. And the most important thing I should know. Why did they care about me so much?
As I Continued moving my feet, my pace gradually become heavy with the increasing weight on my back.
How can her body weigh this much.
"Luna, from now on you are banned from eating any carbs."
I said it but didn't get any reply.
I presume that she just doesn't know what it means, but Luna would get easily curious and ask.
How come she's being silent? It's not because I already trigger one of her love flags? If it is, then the Luna route might be easier than I thought.
I can't help but smile.
When I take another step, her limp hand falls and hangs.
"Luna?"
The reply I heard wasn't a word but her heavy breathing.
"Luna!"
This is bad! Her condition's getting worse!
The increase in her weight's probably also due to this! This means this might not be some simple fever!
Damn you, Finn, how do you deal with this!
Even though Luna's weight seems to double, I forced my feet to sprint. But this isn't enough, I need to get him to a hospital or to...
"Ms. Hera?!"
Below a lamppost that keeps on blinking, Ms. Hera sits in the side of the road covering her ears.
I run towards her.
"Ms. Hera?!"
She raised her head.
"Anzai!" She immediately grasped my hand. "Thank god you're safe."
"Barely. Luna is in a bad condition though."
She looked at Luna's face, then he looked back at me.
"Where's Prince Finn?"
"I don't know. He just ordered me and Luna to escape. I did something to help him but that's not an assurance that he's safe."
Ms. Hera stared at the ground again.
Even though I don't know much about her and the others, I'm familiar with that expression on her face.
I scowled at her. My hands are trembling and something heavy is added to my chest.
"Where's Siege?"
Her eyes widened, she lift her hands again and covered his ear.
"Is it too hard to answer?"
"Shut up," she said in a low melancholic voice.
My eyes widened.
No way. Even Siege, they got even him. Now, even Ms. Hera was in this state because of them.
Earlier, I can't even move my muscle while staring at the portion of their power. I told Luna that her brother might survive but...
Is it even possible? Will we be able to avoid that nightmare?
"I need to do something." Ms. Hera murmured. "I should check Luna first... but what if it's something beyond my abilities and make it worse instead? Maybe I should evacuate the nearby citizens first... but if the enemies noticed us can I protect them? What if I can't? It will end up as a massacre." She gripped her blonde hair. "Then what shall I do?"
My body started asking, and my face also grimed.
What? Is this for real? The woman I feared the most! Is catastrophizing!
Damn it! This is the worst. Is it really this hopeless?
"No... I should at least look for my brother's body."
"Are you crazy? You're going to go back? Can't you tell what your current state right now? We're going to fly to another country far from here. That's the only solution for now."
I began taking steps again but she didn't move.
"You didn't understand. I still..." she clenched her hand. "I still didn't see him yet. I run away, even though I know that he's going to die. I ignored it, and run away to do something selfish."
Teardrops falls and wet the ground when she began sobbing.
I looked back with a glare.
"What? You... you left your brother behind?" My scowl eventually turn into a glare.
She just curled up herself even more.
I grit my teeth and stomped as I walked back to her.
"Why would you do that? Setting aside his importance as your ally, he is your brother! What kind of reason do you have to leave him behind?!"
"Shut up!" she yelled. "You don't know anything!"
I've been always irritated before every time she teases me and it scares me to death every time I remember how she almost nailed my hand in a chair. But its the first time I felt angry towards her. To think that the woman I respected was in this state... pisses me off.
"No, I won't shut up. I might not know about you or Siege or this conflict but I know for a certain that your brother cares for you. How do you think Siege would feel about it?"
Even though I kept my mouth running she didn't even make a single reaction.
If she didn't see her brother die there might be a possibility that Siege is still alive. Why won't she see that possibility? Was it because the enemies are overwhelming to imagine it.
What am I going to do? Even though I know something about them, non of my methods will work.
The only weapon I have is this two. But both of them are not functioning well.
I walked to the side. I leaned Luna's limp body on the wall with graffiti on it. She looked so defenseless.
