Reevaluation

She could still remember.

How could she forget?

Getting back home and she knew she was late. She couldn’t get in a taxi with how beaten up she was, and couldn’t risk being followed.

Getting there the house was quiet, when she knew that celebrations over victory carried late into the night to the next morning. The problem, it was quiet and the lights were still on and the gate not fully closed.

She already had one, problem now there was another. Had Red Dawn launched an attack? Because Takahiro wasn’t really dead like Megumi had claimed. Walking in, the first thing she saw the dead security guard.

Looking down she didn’t see a wound. And he wasn’t the only dead one she saw. She took a gun out and approached the house cautiously, passing bodies as she walked by.

What had happened?

She walked in slowly the door was ajar, and she dropped her bag immediately looking at the bodies of her gang members. She approached forgetting about protection, that maybe the person responsible could still be in the house. She got on her knees and felt so weak and lost, that she couldn’t even cry.

There was a smell that usually accompanied death and touching them, it was no dream. The cold got transferred to her and she was shaking. But still there was still no blood and no…no sign of her mistress.

She was filled with strength and she was running up the stairs.

“Mistress!” she whispered. She was scared to scream in a house of the dead.

“Mistress!” and she was in her office with her Mistress on the floor on her back, just lying there in the middle of the room lifeless.

She crawled towards her and shook her.

No wound, but she smelled bad….but she wasn’t…she was….

“Mistress” and then she was doing chest compressions for some minutes, but nothing was happening. There was unshed tears in her eyes and she went faster, and still no result.

“Mistress” she pleaded and turned her on her side rubbing her back.

She didn’t know what she was doing. She didn’t even know what had happened, but she couldn’t let Megumi die. After all they’ve been through. She had been by her side since the beginning. The responsibility of her passed down from her mother to her and she wasn’t going to fail.

She had little to no medical experience apart from patching up wounds. If she survived she’d learn.

She kept rubbing and opened up her foul mouth, and there was an inhale of sharp breath, and then her eyes opened and she spat out a slimy yellow liquid, and she was coughing, her hand round her neck squeezing, and still had the yellow liquid coming out of her mouth.

Karou sat behind her relieved.

She had questions. A lot, but she’ll wait.

Megumi didn’t have that same thought, she was on her feet swaying to the door.

“Mistress…” she called following her.

“Where is he?” she rasped out.

“Who?” she asked confused.

Megumi just kept walking and she couldn’t stop her from descending the steps.

She stood behind her as she took in the room. And there was a groan and Karou was quick getting her gun and aiming.

“S-S…..” Megumi didn’t complete her sentence and she didn’t help her up. Karou assisted her and helped her up.

“What happened?” she inquired.

“Everything was going well….” She began with a sigh. “You left with Fujiwara and then everyone had the coughs. I included and it got worse and I wanted to come find you, but things took a turn when they began to drop” she gestured to the bodies.

“I tried to come find you, but I must have blacked out. That’s all I remember”.

“How are you alive?” Karou asked.

“I have Doctor Akira to thank” she said. “Gave me the same treatment as my sister”.

Megumi screamed unexpectedly and was on her knees. Her scream bouncing off the walls and ceiling and the other two watched not sure of how to comfort her. Karou moved, but she held her hand. Her grip tight so she couldn’t approach her.

“Fujiwara is responsible” Sachi said.

“Takahiro is alive” Karou told her. “So all the while it was an act”.

“He really had us fooled” Sachi let her go.

Megumi was done screaming and she just knelt there, swaying back and forth on her knees.

“What is your order?” Karou was quick. “I can find him instantly and kill him and….”

“Not the time Karou” Sachi hissed.

Their gang. The group of people Megumi considered family just taken away from her. She was affected yes, but ever since her father nothing had been the same. It was hard for her.

“Call the Captain” she said.

“What?” Karou asked.

“Call the Captain and tell him to wrap this up” she said.

“What about Fujiwara?” she asked softly.

“He had told me just before he died that he had been part of the plot to take me out. He had been with Geiru the whole time and this was his revenge for her and his father”.

“What does his father have to do with this?”

“I don’t know!” she yelled. “And I’m sure he’s with Takahiro so stay clear of him for now. As you can see we’re in no position to go looking for a fight!”

“So what do you want us to do?” Sachi asked.

“Call Eji, he’ll clear this up and I can tell you the rest later”.

