Sakiko and Nanami were more than siblings. They were a mirror of each other while being the most opposite personalities imaginable. They were best friends and yet argued as their lives depended on it.

They were one another's lifeline and from time to time, the reason for wanting to run away.

Run away from each other, run away together.. But, the one thing that remained was that Sakko and Nanami always found their way back to each other. Rather that be from searching for one another relentlessly or the miracle of bumping into each other in the woods.

When they were younger, their mother had told them a story about twins. They both assumed at the time that it was some fairytale, but the reality was that it was about their great aunts that their mother had grown up beside.

The story had gone as such: when the soul of a singular person was floating among the stars, the universe thought the entity would be too powerful. So, it divided the soul in two and thus the two souls were in separate bodies. They would be born together- a balance between the two that only the other could understand and relate to.

For a long time, their parents hadn't even told them who was older between the two. They wanted Sakiko and Nanami to be just as the story went- equal. A few minutes difference or gender didn't matter because they were the other's second half. They needed one another's company and advice, the solace that only the other could bring- not the authority over each other.

When things were bad, Nanami used to say that Sakiko was the 'yin' to his 'yang'. The salt to his pepper. The moon to his sun.

Always different, but detrimental to each other's survival.

--

"Hey," Ryan calls in a whisper, holding Sakiko's arm, "You got this."

Sakiko nods and Ryan sends her a smile before they trade nods. Sakiko walks over the higher level, looking down at the dozens of people below her.

Standing on the higher level were also Rick, Michonne, Glenn, and Daryl who all send her looks of approval and strength.

Sakiko had never been a people person- she would rather argue for the sake of it rather than give or receive two compliments. So, looking down at the people from Woodbury that had been taken in, she feels knots in her stomach.

As they look back up to her, she finds herself swallowing nervously.

"Hi.. I'm Sakiko," she begins, shuffling her feet.

Again, she glances at Daryl who nods for her to continue. 'You can do it' is what his eyes read. The look he gave her when he told the twins to get in the truck, when he began training her with knives, and even now. The look of hope that he always held for her.

She looks back to the people below- the people that Merle died for. The people that she'd nearly died for. The people that Nanami died for.

Pursing her lips, she feels those damned tears sting in the back of her eyes again.

"It was my brother's idea for us to all live together," she whimpers in such grief that the pain sounded physical.

The people of what was once Woodbury send her sympathetic looks, each knowing Nanami from his time there.

"I didn't.. I didn't think there were people worth- well, much of anything outside of our own people. For a while, I didn't even think I was worth anything. But.. Nanami.." he voice breaks at his name, "Nanami taught me that we're all important."

She looks around before spotting Sophia who was silently crying in Carol's arms.

"That we should stop for each other in the woods. Save each other and bring each other back."

Sophia's body shakes, sending Sakiko a tight-lipped smile that Sakiko returns.

"Nanami.." her voice cracks again and she has to pinch her leg to force the words out, "Nanami was all the good parts of me. Nanami was the hope and the smarts and.. The good. Nanami was just good."

"I did what I did to the Governor because of Nanami. Because he knew that there were innocent people like you and me that didn't deserve to live in hell because of one man's actions. Because living together in peace and safety is better than shooting at each other out of fear."

Sniffling, Sakiko laughs through her cries. The memories of her and Nanami's shared lives flow through her all at once. The good, bad, hopeless, helpless, bonding, strong, and scary times.. All of it.

But, Nanami was gone and she was here alone. Alone and speaking to the dozens of people he'd wanted so bad to save.

"My brother didn't just die for me. He died for you," she reminds, a colder tone setting in her voice, "My brother will not die a meaningless death, so don't let me regret this. If you do.."

She looks to as many of the people as she can, making sure they heard and understood her loud and clear.

Nanami was always with Sakiko, though. They were two beings of the same soul. His influence was forever engraved on her and she now had to carry both of their weights.

Just as the story their mother told- they had to be two because one was too powerful.

"You'll have more trouble on your hands than you can handle."

𝒶𝓊𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓇 𝓇𝒶𝓂𝒷𝓁𝑒𝓈--

this is it 🥺