If one of those creatures finds us we will get killed for sure.
I touched her sweaty head. The temperature was still the same. My hand heads to her smooth hair to tie it up.
Alright, I did my thing.
"Ms. Hera, I will buy some cooling pads in some store nearby. Watch for Luna while I'm gone."
I took some steps forward but not for long. Ms. Hera grabbed my hand. I don't know if she was using her full strength, my bones felt like it's going to break.
"You won't be going anywhere. Just stay here so I can protect you in case someone attacks us.."
I pulled the hand she used to grab my other hand.
"Luna's burning up! She needs something to cool down!"
"I still don't know much about Luna, but what I know is she's out of Mana. We need to replenish it first here before going to our house."
"I- I see. But we need to at least do something about her temperature."
Ms. Hera finally lifted her head.
"That's not your true intention right?" I thought that I would see a distressed woman with a grim face but her eyes pierced me the moment they directed to mine. "Perhaps, are you thinking of leaving us?"
I tried to pull it as strong as I can but the longer I pull it the more painful it gets.
"Just let me go!"
"So I'm right. But bad news for you I'm not gonna let that happen."
I glared at her.
"Why? I don't want to be involved in this mess anymore. Is it wrong that I'm thinking for myself? There are still things that I needed to do! So I can't die now! You know it!"
"You don't have to run away. Trust me I'm going to protect you."
Somehow what she said popped more in my veins.
"I don't need you or anyone else, don't look down on me."
"You don't understand. Now, no matter where you go they will do anything to kill you."
"Don't just make it sound like I'm really involved into this. I'm not! You just dragged me into this!"
After I said that, Ms. Hera finally let go of my hand. I fall to the ground. I held my bluish hand as it slowly turn back to my skin color.
"No." She said. "You're wrong. It was all your fault. All this time it was your fault."
I tied to get up but somehow my legs won't move. My arms can't push my body. All I can do is stare at her face, at the tears that shedding in her eyes.
The person who one of the reasons why I'm still sane today is—crying.
"Why are you like that? Earlier you said you're going to protect me and now you like this. How can I stay here with you like this?"
She runs her hands throughout her cheeks to wipe it.
"I know it all along. It was all my fault... our fault. For being so weak and pathetic." I clenched my jaw. "I apologize for becoming a dead weight! But you the only hope I can count on! Not just me! But also the people in your world and mine! Your special you have the power to fight back! To make a change! Something that we don't that's why we rely on you! Tell me! How can I Stay here when the only person I can rely on, looks too fragile to protect even herself.
I grabbed the collar of her shirt.
"If you want me to stay then stop acting so weak! FIGHT!"I shouted.
Those words that came out of my mouth didn't have a single mix of lies. That is everything I felt the entire time. I'm jealous of the abilities they have and frustrated with my inferiority, everything that I wanted to be in on them. The people that I once thought were weak are actually more capable than I am.
As I and Ms. Hera stare at each other our surroundings grew hotter and hotter for the second passing. The grains of sweat building up on y body were making my clothes wet.
Not just for me but for her too. Both of us are running short of breath.
We turned our heads to Luna.
Like a bright full moon, that is how I can describe it. It wasn't blinding rather it's radiating a graceful light that overwhelms you the moment you looked at her. She's still at sleep and it doesn't seem like she was okay yet.
Her ears. It's pointy. I didn't notice it but somehow her form is changing.
But that's not what troubles me.
"Her clothes!"
The clothes she's wearing are slowly melting. But that's not all. As the light she's emitting keeps on getting brighter; the road and the wall she's leaning on are melting, and now the post holding the street light is bent.
"This isn't good right?" I asked.
Ms. Hera didn't bother answering. She grabbed my hand and pull me
The light keeps on intensifying we can still feel it even from the distance.
"She's not going to explode right?"
"I also have no idea. Even for us, Luna's powers are still a mystery."
We hid on the side of the house near the road.
I don't know anymore, was it good to have Luna on our side? She's like a double edged sword that's much sharper on her ally's side.