Her voice sounded broken, like on the verge of tears, but they had been drilled of little emotions like tears long time ago. The tears wouldn’t change anything. The day they had both shed their last tears was their father’s death and that was that.

They drove into the night. Karou at the wheel, Sachi by her side and she was behind. Destination unsure. They didn’t have a backup gang, and who wouldn’t jump at the opportunity to take them out when they were so vulnerable.

The only partner now wasn’t here. Where would they stay? They all would be pronounced dead tomorrow and they wouldn’t be able to access their accounts, well apart from Karou, but Megumi never shared money in there. They didn’t have other houses because of safety.

Everything now was up to Megumi.

Karou opened the door that they had kept their guest and prisoner. Megumi had told her she knew what to do, and months ago she had told herself that she’d learn more about medicine and the other stuff if her Mistress survived.

She didn’t have to stand long. He was awake and she approached.

“How do you feel?” she asked. That was her good morning.

“Like you care” he said.

“I don’t, but the Mistress does” she said taking out the medical kit and she loved how he was watching her warily. His life was in her hands and if she wanted to she’d kill him. She wanted to, but Megumi believed that she wouldn’t do it.

“What does she want me for?” he asked.

“Don’t be dense” she said. “You killed off our gang and you’re asking what you’re here for?”

“So she wants to kill me” he said. “Why is she treating me then?”

“She will kill you Fujiwara” she whispered. “Don’t be fooled, but she needs you for now” and she poured the alcohol in the small bottle on a cloth and threw it on his face, and she loved the pained filled noise that filled the room, and then she got to cleaning his face.

He was cuffed to the headboard. He couldn’t relax at all. If he rest his back against the wood his hands wouldn’t be relaxed anymore. They’d be out with no support at all. Just hanging there like he was serving a punishment and he couldn’t drop it. If he leaned forward, his upper half that was when his hands would have a break, but his back and torso hurt and so did his head.

There was no comfortable position, but he kept alternating it.

“How does it feel to be you right now?”

“Not perfect” he said.

“Weren’t counting that I wasn’t there and I’d find you” she said pressing on one of his spots harder. He grit his teeth and held in the pain.

“I wasn’t honestly. I thought you’d go crazy. It makes sense how you survived, but how did the Phantom sisters survive? Or are they actually ghosts now?”

“That’s none of your business”.

“Then tell me how it feels to be you right now?” Takashi asked as she finally left his face along and went to his torso.

“I’m finding it very hard not to hurt you” she said. “Why did you kill my gang?” she asked.

“I only wanted to kill Megumi. Just like the way she wanted her revenge against Takahiro I wanted my revenge against her. She was the only one meant to die, but after Geiru I just realized all of you were the same. But you think I didn’t think about it?”

She stopped looking into his eyes.

“I didn’t want to kill you. Out of everyone I didn’t want the same fate for you. You seemed different out of the rest. Why did you join a gang in the first place?”

She dropped the kit and her fist hit him hard in his ribs.

“You don’t know anything. You didn’t even know anyone in the gang, so how did you know I was different”.

She tugged on his hair just like yesterday and pulled him closer hurting his back the more.

“Do you even know what you did to me? Megumi? Us?! You didn’t just kill a group of people in an organization but there was more to that. We were family, we cared for each other…”

Takashi scoffed making her glare and pull harder. “You all murdered, you robbed the innocent, vandalized public property, beat up the innocent, and you all still think you’re all good and innocent”.

“You don’t know….”

“Please don’t give excuses about how you had no choices. You had choices, you just made a bad one. All of you following a leader who can do no wrong. All of you doing what she tells you to without stopping to think about the consequences. Look where it landed them now”.

Karou slapped him and he groaned in pain.

She messed up all her work and he looked like an ugly Panda.

“They were people who had families there. People who had little children waiting for their mum and dad to come home, counting the hours, and you took that away from them. You took away a husband and a wife who has that and another job on the side to make ends meet. Their parents didn’t come home that night and now they’ll have to turn to other means to survive”.

“You don’t like gangsters. But what choice have you given them? How will that stop gangsters from being born?!” she demanded. “I had a choice and I took it and don’t talk like that because you are not a god who can exact judgment on us!”

“You are not perfect!” she shook him. “You committed murder and killed under the orders of the woman you said you hate. You killed her family! She loved and cared for them more than you know and they were making money for themselves and their family and you have left families stranded. So do not think you did anyone good!” and she let go of him.

