Dalawa - The Grey

Hiroko found herself waking up on a couch, somewhere she wasn’t familiar with. She looked around and found Riku sitting at a table, he was looking over papers. “Hello Mr. Fujiwara. Where am I?” Hiroko asked. “Yusuke’s apartment. He is out, the battle took a lot from him.” Riku said. “Where is Yuna, and Ramon? What happened on the island?” Hiroko asked. “I don’t know. All I know is everyone on the island that wasn’t a Mardom Rooh died, and even then most of the assault died. Some people could have gotten out, but I don’t know.” Riku said. “So now what? What’s next?” Hiroko asked. “There is no next, you are healed, go home, and finish your summer.” Riku said. “But-.” Hiroko started. Riku stood up quickly, knocking the chair to the ground, and looked at Hiroko. “No, no buts. I’m sorry but what I just witnessed was an uncalled waste of life, and I’m drained. I’m mentally and physically done with. I don’t want to know anything you are going to say. There is nothing, so go home, and practice your Buddhism.” Riku said. Hiroko looked away, starting to cry, before leaving.

Sato was going through reports, finishing paperwork, trying to know anything, something to ease her conscience. She grabbed files she already read a dozen times and reread them. Everything told her the same thing. Genocide. Slaughter. Innocent. Nothing could justify it, and she knew it. She reread over and over, before throwing the files, scattering papers everywhere, and laying her head on the table, wanting to cry. “I’m so stupid, Riku, I wish I could have been like you. I wish I could have left. But no, I just kept killing them.” Sato said to herself, angry.

Hiroko made it home, she had a bruise on her forehead, and her stomach hurt. She walked in, and walked into the living room finding her mother watching TV. “Hey, you are home earlier than I thou-.” her mother started, but stopped noticing Hiroko in pain, both physically and mentally. Her mother stood up, and ran to her, hugging her. “My darling, are you ok? What happened? Where is Yuna?” her mother asked. Hiroko said nothing, trying to dissociate with reality. “Hey, what happened?” her mother asked, getting her attention. “I-. I don’t know. We lost, and I don’t even know where Yuna is.” Hiroko said quietly, before falling to her knees. “You lost? Lost what? What happened on Tokashi?” her mother asked, sitting onto the ground next to her. “Nothing, we didn’t go to Tokashi. We went south to an island not found on maps. We were there to help, and we couldn’t save anyone.” Hiroko said, her tears falling to the ground. “Island off the map?” her mother asked. The Mabui surrounded Hiroko trying to comfort her, and her mother was able to see it. “What is that?” her mother asked. “What?” Hiroko asked. “That light around you.” her mother clarified.

Nakijin stood atop a building overlooking most of the city. The Mabui started glowing brightly, allowing everyone to see. Warabina walked behind him. “What happened?” Warabina asked. “The beginning of everything.” Nakijin said. “Please explain to your lover.” Warabina said. “I fractured the space between the Spirit World, and this one. Now everyone can see the truth, before we rip it away.” Nakijin said. “All that’s left is the curse.” Warabina said. “We just need to perfect it. Have you gone through the memories of the body?” Nakijin asked. “Yeah, I went through them, but this puppet seems to have most of its memories sealed behind a lock and key.” Warabina said. “And the Lady’s Mabui couldn’t undo it?” Nakijin asked. “I got nothing from that.” Warabina said. “Great we are at the end, and they couldn't make it easy on us.” Nakijin said. “Alright, I’m going to siphon some power from the girl, you send the Beast.” Warabina said. “Hold on.” Nakijin said, grabbing Warabina’s hand, pulling her in and kissing her. “Now can we go?” Warabina asked. “Yes dear.” Nakijin said.

Sato picked up the files and left them on the table, before leaving the room. She made her way through the base finding Noboru in his office. She entered the office, and closed the door. “I’m busy go away.” Director Noboru said. “Sir, what are we doing? What was that? Don’t lie, I want you to tell me the truth. What did we do?” Sato asked. “We killed a lot of people, obviously. But you want to argue semantics. We killed a bunch of religious fanatics.” Director Noboru said. “With all due respect sir, they are no more fanatics than we are.” Sato said. “No? They are worse, religious dogma gets humans killed, isn’t that why you joined? Sorry Mom, and Pops.” Director Noboru said. “My parents were killed by idiots, not religious freaks.” Sato said. “Religion lied, and those idiots bought what religion sold to them. It matters not if they were religious, only they killed people using religion as reasoning.” Director Noboru said. “So you kill them before they kill you, are you trying to-?” Sato asked, but was cut off. “Yes, genocide to protect the truth. War to protect the innocent. Religion will burn, and humanity will know the truth.” Director Noboru said. Sato said nothing, only looking at him, her spirit, her very reason for living stripped away. “I have a task for you, and you are going to say yes. Find Riku, and kill him.” Sato said.

Yusuke woke up, and sat up. His jaw was in pain but it seemed to have healed. He stood up, and left his room, walking into the kitchen finding Riku, still scanning papers. “You left, we didn’t get Yuna or Ramon. Coward.” Yusuke said. “I had no choice.” Riku said. “Everyone has a choice.” Yusuke said. “No I didn’t. I would let them die over and over if it meant saving you.” Riku said. Yusuke said nothing, walking to the door. “Don’t you dare.” Riku said. “Shut up, what do you know? I may be your brother but you still abandoned me, left me in this dump. I made friends, and they mean everything to me. So shut up, I’m going to find them.” Yusuke said, before leaving. Riku stood there, watching the door until his phone buzzed. He picked it up, and saw Sato calling him. Against his better judgement he answered. “What?” Riku asked.

Hiroko sat in her room, she looked at the posters on the wall. Parading telling her to be better, to reach Nirvana. To give up on her connections, and her tethers. She sat onto the floor and meditated. Her phone rang, and she looked at it, Yusuke called her. She declined it, then turned off her phone. Yusuke stood next to a payphone. “Why won't you answer?” Yusuke asked. He tried to recall, but he had no money. “Fine!” he yelled out, slamming the phone. He walked away looking at the cloudy sky.

A shadow passed Yusuke, he looked at where it was, finding nothing. Yusuke continued to walk. He noticed reporters, they were talking about and filming the glowing air, the Mabui. He heard a roar, and so did the reporters. Yusuke and the reporters followed the sound to see a Beast. A monster with bat-like wings, long limbs, the ribcage protruding through the body, its legs looking like a goat, a monstrous face with fangs. “What is that?” Yusuke asked.