Sequence 5

Now he was the one limping. Very... very slowly he walked past where Byakko had once stood. Shuji’s eyes glanced at where Byakko’s body should’ve landed. Damn thing had faded from existence before it hit the ground. The only thing left was a pin laid on the ground. It was Tatsugawa’s. Someone should grab that. Someone.

Shuji leaned against a streetlight and slowly crumpled to the ground. Everything hurt. Everything hurt so damn much. Vision got hazy. He remembered one of the few things that his Lancer had taught him. Something Shuji had to do even if it killed him. Before closing the barrier, he had to look natural.

Shuji looked down at his lap. The gun in it certainly didn’t look natural. Neither did the large cuts that adorned his body. Shuji slowly slipped off the remains of his jacket and covered himself. The bloodstains weren’t washing out of that anytime soon. Neither were the ones on the sidewalk. Oh well.

Shuji’s vision became a bit spotty. So much so that he didn’t even realize he’d taken down the barrier. Shuji heard the sounds of Nagasaki street life as he sat there. He... he needed to take a nap. Shuji was ever so tired. And strangely comfortable. Shuji closed his eyes with a smile.

“What that smell?” a familiar voice asked.

“Don’t worry about that now. Shuji. Shuji!”

Before he lost consciousness, he felt cold hands pressed against his face. Shuji heard his name. Who would be saying his name? He heard it again... louder now. Who would be shouting his name?

“Shuji please wake up.” Someone shook him. His eyes opened slowly to what should’ve been a blue sky. Instead, he saw someone just in front of his face. Who... who was this?

“I think he’s awake,” a deeper voice responded.

“I’ll call the ambulance then.” So there were three people around him? Noted.

“Not here! We’ve gotta move him. We can’t have a GUARDIAN ambulance on a busy street like this.” Shuji couldn’t figure out who the close shaky voice was coming from but he or she was not calm at all.

“Don’t forget the pin,” Shuji mumbled. His eyelids were getting heavy again. He needed another nap.

“No. No! Don’t you fall asleep you hear me?” Someone shook him again. It was harder this time, and he felt his head smack into the streetlight behind him. If nothing else, the pain jolted him awake. His eyes opened again. They were able to focus this time.

The first thing he noticed was Kin. It was rather hard to not notice her as close as she was. Kin had crouched down in front of him and had her hands underneath his jacket-blanket to press against his shirt.

Shuji felt the cool flow of her spiritual healing, but didn’t understand what it was in the moment. Shuji wasn’t necessarily thinking clearly after a fight like that. His chest just felt a little less warm than it had been during his nap. This cold was making him a bit uncomfortable.

“Stop that,” he protested weakly. Shuji moved about to push Kin off but it was more of a small thrash. Kin’s hands on his shoulder pressed him back.

“Don’t do that, idiot.” Why did she want him to stop?

“How do you wanna move him?” Move who?

“You’ll have to carry him.” Carry who?!

“What about that pin he mentioned?” the third voice asked. Shuji vaguely remembered saying something about a pin.

“Probably Tatsugawa-san’s Head Lancer pin. I don’t know why he mentioned that,” Kin replied. Yeah, that was it.

“I’ll grab it just in case. I think I see it on the ground.”

“Don’t draw too much attention to yourself Umeki-san,” she hissed. Oh. So Umeki was here. That was nice.

“Okay, Kojima-san come here please. We’re gonna slowly lift him onto your back once Umeki-san returns. Be careful to keep the jacket over his front. Don’t want everyone seeing his wounds.”

Oh. So it was him they were moving. Or something like that. Shuji’s eyes lazily rested on Kin. He wanted to ask her what happened but couldn’t force out the words. Instead all that came out was a low, incomprehensible noise.

Kin turned to him. “Shuji-kun. It’ll all be alright okay? We’re going to move you so the ambulance can pick you up. Can you understand me?”

More incomprehensible noise. Kin’s hand slid onto the side of his face as he turned away from her. “Umeki-san please hurry. We need to move him soon,” she called in a hushed tone.

There was a lot of hustling around him as he figured those around him were getting in position. Shuji’s head rolled on his shoulder as he tried to look to Kin. “The Blunder... the Blun…” he rambled.