“Takahiro is part of us and so was Geiru. They made their choices. Did you hate them too? Your revenge was because of them wasn’t it?” and she focused on his face again.

He was silent.

She packed her kit again. “Megumi will see you later”.

And she stepped out leaving him alone to his thoughts.

VVVVV

So this was her life now.

After everything had gone bad, she had called Kenji and being the love of her life and her ex he wanted to leave everything and come get her, but she had told him a vehement no. This was her fault. She had destroyed her gang that her father had passed onto her. That had been there for generations and she had singlehandedly destroyed it.

She had one rule. Don’t trust anyone and she had put her trust in Takashi at the end. That had caused her so much. Just one rule, one she lived by and she had broken it.

This was her punishment and she was going to fix it.

She had made Kenji her next of kin so he ran all her accounts now and she had given money to every family that had lost a member because of her. She knew the compensation wouldn’t heal the pain, but she had to do something.

And Sachi had told her at the time that making Kenji her next of kin would end badly.

She had destroyed a family business and now she had to start from the very beginning. They had left Osaka with only a car and few guns with Karou’s money. They had bought a building with her money. A base for the operations.

Yes everyone thought she was dead and she knew she was a reference to a lot of jokes in their world. Tokyo, no one knew her here. She was basically no one and it was a good way to bring up their fallen gang.

“So boss….” Her musing was interrupted and she looked to the man that had called her name.

Haru was the first she recruited. Obviously a street rat when he was young and working trying to make ends meet. And what better way to make money than join her. He had actually refused at first. And she had told him that if he wanted to refuse her offer just to pickpockets and get into brawls at bars he was free.

She had left, but she kept a close eye on him. Karou to be exact. She needed a gang and she needed it now, so she really couldn’t be picky. He had come around and he must have spread the word. But the disadvantage was….they lacked experience, manners and finesse.

They were uncoordinated, unorganized and no style. She liked things in a particular way. Her previous gangs didn’t just go robbing and looking for trouble, and now she was blessed with a whole lot of them who did the opposite.

Majority didn’t know how to fight, all of them used to drunken bar brawls and messy fighting. A whole bunch of thugs, thieves and rats who actually liked the idea of staying under her roof than doing anything.

She had stooped so low to robbing stores and beating people up, something she didn’t do at all. She only beat up people who had business with her and she never robbed. She stole from others who had something she wanted. She just felt like she was in a band of thieves. But they had to learn somehow.

And also she had to start from the bottom to get to the very top and if stealing, beating up others from rivaling gangs or just a mere asshole in the community just to strike fear in the hearts of everyone so be it.

“Who’s the guy that came over last night?” Haru asked.

“With the welcome I’m sure he received I know for sure he’s not a lover”.

She remained quiet. Sometimes she hated trying. They were a disrespectful bunch. She didn’t like them or consider any of them friends so they could stop with that rude playful banter. Her previous gang knew how to talk to her, never questioned her or tried looking her in the eye.

She was the boss, at the top. They did everything she said without asking questions. They never questioned her and these guys didn’t seem to get it. But she couldn’t just beat up full grown men all the time she got mad. She had their respect she was sure of that

“And what gives you the right to talk to our esteemed boss like that?” Maya asked appearing out of nowhere.

Now Maya whose last name she didn’t know was completely different. She was an enigma and the woman had actually found her out and offered up her services. She was respectful, actually skilled in fighting and actually had a little experience. Not a lot, but there was enough for her to be the most competent to have around.

Maya was an enigma. She didn’t know where she came from or what she got up to, well she didn’t know what either of them got up to but she could guess. Maya was different. That smile she always had and liked to butt kiss which was a real pain.

She seemed too sunny to be around a place like this, too good to be wrapped up in this. But she had made that mistake once to believe that one could be that innocent.

“We’re just having fun” Haru snickered.

“And you can keep jokes like that to yourself. Have you ever had a boss before?” she questioned.

“I’m my own boss” he said.

“Then you shouldn’t be here if you are, right?”

Haru rolled his eyes.

“Have anything for us to do today….boss?” he asked and the way he said the word boss. Mocking and with distaste.

“No” she said. “Go train all of you” she said.

“Let’s go train” he smiled and they all filed out. Maya stayed looking at her.

