Nakasuko floats around in an icy void. Her arms and legs have gone completely numb. She can't feel anything. Is this it? Is this death? It's… kind of nice, actually. Just as she thinks she wouldn't mind spending an eternity in this place, she feels warmth slowly creep back into her body. It suddenly occurs to her that her eyes are closed.
She opens them.
"Yo." Shosuko's face hovering over hers is the first thing she sees. "You good?"
"Yeah… I'm good." Nakasuko tries to sit up but she isn't strong enough for that yet.
"So, you're my elder sister?"
"Yeah." Nakasuko instinctively looks away from Shosuko. "Sorry for, like, trying to kill you back then. I didn't realize it was you until I saw the scar on your chest."
"Water under the bridge."
"And, um, sorry for taking so long to tell you. I just… had to be ready, you know?"
"I get that." Shosuko sits down cross-legged next to her. "I'm sorry about Yuuji, by the way. I never got to give you my condolences."
"Yeah…" Shosuko's eyes suddenly look so sad that Nakasuko regrets ever bringing him up.
"He was a good man."
"The best."
Silence reigns for a moment. Slowly, Nakasuko finally manages to sit upright and stand, albeit groggily. Together, the two sisters walk out into the empty street, further down where Yuki and Kasai are waiting.
"Hey, Naka–... big sis." Shosuko stops Nakasuko just as they get within earshot of the other two. "Mind if I ask you a personal question?"
"Hm?" Nakasuko raises her eyebrows as she turns to Shosuko.
"That was you wasn't it?"
"Huh?"
"The girl who talked to me on the night my parents died. That was you, right?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." Nakasuko's near non-existent blood runs cold.
"I see… so that's why your voice was so familiar to me." Shosuko's gaze turns icy. "I've heard of yokai who look like people. I've seen yokai who look like people. But never before have I ever seen those yokai use guns. I like to believe in the best in people, but I think all I've been doing is running away from the reality that a human being would want to kill mom and dad."
Nakasuko's eyes widen as she begins to realize where this is going. "No– it's not like that–"
"You're the one who killed mom and dad, aren't you?"
Nakasuko is immediately faced with a dilemma. Does she tell the truth? Destroy whatever semblance of a family Shosuko has in the Kuze Clan? Or does she let Shosuko fall into the lie and sever whatever semblance of sisterhood she shares with her? She opens her mouth to speak but someone cuts her off.
Nakasuko's eyes meet with Kasai's. She stares at her sternly. There are no words exchanged between them, but the message is clear. What is it that you want to do?
"..." Nakasuko stares into Kasai's eyes for a moment longer before meeting Shosuko's. Sorry, Shosuko. I can't bear this burden alone anymore. "It wasn't me. I was told to, I tried to, but I just… couldn't. I'm… sorry."
Shosuko shifts her weight onto her back foot. "Let's say you're not lying. If not you, then who was it? Who else was with you?"
Nakasuko points into the distance. Where Daisuko and Oka are standing. They've both pried the magical bolts from their bodies and healed up a little bit. They're both pretty badly wounded. There's a deep gash in Daisuko's side and her hands have been severed at the wrists while Oka has a gaping hole in her stomach. They look at Shosuko while Shosuko looks at them. Oka and Nakasuko lock eyes. In an instant, she understands what's happening, and breaks into a dead sprint towards them.
"Why?"
"Kiara was afraid you would turn out to be just like your mother so she had her killed to cut you off from the Clan."
"I see…" Shosuko doesn't move. "All that effort to keep power for herself and she let me back into the clan anyway?"
"I guess she figured so long as you didn't know then things would work out fine. Then when she was convinced that you didn't turn out like your mother, she willingly surrendered her position."
"So, there is no reason. They were killed for nothing at all."
"...Yes. Essentially."
"And those two carried out the killing?"
"Yes."
"She's lying, Shosuko! Don't listen to her!" Oka yells as she runs, the desperation in her voice is evident. She comes to a winded halt a few steps away from the pair. "We were there but we didn't shoot! She was the one who killed your parents!"
"What was that thing you once told me, Oka?" Shosuko's bangs fall over her eyes. "That if it was for the family, you'd do anything?"
"That's–"
"It was you who hired the assassins, wasn't it?" Kasai stares at them, expression unreadable. "At first, I thought it might have been Tami but there's no reason she would have Nakasuko killed but me spared. That only leaves someone from the Kuze Clan."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Oka shakes her head. "I have no clue what you're talking about! I– I wouldn't do such a thing! No way I'd resort to something like that!"
"..."
"It was Tami! I swear! Tami hired Klara–!" She realizes her mistake as soon as the name leaves her mouth. "Wait. I– I'm sorry, I misspoke."
"That's enough, Oka." Daisuko suddenly speaks up.
"But–!"
"Just… enough. Don't lie to Shosuko too."
"Is that an admission of guilt?" Shosuko asks.
"Yep." Daisuko has a thin smile on her face. "It was us."
"Why did you do it?"
"Hell if I know. I guess I was just used to it. Mom pointed at someone and we killed them. Simple as that. That was how things always were." Daisuko shrugs.
"...I see." Shosuko starts walking towards Oka and Daisuko.
"Stay back!" Oka conjures two letter openers, one for each hand, she holds them like a child would hold a spoon and fork, her fingers trembling furiously. "I'm warning you!"
"Just tell me one thing." They can't see Shosuko's eyes. "Do you regret what you did that day?"
"I didn't do anything wrong! I was just doing what I had to do! I had to protect mama! I didn't have a choice!" Oka's letter openers almost slip from her fingers.
"I told you before. I've done things that can't ever be washed off. There's no point repenting for things that can't ever be forgiven." Daisuko crosses her arms and looks away from Shosuko.
Shosuko keeps walking. Past Daisuko. Past Oka.
"Shosuko, you understand, right? It was an accident. I– I wasn't thinking. I was doing the right thing until–"
"Until what? Until you have to deal with the consequences?" Shosuko's voice is harsh and sharp.
Oka grabs Shosuko's shoulder. "Don't you act the saint! You killed that Umi Alliance girl! We all saw it! You and I, we're the exact same! We covered for you when you needed us! So why won't you understand–"
"I said that's enough." Daisuko rips Oka's hand off of Shosuko's shoulder, a stern reminder that she's the elder sister. Oka looks at her desperately but Daisuko doesn't so much as flinch.
"Don't blame them." Nakasuko calls out to Shosuko. "Blame me. It was me who did nothing on that day. Our parents' deaths… it was my fault–"
"I forgive you, Nakasuko." Shosuko's voice is solemn. "But to you two who have washed your hands of blood, I sense no regret to forgive." Shosuko clenches her hands into fists. "Even then, I still thank you. For however brief a time, I really did think of you as family…" Her hands go slack.
Without another word, Shosuko walks off, disappearing into the distance.