Chapter 5: Leaving The Hideout For The First Time

 Shingo sat on a chair in the kitchen while Yuzuru cleaned his wounds on his face. “Ugh, today of all days you decide to fall down the stairs.” Yuzuru sighed.

“I’m sorry. Ow!” Shingo flinched as Yuzuru touched one of the cuts with the cloth. “I got excited and missed a step.” Shingo apologized, slumping his shoulders.

Yuzuru placed a bandage on Shingo’s cheek. “Eh, it happens to the best of us.”

Kosuke walked over and put his hand on Shingo’s shoulder. “I got the blood cleaned up, are you feeling alright? We can wait until tomorrow to go outside if you aren’t feeling up to it.”

“We’ve been cooped up in here for way too long, we are going out today.” Shingo pointed to one of the cuts as Yuzuru bandaged it. “They only look bad, I’m fine.”

“If you say so.” Kosuke patted Shingo’s shoulder.

Meanwhile, in the girls’ room, Kanako brushed her hair nervously. “Ko-“ She second guessed her decision to speak. “Kotone-chan?”

“Yeah? What’s up?” Kotone asked kindly, looking up from the notebook she was writing in.

“Can you keep a secret, especially from Kosuke-kun and Shingo-kun.” Kanako muttered.

Kotone put the notebook to the side. “Of course, unless it involves you being in danger, but then I would tell Hisakawa-sensei, not the boys.”

“Okay.” Kanako nodded. “Well, um. I’m scared, okay!?” She blurted out.

“So am I, what’s the big deal?” Kotone asked sweetly.

“I have a reputation with the boys, so you can’t tell them alright!” Kanako pointed at her.

“I won’t! I won’t!” Kotone put up her hands up like a cop had just ordered her to.

Kanako calmed down and confessed how she was feeling. “I-I just don’t know what we will be walking into. It’s been what, two months? How much has the world changed since the attack? It could be a literal hellscape out there.”

Kotone nodded. “Yeah, I’m worried about the state of everything as well, the old station just outside could be functioning again.”

“We probably would have heard some ruckus if that happened, but I get your point. Thank you for talking with me, Kotone-chan.”

“Anytime.” Kotone smiled. Both girls stood up and joined the boys in the common room.

Kanako tied up her hair as she walked down the stairs. “Hey, Shingo-kun, are you doing alright?” She called out.

“Yeah, I’m fine!” He hollered back.

Hisakawa opened the door to the forge, nodded at Yuzuru and closed the door once again. Yuzuru motioned for the younger teens to follow him. “Come line up over here.” He commanded.

The teens did as they were told. Their anticipation was building, then Hisakawa opened the door, katanas floating around her in their sheaths. She approached Shingo, who was the closest, a sword floated into her hands, she extended it to Shingo, giving a bow. Shingo bowed to Hisakawa, then took the blade in both hands. “Thank you, Hisakawa-sensei.” Shingo uttered.

Hisakawa then did the same with Kosuke, then Kotone, and finally Kanako. She then took a step back. “Well, take a look, tell me what you think.” She smiled and grinned, watching as the teens unsheathed their katanas, each one of their faces lighting up.

“Wow! It’s beautiful.” Kosuke exclaimed in awe. “What kind of metal is this? The way it reflects the light is quite strange.”

“It’s an alloy I created as a child, and patented for only my family to use. I’m not sure how strong it is against demonic steel, but it should cut through the robots with ease. Furthermore, your elements won’t damage the blade, Kosuke-san, you can light it on fire, and have an eternally burning blade if you so choose.” Hisakawa explained.

“Ah, is it also immune to rust?” Shingo asked.

“Yes, don’t hesitate to use your water abilities with it, only people with the metal element can manipulate the blades.” Hisakawa answered.

Kotone stared at her warped reflection in her blade. “Something about this makes me uneasy, I don’t want to take a life, even if it’s a demon’s.”

“Then try to target robots, but if you end up fighting a demon, you will have to kill it, otherwise it will kill you or worse, capture you.” Yuzuru warned. “Now,” he addressed the group, “let’s get out there!” He jovially exclaimed raising his own blade to the ceiling.

Hisakawa opened the wall, the abandoned station outside was unchanged, as if time refused to touch it. The group climbed the stairs to the city, not a soul was around, once trimmed bushes grew wildly, there was no sound, there was no human life, still the traffic lights turned to direct the non-existent vehicles. Kosuke sheathed his blade. He turned to Kanako. “I’m kind of disappointed; I was expecting a fight. Did the demons crawl back to Hell?”