“I said all of you Maya” she stood up and left the dining area.

It wasn’t like a mansion in an estate, but they could make it work.

VVVVV

Sachi and Megumi walked into the room that held their prisoner. He was awake and looked….like how Megumi had hoped he would.

“This isn’t a good idea” she said.

“It is. After I get what I want we’ll kill him” she explained to her sister.

“Why not just kill him now?”

“Because we need him” Megumi sat down beside him.

“Fujiwara” she slapped his cheek.

“Hirose” Takashi said looking into her eyes. “How are you alive?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know” Sachi said.

“If you must know in case you ever try, your poison in fact no poison works on us. But it won’t matter to you if you’re not alive”.

“But you just said you need me” he stated.

“Yes I need you. And after you serve your purpose I can kill you. Just like the way you killed me. A situation where I gain and you gain. Sounds fair right?”

“It really doesn’t” he said. “How is it possible that poison doesn’t work on you?”

“Antibodies” Sachi said. “Now tell him what you have to so we can leave”.

“Thanks to you, I’ve hit rock bottom and to get back to the top I need your unique ability”.

“And what makes you think I’ll work for you?”

“Because you are a coward and I know you don’t want to die” Sachi said.

“But you can’t probably kill me because you need my help”.

“Don’t be confused Fujiwara. We will kill you after” Sachi bent to his level.

“That doesn’t sound fair. How about I do what you want and you let me go?”

“No” Megumi said. “You will do what I tell you and know this time that there is no Takahiro to protect you, no Geiru to hide behind and this time your tiny gadgets won’t be able to save you” Megumi whispered into his ear.

He was in a bind. No Takahiro, no Geiru. He didn’t know where he was. In a building that housed three women that wanted to kill him. And after he was beaten up and kept in an unfavorable position Megumi came with a very unfair deal.

Make poison, in the end die. Don’t make it he’ll be forced, and in the end he’ll still be killed.

“What’s your answer?” Sachi asked.

He knew how to choose his battles and in the end he’d get out of it. He always pulled through the tightest of holes. This time it’d be difficult though. Because what had died was meant to stay dead.

“It depends on what you want” he said.

“You will work for me” Megumi said simply. “You singlehandedly destroyed Phantom and I have to start all over again, and you are going to push me up to that position I was once in”.

“Okay”.

“And this time….” She held onto his skin with her sharp fingers and her other hand round his neck. “Eyes will be on you every second of every day. You will not be alone even when you go to relieve yourself someone will be with you. Any funny business they have been given the go-ahead to exact on you what they see fit”.

Takashi nodded his head calmly, trying to ignore the sting of her pinch and trying to breathe through his nose.

Megumi let go of him and tapped his cheek a little bit harder for it to be considered playful. “Someone will be with you shortly” and she stepped out leaving her sister behind.

Sachi just looked at him silently which was very scary. It looked to him that she was thinking of many ways to kill him when he had served his purpose.

“Why?” Sachi asked still not looking at him.

“Why what?” he asked playing dumb.

“You destroyed our gang because of what”.

“I wonder why Megumi didn’t tell you” he said deciding to rest his back and have his hang for a while.

“Clearly she doesn’t want to talk about it and I won’t sit down and tell you an emotional story. So tell me why you did it”.

“I was fortunate to run into Takahiro and he was friendly enough to give me a history lesson”.

“Takahiro Nakamura” Sachi hummed. “And when he approached you, did you know about the rivalry between Red Dawn and Phantom?”

“He didn’t say it, but I caught on that there was bad blood between the two organisations”.

“And what more did he tell you?” Sachi asked looking up.

“My parents were part of Red Dawn and your father killed them for rejecting his offer” he explained.

“Fujiwara, huh? Your name doesn’t seem to come up”.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“My father used to talk to me about his business because I was his heir, and he never mentioned making an addition to the gang. He never mentioned Fujiwara”.

“And you think your memory from then is still strong after what happened”.

She removed her hair from her eyes. The hair that she always kept up before she had it down. The older Hirose sister, he never did talk to her, but he knew she didn’t like him and she didn’t trust him. And she was right not to. Other than the stories he heard about he never did know what she was like.

The mad one, the crazy one. But he had never seen emotions on her face. The one who showed emotions was Megumi. If anyone was crazy it was Megumi. Sachi seemed cool and always went with what her sister said. The only time he had seen emotion on her face when he was brought in.

