Stumbling Mid-stride

There's no clock that indicates what time is it, but I can feel that it's four in the afternoon already. The skies mash-up with blues and yellows. The sun is completely hidden from the rough clouds.

I'm the only one outside of them because I know I can't contribute a single score to them. It's just a few minutes but the four managed to apply first aid to the girl. Kenshin went out of the house and stood beside me on the rails near the door.

"How's her?" I asked.

"Fine. The three is taking care of her."

"Whew, that's great," I sighed together with the release of tension throughout my body. "You go back to what you were before."

"I don't change. Is there something wrong with how you view me?"

"No… It's not like that. I'm not being rude or anything. I'm just worried about Aimi. You're doing this for her, right? We're having the same feeling that we need to protect someone near us."

"You're right… and you're wrong at the same time," he replied with a shake of his head.

"Where did I go wrong, may I ask?"

"I can't do anything for Aimi."

"What are you saying!?" I exclaimed as I smack his back with my palm. "You're the smart guy. You can plan everything in advance. You're our strategist.

"You've saved us from the first game without anybody getting hurt. You quickly identified the two suspects in two days. That's already a work of a prodigy, a hero."

"If I became the tiger, then I won't deserve to be called a hero. If I became your enemy, I would have played with all of you. I can't lie, but I can cloak myself in silence. Everybody, including my ally, would be killed."

"But still, you trusted us. Even though we're strangers, you didn't doubt us. I'm sure Aimi trusts you more than you trust her. You can protect her with everything you got, just be yourself. If there's something bothering you, just tell me."

"I wanted to, but I can't involve anyone through this, including Aimi. I can't fight with fate. Even if I tried traveling through parallel universes, the outcome will still be the same."

"Nothing's happening yet. You can't dictate what path fate will give you. You aren't fighting with a God, aren't you?"

"I am."

Woah! I didn't expect that! I thought he was just kidding but it's been silent for seven seconds and the dead air filled our conversation. I swallowed my saliva and tilted my head to the side with an uncertain tone.

"You're just kidding, right?"

"I don't lie."

"In this advanced era, you're still talking about… GOD!? I didn't know religion still exists!?"

"This is no religion. It is pure admiration. That person far surpasses my ability to be called a god. That is why my whole life, I referred to her as a god," he replied with a grin.

"You're joking. You're laughing weirdly enough."

"I told you. I'm not lying. That person… my god, she's here, in this tower… punishing everyone on her list, and that includes me… and Aimi," he chuckled, giving me stabs on my nerves. I don't want to see him laughing anymore.

"You… Aimi must be right. You have sided with our enemy."

"OUR ENEMY!? Do you want to be involved in this fight? You're an outsider, a brainless audience with pure brawns. You'll be dead without any hesitation if our beloved Queda hears you."

All of a sudden, my fist clenched as it flies to straight toward his face. I can hear my blood pulsing above my ears as I shake uncontrollably. I keep baring my teeth until he falls down to the ground. I wanted to stop, but my body continues on punching him as I sat over him.

I'm angry? I didn't go through that. Instead, a trigger woke up the filled rage inside me. My teeth clenches until I have the satisfaction to break them. I became violent not because he irritated me with his words.

I keep on punching him because I heard her name, the name of someone I'd been looking for since our family went through the chaos. She's the pure reason my father got set up and punished by prisoners in jail.

I've stopped my studies not because I can't handle the bullying everyone does on me. It's because I wanted to find that person so I… I can release the filled pool of anger in her face.

My mind went blank every second I see Kenshin's face. I wanted to stop, but every time I hit him, I'm completely satisfied. "WHERE IS SHE!! I'LL KILL YOU!! TELL ME WHERE SHE IS!!"

But still, even with his deformed face, black circles of bruises under his eyes, and his bleeding nose and lips, he's still smiling… and replies with a worn-out voice of surrender.

"I… told you… she's here… Better find… her quick…"

The door of the house was opened by Mayumi and Saori, and what they've seen made them rush to separate us away. Mayumi pulls me away from him while Saori checks over Kenshin. I didn't think that this negative air would be contagious.

"What's gotten into you, Ikeda!! Can you calm down!? Your voice freaks us out inside!" Mayumi trembled.

"I BEG YOU PLEASE! LET ME GO!! THIS FIGHT IS BETWEEN MEN!"

My mind's completely shaking not until Mayumi slaps me. I woke up from a state of violence after realizing that we were still in the game. I promised myself that I wouldn't use my strength to resort to violence. I shall release all of it to Queda.

So, "Please… just tell me where that serial killer is… If God just gives me the power to kill, she'll be the only one on my list," I wined.

But he replies to me even in the worst state. "Too bad… If… you're going… to kill… you can't… no… you won't."

Suddenly, we heard a drop of glass from the door, and we didn't notice that Aimi is already there, completely disappointed, stumbling mid-stride, frowning at Kenshin with teary eyes.

Without saying anything, she runs away from the house, towards the direction of the forest. I didn't have a choice but to follow her.

"Aimi!"