Shingo picked up a wet poster on the ground. “Uh, hey everyone!” He waved it in the air. “From what I understand, they have been selling hunting trips like some sort of messed up tourist attraction.” He looked up at Hisakawa. “Do you know what this currency is?”

Hisakawa took the poster from him. She inspected it for a moment. “Hmm, no. I have good news, kind of. It looks like in about two months, hunting will be closed for a month.” Her face lit up. “Ah! From November to March hunting is closed, it’s seasonal.”

“The demons must hate the cold!” Kotone exclaimed.

Yuzuru was grim. “It probably also helps keep our population up. If we are hunted to extinction, then the business dies with us. What I find odd, is why is it closed in two months, it’ll only be September.”

Kosuke offered a theory. “Maybe it’s only closed to the public. There could be private hunting then, you said that a demon lord created the robots, so what if that month is his private hunting time. Or it could be to lure us into a false sense of security.”

“Well, we can ponder this later, we need to get supplies before we get caught.” Kanako motioned for the others to follow her as she ran off. “The first stop was your place, Kotone-chan, right?”

“Hey!” Kosuke shouted. “No fair! You got a headstart!” He chased after her.

“Wait up, you don’t know where your going!” Kotone called out to them as she and the three others followed after. They made it to Kotone’s place without any problems. She had filled a duffle bag and a suitcase full of personal items and supplies. As they were leaving, Kotone was speaking with Kosuke. “There is no sign that my parents had made it home after the attack, everything was exactly the way it was when I left.”

Kosuke put his hand on her shoulder. “They are probably hiding out somewhere like we are. I’m sure they are alive.” He tried his best to comfort her.

“Thanks. I really wanted to introduce you to them though.” She gave a slight pout.

“There is plenty of time for that, I’m sure they’ll like me when we eventually meet.” Kosuke smiled. “Let’s go, next stop is Yuzuru-san’s place, then we will head over to Kana-kun’s house.”

Yuzuru was quick at his place, simply taking a few mementos and some extra changes of clothes. He had been prepared for the attack along with Hisakawa, so his place was mostly bare. He didn’t dare touch his mother’s room, only peaked inside before relocking the door. At Kanako’s apartment, there was evidence someone had been in there, but judging by the way everything was scattered about, it was just a scavenger. With the blood outside and the stale cereal box on the ground, they didn’t get to use anything they took. Kanako solemnly gathered what she needed and the group left towards Kosuke’s and Shingo’s apartment building.

Kosuke turned a corner around a building, he spotted a robot standing the street, clearly searching for humans. He jumped back, putting his arm in front of Kanako. “There is a robot.”

“There are probably demons nearby as well.” Shingo whispered. “From what the flyer said, they use the robots like hunting dogs.”

“So, who gets to turn it into scrap metal?” Kanako asked quietly while crossing her arms.

“Why don’t you kids have a rock, paper, scissors tournament.” Hisakawa suggested, and that is just what they did. After a few rounds, some of which ending in ties, Shingo came out on top.

Shingo drew his katana and left his cover from behind the building. In one hand he made a ball of water, throwing it past the robot’s head. It looked to where the water splashed, then slowly checked where it came from. Shingo sliced it’s head off, then split it’s body in half before his feet touched the ground. He then walked over to it’s severed head and sliced it’ eyes in half. He gave a thumbs up as his comrades approached.

The group made it to Kosuke’s and Shingo’s building not long after the run in with the robot. To save time, they each went to their own apartment at the simultaneously. When Kosuke walked in, there was a note on the table, and some photos were missing from the walls. Kosuke read the note. ‘To my dear husband and son. Year two-thousand-twenty-nine, month five, day two. I have become part of a group of survivors; we were hoping to find you here. I am leaving this note so you know I am alive, I would tell you where I am going, but if demons find this message first, it could put everyone in danger. I hope we meet again soon. – Matsuoka Ibuki.’

Kosuke wiped tears from his eyes. He gathered his things, then sat down at the table. He ripped a page out of a notebook and wrote a letter. ‘Dear mother, I am writing this letter in case you return home. I am alive and well, father gave his life protecting Shingo-kun, Kanako-kun and I. We were found by Hisakawa-sensei and Yuzuru-san who had prepared for the attack. I have been trained in the way of the sword and will use my blade to free humanity from the demons. I also have a girlfriend now, her name is Kotone. She wants to become an idol when she grows up. She has the most beautiful voice and has amazing skill playing the guitar. I hope we meet again soon. – Matsuoka Kosuke. Year two-thousand-twenty-nine, month six, day ten.’ Kosuke then stood up, and left his apartment.