New Found Family - Desecration Arc

Hiroshi almost felt uncomfortable as the other three kept their eyes on him. He never was a man who liked to speak up for any reason, but he knew that something had to be said.

"I don't want us to be friends anymore," Hiroshi spat out suddenly, a cold sweat appearing over his body.

Wisteria and Bibi had a simultaneous gasp. Even Tomokazu, who never showed his true emotions, looked surprised at the news. The three of them became nervous, as they began developing their own sweating fits.

"B-But why, Hiroshi?" Bibi yelled at him. "We are all friends, aren't we?! I know that we had a disagreement before, but we can work through that!"

"I wasn't finished, Bibi."

The young woman calmed down, and her face changed from upset to confused. Hiroshi took a deep breath, before continuing on.

"I don't think I have long left," he told the group bluntly. 

"Hiroshi!" Wisteria rang over and hugged her boyfriend. "Don't say things like that!" 

Hiroshi rubbed her hair frantically, and had a genuine smile to himself. He let her have a moment on his chest, before he gently pried her away from him. She took a step back. Tomokazu folded his arms and leaned against the forge wall. A soft gust of wind blew past, and the two girls' hair blew into their faces.

"I understand your concerns, but please, let me say what I have to say," Hiroshi said, surprisingly softly for his personality. "This darkness power inside of me. The stronger I get, the more it takes over my soul. I can tell we are almost on an Ardor's level. We just need to stay focused. However, no matter how much I try to think about the future, I die. Every single time."

"Kuro-Yami is a great friend, but there is something off-putting about him now. In this quest for power and status, and to make the world a better place as a villain, I can't stop but wonder if I will be there to see it. If I die, or the darkness takes over, I want to go out remembering you guys. Wisteria, Bibi, Tomo, Kage. You guys gave me purpose. Meaning. Love. I ask you all one simple favor."

Hiroshi was shocked as he felt a tear run down his cheek. He couldn't remember the last time he had cried. The Great Encounter Battle Tournament last year? Despite this, he spoke on, his lip quivering.

"I don't want you as my friends anymore. Whatever happens between the Desecrators and the Ardors, I want you as my family."

Silence. The wind stopped blowing, as if the climate was matching the tension of the conversation. The other three stared in disbelief. It was almost as if somebody else was using Hiroshi as a puppet and saying the words for him. It was something so out of character, they were stunned into silence.

"I don't want to die with regrets," Hiroshi smiled, a slight pain in his voice. "I don't want any more arguments. Let's just, have fun for the next while. Until the end. After we take down Zetsubo, if you want, we can go our separate ways. I probably will, because I don't want to hurt any of you, but I just want something to remember that will make me...happy."

Silence again. The wind blew viciously. Suddenly. At first, it seemed as if all four of them were going to stand there forever in awkwardness. The lack of noise was eating Hiroshi up.

"Did I say the wrong thing?" Hiroshi kept in his mind.

"Of course you did!" Kuro-Yami screamed at him in disappointment. "You think I'm going to take you over? I'm insulted, Hiroshi! The only reason I got this far was because of you!"

Hiroshi ignored Kuro-Yami as after what seemed like an eternity, Wisteria finally stepped forward. Her feet moved slowly, but diligently. Her head was down and she looked determined. She walked up to Hiroshi, looking him dead in the eyes.

Before slapping him across the face.

Hiroshi didn't defend himself. He didn't want to hurt Wisteria that way. Not only that, but he was expecting that reaction. He knew that Wisteria's emotions would be hurt. Hiroshi just didn't want to see her get hurt in the future.

"You idiot. We would never leave you," she smiled, tears forming in her eyes. "I agree with you. We shouldn't be arguing." She turned to Bibi and Tomokazu, who had both taken a few steps forward. "You guys are all I have!"

The four came in together tightly. Bibi took a deep breath and spoke her piece.

"Even though my whole life I felt weak and powerless, you guys give me strength, and you make me want to become a great person, somebody even my father couldn't imagine," she beamed with pride. Wisteria, Hiroshi and Bibi trained their eyes at Tomokazu, who at first, seemed to want to stay silent, but he was given no other choice.

"Well...I guess you guys gave my life value. You never gave up on me, even when I was being...a bit of a douchebag."

"A bit?" Hiroshi chuckled, and the two girls also followed suite.

"Coming from you, that's ironic," Tomokazu smirked. "I suppose this is my way of saying...I'm sorry, and thank you for all you have done for me."

The four simultaneously opened their arms and slowly made their way towards each other, and brought one another into a group hug. Everyone enjoyed the brief period of warmness and bonding, other than Kuro-Yami, who was currently fuming at Hiroshi.

"You are getting soft, Hiroshi," he hissed. "You better get a damn grip."

Hiroshi ignored him again.

He had to choose.

His friends.

Or Kuro-Yami.