by Ash Masters
*
Sayuri finished managing Kioshi’s wounds, tying the last of the bandages off. ‘That should do it.’
‘You look like a mummy.’ Kouji chided lightly.
Kioshi didn’t smile, snatching the roll off Sayuri and seeing to his father. Despite all that his body had gone through, his eyes were keen to stay empowered even though his body hummed with pain. The glow of his eyes unnerved the pharmacy’s occupants as they reminded them of the Nightmares who they barely escaped alive.
‘What do we do now?’ Kouji asked.
‘We go and we kill Akira.’ Kioshi said bluntly. ‘It’s as simple as that. No more half-assing, we go in and we finish him. How’s that, father?’
Junichi didn’t say a word.
In another corner, Ayumi hissed as her body stung, sitting still while Asuka took care of her. ‘Stay still Ayumi...’ Asuka gave Ayumi an awkward smile.
‘Bite me, Princess.’ Still, Ayumi smiled a small smile.
‘Well, Yamato is in no condition to fight, Ayumi is out, that boy Radar clearly can’t fight,’ Sayuri looked back at Radar who didn’t have any objections but was embarrassed. ‘That leaves me and Kioshi.’
‘What about my mother?’ Asuka protested.
‘Absolutely not! You’re going to stay here okay? You’ve done enough.’
Asuka looked disappointed but didn’t argue, instead returning to cleaning Ayumi though more slowly than she had before.
‘Kouji’s coming too. We’ll go when I finish seeing to my father.’ Kioshi continued to wrap up his father. ‘When he wakes up he should be ready to go so when you’re ready Yamato, please take them back.’
‘Of course.’ Yamato nodded.
‘Kouji?’
Kouji was taken by surprise ‘Y-Yes, Kioshi?’
‘Take my father’s gun.’ Kioshi pointed with his head to the rifle laying amongst knocked over items. There’s something you can do.’
‘You want me to use your father’s gun? He wouldn’t mind?’
‘If he were awake he’d say that he’d want you to use it.’ Finished with his bandaging, Kioshi rose, looking down at Junichi. ‘Everything will be alright. Okay, father?’
‘Kioshi...’ Sayuri stood, placing a hand on Kioshi’s shoulder. ‘You know he’s not going to wake up.’
Agitated, Kioshi pulled out of Sayuri’s grip, spinning around to grab the sides of her hood, dragging her forward. ‘Yes he will! My father’s strong! He’ll get through this! So don’t you dare give up on him! You hear!?’ Kioshi shook Sayuri hard. ‘YOU HEAR ME!?’
‘Leave my mother alone!’ Asuka screamed, scrambling onto her feet to then wade through knocked over boxes of medicine. ‘Look at you’re father!’
Closing his eyes, Kioshi shook his head wildly, his blood-soaked hair flying around.
‘Kioshi,’ Kouji uttered.
Kioshi looked up at Kouji who was frowning extremely hard. ‘Look at your father.’
And so Kioshi looked at Junichi, tears he didn’t know he was carrying spilling when he saw that he had wrapped Junichi’s entire body in bandages, encasing him like Pharaoh ready to by buried and then idolised for years to come. ‘Father...’ Kioshi sobbed, sinking slowing onto his knees where Sayuri took his head and held him softly to her breast.
Junichi was never going to wake up again.