I sighed and grinned over at Archer, we sat down on the nearby bench and multiple thoughts crossed my mind. If Hiro was even okay on his own if Miyoko had discovered our—hopefully—new home. If she hadn't, we had a problem.
"I don't understand why you had to come with me," Archer said again. Looking over at me with subtle, but adorable, agitation.
"You know that he can make his own food and all that stuff right?" I said. "He isn't just great at sex, ya' know." I raised an eyebrow.
Archer flushed a strawberry pink that stretched from his left cheek to his right. Filling his usually pale face with colour. "I—I'm not sure—"
I cackled with laughter and nudged him roughly. "Oh, right—I forgot you two are still so touchy on that subject in public." I giggled and grinned a little more realistically. "You two really suit each other," I said. He grinned and opened his mouth to speak but another voice shouting interrupted.
"Hey—Archer, Rina!" Miyoko grinned, waving at us from the other side of the park. She sprinted to our side and her expression was bright with happiness.
"I found this awesome café, it even has its own back alley entrance." She exclaims, her eyes shining.
"It has Hi—Ayaru's favourite!"
"What, iced coffee with triple whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles?" I asked, raising my eyebrows—again—sceptically.
"Yep!" Miyoko said.
I frowned in confusion, that didn't seem right to my ears. But my head said otherwise. I grinned and stood up, brushing the back of my coat down and spinning around to face Archer.
"Come on, let's go see if this young girl really speaks the truth about our King's too-sweet palette." I stuck my hand out and Archer grinned after a momentary pause.
"Okay, fine."
We made our way down the dank, musty alleyway. It had been further away than I originally thought, but it was still thrilling as Archer and myself followed Miyoko's shadowed back to a hidden café. It reminded me of when Hiro and I snuck out to try and fix my parent's illnesses.
I smiled softly to myself and had to quickly halt to a stop because Miyoko had discontinued walking.
"Huh? What's up, Miyoko?" I asked, frowning in light confusion. I didn't see it coming until it was too late, the flash of white. Light refracting against a sliver of metal.
I gasped and closed my eyes, instinctively covering my heart with my forearms. When I reopened my eyes, it wasn't myself lying on the floor; but Archer. He moaned in suppressed agony as he cradled over his stomach wound.
I looked up at Miyoko in disbelief. "What…Miyoko—what are you doing?" I cried, standing up and staring at her defiantly.
She ignored my muted shouts of protest and picked up the now half-conscious Archer Crawsley and let out a shrill whistle. In half a second, a least a dozen white-cloaked figures erupted from invisible hiding spots. I gaped as I recognised the clothing. The Vaxxine Squad.
I felt a single tear trickle down my cheek in horror as one of the figures throw an awfully familiar cloak over Miyoko's shoulders.
"Inform the Mistress that I have completed my mission." She said to one of them. They bow and nod in one go.
I slide to my knees. "Miyoko," I said.
She turned away, the rim of her coat flipping and twirling in the breeze her own momentum created. I felt another tear fall.
"Wait!" I cried, reaching out helplessly. She paused, the slight movement of her shadowed face implied she was looking in my general direction.
"Miyoko…" I said again. "Miyoko—Was it meaningless? Does it all mean nothing to you?!" I let out a low sob and curl in over myself as all those happy memories I shared with this stranger in front of me turn into dust.
"Why…why do they always leave?"