“You were the one who approached me at the club right?”

“Yes” he replied.

“You hair looks better down”.

“If you’re trying to win me over with words like my sister it won’t work. And my father never had any dealings with any Fujiwara”.

“Like I would rely on the memory of a child at that time and then the breakdown you had? No offence to you”.

“I take offence” she approached his bed looking down at him. “You listened to Takahiro and just went ahead with his wishes without any questions. You really are dumb”.

“Well this dumb guy destroyed your gang singlehandedly”.

“Trying to make me have a change of heart? It’s not going to work” he said.

“So you took out your anger on us? Innocent people?”

“Like any of you were ever innocent” he said.

“I’m not going to say anything. But eventually you will have to think about it or talk to Megumi about it”.

“I’m not going to sit down with your sister and have a heart to heart. Like she would want that”.

“It’s your funeral. Sooner or later you will realize that they are a lot of holes. I knew everything that my father did. You think I’d allow you to join our gang. Just think about it”.

And she walked out of the room slowly.

VVVVV

Never in his life did he think he’d be reduced to this. A prisoner, beaten and Megumi kept to her word. Someone would be with him all the time and even if he had to relieve himself.

The only thing that was separating him from Karou was a translucent shower curtain and he still felt completely exposed. Didn’t he have rights anymore?

“Why does she have me in here with you?” he asked.

“So you don’t get any funny ideas. How did you get to poison the wine supply anyway?”

He remembered how he had done it. A simple spray from a bottle. Two on the right and two on the left and he had administered the antidote right after.

“They had served it and I made my move when no one was in the kitchen. Why are you asking anyway? I’m sure this is making you mad”.

“It is. Just building up all the anger for when I finally get my hands on you, when Mistress gives the final go-ahead”.

“Yeah” he groaned.

“But before then…” she walked closer to the curtain and smiled. “The Mistress did say that any one in charge of you can do as they please. So I’m sure I can get out some steam”.

After the very uncomfortable shower, he was given clothes and Karou had watched unfazed as he got dressed and he was led round the building.

“I’m hungry” he told the woman who had no problem pushing him around like some kind of animal. “You can’t have your helper dying of starvation” he said. He hadn’t eaten for two and a half days and it was taking its toll.

“Mistress said keep an eye on you. Not to make sure that you eat”.

“And you think your mistress would be happy if anything happened to me under your watch? You’ve already seen me naked, just give me something to eat”.

Well she wouldn’t be happy. She led him to the kitchen and he sat down while she moved around the makeshift island.

“Why do you call her Mistress instead of Megumi?” Takashi inquired.

“She’s my boss. Everyone else called her boss and I call her Mistress”.

“Why not just boss?”

“I’m her right-hand and caretaker. Passed down from my mother to me and she used to call her Mistress and I am not going to change that”. She slid a cup to him and the water inside got onto his fingers. He could tell that was on purpose.

“Now eat up. Megumi wants to debrief you”.

“I thought she had already done it”.

She gave him a look and he ate quickly. It wasn’t enough, but it’ll have to do for now. She led him to another room where he could hear the beating of leather. Stepping in it was nothing like the training room they had back in the mansion.

For one there was no worn-out couch. Because it was a training room so there was no need for rest. You could rest outside the room. Second all their equipment had looked new and expensive, everything just looked threadbare. Even the mat they were currently training on.

Lastly the room had been bigger. This was a smaller room and even though the people weren’t up to the numbers of her late gang it smelled of sweat.

“Whoo!” Maya punched the air as her opponent lay by her feet. “Who wants to go?!’ she asked, her hands out turning on the mat.

“Never took you to be cocky. Even though you couldn’t catch someone who couldn’t fight”.

“He caught me off guard that was all Karou. Why don’t you come on the mat and teach me how to keep my guard up?”

Karou rolled her eyes and would have walked away, but Maya continued with her taunts.

“You aren’t scared of me, are you Karou?”

“And why would I be scared of you?” Karou asked back.

“Prove to me that you’re not scared and let’s fight”.

“You mean spar. A real fight you won’t be able to stand up to me”.

“Let’s test that” Maya was moving left to right like a boxer.

Karou stepped onto the mat. Now they got the attention on themselves. He was happy that it wasn’t on him anymore.

