"Ah shit!"
I reel back in disgust, wiping the slew of blood from my shoes. They were cool as shit. Now they're ruined. I stifle a sob...
Wait. I hadn't asked him where his slice was. That uh...was not a good choice. I stand there for a second. "Shii..." I kick some dirt. "I'm the main character, I'll probably be fine."
------
Despite the high futuristic aura of the majority of the building, the stylistic choices were drab and the bare minimum. I mean, it didn't look like he really got up and walked around much, so there wouldn't really be any need for lavish designs or whatnot. Nonetheless, I found myself slightly unnerved as I walked.
A dim glow from under a set of double doors catches my eye. I stop, turning to face the source. It was fashioned as an unremarkable storage closet, but I can't help but be intrigued by that light.
It was...familiar.
No harm in trying.
Slowly, the doors creak open, emitting a loud metallic sigh. Stepping inside, I'm hit with a veritable flashbang. I draw back in response, grimacing. The room is bathed in a divine golden light, pulsating from a singular point in the center of the room. Shielding my eyes, I walk toward it, coming up to a large, circular glass tube. With a floating, golden slice of bread inside.
"See? Worked out."
--------
It was sunrise now, pillars of light cascading down from the clouds, bathing the little remnants of Tenma in an orange light. I skid to a stop, digging my feet into the sand as I arrive back on the shore. I look around- not exactly sure what for though. There wasn't really anything left-
Behind.
I spin on an axis, meeting the force behind me, catching its blow. Who stood before me was Enshi, fist outstretched in rage. I release him from my grip. "Imma be real, I forgot you were here." He shakes his hand off. "Bro..."
"Anyway," I reach into my pocket, digging out the slice. "We should be able to go now...I think." I'm not sure anything- let alone transportation is left in this city. I ponder for a moment...
"AHA!!"
Enshi jumps. "Yeah?"
I turn, pointing to him. "TURN INTO A HORSE!!"
His face drops. "That's bullshit-"
--------
Gleaming rays of sun shone down from the heavens, casting an elegant shadow upon the lands-
"GET THE FUCK OFF OF ME!!!"
Enshi bucks and kicks in protest of his situation. I seriously don't know why he agreed to this in the first place. I righten myself on his broad horse back. "ONWARD TO PROSPERITY!!" I pump my fist in the air valiantly. He lets out a heaving, horse sigh.
I don't care if turning into a horse took away his lifespan. I want to ride a fucking horse.
Neither of us had any idea where we could find a way off the island, so I had focused on one isolated goal: find Hiruka's gang.
I knew that finding Hiruka was a nigh fictional event at this point, but even just finding a member would be enough. They knew us, and would probably be willing to help.
After a while though, we arrive at a break in the wreckage, where the city seems to have sustained the least amount of damage. I dismount Enshi, stretching. Upon observation, this area was just as devoid of life as the rest of the city, but there WERE some faint traces of soul about...
"Enshi." I say.
The horse side-eyes me. "Yeah?"
"I'm gonna need your help. Someone else is here."
----
Enshi yawns. "You sure anyone's here?" I kick aside a hunk of scrap. "I wouldn't just waste time if there wasn't." The fallout of the events that had taken place last night had left the city in near shambles- the only difference here was that it hadn't taken the full brunt of the damage. There were still a few structures standing, decrepit as they may be.
A sudden movement to my left catches my eye. I turn toward it, focusing.
Enshi stares, confused. "What is it-"
"There."
In a flash, I'm there, holding the man by his neck. I hoist him up into the air as he kicks and struggles in aversion. His face is dirty, unkempt, that of an impoverished man. That doesn't really matter though. What matters ss the uniform he wears. The uniform of Hiruka's gang.
---------
The man fidgets with his hands, looking about nervously. I sit adjacent to him beside Enshi. After holding out for a minute or two, he finally speaks. "You're Okoramo, right?" I flick a pebble at Enshi. "Mhm."
Enshi whacks the pebble out of the air, agitated. "Look," He says, standing. "I don't think we have enough time to just sit here and fuck around." The man flinches. "R-right. Well I'm Jushu-"
"Get to the shit that matters."
"Yes! Uh- Well... you haven't even told me what you want to know..."
"Transportation of the island-"
"Preferably to the west," I interject.
"Oh. O-okay." He points to the far east, up above the horizon of the city. "About a kilometer that way, you'll find a train station. It has access to a series of interconnected tunnels. You'd just have to get off at your preferred station." I nod knowingly.
"Just know, though," He adds. "It will most likely be filled to the brim with evacuees."
I stand up, stretching. "It'll be fine." I look to Enshi. "Where do you plan on getting off?"
He scratches his head. "Wherever I feel like. I ain't really got a goal anymore- and I am NOT following you."
"Valid." I look back toward Jushu, extending a hand in departure. "Well, thanks. Appreciate it." Jushu nods. "Anything for my pook-"
I was gone before I could hear the rest.
I have an inkling I don't want to know what he said, though.
-----
Slowing to a stop at the station, I observe, Enshi dismounting from my back. As Jushu had guessed, there was little to no room on OR off the train, people scurrying and trampling each other to hopefully get a seat.
I look over to Enshi, "You got this?"
"Fuck you mean 'You got this'?"
"Uh...No idea. Just like, do something."
He looks at me. I look back. He looks at me-
"Just do something."
"Fine, fine..." He inhales, cracking his knuckles, before screaming, "GO FUCK YOURSELF!!"
Immediately, people throw aside their garments, and begin touching themselves vigorously-
----
"There HAD to be a better way to do that."
Enshi positions himself in a seat to my left. "Probably."
Now that I can relax, I finally deactivate calamity cloak- and with that, comes an excruciating surge of pain. I manage to relax myself, spreading out across the seat. I lean my head against the window to my left, gazing outside as the train slowly begins to move, away from Tenma.
And away from Cybersplit Island.
CYBERSPLIT ISLAND ARC, END