It had been a week since the tragedy unfolded. The carnage left in the wake of the pale lady's arrival. The event was labeled a terrorist attack, no one would say what really happened. They didn't have a clear answer to it either to tell the public without creating a panic that would make every parent fearful for their children's lives.
Mana had to plan the service for Akane, her benefits from the Army were a big help in funeral costs, but that wasn't the big issue at hand. The issue that was the worst was Koutetsu's mental state. He didn't speak, barely ate, or leave his room since then. He went back to his hikikomori ways, he didn't care anymore in the moment. He wanted to be left alone to sulk in his sadness in his room. Anytime Mana tried to pick him up to get him out of the room to eat better or go outside he would freak out and fight her off. He refused to leave unless it was Akane taking him out.
Itsuki tried to visit him, but he refused to see her. She would be sad, but she didn't want to push him into a position that would make him snap at her. He needed space, trying to force him back to recover would make it worse for him. Even she understood that she wasn't so young to not know that forcing a traumatized person to do something that they didn't want to do at the moment would make them go closer to the edge of a complete mental breakdown.
Mana was ready for everyone to come over to honor Akane after using all the benefits to cover the funeral costs and services. Akane's immediate friends from her unit not a part of the funeral detail that would be held would come, she even invited Itsuki and her family, which they gratefully accepted for what Akane did to stop the pale lady. The only struggle was to get Koutetsu to get out of his room to put on his suit and attend the service.
Mana knocked on the door holding the suit in a garment bag. He wouldn't answer her call, she told him she would leave the suit on the door handle for him to wear. She said it would be a dishonor to Akane if didn't say goodbye to her. Koutetsu looked at the door from within his room, his eyes with large bags under them from lack of sleep.
'Dishonor? What does it matter? She's gone. What else could be done to her? The biggest dishonor is that she's dead and not here with us.'
His little legs stumbled to get to the door, his health was bad, malnourished, weak, looking like the skinny weakling he used to be. His shaken hand twisted the door knob to open the door to grab the suit. He threw it on the bed not giving a damn if he would wear it or not. He just sat down brooding again looking at Akane's military photo.
'It's not fair. I never got to beat you at the game like I promised. I didn't get to thank you. Thank you for everything. Why? Why did you have to die so miserably? I wasn't worth it, why?'
He held the photo in his arms tight. He remembered all the times with her, one of the things was she was brave, she wouldn't be a pathetic coward like he was acting.
'I'm sorry. Just tell me it's a dream. Tell me I'll wake up tomorrow and you'll be there with that goofy laugh of yours. Tell me you'll be back here with us. Don't leave me. Come back, just please come back.'
His tears hitting the photo, he put the photo down, using all his willpower to make him walk to the shower to finally get the musky smell off him. His body was on autopilot as he put the suit on, he looked at himself in the mirror. His anger flared up, as his little fist punched it, cracking the glass, and cutting his knuckles. His body healed automatically, it couldn't be helped in the moment.
'Oh, that's right. I can heal fast. I have what she didn't have. Thank you body, for making me remember what an unfair advantage I have she deserved more.' The inner voice in his head proclaimed in a unfeeling, bland tone, no soul into it.
The funeral service was being held for Akane, all her squad mates were there to pay respects including the Shirayukis. Everyone in the room kneeled down as the priest began his chant to send Akane's soul off to heaven, the casket was open, her body was repaired for the funeral. The effort it took to heal a dead body was troublesome but worth the respect it deserved. Koutetsu was expressionless, his eyes dead inside. Mana was holding it in as best as she could. The funeral detail gave the send-off for Akane, creating magic symbols in the air, paying homage to their fallen sister-in-arms. Akane's Major was there, the Major, Shion Komon respected Akane greatly, practically good friends at that, her heavy brow wracked with sympathy, hiding the pain as she handed Mana a folded flag. Mana tried to stay strong when receiving the flag. She couldn't let Akane down in front of her superior officer and friends in attendance. The Shirayukis paid their respects to Akane for saving them, they embraced a grieving Mana, who was breaking from holding in all her sadness. They felt horrible that they couldn't do anything to save Akane's life. Mana forgave them, it wasn't their fault, and nothing could have stopped that massacre from happening. Itsuki hugged Mana as well, she couldn't stop feeling bad for her too, she asked where Koutetsu was. He wasn't in the room anymore after the service finished. Mana said he went back to his room, he couldn't stand the crowd anymore and needed his space again. Mana gave Itsuki permission to see Koutetsu after she asked if could she talk to him, warning her he may not be in the best mood to want to listen to anyone. Itsuki wanted to cheer him up in some way, she couldn't take no for an answer if he tried shooing her off. She wanted to let him know he had someone by his side whether he wanted it or not. Itsuki's parents gave her permission as well, telling her to be careful not to set him off since he was still grieving, she understood and took off to Koutetsu's room. She found his door closed, she knocked first before anything, but no answer was given. She opened the door slowly to not startle him if he heard it, the room was dark save for the moonlight that pierced through the shades of the window. She saw Koutetsu sitting at the edge of his bed, holding Akane's combat jacket and dog tags tightly. Major Komon gave them to Koutetsu, she said he deserved it to remember Akane and her bravery since there were no other personal effects that could be given with sentimental value at the moment like those items could give.
