Editing City Series:Volume4b Chapter 6 (section)

===Part 4===

'''9:02 PM

Healing people was difficult.

Timewise, it took about six hours before Souichirou could speak.

It was already night aboveground.

But in the underground space with the lantern put out, it was impossible to judge the passage of those six hours.

After an amount of time that felt both short and long, Souichirou uttered his first words in the pitch dark.

“…I feel like I experienced the Kinki Riot.”

“What does that mean?” asked Saki’s voice.

“I am referring to the usage of the Flame High,” said Souichirou’s voice. “Would they have been unable to cause that riot if they had not held such an aggressive will?”

“Don’t talk about the Flame High too much,” said Takahiro’s voice. “The fire will move in response to the words.”

Souichirou sighed.

“Tokyo 1st Special Duty Officer Ikemaru Takahiro was it? You have my thanks. …You have been dragging my Lives up to the surface this entire time, haven’t you?”

“You need not thank me.”

“This guy can be blunt,” said Saki. “So don’t take it personally.”

“I am aware. I saw it in a feeling that was not quite a dream while he healed me.”

“Don’t talk too much. …But anyway. How is Souichirou? Can he move?”

“Probably,” confirmed Takahiro’s voice. “The prosthetics in this house are sure to protect him. But…”

“But?”

“There is a risk of the Flame High starting to move again. …To prevent that, he needs to retrieve Kusanagi as soon as possible.”

“How does he do that?”

“By using Kusanagi.”

Souichirou answered that with an exhausted and bitter laugh.

“So I retrieve Kusanagi after it was swallowed up by the Flame High, do I?”

“Souichirou, do you think you can use Kusanagi?”

“To be honest, I’m scared. …I have my own will at the moment, but what about the elation needed to use a Rhythm?”

“…”

“When I try to use a Rhythm, my thoughts might choose the Flame High over Kusanagi.”

Takahiro asked him a serious question when he heard that.

“Is the Flame High really that powerful?”

“It is pure aggression,” answered Souichirou. “The Kusanagi Rhythm creates a physical manifestation of ‘cutting’, but the Flame High is simply the burning and destruction of your opponent. …In other words, it is victory.”

“You were caught by that kind of Live?” asked Saki.

“The clincher was being saved by someone else.”

“You were saved by the wills of those in this cell and by your own sense of self. My healing has somewhat saved you, but if you do not replay Kusanagi soon, the Flame High will return.”

“I know that.” Souichirou sighed quietly. “But how am I supposed to reclaim my Words?”

“You fight,” declared Takahiro. “In the end, that is all there is in your Lives.”

Saki sighed when he heard it.

“Yeah, I guess it would be that.”

With the sound of a match striking, a small light briefly flashed and then light returned to the lantern.

Light surrounded the three boys and illuminated their faces.

Souichirou’s face looked somewhat calm, but Takahiro’s was deeply colored by exhaustion.

“Hey, are you okay, man?”

“Do not worry. I have done this before.”

“Before?”

“Long ago, I created a Dog God and erased someone’s possibilities.”

Takahiro’s resolute expression remained and both Souichirou and Saki fell silent in the darkness.

It took some time before Takahiro said anything more.

“Whether we are talking about me or that girl, everyone is killing someone.”

“…Eh?”

Takahiro ignored Saki’s question and fixed his suit’s collar as he stood up.

Souichirou looked up as he did so.

“Didn’t you want to ask me something?”

“I read your Lives while healing you.”

“I see. …Then you know the location of the winter cherry blossoms that Aoi Hijiri’s parents saw when they met.”

“Yes, they are at Osaka Castle.”

With that, Takahiro stroked the scarf around his neck.

And…

“Osaka Chancellor, I do have one question for you.”

“What is it?”

“That girl’s mother was abducted and taken to Tokyo. …Was that misfortune?”

“You’ve heard, haven’t you? The winter cherry blossoms they saw bring misfortune.”

“Not quite.”

“What?”

“Misfortune is not brought. It happens.”

“…”

“I ask you again: what do you think?”

“Unfortunately, I have to take the side of the people in this house. …Why not ask Aoi Hijiri?”

“I see.” Takahiro nodded and smiled bitterly. “I can probably ask her that after I settle this indecision.”

He turned his back on the other two in the flickering light.

Even after six hours of work, there was not a single wrinkle on the back of his suit.

“Are you leaving?” asked Saki.

“No, I am going.”

No one asked where.

“If you climb the stairs, the old woman will be waiting for you,” said Saki. “Just silently follow her.”

“This is a wonderful house.”

Takahiro said that in a less-than-complimentary tone and gave a quick bow.

He said nothing more as he left the cell.

The two boys who supported Osaka watched him go.

The sound of chains filled their silence.

Souichirou was moving.

This was the sound of the boy who had slayed an ogre and sought battle.

It rang out ever so slowly.