Three Hours Later

Kudo's palm tingled with feeling. A hand was wrapped around his own, when his eyes crept open Sen's soft face filled his mind. She was staring down at him, waiting for him to open his eyes. As his eyes opened Kudo felt Sen's hand slip away.

"How long was I out?" He asked.

"About three hours. Just long enough for them to patch you up," Sen now leaned back in her chair. She took a phone out from her jacket's inner pocket. "They're about to start the post-shit show press conference, wanna give it a watch?"

Kudo reached his hand out to hold the phone for the two of them. The stream showed the head of the Sunset Knights sat with their direct superior sitting at a table surrounded by mics and their wielders.

"What happened today Mr. Senada?" Their direct superior paused for a moment, Kudo hoped he was finding the best words to describe his and Sen's heroism.

"Today two class four Shades attacked downtown Shinjuku. Two of our nearest priests responded and engaged with the threats as best they could. In the end they were over powered," The words seemed to scrape his throat as they came out. "Our priests were saved by two priests from Santo Hanna. I would like to extend my greatest thanks to those priests who saved my people, and the people at Santo Hanna for sending them,"

"Why didn't your men defeat the Shades? Aren't they trained to do that alone?" A reporter spat.

"My people, both of them fought with everything they had. The official causality report is zero, my priests made sure that everyone who could have gotten hurt did not, I'm proud of them for that."

"The casualties wouldn't have been zero if it wasn't for Santo Hanna," A third reporter said.

This time Mr. Endo, the CEO of the Sunset Knights chimed in. "Everyday those people, people not unlike yourself go out there, on the streets and fight to keep everyone safe. They know the risks and chose to go anyway. Though, as Mr. Senada said we are thankful to Santo Hanna for saving their lives but even if that did not happen, the loss of life that could have happened would be way more than just two,"

Kudo knew what they said was true. He did risk his life everyday to save everyone else. He knew they were grateful for that, but something rubbed him the wrong way in regards to how the higher-ups treated the foot soldiers. They talked all this big talk about being thankful to Santo Hanna and being happy with how him and Sen preformed. But having seen this same thing happen in the past it always ended the same. The losing team gets shipped off to some remote town in the middle of nowhere which never saw an Shades appearing. Kudo had a feeling him and Sen were going to be having more quiet lunches very soon.

"I don't want to watch this anymore," Kudo said, handing the phone back to Sen. "You know what's coming right?"

"I'm not going to the boonies. I'll pull some strings." Sen responded.

"there are no stings attached on losing to the other guys. We are shit outta luck." Kudo swung his legs out of bed and got up. "I'm going to change and get discharged. Vacate," Sen didn't argue. Kudo put on what was left of his suit after the fight. His formerly white undershirt, now black. And a new pair of hundred dollar shorts. The door to the bathroom was left ajar, he peaked his head in to check out what his hair looked like. It was a red cloud speckled with black drops of Shade blood. He tried his best to rise out his hair with water and a cloth, which only made his hair look wet as well as stained.

Kudo ran his hand over his face, even though he was 19 he still didn't have any facial hair to right home about. Just the start of a red moustache. Kudo exited the washroom and his room. His shoes were right by the door. Every priest had shoes custom made to withstand and even help in fighting, making those the only piece of his outfit to properly survive the fight.

He slid the door open, Sen was leaning on the wall to the right. Once Kudo stepped a foot out of the room she held up her phone. "We have an appointment. With all the people who were just on tv," Her tone was deadpan.

"Who's driving?" Kudo asked.

"We're getting escorted to a private building away from headquarters. Looks like someone doesn't want any leaks," Sen slid her phone into her jacket pocket, turned and started to head towards the exit. Kudo followed, he wasn't even conscious when he came through the halls so it was better to follow. Sen looked powerful walking in front of him. The suit did wonders to her presence, and the battle rips did even more. Her black hair was perfect for covering up the Shade blood that would inevitably find it's way there. Kudo was okay with the fact that he was attracted to Sen. It's not like he would ever act on any of his feelings, but he had come to terms with it over the year he had been her partner. Sen was 23, four years older then Kudo. That time seemed to make all the difference.

The two got into the car. It's windows were tinted to the point that seeing inside was impossible. Not many people were waiting, but there was still a few. Camera flashes disappeared as Kudo closed the door. The first minutes of the car ride were awkwardly silent. Kudo's mind drifted to the words he could remember from his dreams. The ones haunting frog headed man imparted onto him.

"I had a dream," The sudden noise slow made Sen turn her head.

"I have dreams every night," She said.

"Yeah, but this one seemed like more. Maybe it's better to call it a nightmare," Kudo shrank into his seat.

"Sorry. What was it?"

"So much. But what got me was the last thing I saw . . . and heard before I woke up," Kudo recounted the verse, drawing attention to 'Bleed and die for a chance to say hi'.

"That's pretty creepy," Sen leaned her head against the glass. "What do you think it means?"

"My best guess is I'm going crazy," Kudo tried to laugh, though it came out a pained squeak. "It does have some meaning though. I mean some meaning to me,"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Have I ever told you why I joined the Sunset Knights?"

"No, never came up,"

"I need to meet him. God I mean. I need to find out why,"

"Why? Why what?"

"Why do things die. Why do we exist, why do Aeries and Shades exist. Stuff like that," Kudo had never shared that with a single soul.

"You think that frog headed thing from your dream had something to do with God?"

"I do,"

"We must be thinking of different gods then, because I'm picturing a white dude with a beard even whiter then his skin," Sen chuckled at herself.

"That's what I thought too. But I don't know. It all seem so real, like maybe it wasn't a dream," Kudo thought aloud.

The car came to a full stop. The time for talk was over. Now the pair had to face judgment.