"Koutetsu, can I come in?" He didn't respond. Itsuki walked into the room carefully, with no sign of resistance from Koutetsu, she was able to sit next to him. Itsuki couldn't find the words to say to start the conversation, he looked so broken she was afraid he would hit her or yell if she said the wrong thing. Koutetsu spoke first, albeit weakly with remorse in his voice.
"It's so stupid."
"What is?"
"All the power in the world. All the power and yet it couldn't save one life. What good is being some special person if I couldn't save the one life that mattered most."
Itsuki could see the pain in his eyes. He was blaming himself for Akane's death.
"You couldn't stop it. That woman was powerful. What could you have done?"
"I could have done something!" he shouted, holding back hard trying not to lose it, gripping the jacket tight. "I could have done anything. I'm supposed to be a Prime Caliber and yet I couldn't stop some psycho with a child mentality. I thought being born gifted like this meant it would be easy to save someone like in the anime I used to watch. I'm so stupid, that's not reality. There's no last-minute power-ups, no power of friendship crap to strengthen me. I took it all for granted and I let my mom die." His eyes watered again. He wanted to change what happened. Save Akane's life. Do something to fix what he screwed up.
"You couldn't have done anything even if you wanted to. You're still young. Even if you used your powers you would have killed yourself in the process. You can't rush these things. It took me a while just to freeze small things with my ice magic, don't beat yourself up because you'll never live with it in the long run."
Koutetsu didn't want to agree, but in a way he did. He still didn't know what he was good at yet with his abilities. He barely managed to make fire with his hands, what could have happened if he lost control in that emotional state he was in and burned everyone in the restaurant?
Koutetsu looked at Itsuki, he had something important to tell her, something he was afraid that would hurt her feelings. He had to say it though or make things worse.
"I'm leaving soon."
"What do you mean?"
"That lady was after me. Akane died because of me. That's what I told Major Komon. They're going to let me attend the military school for kids till I turn 15. The Major had put in a word for me so I could enroll and receive training to learn how to control my power. She said if I decide to in the future she'll write a letter of recommendation for me to enter officer school in the future if I do well."
Itsuki was going to cry from hearing that. She didn't want Koutetsu to leave. Not with all the guilt he was carrying inside.
"You can't leave. You can stay here. My family can look after you. I…..I can look after you."
Koutetsu turned to look at Itsuki, her innocent eyes filled with worry for him. Itsuki was his first real friend, she was kind to him, didn't put up with his attitude, argued with him at times but never in a bad way, and even cared for him so much that Itsuki was willing to endanger herself to house him so they wouldn't be apart. He didn't have friends before and didn't even bother to make them since he thought they would be a hindrance to his studies.
She was important to him, in his heart she was. The feeling was buried deep down because of how bad he was at accepting those feelings. VR games he used to play in his old life that let me make online acquaintances could never replace reality when it counted and real people who would stand by his side. Koutetsu didn't want to lose Itsuki too, that would have been too much on his mental stability. Koutetsu was getting over his ego and jadedness. It didn't matter anymore what happened to him in the past, the bad experiences, bad memories, it was the moments now that counted.
It made the death hurt more because of his stubbornness to get over himself and realize how important the people in his new life were to him. Koutetsu wrapped an arm around Itsuki. Itsuki was surprised, she even blushed a bit. Itsuki couldn't help as she leaned into Koutetsu's shoulder, even wrapping her arms around him in a warm embrace.
Koutetsu let her do that, he felt so stupid about how he acted before, and he wanted to apologize, and get all the pain and regret out of the system.
"I'm sorry Itsuki, I'm sorry for everything."
"Sorry? Why are you sorry?"
"I was a horrible person to you at first and to everyone. I was so arrogant, that I let the idea of being a Prime Caliber go to my head. I didn't consider anyone's feelings but my own. I had to lose a woman who raised, loved, and died for me and never once thanked her properly for all she gave me. I'd give up all this power, even burn the world if it meant having her back, just to hug her again and ask for forgiveness for being a little brat to her."
Itsuki held tighter. She could feel how much pain and hate was going through Koutetsu's body.
"I have to go. If I can't protect myself how can I protect anyone? I need to be ready if that woman returns. I can't lose Mana too. Or you for that matter Itsuki."
Itsuki didn't argue anymore on the subject. She removed the hair ribbon she wore and gave it to Koutetsu. Koutetsu was caught off guard, Itsuki hugged him again not wanting the moment to end. "Take it, so you won't forget me, it was custom-made so you'll know it came from me."
Koutetsu accepted the ribbon, he held with the jacket as he continued holding Itsuki. Itsuki had closed her eyes while Koutetsu looked out the window. Itsuki couldn't see it but Koutetsu's eyes didn't have sadness in them anymore. They glared intensely, they were filled with immense hate. Like the eyes of Death itself about to reap a soul. He saw the images of Akane being stabbed over and over again in his mind, the sight of her smile during the blast. And the images of the pale lady making his fury rise even more. His teeth gritted as his eyes looked up at the moon.
'I swear, I'm gonna find that b***h that took my mom away from me. I'll make her suffer more than what she put Akane through. I'll get revenge for Akane. And when I see that woman again and that man. I'LL RIP OUT THEIR GUTS!!!'