What he remembered when Karou had trained him was that she was really good. An expert and he was no expert at fighting, but out of everyone he had seen fight she was the best. She had to be for Megumi to have her train him.

Watching the fight, they looked evenly matched. In a way.

They both dodged each other’s blows and other attacks. Until Maya did a cartwheel and Karou got hit in her face with her heel. Before she recovered from the shock she was hit with the other heel, and she was on her feet and hit where her heels had hit her opponent.

“A little bit slow Karou” she smiled.

Karou held onto her hair and pulled her down onto her raised knee. She took a hit to her head and she fell onto the mat.

She flipped up and Karou kicked her at the side of her head.

“Where did that confidence go Maya?” she asked.

Maya stood and tried tackling her, but Karou held her ground and passed her arms underneath hers and her feet were off the ground and she was going to throw her onto the mat, but she flipped forward and her legs were round Karou’s neck, but she jumped off her and held onto her hand and she was thrown over Maya’s shoulder.

Karou landed on her feet, but she wasn’t ready to be thrown again over her hip.

And Karou was down looking up shocked at Maya.

And there were cheers.

“Can’t believe that Karou lost”.

“She’s all talk then”.

A lot of words filled the room.

“Good spar” Maya held her hand out.

Karou took her hand and she was back at Takashi’s side.

“I wasn’t expecting you to lose….especially with the move that you used to use on me all the time” he teased.

“Keep talking and you’ll be the one on the mat” she warned.

“So there’s no one else in this room that can beat me. Not even you Haru?” she asked.

The sisters walked in and Maya’s eyes caught them.

“What about you Ms. Sachi? Do you want to spar with me?”

Sachi sighed. “You wouldn’t be able to so there’s no need for that”.

And then more murmurs.

“Oh come on. It’s just a spar”.

“No” she said. “You really do not want to spar with me. You wouldn’t make it”.

“Okay. What about the boss?” Maya asked looking to Megumi.

“You really want to spar with me?” she asked.

“It would be an honor” she smiled.

“Go easy on her” Sachi said.

“It’s just a spar” she said and was on the mat.

They both took their stance and everyone seemed to hold their breath and lean forward. Takashi included.

They blocked each other’s hits and couldn’t land a hit on each other. So it was boring at first, but they were really fast so it was exciting. Megumi was the first to land a hit on Maya’s face and that had her stepping back and licking the blood off her teeth.

“I didn’t hurt you, did I?” she pouted.

“No” she replied and she hit Megumi on her cheek.

Everyone winced.

Megumi launched her foot, but Maya stepped back. Megumi twisted her leg and tried to kick her, but Maya held onto her feet between her arm and torso, and pulled her forward and got on her knee, and she would have brought her elbow if Megumi didn’t launch her other feet and hit her in the face. Making her fall onto the mat on her side.

Megumi was on her in an instant. Attacking the head which she loved to do to people. Maya had to protect herself. Megumi was able to wrestle her onto her stomach and get hold of her arm and turn her back to her and yank it trying to pull it out of her socket.

Maya screamed and lifted her torso and had to bend a little to the side, which hurt her currently held arm, but she pulled on Megumi’s hair and with amazing strength pulled her over her back and Megumi was quick to turn it into a triangle.

Her legs round her neck and her pulling on her arm she had been pulling on earlier.

Everyone gasped when Maya got onto her heel. She looked to be getting up. And there were cheers.

Megumi didn’t relent. She squeezed and pulled harder.

Maya was on a leg now and she looked to be getting on her other leg. And if she got on her two feet, she would bring her back onto the mat and that would hurt.

But Maya’s knees buckled and she was on the mat, and she wheezed tapping.

Megumi sighed in relief letting go of Maya.

“Good spar” Megumi said standing up.

“Yeah” she sighed and lay on the mat.

“Not that good enough huh” Karou said.

Maya glared from her spot on the mat.

“Everyone this is Takashi” she said. “Don’t get used to him he won’t be here for long”.

“What is he doing here?” Haru asked.

“To lend his services. He owes me so he’s going to be here for a while”.

“Till he’s not” Karou said.

Takashi didn’t say anything as everyone looked at him. It wasn’t the first time so it was less overwhelming. The problem now was that he didn’t stand a chance of dying. He would literally die.

“Welcome then Takashi” Maya said now standing and smiling at him.

That didn’t look right.