“We’ve already got it. Don’t worry. You just stay awake.”

“Sasaki-chan, we should hurry. People are giving us strange looks.”

“Their friend isn’t dying so they can get the hell over it.”

Shuji felt a slow gliding motion as he figured he was being lifted. Then it stopped as he felt himself settle onto something. Was it... was it Kojima’s back? That’d make sense. Kin said they’d be putting him there. Now they were going to be moving.

“Umeki-san, please keep him talking. Errr... keep him making that noise. We need him awake. If he falls asleep again, he might not wake up.”

“Wouldn’t you be better for that?”

“I’m going to check the map for a good alleyway to start healing him while we wait.”

“Okay.” There was a small bustle around Shuji as people moved. There was a lot of bustle around him. Kojima was carrying him on his back on the... sidewalk? Probably the sidewalk.

“So Yotogi-san, you were in bad shape before we left. We thought for sure you were staying behind to die when you shooed us out of the barrier. How did you do it?”

Shuji wanted to explain using the Puppeteer technique and how it felt. He would’ve then transitioned into how much damage the powered up Shriek did. To round it out, Shuji would’ve loved to detail his very apathetic kill with the Blunderbuss. But unfortunately for him, all he could make was a low gurgle. It came out right in his head, but Yumiko’s face told him it wasn’t what she was expecting.

Umeki continued trying to converse. “I guess when we get back we should really teach me how to shoot. I kind of missed that shot, didn’t I?”

She had. Shuji wanted to agree with her but couldn’t quite get the words out. His head was feeling heavy. Strange, Kojima’s back wasn’t very comfortable but Shuji found him resting his head on it. Gods, he was tired.

“But that’s okay. I’m sure you can teach me exactly what to do. Assuming you’re willing. You will won’t you?” she asked.

Why was she still trying to talk to him? Besides why was she asking about that of all things? Of course she needed training. Of course he wasn’t going to be the one to train her. Had she learned nothing of their time together?

He tried to tell her this. He really did. But a rising in his throat told him he shouldn’t open his mouth. Shuji felt awful. Positively awful.

“Kojima-san but your back to this wall and let’s lower him down here. Umeki-san, help me with him.”

Another rustle and slow movement later and he was on the ground. Kin knelt down to stare him down at face level. His eyes met her before he turned his head and got rid of what was in his mouth.

“Thanks for not doing that on my back,” Kojima piped up.

“Well he still understands where he is. I’ll get started here. Make sure no one gets close enough to understand what’s going on, Kojima-san.” Without another word she pulled the blood-stained and torn jacket from him and began to tear his shirt.

“Oh shit. This is worse than I thought. Shuji, your sternum is in pieces. How in the hell did you stay awake?” she asked as she went to work. Were he in a better state of mind, Shuji would feel the soft patter of tears landing on his chest. But he wasn’t. He could only barely make out the sensation of Kin’s healing being pushed into him.

Shuji’s heavy eyelids finally won out as he closed them. Surely, Kin of all people would let him grab some rest. After all, he’d been through a lot. All Shuji wanted was rest. But, he felt something move inside his chest and couldn’t control the scream from leaving his lips. It hurt.

It hurt.

It hurt.

It hurt.

His body moved on its own before Kin slammed her head into his shoulder. The medic’s tiny frame pushed his back onto the building-side. “I know it hurts but I need you to stay still. Your sternum won’t reset itself. Shuji-kun you’re going to be okay. Help is on the way.”

Kin kept her head planted there as she pumped more energy into his chest. His body thrashed again as she tried to hold him back. As his body thrashed, his eyes became heavy again. Shuji couldn’t fight it this time.

“Do you need me to help Sasaki-chan?” Umeki asked.

“No. I’ve got him. Just stay on the lookout.”

“Are you sure?”

“I said it didn’t I?” That was the end of that conversation.

Now he couldn’t help but feel the tears. Hell, he heard her sob as she tried desperately to heal him.

“You’re not gonna die. You’re not gonna die,” she whispered to herself more than anyone. “He’s not gonna die. He’s not gonna die. I won’t let you. I won’t let you die on me.” The healing stopped as her head fell softly onto his shoulder again.

“Why did you have to bring me?” She didn’t get an answer.