6 - 3

Mary, sympathetic, got up and walked up to Zukafu and expressed him with a hug.

"For all those days that I wondered why you acted the way you are now..." Mary said, understanding her partner more, "You were too afraid of loss..."

Zukafu then stopped weeping and crawled a few steps back away from Mary, saying "And now... This is where we end it here..."

"What for?!" Said Mary, angered by Zukafu's words.

Zukafu explained "You said you understand now... And that also means that you know that as long as you're with me, you'll be in danger because of me!"

Mary then slapped Zukafu, and angrily said "Idiot! If you think I'd give up on you because of what you did, then you're wrong!"

Mary then stood up and continued "Your family still care for you, even after everything that you've done! And yet, you don't want to take responsibility or any purpose in righting your wrongs! And that's why Takehaya Kami, I'll make you a man worth redeeming!"

Zukafu, seeing how Mary was acting very patriotic and inspirational, reminded him of the person he said he'd die for and being inspired, he stood up and said "Very well..."

Mary nodded her head as she was happy to see Zukafu willing to try.

AT THE CLINIC

Mary opened her eyes, finding herself back at Yoko's clinic with Zukafu, Yuno or Charao not visible. Yoko enters the room and upon seeing Mary awake said "Oh good, you're awake." Her tone sounding as if she isn't happy to see her awake.

Mary scratches her head and asked "What happened?"

Yoko answered "You were already out cold while you were in Zukafu's memory banks... I've got to say, those memory keys he made you touch, can do a real punch to you..."

Yoko light chuckled, believing that was she said was but seeing that Mary wasn't laughing made her regret saying it, "That was lame, I know... Anyway, your boyfriend took your friends back home, and he'll return soon to pick you up and take YOU back home. So in the meantime, you can just rest your head while I start closing up."

Doing what Yoko told her, Mary lied her head down on the gurney while Yoko was getting ready to close the clinic, but then Mary got up and asked Yoko, "Can I ask you something?"

"About what?" Yoko asked.

"About Zukafu." Answered Mary.

"Regarding what exactly?" Asked Yoko.

"About this person... someone that Zukafu was close when he was younger..." answered Mary.

Realising who she was referring to, Yoko said "Ahhh you're talking about Raimei..."

Mary asked "Who is this 'Raimei' person?"

"That's simple, she was tasked by her father Raiden and the other gods to train Zukafu..." answered Yoko. She then sat down and told the story about Zukafu and the gods.

"You see, decades ago, Yu Kami had defeated a dangerous deity who called herself the Reincarnation of Izanami, and she wished to rule the islands with tyranny and upon her defeat, Yu had been brutally injured and had cleansed his blood from the rivers, but that was where two of his children would later be created in the form of Luna and Naoya Kami..."

Mary was surprised by this, even saying "So that means... Both Luna and Naoya are-"

Yoko says the same thing as Mary which is "-Motherless that is correct..." She then continued on with the story, "After the birth of both Luna and Naoya, a third child would be born but with the blessings of the gods that would unite and gift the third child their elements. Lightning from the god Inazuma, Thunder from the god Raiden, Wind from the god Fujin and Rain from the god Tenjin but aside from those four, there was one more... The Sea itself, given by the god Watatsumi."

Mary then said "And that child was Takehaya..."

Yoko said "Correct... And after his birth, Yu would raise the three until they reached the age of five where he would train both Luna and Naoya while Raiden entrusted his daughter, Raimei to train the young storm warrior... But along the way, the boy began developing feelings for her and when it came to his training, he'd put all his effort in for her."

Mary asked "Then what happened to her that made Zukafu... You know..."

Yoko expression changed to sad as she explained the incident that changed Zukafu forever. She said "I'll never forget that day... A group of followers calling themselves the Cult of Izanami wanted Zukafu for reasons I do not know, but this didn't stop them from murdering the innocent... And while Yu was dealing with them, Raimei was entrusted to keep the boy safe... But then suddenly, somehow..."

Yoko's voice began to break as she slowly began to tear up.

"They got to Raimei's home and even though she kept Zukafu safe in her home, she was tortured endlessly by the Cult but despite this, she refused to surrender or break but unfortunately, at that point, The Cult... Did something to her... because when it all ended, she was beyond repair as her mind was filled with agony and despair, and it leads to her being unable to speak and at that point... She then ended her own life... We were all devastated, especially Raiden but more importantly Zukafu... And after her death, he chose to ditch his training, leading him to do bad things and then..."

"But then..." asked Mary, "How did he get to the point that he would help out Luna and Naoya?"

Yoko answered "He doesn't help out Luna or Naoya... He helps us humans."

Mary doesn't understand by what Yoko just said. She explains "He remains behind while the schools go underground because he helps find any wandering humans who'd yet to reach the bunkers and makes sure that they are safely transported there."

"... But do you know why he does it?" Asked Mary.

Yoko answers, "He does it because he gets left alone by his family which is all he wants from them."

But Mary, sensing Yoko is lying, asks again to which Yoko sighs and answers "Takehaya does it because he can do something that doesn't require much of his Storm abilities... and you can argue that it's an excuse to not use them."

Suddenly, Zukafu returns as he opens the clinic room door and enters in, slightly frightening Mary.

He asks "Are you okay?"

Mary answers "Yeah, I'm okay... Just chatting with Yoko about... something..."

"About what?" Asked Zukafu.

Mary freaks as she didn't want to tell him that she was learning more about his past behind his back. She stutters as she was about to answer but then...

"She wanted to know why you're such a grouch all the time." Said Yoko unexpectedly.

Zukafu asked "Really?" With an unsurprised tone. "You should know by now that I'm not really a grouch but just that I use an emotional exhibitor to express some emotions."

Yoko then asks Mary, "Wait you knew? Then why'd you ask me that question?!"

Mary answers "Well I uh- Well you see..." but begins mumbling her words.

"Ah never mind, anyway you two should get going..." Said Yoko.

"Indeed... Let's get going Mary." Said Zukafu. Mary gets up from the gurney and secretly thanks Yoko.

AT ZUKAFU'S HOME

It had reached nighttime and Zukafu was getting ready to sleep on the couch, but then Mary said "You can sleep in your bed if you want..."

Zukafu responded "Nah its okay, I don't mind."

Mary tried persisting him to sleep in the same bed saying, "I don't mind being in the same bed as you, especially since we are a couple in a way."

Zukafu still refused saying "If you're afraid then-"

But then Mary interrupted him saying "Its not that! Its just..." Mary paused for a second before saying "I just feel like we should do what couples normally do and sleep in the same bed together that's all..."

Zukafu sighed and entered the bed beside Mary. She blushed while smiling from being beside Zukafu. She laid herself in bed and said "Goodnight..."

Zukafu responded "Goodnight..."

The two went to sleep.